Faverite Players Instroments

Subject: Our Hero's Instroments
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 25 Aug 99 - 07:28 PM

Since we all have had so much fun talking about the instroments we love to play , I thuoght it might be fun to talk about our heros guitars banjos and the like.I'm awfull at remembering instroment numbers but I'll leave these as questions......Now lets all open our Gruhen instroment books to page...... 1, Robert Johnson played a small bodied Gibson twards the end of his life and before that was it a Slingerland or what? 2,Martin CArthy plays a oo18 or 00018 Martin????? 3,Did Clarence Tom Ashley play a gibson Mastertone banjo Open-back????It sounded like it<<>> 4 Alister Anderson was playing a mettel ended Wheatstone[48 botton] the last time I saw him {16 years ago} 5, Leadbelly played a 12 string Stella did'nt he? All the best

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From: Bugsy
Date: 25 Aug 99 - 10:22 PM

Martin Carthy plays a Martin 00018. Same as mine - For some reason mine sounds diferent!!

Bugsy

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 25 Aug 99 - 11:57 PM

I wander if Martin Carthy started off as a drummer...His playing is so percusive!I also wander if he leared to frail banjo since he sometimes seems to hit the strings in the same way...

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From: Bert
Date: 26 Aug 99 - 09:20 AM

I did read somewhere that Johnny Cash gave a guitar to Bob Dylan when Bob was just starting out. It that true os just another folk legend?

Bert.

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From: Roger the zimmer
Date: 26 Aug 99 - 09:24 AM

Joe Brown claims Johnny Cash gave him a a pair of expensive cowboy boots as compensation for getting him fired off his UK tour backing band (for playing a fancy backing rather than the basic strum the arrangement required . "I don't want no pickin'"!). So the Bob Dylan story might be true.

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From: bill\sables
Date: 26 Aug 99 - 04:09 PM

Matin Carthy is now playing a handmade guitar by Terry Docherty from Northumberland in the UK .Terry's website is at www.ypc.co.uk/docherty Cheers Bill

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 26 Aug 99 - 06:08 PM

Tom Ashley played a Gibson RB 250 with the resonater still on in his later years. hard to say what the original recordings were played on. The promo photos only showed him with guitar. (probably a Tonks Bros. Stella)

How about a trivia question? (no prizes, but I'll buy you a pint when I meet you)

What was the brand name on Bob Gibson's 12 string through the 60s and 70s, AND, AND, who actually made it? I know it's tricky. I don't mean the "Bozo" Podunovac he played in the 80s.

Rick

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 26 Aug 99 - 06:49 PM

I'm so happy to hear about Clarence Tom Ashley's rb 250 ,thanks Rick. I remember seeing pictures of it back in the late sixteis when I had the albume. I have no idea on B.Gibsons guitar {Do you remember Framus made an inexspesive 12 string popular in that period ???...Wild guess}I think the first rounds on me<<<>>><<<>>Guy

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From: DonMeixner
Date: 26 Aug 99 - 06:53 PM

Gretch made by Guild???

Ditson made by Martin???

Just guessing.

Don

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 26 Aug 99 - 07:13 PM

Oh I like the Guild Guess...I go along with that...Dose that mean I'm buying two rounds????

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 26 Aug 99 - 07:21 PM

Sorry just another thuoght....Try to amagine Ry Cooders colection of Guitars and mandolils over the years. The mind boggles!!!!We've all seen what Eric Clapton took to stage on the Cradle The Blues Tour..There's another collection worth drooling over..Ofcource both thoughs guys realey desirve what they have for all they can do with them!!!! My three year old is calling..No adiction here.[Thead crossing}

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From:
Date: 27 Aug 99 - 04:16 AM

Brownie McGhee tells the story of "inheriting" Blind Boy Fuller's National Steel resonator, so presumably Blind Boy Fuller Played a National Resonator.

Legend has it that Stefan Grossman gave Son House a National soon after he was "rediscovered" in the 60s. Does anyone know what he played earlier when he was recorded by Alan Lomax and the Library of Congress?.

By the way. In my opinion the most beautiful guitar played by a blues singer is Sam Chatmon's archtop Gibson. I don't know Gibson models well enough to give the model number; It is completely undecorated, but I really like the looks of it.

Murray

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 27 Aug 99 - 09:41 AM

Bob Gibson played a Vega 12, made by Harmony. One of the guitars that Sam Chatmon was photographed with was a red Gibson L-1. Pretty old one too.

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 27 Aug 99 - 07:18 PM

So what did Robert Johnson play before the Gibson???No prize involved since I wouldnt know if the answer was corect..Any takers???

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 27 Aug 99 - 07:46 PM

Here's a two-fer: On "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," Merle Travis tells Doc Watson after they've been introduced for the first time, "Say, that guitar rings like a bell." Doc replies, "Yes, it's a good old box; Mr. Gallagher made it for me." Merle responds that "Uncle Dave Macon had one."

Of course it wasn't the only instrument either played--on the record, Earl Scruggs and John McEwen play a duet on "Soldier's Joy," McEwen playing Uncle Dave's banjo. Anyone know what it was?

Does anyone know if Doc uses the same guitar for flatpicking and fingerpicking? Or what kind of banjo he plays?

--seed

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From: dwditty
Date: 27 Aug 99 - 08:28 PM

'Seed, since my last name is Gallagher, I'll second that emotion. In fact, I received my brand new 71 Special one week ago. I, too, first learned of Gallagher guitars from the WTCBU album. I've wanted one ever since. The Gallagher catalog can be viewed at www.dnj.com/Gallagher
These guitars have a distinctive sound especially suited to flatpicking - Doc's playing attests to that. As luck would have it, I play with my fingers exclusively, but it still sounds great. My other guitar is a Guild F50R - ala Dave Van Ronk - probably my all time favorite artist.

DW

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From:
Date: 27 Aug 99 - 09:47 PM

I have a feeling that Doc's sound is due to Doc. I'll wager he can get it with any guitar that doesn't stand up and fight him. He does have a beautiful sound which sometimes gets forgotten in the admiration of his facility.

I have read that Merle Travis owned a Martin acoustic guitar with a custom-made fancy headstock. Are there any recordings of him playing that. In all the recordings I have heard, he seems to be playing an electric guitar.

Murray

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From: j0_77
Date: 27 Aug 99 - 11:20 PM

Never did settle on any one, but the most reliable, comfortable, friendly sweetest Guitar I ever had was an old Fender Jumbo. Don't know when it was made - it was given to me as a gift. I parted with it in a moment of madness :( Twould Finger Pick or Flat Pick equaly well - it was a rare instument grrrrrrrrrrr

Re the Gallagher - I would do silly things just to get a loan of one made by Don's father. What can I say - Astonishing. BTW Herman Johnson (Oklahoman Old TIme Fiddler) sometimes works with a Guitarist using a Gallagher. I don't know bout Herman's reordings but it may be it is the same Guitarist. New thread Gallagher Guitars??

Subject: RE: Faverite Players Instroments
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 28 Aug 99 - 04:01 PM

Murray, Merle plays accoustic on the album I mentioned above, WTCBU*--he plays "Dark as a Dungeon" and "I Am a Pilgrim." --seed

* the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's album made with a bunch of old time and country musicians: Doc, Merle, Earl Scruggs, Roy Acuff, Jimmy Martin, Vassar Clements, Maybelle Carter, etc. It's a three lp set (now available on 2 CDs)--and is a real treasure.