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Topic: Bigsby hack job |
Abe Levy
From:
California, USA
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Posted 13 Apr 2017 1:44 pm |
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I have no connection to this sale.
There's a single neck 8 string Bigsby that clearly came from a jacked up pedal guitar for sale on reverb.com. It's been mounted on a pretty nice Birdseye Cabinet. It's earlier than '56 for sure (raised graphics) and it's clear it once had a changer and also plunger type fingers at the headstock. I'd say it's not a bad price if you're desperate for a Bigsby but can't afford a complete one. Looks very playable... though there is only one pic.
https://reverb.com/item/4747142-bigsby-steel-guitar-8-string-1956?device=ios-app
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Mostly Pre-1970 guitars. |
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Cartwright Thompson
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Posted 13 Apr 2017 2:51 pm
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| I'd rather buy a Clinesmith |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 13 Apr 2017 2:59 pm
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That appears to be one of the necks from Ethel Starr's first Bigsby, which was a quad turned into a double. She did that kind of thing for her students -- rather, an instrument builder friend of hers did. Anyway, another that can be sourced to Ethel Starr had the same appearance.
It is earlier than August 1953, based upon the raised graphics and the shape of the keyhead and the nut shape.
This guitar was fitted with a lever that when activated would push down on some strings and change the tuning. Ethel's First Bigsby came with that on two necks.
This is a cool piece. If you had an original Bigsby Triple, for example, that had a chopped up neck (not unusual) and needed a replacement neck with the matching scale and nut shape, this would be a bargain.
I would want to identify a couple things underneath to verify that it is from Ethel Starr's quad, reunite it with the other similar instrument that I just checked on a few minutes ago, and make Ethel Starr's quad-turned-double back into a quad again. The Ethel Starr double cabinet wood is a mess anyway -- actually, it has been flipped upside down so the old top of the guitar us the new underneath.
Only six quads were made. The "Take It Away Leon" Quad has been turned into a triple and Mell Tillis has it. Warnik has a quad. Ray Monte has had his quad since it was born in 1956. Ethel Starr had two quads and there is one hidden in the South.
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Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars.
Last edited by Chris Lucker on 13 Apr 2017 3:23 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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David Ball
From:
North Carolina High Country
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Posted 13 Apr 2017 3:02 pm
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| Cartwright Thompson wrote: |
| I'd rather buy a Clinesmith |
Me too... |
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Abe Levy
From:
California, USA
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Posted 13 Apr 2017 4:01 pm
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Very interesting Chris - earlier today Jussi and I were chatting on Facebook about it and I was wondering if it might be from the Ethel Starr guitar, which I very nearly bought from Todd C last year.
By the way - did I ever mention that I solved the mystery of the "JM" legs on the fireball guitar? Bill's dad made them.
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Mostly Pre-1970 guitars. |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 13 Apr 2017 4:21 pm
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Ask him if those are the ones that his dad made, or if his dad made a different set. He had some problems remembering some details about the guitar in the first photo and the guitar a few months later.
Did he tell you the story about Riverside Rancho with the Tex Ritter Band and JM and the talent contests.
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Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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Abe Levy
From:
California, USA
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Posted 13 Apr 2017 5:24 pm
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He came to my place and spent a few hours with the guitar. First time he'd seen it since '63. Yes, he remembered that his dad made the legs on the guitar, though he had no idea why they say JM on them. Evidently there were two sets made - one taller set that have disappeared and these. He did tell me about going to see Murph play At the riverside rancho and his quest to get the plaque just like Murph's. He said the middle ten string neck was originally non pedal E7 which explains the later addition of the changer etc. I imagine whomever bought it from him went to PA and got the parts and installed them themselves...?
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Mostly Pre-1970 guitars. |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 13 Apr 2017 5:46 pm
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Do two of them say JM or three?
Did he recall trading it to Baldwin in Covina or West Covina? The people I got it from, in Kansas City or Oklahoma City, I need to check my notes, say their Father got it from the Baldwin Piano and Organ store in Covina and that it was a trade in.
Fireball did not recall the Baldwin store.
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Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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Bill Galvan
From:
California, USA
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Posted 18 Apr 2017 3:41 pm Fireball Bigsby
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Hello Chris/Abe
Good to see you guy's are still talking about the Fireball Bigsby.
I just want to put my 2 cents in the discussion.
I was living in Anaheim in 1963 when I sold the guitar ($600) to a guy
who lived in Covina. He contacted me via PA who knew I was willing to
sell. That guy (don't remember his name) must have traded it to Baldwin.
My dad definitely made the legs. He made them at the company where
he worked. The company was in Compton. Maybe the company initials
were JM or JM might be the manufacturer of the stainless steel bar. The
only other possibility is that someone added the initials after I sold it, for
whatever reason. Abe, have you verified the lower, smaller part of each
leg unscrews from the larger section. They should unless someone has
loc-tited (threat bonding agent) them together. It was the smaller diameter
sections that could be changed to raise (or lower) the guitar. The longer
sections must have been lost over the years.
One more minor item: J.M. played with the Tex Williams band at Riverside
Rancho not Tex Ritter. I'm sure Chris knew that but just made a typo. |
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Abe Levy
From:
California, USA
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Posted 18 Apr 2017 5:05 pm
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Hey Bill! Yes, still talking about you and the fireball guitar all the time. In fact I see your smiling face every day as I have your portrait on the day you received the guitar hanging above the guitar. Yes, the short ends of the legs unscrew. I think I'll eventually have some replacement long versions made to play it standing.... I play it everyday. It's such a wonderful guitar. I'll be returning to Southern California later this year and would really enjoy getting together again if you're up for it. I'll give you a call when I'm back... hope you're well!
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Mostly Pre-1970 guitars. |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 18 Apr 2017 8:11 pm
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Yes, I don't know why I typed Ritter.
How is you fender?
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Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 19 Apr 2017 10:41 am
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deleted
Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 21 May 2018 1:19 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Bill Galvan
From:
California, USA
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Posted 23 Apr 2017 12:09 pm Fireball Bigsby
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Chris/Abe:
Sorry to hear you play your Bigsby every day. I was hoping by now you were
tired of it and would sell it to me for 3X what I originally paid for it. Just
kiddin'. Chris: I've been trading and selling non-pedal steels like crazy.
Trying to find one I like. I'm now bugging Herb Remington to make me one.
He's been unresponsive. Hope all is well with him.
If you guys know of a good quality, single neck, ten string, non-pedal unit
let me know.
Bill |
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