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Topic: Bigsby Reunion |
Abe Levy
From:
California, USA
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Posted 21 Nov 2015 7:00 pm |
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Today "Fireball" Bill Galvan (along with his pal guitarist Jack Mclure) came to visit his old Bigsby triple 8/10/8. He hadn't seen the guitar since 1963, when he sold it while his wife was expecting. He took possession of the guitar nearly 60 years ago, on August 1 1956. He had ordered it nearly two years before, but couldn't wait anymore so bribed the next in line (Bigsby only built one instrument a month), Jb Thomas of the Thomas Indian band, to let him get his guitar first. Evidently PA was not too keen to build Thomas' double neck guitar/5string Mandolin, so he let Bill pay Thomas $100 to move up. Bill (and Jack) played with Arliss Mcminn and the California playboys (google them, there's a short documentary and a lengthy article in vintage guitar mag- they were pretty awesome), and Bill also played in a band with Eddie Cochran! Bill was a big Joaquin Murphey fan, and so even though Bigsby wasn't putting plaques on the front of his guitars anymore, Bill demanded his guitar have one just like he'd seen on Murph's. When he got the guitar on Aug 1 1956 he had his photo taken with it (as PA requested) but had to bring it back a month later to have the plaque put on, as the engraver had not finished. Presumably because Bill had skipped in line...
Anyway, Bill still plays, sounded great on the guitar and it was really great to meet him and Jack. The guitar has been modded a bit since it left him. The middle neck had a changer added, and two pedals were added, making it an 8 pedal. The parts used appear to be original Bigsby, however it seems that the changer on the middle neck was put on by someone else. Bill - if you read this, please correct me if I've mis stated anything.
Thanks to Chris Lucker and Deke Dickerson for making today's reunion possible. Chas Smith for sorting out the changer tuners for me, And thanks to Fireball - for being Awesome - then and now.
_________________
Mostly Pre-1970 guitars.
Last edited by Abe Levy on 21 Nov 2015 7:13 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Abe Levy
From:
California, USA
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Posted 21 Nov 2015 7:09 pm
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_________________
Mostly Pre-1970 guitars. |
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Jason Duguay
From:
Massachusetts, USA
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Posted 21 Nov 2015 7:16 pm
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oh man, I love everything about this, just too cool. "Fireball" makes complete sense. Perfect.
_________________
Ralph. Mooney. |
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Roger Guyett
From:
San Francisco, Ca.
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Posted 23 Nov 2015 9:44 pm
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| What a great story! |
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Frank Freniere
From:
The First Coast
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Posted 24 Nov 2015 4:49 am
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| Great story, great pix - thanks! |
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Rick Rian
From:
Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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Posted 24 Nov 2015 5:55 am
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| Outstanding ... thanks for posting this! |
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Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 24 Nov 2015 5:58 am
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| Abe Levy wrote: |
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Does the guitar player look like a young George Harrison, or not? Great post, I love this story.
_________________
Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 24 Nov 2015 6:02 am
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| Rick Barnhart wrote: |
| Does the guitar player look like a young George Harrison, or not? |
I thought the exact same thing when I first saw the photo. He's almost a dead ringer, and he plays a Gretsch to boot. |
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Jack Harper
From:
Mississippi, USA
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Posted 24 Nov 2015 6:08 am
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and this is what is so neat about this forum.
when you think there is nothing working in your world, something like this show's up and you know there's more pieces to the puzzle....
such a great story....
should be on the evening news, around the world.
country jack.... |
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Rick Rian
From:
Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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Abe Levy
From:
California, USA
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Mel Bergman
From:
Camarillo, California, USA
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Posted 24 Nov 2015 12:59 pm
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| So rad! |
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Bill Galvan
From:
California, USA
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Posted 24 Nov 2015 2:15 pm
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Thanks Abe for your hospitality, the Bigsby book, the pictures, the write-up
above and the chance to visit my old friend of 60 years ago. In case any of
my ex-wives read this I have to make some minor corrections.
My wife was not expecting. Our son was born in Sept. of 1962 (he now
works for SAG in L.A.) and the extra expenses of a new baby made the sale
of the Bigsby necessary.
I see in the Bigsby book that Thomas took delivery of his guitar in Nov. 1956.
This means I paid him $100 to allow me to move up just 2 months. I don't
believe I did that. Maybe I did. I did a lot of stupid things during the 50's.
PA was going on vacation (Hawaii) in Sept. and preferred to build a steel
rather than a standard guitar because the steels were less time consuming.
The picture of me and the guitar player was taken in 1957 at a bar in
El Monte Ca. named The Caves. The guitarist's name is Leon Raper. He used
the name Leon Rogers back then to avoid any jokes or snickering. Leon is
now retired (he owned his own business in L.A.) and living in the Scottsdale
area of Arizona. The picture was taken by one of my future ex-wives.
Leon and I married sisters. Neither marriage lasted, but thats another story.
Thanks again Abe,
Bill (a.k.a. Fireball Billy Earle) |
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Abe Levy
From:
California, USA
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Posted 25 Nov 2015 7:21 am
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My pleasure Bill! Was so great to meet you. Thanks for clarifying! Let's get together again soon...
Abe
_________________
Mostly Pre-1970 guitars. |
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George Redmon
From:
Muskegon & Detroit Michigan.
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Posted 25 Nov 2015 10:54 am
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Really enjoyed this. Thank you so much for posting this bit of musical culture.  |
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Geoff Cline
From:
Southwest France
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Posted 27 Nov 2015 1:46 pm
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| Just the coolest thing...on many levels. |
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