A Tribute to a Craftsman

Sam Lewis · From: Conway, Arkansas, USA

Some time ago I bought a D-10 just to have something to tinker with, thinking to do a restoration. The guitar does not have a "brand" name but the name Bowman is on the fret board. I assume that the guitar was built by the great steel player, Bobby Bowman. After cleaning and tuning it up I played it a few hours. Well, the tone was good and the pedals and levers worked as they should, but that isn't why I am writing. The construction of the guitar is outstanding. In my 70+ years of playing the different steel's I have owned, I have never seen one that (IMO) was built with such loving care as this guitar
.

Joe Krumel · From: Hermitage, Tn.

When a craftsman builds a project you just can't hide it. I'll bet it's a beauty!

Sam Lewis · From: Conway, Arkansas, USA

Yes, Joe, you are absolutely right. I did not know Mr. Bowman, but from what I can gather, and from what some have said on the forum, he was a master of the pedal steel guitar. After having spent several good hours with the one have, I believe he earned the right to be call "Doctor"

Only one problem, it is too heavy for this 93 year old to carry very far. However, it does have legs so maybe I can teach it to walk.

Joe Krumel · From: Hermitage, Tn.

Good idea! I owned an old Sho Bud double neck that needed to learn how to walk! Too heavy for this old guy .

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

It is a joy to work on something that was built by a craftsman. There is no improvements you can make, Just replace worn or broken parts, Make an adjustment or two and it is back original.

Sam Lewis · From: Conway, Arkansas, USA

Bobby, you sure hit the nail on the head - It's beginning to get boring when all have to do is polish, polish and more polish. I love it.

Mitch Ellis · From: Collins, Mississippi USA

Sam Lewis · From: Conway, Arkansas, USA

Sam Lewis · From: Conway, Arkansas, USA

Well, I've played the guitar for a few weeks and I can say for sure that I have never played a better one. Someday soon I hope to shake Mr. Bowman's hand and thank him. There just might be some room in the Glory Bound train baggage car that I can take it with me

Sam Lewis · From: Conway, Arkansas, USA

I'm trying to build a history about this Bowman steel guitar. I would appreciate any information that my forum friends can provide, i.e. when was it built, is there a picture somewhere of Mr Bowman playing it, are the parts unique only to this guitar or were they from some other manufacturer. There is so much I don't know but would like to find out all I can. My sincere thanks to each of you.

Mike Sweeney · From: Nashville,TN,USA

Bobby passed away a few years ago.
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Zumsteel steel guitars, Telonics and Peavey amplifiers, GHS strings.

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Fine looking guitar and your seal of approval only makes it all the more special. I'm impressed that you still love and restore these great guitars.

Sam Lewis · From: Conway, Arkansas, USA

Larry and Mike, please accept my sincere thanks for responding. Larry, my love for the steel guitar is only a little less than my Lord and my bride of 70 years. Mike, I " have your CD "Heart of Steel" along with the trac. Such great music. I have almost worn the trac out playing with it

Jim Saunders · From: Houston, Texas, U.S.A.

I got to know Bobby fairly well in that I live in Houston attending the Southwest Texas Steel Guitar jams and Bobby was a fixture there. And, during the time Herb Remington was "building" the Remington steels, Bobby was a key fixture in the production, mostly assembly. Herb had a guy who made the cabinets, another who cast and made the metal parts, pedals, end plates, rods and such. I once ordered a SD10 from Herb and it never got built because the metal guy got cancer and died. That ended the production and I got a refund on my deposit, all be it in installments. The design work was by Herb and Bobby.
I think Bobby went on to build his own guitars using some of the same parts from Remington. If you compare the pedals on the Bowman, they are the same as a Remington. From my observation, the quality was great.

Jim Saunders · From: Houston, Texas, U.S.A.

Sam, I posted a video of Bobby Bowman playing his PP Emmons at our Southeast TX Steel Guitar Club jam. Check it out.

Sam Lewis · From: Conway, Arkansas, USA

Thanks for the video and the info. The "history" is coming along but pretty slow. The guitar is coming along just fine. Bobby made provision for 9 floor pedals and I was able to fabricate and install the 9th. Working on adding three more knees. Bobby left open cross rods for them. I saw the halo lights on the MSA and thought that this fine Bowman special deserves some lights so I put some on it. Bobby was a great craftsman and it makes it hard on me to maintain that level of perfection. I'm trying.

Joachim Kettner · From: Germany

Btw, I have a Sierra double-neck engraved with his name on the underside. I suppose he was on tour with somebody over here, and he sold it before he went home.
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Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube.

Jim Saunders · From: Houston, Texas, U.S.A.

Sam, I did learn that Bobby's surname is Smith and he got the name Bowman from playing with Bob Wills, where Wills would point his violin bow at Bobby for a solo. The name stuck.

Sam Lewis · From: Conway, Arkansas, USA

Thank you, Jim, it seems like in the back of my mind I had heard that bit about Bob Wills from another source long ago. Perhaps some of Bobby's family can chime in and add to it.

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Jim Saunders · From: Houston, Texas, U.S.A.

Thanks Herb. I had it close; Smith, Jones,? The Bowman name came from the deep recesses of my memory, but I was thinking it was Bobby who told me about Bob Wills pointing his bow at him?

Sam Lewis · From: Conway, Arkansas, USA

Thank you, guys for helping me keep things straight. Herb, my heart goes out to you for I too, know the pain of losing a dear friend and brother musician about the same time frame. I still miss our visits. I'll be 94 next birthday and there have been lots of them

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

IIRC, Bobby informed me that many of the undercarriage parts were made by Houston area machinist Al Winters.
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My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Sam Lewis · From: Conway, Arkansas, USA

There comes a point in time when it's time to hang it up. I'm there. I've done about all I needed to do for the Bowman guitar so it's time to find a new home for it, I installed #9 floor pedal, another vertical knee lever and Aura lights so it's going to the For Sale. Thanks to everyone who helped me with info about Bobby and his guitars. He was a master craftsman and I stand by my earlier statement that I believe it is one of the best guitars I have played in 70+ years of steel guitar.

Please close this thread.

Sam Lewis · From: Conway, Arkansas, USA

Close 'er up.

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