Refinsh and restore " ERIC WEST GUITAR"

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 5 Mar 2012 7:25 am

Nice job, Bob!

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 16 Mar 2012 12:44 pm

Bob, words can't express my gratitude for what you are doing in remembrance of my son, Eric. I am continually amazed at how much he was loved and admired for his playing/relationships and the love of music as he expressed himself. Bringing "Happy Friendly Little Eric" back into his life in 2008, gave him a way to integrate his former self into who he had become and it helped him feel whole again. Those of you who don't know who HFLE is - his signature icon - need to do some research (or not, he was an annoyance to some and not understood by most

- Back at the Ranger Stations (ages 5-9) he was known as HFLE, and all was right with his world.

TMI maybe, but nonetheless, Eric would be over- whelmed to know of your love and admiration. (He does

) With all his music belongings that some of you are enjoying, maybe you've sensed his presence. Hmmmmm
Carry on, Audrey, aka Eric's Mom

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 16 Mar 2012 2:26 pm

Thanks for sharing that little tidbit, Audrey, I sure do miss the kid...

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 16 Mar 2012 2:47 pm

Just a quick update on the restoration. It's not quite finished yet but getting close. I still need to get some more barrel tuners for the C6 side, and do the wiring, and a few miscellaneous other things. Then comes several hours of adjustment and test playing, but it's getting close. I think the photos will tell the rest of the story.

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 6 Apr 2012 5:17 pm

I got the great priviledge of playing the Blue Marvel at Bob's steel gathering last Tuesday evening. A few adjustments remain but it is one guitar well worth the trouble to bring it back to life

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 6 Apr 2012 6:48 pm

Bob, are you going to bring this amazing Eric tribute axe to the PDX jam on May 20th. I think everyone would really love to see and play it.

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 6 Apr 2012 7:03 pm

Yes, Eric's guitar will be there. I hope to have all the knee levers Remounted by then, but it will make it there no matter what. It is actually playing and sounding pretty well already.

Steve Hotra · Post by **Steve Hotra** » 9 Apr 2012 7:05 pm

wow... nice job Bob!

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 22 May 2012 2:56 pm

Eric's guitar is finished now, I took it to the Portland steel jam on Sunday. Several of the players sat down and tried it out, seems to work fine now. So I bought it at the last steel jam unrestored, it returned this time looking like new and ready to play again. Here are a few photos of some players giving it a try.

So the guitar will live on for a few more years!!

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 22 May 2012 3:08 pm

Well done Bob, well done!! Eric would be proud!

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 22 May 2012 5:10 pm

I am glad to see this. Thanks Bob for doing justice to a cool guitar, and the memory of a fine man.

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 22 May 2012 6:13 pm

Bob......

As this guitar now sits, does it still have Eric's
BUTTER KNIFE knee lever in place?

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 22 May 2012 7:03 pm

The "BUTTER KNIFE" remains only in name, Ray, Bob told me he had it on there at first and it made him crazy looking at it so he put the purty teardrop lever on instead. He still has the knife handle, though,, and it will be "Eric's Butter Knife Guitar" forever more to all who inquire....

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 23 May 2012 9:02 am

I was present the night Eric broke his knee lever.

I was there! I witnessed how Eric managed to 'acquire' the knife 'with the handle' from a nearby dining room table-setting and how in the blink of an eye he serperated that handle from the main body of the knife in three minutes or less. I was there when he dashed outside at the speed of light and returned with a radiator clamp of the proper size and proceeded to afix them together, first at MY TABLE thence beneath the guitar, right there on the stage. When the next song started,
Eric was sitting at that guitar playing the intro' and throughout the rest of the evening as tho' nothing whatsoever out of the ordinary had happened.

It is my 'historical feeling' that to knowingly and willingly leave that knife handle off of this beautifully restored pedal steel guitar is next to a crime. That is one of the items in this instruments' history that makes it so unique. To leave it 'off', is to seperate this historical feet from Eric himself. This is just NOT RIGHT! That knife and radiator clamp should be re-installed just as Eric had done so. This is the type of thing that legend is made of. Eric was indeed a legend for more than just his banjo rolls.

WHO gives 'anyone' the authority to re-write HISTORY?

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 23 May 2012 9:40 am

Ray, that leaves a BIG question--who do we call, the butter knife cops or the knee lever cops?

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 23 May 2012 11:10 am

Well RAY the truth is I had get the guitar in running condition to do the show, the mounting bracket for that knee lever is in very poor condition. I re-rigged the newer knee levers on so that the guitar could work properly at the show. James has built me some new cross shafts for the guitar, I don't have them mounted just yet, as these things take time. Have no fear the knife Handel is still alive and healthy, when I get the new cross shafts in I will try it again. Perhaps you would like to come over here and help me work on the guitar then we could get it done quicker. While you're here you can play the guitar and see how the knife lever works for you, hope to see you soon!!

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 23 May 2012 11:31 am

I'm sure Bob is quite aware of how very much I DO appreciate his fabulous guitar restorations. His work is really unequalled and the finish work Bob Littlefield of West Coast Guitars contributed to this project is likewise deserving of recognition.

The knife........was truly what made this guitar unique. Without it, it would merely be another nice looking guitar.

If Eric's legacy is to live on with that guitar, I for one feel the knife has to be in place, just as
Eric had installed it. This was not just another
guitar rebuild for it was Eric's guitar. That's what made 'it' special.

Eric's guitar without the knife, would be like a one legged girl tap dancer named 'Ilene'.

What's YOUR opinion?

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 23 May 2012 11:58 am

Well before this gets any crazier, Ray just for you, and all the butter knife fans, I just went up and fixed the guitar for you. Is still in the case this the way it returned from the jam. I have remounted the knife Handel the way it was when I got it from Eric's mom. Now you must realize that Eric had already removed the hose clamp and duct tape and and drilled a hole in it and mounted it with a screw. I no longer have access to the original duct tape and hose clamp, and must use a screw and nut to mount it with. This is in fact the way the lever was mounted when I got the guitar, hope this is okay.

Please let me know if this works for you.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 23 May 2012 12:17 pm

Ahhh.... Justice prevails.

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 23 May 2012 3:46 pm

I would like for the entire world to know.....that BOB MULLER, is not only an excellent guitar technician but one heck of an honorable, and generous man as well.

It's a shame that the 'Oklahoma Chrome' (duct tape) has been lost along with the radiator hose clamp but I'd say the mere re-installation of the butter knife has gone a long, long way toward preserving the history of Eric's work-horse guitar. This guitar at one time or another was played by Eric in 4-5 different bands during the same time span.

BOB MULLER........Ray Montee thanks you.The entire guitar world from around the globe, I'm confident, also thanks you.
Sho-Bud owners/admirers and fans of Eric Lundgren West, likewise thank YOU!
BOB MULLER is one very special, great and wonderful guy.
The proof in the pudding is from the crystal clear digital photo Bob included in his post. Few others I know would have gone to this length to make the world a happier place in which to pick and grin.
Again, THANK YOU Bob Muller!

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 23 May 2012 4:20 pm

Here is the best photo I could find of Eric playing this very special guitar. I wish I could've found the guitar in better condition, but unfortunately a lot of the original parts were missing, or damage beyond repair. The Sho-Bud logo now on front of this guitar came from the front of his professional, as did the custom painted white fret boards. The logo shown in the photo below was missing when I got it. So the guitar now has these pieces from his other guitar, it also has his initials and the date "78" still carved into the metal on the necks. The knife Handel will remain in its original position and the rest is been explained earlier in the post, read back through for the rest of the history. I wish I could obtain the arch style card cluster for the front, I needed the one with red and white card symbols but I was unable to obtain one anywhere. If I find one I will try to put it on some day.

I would like to get some good players to play some music on the guitar now and record some video to post with this story. Any volunteers please contact me, and I will work on this project.

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 23 May 2012 5:07 pm

[quote]BOB MULLER........Ray Montee thanks you.The entire guitar world from around the globe, I'm confident, also thanks you.
Sho-Bud owners/admirers and fans of Eric Lundgren West, likewise thank YOU! W/quote]

Thanks for the confidence Ray. Would you like to help with the video project, and play a couple of tunes for us on this guitar? I am sure everyone would enjoy this!! I would give the guitar a chance to shine again.

Mike Wheeler · Post by **Mike Wheeler** » 24 May 2012 7:44 am

What a terrific way to bring this restoration to a close, Bob...having a bunch a pickers video their playing of this historic axe. I think THAT would be a great way to honor Eric's memory.

Peter den Hartogh · Post by **Peter den Hartogh** » 25 May 2012 12:10 pm

Bob Muller wrote:
I wish I could obtain the arch style card cluster for the front, I needed the one with red and white card symbols but I was unable to obtain one anywhere. If I find one I will try to put it on some day.

I have a black and red arch style cluster, but it is a decal, not a water slide.
But I also have the water slides, both in red and white, and red and black. But they are in a straight line. The symbols need to be applied individually to make an arch. I got these from John Coop a while ago.
Bob, PM me if you want them.

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 28 May 2012 2:56 pm

I got long time steel guitar player, and one of Eric's good friends come over and record a couple of tracks playing Eric's guitar. I've never really tried anything like this before, so be prepared for whatever happens. There are three videos posted, one is Harley James playing Eric's guitar, and two of them are Harley and myself trading off, I am playing my own fingertip, Harley of course is on Eric's guitar. Listen at your own risk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hx653zf ... e=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFmXKXUYUq0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d3bN4NuFac

The Steel Guitar Forum

Refinsh and restore " ERIC WEST GUITAR"

A question for Mr. Muller..............

Hummmmmmmm...................

Bob has a great sense of humor!

The entire WORLD should know.................