Joaquin Murphey's Bigsby - story & photos

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 28 May 2015 2:00 am

Retrofret sent out an email including some of their favorites over the course of their 31 years in business including this beautiful steel:

http://retrofret.com/products.asp?Produ ... 26&CartID=

I've never heard it called a "high" steel guitar

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 28 May 2015 6:11 am

what did it sell for and who has it?

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 28 May 2015 6:23 am

Here are some previous discussions about this guitar:

http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum15/HTML/013140.html

http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum2/HTML/009799.html

I believe you'd have to contact Retrofret for the sale details (if they're willing to share).

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 28 May 2015 6:35 am

Bill Hatcher wrote:what did it sell for and who has it?

If I recall correctly, it was listed at $75K. Don't know what the final sale price was.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 28 May 2015 6:59 am

Whatever it was, it was a lot less than rock star Telecaster and Les Paul's go for.

Back in 2004, Eric Clapton's Strat ( "Blackie") sold for $959,500 at a Christie's auction to support Clapton's Crossroads Centre rehab facility.

Joaquin is a rock star to all of us but a "Joaquin who?" to the rest of the world. Bigsby's guitars in general have gotten better known to the greater collector world over the last 15 years or so and the prices have increased dramatically.

Mark Roeder · Post by **Mark Roeder** » 28 May 2015 7:16 am

Does the name plate have JM's name misspelled? I thought it was Murphey with the e. When I look on the net it is both ways and sometimes both within the same post. Does anyone know for sure?

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 28 May 2015 7:39 am

Earl James Murphey

Mark Roeder · Post by **Mark Roeder** » 28 May 2015 8:07 am

Such a high priced offering and the name was misspelled. Still, it is a cool instrument. I always liked that little acorn tone knob.

Todd Clinesmith · Post by **Todd Clinesmith** » 28 May 2015 8:32 am

I am 99% sure the plaque on the T-8 is a remake.

I have seen signatures from Joaquin spelled both ways... Murphy and Murphey. I have also seen on Spade Cooley recordings his name listed as Murphy. We need his birth certificate. Heres one where he spells it Murphy:

Todd Clinesmith · Post by **Todd Clinesmith** » 28 May 2015 8:37 am

Heres my personal T-8 , a copy of Joaquins T-8. I'll get a plaque on there one day soon. I did a few things different to accommodate what I wanted out a guitar, but it does have one inch shoes under the cover.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 28 May 2015 9:07 am

Todd, how much does that thing weigh?

Mark Roeder · Post by **Mark Roeder** » 28 May 2015 9:12 am

That looks cool Todd, where did you get the famed acorn knob? I like the machined handles too

Here is an album jacket with the "e"

Mark Roeder · Post by **Mark Roeder** » 28 May 2015 9:30 am

Todd, I think I see the autograph as Murphey, though it is hard to tell for sure, it looks like an oversize "e" with the top of the "y" shorter. Not that it really matters....

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 28 May 2015 10:29 am

In my opinion, there's no controversy. It's definitively Murphey. His Hall of Fame plaque reads:

JOAQUIN MURPHEY

INTRODUCED JAZZ IMPROVISATION TO WESTERN SWING, DEVELOPED SINGLE STRING RIFFS INTO AN ART FORM, AND STYLIZED THE SKILL OF CHORD EXPRESSION.

BORN: DECEMBER 30, 1923 HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA
DIED: OCTOBER 25, 1999
INDUCTED: 1980

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 28 May 2015 11:21 am

Okay, Andy - so head on back to the title of your thread and insert the "e" in his name.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 28 May 2015 11:24 am

Doh! Typoed again!

Mark Roeder · Post by **Mark Roeder** » 28 May 2015 11:35 am

Isn't that how World War I started?

Todd Clinesmith · Post by **Todd Clinesmith** » 28 May 2015 12:38 pm

Mark Eaton wrote:Todd, how much does that thing weigh?

That thing weighs 37.5 lbs. The rumors of a Bigsby or in this case a Clinesmith being heavy is just a rumor. Unless you are getting into the quad territory or a guitar loaded with pedals. Then you are in the average pre modern pedal steel weight category.

Mark,Your'e probably right. I can see the possible "e" in there. I know on one of Chas Smiths guitars Joaquin signed it as "Murphey".

I found a few hand full's of the acorn knobs on good ole ebay, and machined out the handles the way I assume the originals were.

I'll dig out the Spade Cooley record just to show it has been written Murphy, tho I am sure you are correct Andy.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 28 May 2015 1:07 pm

I didn't know about any rumors Todd, the guitar just looks beefy, but 37.5 lbs. for a triple neck is downright pleasant.

Todd Clinesmith · Post by **Todd Clinesmith** » 28 May 2015 1:15 pm

Mark Eaton wrote:I didn't know about any rumors Todd, the guitar just looks beefy, but 37.5 lbs. for a triple neck is downright pleasant.

Yes I agree Mark, the weight is about perfect.

Theres a few rumors about Bigsbys. The weight is one of em.

Heres a few photos . One of Spade Cooleys Oklahoma Stomp album:

Another I found from Tex Williams Caravan:

Todd Clinesmith · Post by **Todd Clinesmith** » 28 May 2015 1:21 pm

Now to really add to the controversy....

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 28 May 2015 7:16 pm

Here's how it was spelled in Joaquin's prime--this record was released in early 1948.

I assume this is a mis-spelling of his given name. It would be interesting to see how the name was spelled in print in the press generally, at that time. It may be that it was always/nearly always "Murphy"? Offhand, I can't quickly find a reference to "Murphey" that isn't post-1950 somewhere.

That "Woody" steel he had in the 1960s even uses "Joaquin Murphy". How can that happen?

Mark Roeder · Post by **Mark Roeder** » 29 May 2015 6:39 am

It all adds to the mystique around a truly interesting player..............I love it

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 29 May 2015 6:56 am

You could call me "Hey You" if I could play like Murph!

If anyone has an Ancestory.com membership (mine expired) you could search for birth records for EJM - spelled either way.

Mark Roeder · Post by **Mark Roeder** » 29 May 2015 8:14 am

Yes, you could call me what ever you want....