Steel guitars in literature, courtesy Ry Cooder

Kevin Swan · From: Medina, Ohio

"The Bigsby triple-neck -- the holy grail of steel guitars. The one thing every player wants but a prize only a few could ever have. For an ordinary guy like me, it's unheard of."

-- from Los Angeles Stories, fiction by Ry Cooder

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/dec/04/entertainment/la-ca-ry-cooder-20111204
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Damir Besic · From: Nashville,TN.

Steve Spitz · From: New Orleans, LA, USA

Damir , you're likely right about that, but I'm guessing the person who comes up with The funds to buy a Bigsby tripleneck isn't a pro steeler working with modern bands, and I think it's unrealistic to compare it to a modern D 10.

I'm thinking very few retro band steelers make enough as musicians to purchase an axe in that price range. Not when a Fender, Gibson, etc, could get it done for a fraction of the cost. I'm not at all saying the Bigsby doesn't have a distinct and different voice, just wondering who buys them.

Would I like to own one ? Yes. Am I a good enough nonpedal player to find steady work with it? No.

So we agree it may be impractical if we view it as a tool for many working musicians, but would you agree that you could sell one for roughly 5X the price of a new D10 ?

Someone is buying ,yes ?

Ken Campbell · From: Ferndale, Montana

I'm pleased you said almost useless. Tom Morrell would have been the exception to that...

Damir Besic · From: Nashville,TN.

I don't know how much I could sell one for, I never owned one, would I like to own one? sure I would, what would I do with it? I don't know, probably have it set up in my living room and look at it, don't really know.... I can't hardly justify owning my "66 Emmons, let alone $30,000.00 Bigsby....
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Damir Besic · From: Nashville,TN.

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

A couple of thoughts...

Though Damir is essentially correct about playing a CMA show or cutting tracks on Music Row on a vintage horn, an entire night of straight country music from the 50's through the 1960's could be played on a Bigsby with 2 pedals and with very little compromise at all. I've personally done it a number of times, either on my own Bigsby or my PA Reissue.

But then again, that would be a "retro" gig, wouldn't it. Laughing

Not all Bigsbys are $30k guitars, though admittedly even a guitar that costs $10-15 large isn't within the grasp of most players in the trenches. However, a PA Reissue or a Clinesmith IS a Bigsby for all intents and purposes, and one can be had for significantly under 10k.

Is it as smooth as my Infinity? Hardly, but then again a 100% restored cherry '55 Chevy Nomad isn't a Lexus, either. Y'all get my point.
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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?

J Fletcher · From: London,Ont,Canada

I think the quote is from a fictional story written by Ry Cooder , which takes place in California some time during the 1950's.
Nothing to do with today's so-called-reality.

Mark Eaton · Posted 27 Nov 2017 12:02 pm

I enjoyed Ry's book of short stories, got my copy when it was released ballpark six years ago - but that's when I read it.

Kevin Swan, I don't have time right now to go back and find the page and in what story your quote is from, can you fill us in?

As pointed out by J Fletcher, you quoted a line from the book - and it has obviously caused confusion here as to the reasoning behind your topic.
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Mark

Kevin Swan · From: Medina, Ohio

Yes, this was a quote pulled from the last of Ry Cooder's short stories, called "Gun Shop Boogie." Takes place in 1958 so in the very infancy of pedal steel, again, a work of fiction. Imagines Paul Bigsby, in the Central Valley, along with the land speed record racers and other characters.

I just found that particular quote interesting. Again, this is fiction, and rather fanciful fiction at that. But Cooder is and has long been a student of early 20th-century music, as well as steel guitar. While he's a steller bottleneck player, to my recollection he's only EVER played anything lap style, and NEVER pedal steel.

I've admired Ry Cooder since my first exposure, in 1972, although I later learned I'd been listening to his playing on other's recordings for a half decade prior to that.
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"Just because you're not a drummer doesn't mean you don't have to keep time." Thelonious Monk

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