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Topic: 1954 Bigsby T-8_This guitar has sold, please close |
chas smith
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 10 Aug 2017 10:01 pm |
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This is the Bigsby T-8, Serial # 21154, with 6 pedals that was originally made for Norm Hamlet. Norm bought the guitar in 1954 and had 3 pedals added in 1958. In 1963 he sold the guitar to Rudy Farmer, a steel guitar player, who was known to cut up Bigsbys into single neck guitars for Ethel Starr’s students.
In 1957, Rudy Farmer bought Pee Wee Whitewing’s Bigsby and sent it back to Paul Bigsby to have Pee Wee’s name removed and 5 pedals added. Which leads me to believe that Rudy wasn’t skilled at removing names and adding pedals and pedal mechanisms. Although I’m not familiar with the mechanisms of the Bigsby guitars from 1963 and 64, the changer and parts in the pedal mechanisms on Norm’s guitar, all seem to have the “Bigsby†consistency and the pedal bar, for the 6 pedals, is Bigsby. This guitar is at Steel Guitars of North Country: http://www.steelguitars.me
I have lowered the price of this guitar to $15,000.
Please contact Jim Palenscar:
Email SteelGuitars@cox.net
<mailto>
Steel Guitars of North County
3375 Mission Ave. Suite D
Oceanside, California 92058
760-754-2120
Hours: Tues-Sat 10AM-5PM
Last edited by chas smith on 26 Mar 2018 7:02 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Art Beard
From:
Once upon a time out west (deceased)
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Posted 11 Aug 2017 10:39 am
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| That is beautiful instrument. how does it sound. |
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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 11 Aug 2017 11:07 am
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What's the price or is it going to be a "bidding war"?...........JH in Va.
_________________
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!! |
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Jon Zimmerman
From:
California, USA
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Posted 11 Aug 2017 11:28 am Not many pop-up for sale OR bids!
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| Was always curious to know if Leo Fender ever got hold of (borrowed?) one like this to examine the operation. Then let his "punch-press" creative juices loose..in preference to PB's carefully crafted process, of working castings, extrusions, solid exotic maple? |
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Rick Abbott
From:
Indiana, USA
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Posted 11 Aug 2017 1:31 pm
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| Jerry Hayes wrote: |
| What's the price or is it going to be a "bidding war"?...........JH in Va. |
The guitar is at Steel Guitars of North County. The link is in the first post. The price is listed there.
_________________
RICK ABBOTT
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional #7962
Remington T-8, Wakarusa 5e3 clone
1953 Stromberg-Carlson AU-35 |
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Former Member
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Posted 11 Aug 2017 4:02 pm
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?
Ok, I took the time to see,
It's listed at 20 thousand dollars. |
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Dwight Cook
From:
Amarillo, Texas, USA
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Posted 12 Aug 2017 5:59 am bigsby
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| those pedals were made and installed by junior blankenship in amarillo tx. |
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Andy DePaule
From:
Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon
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Posted 13 Aug 2017 7:53 am If you have to ask?
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| Jerry Hayes wrote: |
| What's the price or is it going to be a "bidding war"?...........JH in Va. |
I'd bet it's that old saying "If you have to ask, you can't afford it!" 
Wish I had the $$$, but maybe not in this lifetime. 
I'll just have to wait until next spring when Todd finishes my T-8 console. 
_________________
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project. |
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Russell Davis
From:
Fort Worth Texas, USA
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Posted 14 Aug 2017 12:52 pm
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| Bump for a beautiful guitar. Someone's going to get a great guitar. |
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chas smith
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 19 Aug 2017 10:55 am
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I've had some questions as to, did I do the undercarriage on Norm's guitar? I also saw Dwight's post about Junior Blankenship making and installing the pedals.
The pedals and pedal bar look like the other pedals and pedal bars that I've seen on Bigsby guitars. For example, Norm's guitar and Maurice Andersons's T-8:
I don't know for sure who did the undercarriage on Norm's guitar. It wasn't me. This was the undercarriage that I did on Maurice Anderson's S-10 that I got as a very damaged basket case. The changer, a birdcage, had been modified with bent over nails and the fingers had been cut in half. I welded the Bigsby finger tops to the Bud birdcage bottoms and added a few knees.:
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Andy DePaule
From:
Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon
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Posted 19 Aug 2017 7:04 pm Nice work
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Hi Chas,
Thank for the PM.
Looks to me like you did a great job on this bringing it back to life.
I've never had the chance to actually play any real Bigsby, all original or not so can't comment on them in that way.
Your right that Todds workmanship is top notch.
I'm retired from being a luthier, though now planning to set up shop again and making a few just for the fun of it. Planning on doing some lap steels and more electric fiddles as well as a couple of copies of Bigsby standard guitars, 6 string and a 4 string short scale bass.
As a luthier since 1969 I can attest to the fine quality of Todd's work which you seem to know quite well.
Best wishes,
Andy
_________________
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.
Last edited by Andy DePaule on 11 Feb 2018 7:27 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Dwight Cook
From:
Amarillo, Texas, USA
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Posted 20 Aug 2017 8:20 am bigsby
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| sorry folks i said that junior installed the pedals,he built the mold from a sample that paul sent him and cast the pedals,my post about (installed)was wrong. |
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Gary Walker
From:
Morro Bay, CA
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Posted 20 Aug 2017 5:17 pm
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| Norm's Bigsby is the first pedal steel I ever sat down and it was in 1961. Norm and Gene Breeden had a recording studio in Visalia, CA at 1818 S Garden. Gene was manager at White's Music in Visalia. Norm was working weekends with the Farmer Boys in the Palmdale area and giving lessons to a very young Barbara Mandrell. We did a pre recorded program for a local station in Tulare. I have often wondered what ever became of this guitar as Norm started playing a Wright Custom when he sold this. |
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Jon Zimmerman
From:
California, USA
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Posted 20 Aug 2017 5:50 pm Just a lot of water under the bridge..
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Yes..history and the mods made on these fascinating relic survivors is a tale not often told, and memories of who did what with whom? Tough to recall. Not all is archived like a Bible is..but thanks all the same Dwight. Gary, and all who were around back then. The greatest things on four legs to come along since Hope n Crosby to our eyes AND ears. No apology necessary.  |
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chas smith
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 20 Aug 2017 11:21 pm
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| Dwight, did Junior cast pedals for Paul Bigsby? Because Bigsby did the casting for the Crocker motorcycle. |
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Dwight Cook
From:
Amarillo, Texas, USA
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Posted 21 Aug 2017 4:28 am bigsby
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when junior finished the mold,paul came here and they cast several pedals , i don't know how many.
after that paul did the casting,after junior passed away i gave the pattern's to larry agan(star steel)when larry passed away the pattern's, i have no idea .
albert talley may know , so thats my story from junior. |
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chas smith
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 21 Aug 2017 1:43 pm
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| Dwight_thank you for the history -- cheers |
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chas smith
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 11 Feb 2018 6:22 pm
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| The price has been lowered, bump. |
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Todd Clinesmith
From:
Lone Rock Free State Oregon
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Posted 11 Feb 2018 7:51 pm
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Nice looking guitar Chas. At that price I would think it would sell pretty fast.
Not to steer the topic away, but there is no way Junior Blankenship made the mold for Paul Bigsby's pedals. With all due respect, I think Dwight has the characters in the story mixed up a bit.
The story I heard was Junior saw a Bigsby come through town and tried building similar steels. The castings on a Bigsby and a Blankenship are far from equal. The internet has a way of changing history and I can't let this one go by...
_________________
face book page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clinesmith-Instruments/1457245817911268?ref=bookmarks |
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Andy DePaule
From:
Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon
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Posted 11 Feb 2018 8:05 pm Happy 64th Birthday
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Happy 64th Birthday to a sweet old Bigsby.
Hope someone buys this before I blow my retirement funds! 
_________________
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project. |
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Art Beard
From:
Once upon a time out west (deceased)
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Posted 12 Feb 2018 12:47 am Bigsby
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MM-more space and MONEY is what I need. 5th wheels are not meant 4 soon to be 5 pedal steels & other guitars and equipment. CAA 
_________________
"like an old stallion, lonely for freedom, still trying to out run the wind" Seals,Setser,& Davey.
GAS -1969 ZB D11/10,1974 Sho-Bud D10 Professional,1975 Speedy West S10, 150 yr okd Barn Board tele, Beard signature Gold Tone Dean Acoustic/Electric Bass, Tennessee 12 string Bass, 3 String Shovel.2 Fiddles., Sho-Bud amp, Epiphone valve special amp, Fishman loudbox artist amp. |
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Bill Fisher
From:
Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 12 Feb 2018 10:30 am Norm Hamlett Bigsby?
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Take a look at the black and white photo of Norm that is shown above the "for sale" Bigsby guitar. Look at the "Norman Hamlett" name shown on the original. It doesn't seem that the name "Norman" was ever removed from the "for sale" guitar. Perhaps a different guitar?
Bill |
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chas smith
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 12 Feb 2018 12:49 pm
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| Bill, the serial number is Norm's guitar and the wood grain on the top plate seems to match. I don't know what that discoloration is. I bought the guitar from Herby Wallace. |
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Chance Wilson
From:
California, USA
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Posted 12 Feb 2018 9:33 pm Norm
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| I'm with Todd-there's nothing Blankenship there. I can also say the cross shafts were not added by the other likely California candidates: Chuck Wright, John Frye, Rudy etc. I don't recognize them. Isn't this the one Seymour used in his videos? -Maybe ask Cass or someone in Tn. |
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Abe Levy
From:
California, USA
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Posted 13 Feb 2018 4:02 pm
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The cross shafts look VERY similar to the ones on the Blankenship double Todd C was selling a couple months back...
_________________
Mostly Pre-1970 guitars. |
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