Panhandle rag on 6-string lapsteel

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 3 Apr 2005 5:43 pm

Some of you might remember my post a while back where I mentioned my first steel was an Oahu Diana lapsteel, loaned to me by my uncle, when I was about 11 or 12. I returned it to him a few years later when I got my first pedal steel, an early Fender 1000.

Around last Christmas, in an email with my cousin, I found that they still had that same Oahu Diana, and although my cousin had first claim to it, he and my uncle generously sent it to me to keep.

Until then, I hadn't played lapsteel or any steel without pedals in over 30 years, but yesterday and today I recorded this little old-fashioned-style instrumental on the Oahu Diana in honor of my favorite uncle and cousin, who inspired and helped me to be a musician more than anyone else. I need to put a little more time into mixing it, but wanted to share it with the FoBros anyway.

The drums and bass was done on my midi keyboard and the steel, rhythm guitar and lead guitar were all recorded direct, no volume pedal. I tuned the steel to B7 for the intro, then C6 for the rest.

http://jimphelps.com/sounds/panhandleragroughmix.wma [This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 03 April 2005 at 06:55 PM.]

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 3 Apr 2005 6:39 pm

That's some sweet swingin sounds there Jim. I like it.

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55" Fender Stringmaster T8, 54" Fender Champion, Carter D-10, two Oahu laps, two National laps, and two Resonators

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 3 Apr 2005 6:46 pm

You wouldn't happen to have that tabbed out would you?

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55" Fender Stringmaster T8, 54" Fender Champion, Carter D-10, two Oahu laps, two National laps, and two Resonators

Stephan Miller · Post by **Stephan Miller** » 3 Apr 2005 6:55 pm

Andy, I was thinking the same thing. Jim, that was a cool arrangement and performance, hope you send us more sometime! -Steve

Bill Leff · Post by **Bill Leff** » 4 Apr 2005 5:43 am

Those are some tasty jazz guitar licks you got going in there too (on the standard guitar)!

Joel Newman · Post by **Joel Newman** » 4 Apr 2005 7:03 am

Yeah!! Bravo, I really liked that!! Forgive my ignorance, but is that tune a sort of "standard" for lap steel? In any caseI vote for more tunes from Jim . . .

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 4 Apr 2005 7:15 am

Jim
Very well executed,fine playing, thanks for sharing.

Jody

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 4 Apr 2005 11:53 am

Thanks very much for your kind comments, guys. No, I don't have any tab for any of it, just did it on the fly. Yes, Panhandle Rag is an old steel standard written by Leon McAuliffe and recorded in 1949. I'm not sure but I think it's more common on 8-string steels with legs than lapsteels, but I don't have an 8-string at the moment...my cousin and uncle are going to ship me two of the double-8s that my uncle built soon, though. Can't wait. They built some fine guitars and pickups.

Thanks again for the nice remarks, I'm inspired now... gonna do more!

[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 04 April 2005 at 09:50 PM.]

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 4 Apr 2005 12:39 pm

I enjoyed this a lot,- thanks Jim!

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

Jeff Strouse · Post by **Jeff Strouse** » 4 Apr 2005 12:41 pm

Very nice, Jim!

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 4 Apr 2005 5:35 pm

Thanks again guys. By the way, some of you who know this song really well (I'll bet Jody caught it) probably noticed that I played the part of the beginning of the verse where it changes to the 4 chord just a little differently than the original. My memory isn't what it used to be....caught it later.... anyway I'm replaying that part to be more faithful to the original. [This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 04 April 2005 at 06:36 PM.]

Jim Bates · Post by **Jim Bates** » 4 Apr 2005 6:21 pm

This tune is also a 'natural' on a six string dobro in the key of G. (DBGDBG h-l)
Thanx,
Jim

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 4 Apr 2005 6:34 pm

Thanks Jim, I'll have to try that tuning sometime. Wish I still had my early '30's Dobro... oh well.

I redid the above-mentioned lick closer to the original now. [This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 04 April 2005 at 07:36 PM.]

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 4 Apr 2005 7:20 pm

Real nice pickin', Jim. Hard to believe it's just a little 6 string lap steel. Great tone!

I play that song too but very wrongly. People around here don't know the difference and I don't have the will to change the way I play it. It's nice to hear it done right.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra SD-12 (Ext E9), Williams D-12 Crossover, Sierra S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, C6, A6)

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 4 Apr 2005 9:41 pm

Real fine playing, Jim!
Very enjoyable . .

[This message was edited by Rick Alexander on 04 April 2005 at 10:42 PM.]

Denny Turner · Post by **Denny Turner** » 5 Apr 2005 2:50 am

Yessiree ...mighty fine. Takes me back to San Antone in the early '60's; Warms my toes 'an stretches what's left of my teeth.

ear to ear.

Aloha,
DT~

Jamie Danter · Post by **Jamie Danter** » 5 Apr 2005 6:09 am

Great take on that classic.

BTW, What was the 'standard' guitar you used for the jazz?

jamie

Joel Newman · Post by **Joel Newman** » 5 Apr 2005 7:57 am

Oh Great!! go ahead change the melody . . .now I have to relearn it . . .(ruk-ruk!)I guess it'll be my 'study in panhandle rag'.Tanx again Jim!!

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 5 Apr 2005 11:10 am

I sure appreciate your kind comments! I've been planning to record a CD for years and not gotten much done on it but I'm getting inspired now to get going with it!

Sorry Joel, hey at least you found out before recording it, unlike me, ha!

Jamie, the standard guitar is a Washburn J9, nothing real special except it's a rare version in Gretsch orange and I bought it from Will Ray. I saw your guitars on your photo page and I'm jealous! I sold all my expensive stuff in the last few years before coming here. The J9 does OK though, good git for the bucks. Saw you're a ham too, K7JAZ here.
[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 05 April 2005 at 12:27 PM.]

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 5 Apr 2005 12:54 pm

Man, the more I listen to that tune the more I like it. Anybody out there got the tab?

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55" Fender Stringmaster T8, 54" Fender Champion, Carter D-10, two Oahu laps, two National laps, and two Resonators

Joel Newman · Post by **Joel Newman** » 6 Apr 2005 1:58 pm

Hey Jim,
Intro aside,is this the difference between the two versions? I believe it's in bar 2 that you make your melody change . . .

Ist take;
<pre>
E--------------------------------------------------
C--------------------------------------------------
A--------------------9--10--9---------------------
G---------------9-----------------9-------9-------
E--------8--9------------------------9---------7--
C---------------------------------------------------
</pre>

then the changed version???
<pre>
E----------------------------------------------------
C-----------------------------------------------------
A---------------------9—10--9--------------------
G------------------9--------------9--------------4--
E--------------9---------------------9---3—4-----
C-------8—9---------------------------------------
</pre>
I'm not a big fan of tab as it doesn't show the rhythm . . .but what choice do I have. anyhoo lemme know if I'm even close . . .Tanx,
Joel

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 6 Apr 2005 11:32 pm

Hey Joel, sorry to take so long to get back to you on this, been in Mexico City all day. You think traffic up there is bad.... you wouldn't believe it.

That's some good tabbing and a good ear you've got. I'm not much for tab either, that's the only reason I haven't sat down and tabbed it out for you and Andy, I've never used tab so all I know about it is the lines are the strings, the number=fret.

You got the 1st version exact.

The second "fixed" version is almost exact too, with the only difference being so small it doesn't really matter.

Your tab on the changed version is exact up to here:

E----------------------------------------------------
C-----------------------------------------------------
A---------------------9—10--9--------------------
G------------------9--------------9----------------
E--------------9----------------------------------
C-------8—9---------------------------------------

After that, I dropped down to the 4th fret for the last 4 notes:

E--------------------------------------------
C--------------------------------------------
A-------4---------------—--------------------
G-----------4-------4------------------------
E--------------4------------------------—----
C--------------------------------------------

I think either way is just fine, only depends on which place in the lick you're more comfortable making the shift to the 4th fret.

I did it this way because I wanted those last 4 notes to be smooth with no "glitch" while I shifted positions.

I would think either way is fine, whichever way you like best.

I'm pretty out of practice now and at first I had a hard time making the shift smoothly, and I'm amazed at how much easier the shift in that lick is now that I've just played it a few times. I can do it better and smoother now than I did when I was recording it. Hey, whaddyuh know, practice works...!

Let me know if I can be of any help with anything, looks like you're doing great.

This little song really grows on a person...at least it has with my wife and me. We go around humming it.... it gets in your mind and you can't get rid of it. No wonder Leon had a hit with it in '49.

Thanks again for all your nice comments, all.

[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 07 April 2005 at 01:13 AM.]

Bob Watson · Post by **Bob Watson** » 6 Apr 2005 11:41 pm

Jim, both the steel and the guitar parts sound great! Nice jazz phrasing on the guitar. I would love to hear more. Keep 'em coming.

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 6 Apr 2005 11:43 pm

Thanks Bob!

Joel Newman · Post by **Joel Newman** » 7 Apr 2005 6:32 am

Ok, wow nice to know I'm in the ball park . . .now for the lick in 3rds.(I think);

<pre>
E-----------9--12----11---11—10—9—11—9---3--4
C----11-----9--11----11---11—10—9—11-9---3--4
A----11-------------------------------
G---------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------
C-------------------------------------
</pre>
Of course whenever you get a chance to correct me, . . . ('know there has to be a slant in there somewhere, I just don't know where, ruk-ruk!). I truly appreciated you taking the time to 'learn' me this tune. I definatly gotta go out and get some Leon Mcauliffe(uhhh, spelling?),music.
Hey I used to live in Mexico as a kid, You know that little town near Cuernavaca, . . Tepotzlan? Would love to see that place again . . .Thanks again Jim!![This message was edited by Joel Newman on 07 April 2005 at 07:35 AM.][This message was edited by Joel Newman on 07 April 2005 at 07:35 AM.][This message was edited by Joel Newman on 07 April 2005 at 07:37 AM.]