@aiq Love the Les Paul with the zebra pickups. Dickey played a Les Paul with zebra pickups from late 1972 to 1974. Nice SG and the guitar on the right is a Firebird?
One of my neighbors and her dog died in a house fire last night. I noticed fire trucks and could smell the smoke when I poked my head out the door.
Playing Fillmore East today and thinking back to the 1970's.
Then several people I knew insisted Ry Cooder was the best slide guitarist. And I really like Ry. Now some tell me Derek Trucks is better than Duane.
To me Duane's slide has a bite, tone and energy that makes him the best to my ears.
If the original ABB was playing and TTB were across the street and Ry Cooder next door, I'd go see the Allman Brothers confident I'm seeing the better show.
But I really like those others so I would see them the next night.
There is a video of Clapton in n his younger days playing a Gibson Firebird. And Warren Haynes has a few videos on YouTube playing Firebirds. Apparently Warren has more than one.
Guys who weren't absolute Allman Brothers Band fanatics like me in the 1970's would tell me Ry Cooder was the best slide player. And I saw him back then and he was good. Maybe too many slower tunes for my taste then.
I like this and I read about his guitar here. It's a Strat that has been modded out pickups and all.
@bill_graham I saw Hendrix in 1968 and his big stack of Marshalls were TOO LOUD for me!! Weeeee. That and Led Zeppelin was as loud I guess as an atomic bomb!!
Hendrix had a unique style and nobody sounds like him.
A guy they call Hook at the big music store is a Gun and Roses fan and a good player.
But as far as guitar masters and technicians go, Hook told me last month that if Steve Vai isn't your favorite rock guitarist then Steve Vai is better than your favorite.
@robertdee If Steve Vai was good enough for Frank Zappa ... Steve's overall sound and music is not the type of stuff that I listen to on a regular basis. His talent and technique are impossible to deny. He's one of those "Segovia on amphetamines" types (not a fair description, but you get it?). Lots of pedals and weird guitars - including his latest "Mad Max" inspired triple neck ( https://www.ajc.com/things-to-do/steve-vais-three-necked-guitar-inspired-by-mad-max/74MOYGMWEVBRHA4BXHTM4UNTIM/).
His stuff is just to the other side of Eric Johnson - who I am a huge fan of. Both have a very "processed" sound (which usually eludes me), but both are undeniably amazing players. Both also get accused of always sounding the same - but tell me a great player who doesn't have a trademark tone or sound.
@rusty Yes Steve and players such as Eddie Van Halen and Eric Johnson are fun to watch occasionally because of their advanced technical skills. But I can't enjoy it every day.
I knew some players in the early 1970's that were so captured by the technical skills of Hendrix, Carlos Santana and Peter Green. They would have been much more into the Allman Brothers Band if Duane and Dickey were wizards on the fretboard.
But I loved the original band just as it was. For my daily listening enjoyment and edification Duane and Dickey were perfect. Their styles and tone appealed to me and moved me much more that other players and it's still like that.
@bill_graham I've seen cigar box guitars but paper is a new one. Well paper is made from wood.
In 1969 I saw George Jones in Johnson City, Tennessee and he had a guitar player with a yellow Telecaster which had the coolest bass or deep strings. Not sure if it was the amp or the guitar but those bass strings just shook you. This is probably the same guitar and player.
Ain't nothing like a Fender Telecaster, especially if you are living and playing in Nashville, Tennessee. They are durable and have their own sound and tone and one of the best selling guitars in history!
@bill_graham Marcus King is a fine player and I caught him once in Knoxville before Covid struck. He was hitting the note all evening on that big red Gibson hollow body. Had a good band too.
I liked his tone too on the Gibson which I thought was a 335. It's a 345.
That Les Paul is interesting too. I little ragged out which is unusual for a Les Paul but it sounds real good. All things considered, a Les Paul is my favorite electric.
Strats often are ragged out if they've been around and played a lot. Marqus says the neck is "sweet as pie". Dangerous Dan Toler said you can almost always count on a Strat having a real good neck.
Here is Dickey on one of the best Les Pauls I know about. Goldie!! And Dangerous Dan Toler on the old Stratocaster. I was told Rook is playing a bass owned by Dickey here. Wonder if Dickey owned the drums too:)
And Dickey owned the tour bus too!! But when he was in the Allman Brothers he own one of the two tour busses they had on the road according to what I read. That is why when Dickey woke up and discovered they were close to their next destination, he made the driver turn around and backtrack for many miles to let Dickey off at a golf course.
Whether Dickey is your favorite guitarists or not, you have to agree nobody sounds exactly like Dickey. He has (had) his own style.
P. S. For some reason the longer Danny Toler played with Dickey the more he began to sound like Dickey. Not exactly but rather close.
This post was modified 3 years ago 2 times by robertdee
Carter Family in 1937. Mother Maybelle was a smooth acoustic guitar player so I'm told at the big music store here by the old guys who come in.
If my memory is working I believe Mother Maybelle has the claim as the first recorded “lead” guitar in country music for her melody line in Wildwood Flower.
Telecasters became “country” from Don Rich and Roy Nichols, Buck and Merle respectively, and they are great for that. I used one in my country band days.
However I think they are very versatile, Mike Stern, Bill Frissell and other jazzers like them. Of course Roy Buchanan.
