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[Spridgets] Guitars of some blues greats... NO LBC!

To: Spridgets <spridgets@autox.team.net>, Ron Soave <soavero@yahoo.com>,
Subject: [Spridgets] Guitars of some blues greats... NO LBC!
From: Jim Johnson <bmwwxman@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 16:12:53 -0600
I had some time to poke around a little......   RE:  Muddy and Robert....

Muddy waters with what appears to be a Gibson from the shape of the pegboard
- Could be a Guild?
http://52weeksofmusic.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/muddywaters-picture.jpg

Here is Muddy with a guitar I don't recognize at all!
http://www.npr.org/music/takefive/2009/04/waters200.jpg

Here's Muddy with a Gibson Archtop...  I think this instrument is in the
Muddy Waters museum at Clarksville, MS if memory serves.
http://www.gibson.com/Files/aaFeaturesImages2009/muddy-waters-portrait-1.jpg

Here he is with what might be a Harmony Monterey...  Can't tell for sure.
Billy might recognize it...
http://www.fhs-webservice.de/jazz/claxtonwaters.gr..jpg

Here's Muddy with a Kalamazoo guitar...  Not a bad instrument, but not a
Fender or Guild either....
http://images.allmoviephoto.com/2008_Cadillac_Records/2008_cadillac_records_0
07.jpg

Robert......

"He started playin' (guitar) when he about 8 or 9 years old. He had 3 nails
and 3 strands of wire nailed up on the east side of his house and put him a
bottle in there to keep the strings from layin' flat, to tighten 'em like
for tunin', and that's what he started with. And that's just how he started
playin' music on that bottle and 3 strands of wire," recalled *Wink Clark*,
boyhood friend of *Robert Johnson*, in* Can't You Hear The Wind Howl?
* *WHAT GUITAR DID HE PLAY?
Robert Johnson* played more than one guitar during his short life. According
to *Johnny Shines,* he primarily favored the Kalamazoo, a budget line
Gibson, and the Stella which sold for about $12. Considering these
inexpensive instruments, the sound Johnson created is even more amazing.

In the "Dime Store" photo, Johnson is holding a 14-fret flattop Kalamazoo
with a capo across the second fret. It was this guitar he probably used
during his recording sessions. In the "Studio Portrait," Johnson holds a
Gibson L-1

Anyway.... Point is that most quitarists started out and developed much of
their distinctive playing style on instruments that were pretty much
junk...   My first guitar was a Sears Roebuck Gene Autrey model.  The neck
was so bad I could only play up to the 5th fret...   After that it took 15
lbs of pressure to fret a string!!   ;-)

--
Cheers!!
Jim
In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a
shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress."
       John Adams
       US diplomat & politician (1735 - 1826)

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