Willie G. Moseley

Willie Nelson and Keith Richards assisting in the construction of the pyramids in Egypt

Thanks, I sort of suspect such but don't feel like disassembling it on accounta an instrument almost always feels different to my hands when I put it back together

Since some of youse have a more­-than-average interest in guitar construction and restoration, I thought you might know about the body of this instrument: The serial number says it’s a 2001 Standard Tele hecho en Mexico, but that's an upgrade replacement body—bookmatched flame maple top, figured alder body, belly cut, binding on top edge of body, and a std. humbucking pickup mounted in a plate instead of an angled Fender single-coil. And none of those attributes were seen on a Standard Telecaster back then. Would the body have been something you could get from an aftermarket source? If someone cobbled this together he/she did a bang-up job. The fit and finish are nice (with the exception of some residual glue smears around the string anchor grommets, which could probably be cleaned off), it hangs right (for me), and it sounds good. Any information appreciated.

R.E.O./T.W.O. is the one for me, and it was a Richrath favorite as well. It wasn't an "epic" but was just no-frills, straight-forward, high energy rock. And if "Music Man" or "Let Me Ride" didn't hook an aspiring guitarist, he/she should have had his/her pulse checked. "We had such a great time making that record." Richrath told me in early 1993. "We went to Nashville; we were kids who didn't know about royalties, etc. R.E.O./T.W.O. has a tremendous 'live' feel to it."

This post will take a while but the details need to be imparted. Thanks for your patience and understanding. Back in the mid-‘80s, when I was still playing in a bar band and my initial interest in vintage instruments was just beginning to germinate, there was a nearby pawn shop with which I did beaucoup business—guitars, amps, new jewelry, stereo components. I even ordered a new diamond from them in ’85 for my wife’s engagement ring. If they got something in, I’d let ‘em know what they had but would not appraise since I’m not a dealer. They’d give me a decent price on anything I wanted. It seemed to be a courteous and respectful business relationship. Then one time they called me about three archtop electric guitars that had all come out for retail at the same time. I went over to the store and dutifully examined them—a Gibson ES-175, a highly modified ES-335, and a Conn-era Epiphone guitar. While checking them out, the owner’s wife, who also worked there, told me she thought archtop electrics were no longer being made; she thought solidbody electric had completely replaced models like these (!). I told the owner what he had in my usual straightforward/no hype manner, and tried to make an offer on the 175 and Epi, but told myself I’d buy the modded 335 if necessary; maybe my bar band’s guitarist would like to try it as a utility instrument. Then the owner said, “Well, we’re gonna take them to (a retail guitar store in another state). We’re gonna see how much we can get for them up there.” To say I was seething when I huffed out of the store is an understatement. You could’ve fried an egg on my head. That was almost 40 years ago. I got involved with the magazine that became Vintage Guitar not long afterwards, and eventually asked the owner of the retail store in another state if he remembered the instruments, and he recalled that he had declined to purchase them (he didn’t say why, and I didn’t ask). The pawn shop owner has several stores, and ever since then I’ve infrequently shopped at all of them except the HQ store where this sorry incident occurred. I continue to buy from the satellite stores for the express purpose of flipping what I purchase quickly for more than I paid for it. And I always wave cash at the employees; no credit cards or debit cards. Cash has always talked at this particular pawn shop chain. The employees at the satellite stores don’t know about my guitar-collecting jones, and I don’t wear a guitar-brand t-shirt when I go into the ancillary stores, either—that’s a dead giveaway to the proprietor. I’ve usually done okay in such transactions (both the purchase of the instrument and the subsequent sale of it) and I don’t mind cleaning up such instruments. While I no longer collect, there are occasionally times when I’ll still poke my head into area pawn shops to kill time if I’m ahead of schedule for a meeting or get-together, and that was the scenario yesterday in the nearby big city for a weekly informal Thursday lunch meeting of retired media guys, mostly my age (and mostly photographers). Just up the street was one of the satellite stores (still in business), and I had about ten minutes to burn, so I popped in. And there was a US-made Fender Jazz Bass Deluxe five-string in very nice condition. Four knobs, active electronics. Methinks its Oxblood finish is a rare color. I examined it closely and told myself how much I’d pay (didn’t talk with an employee). Willie don’t play five-string basses. I figured I’d flip it at the upcoming Nashville show later this month to help pay for travel expenses; gotta do a book signing there. The restaurant down the street beckoned, however, and I was there for almost an hour. A trip to a nearby bank a few miles away to withdraw the maximum I was willing to pay took around 45 minutes so I was back at the pawn shop in less than two hours after I walked in the first time. And the bass had been sold during that time frame. The stand on which the bass had been sitting was as empty as a kosher deli in downtown Teheran. I couldn’t help but chuckle. There were times when I would have pouted, but no more. I proud that I can now maintain an even strain in these so-called golden years regarding guitars. But there’s a “what if” notion flitting around in my mind like an malevolent moth that speculates about what would have happened if I had the cash on me the first time I walked into that satellite store….

Add King Crimson.

These days there's a lot of inexpensive, no-frills, Chinese-made instruments that are displaying a legitimate Gretsch logo on their headstocks. Such instruments may have some classic Gretsch cosmetics like thumbnail fret markers, etc. They're decent quality guitars but aren't fancy and many of them "look imported" for lack of a better description. What's more, one rarely sees new American-made production instruments around. Back when I was a teenager Gretsch was considered the elegant upgrade brand for so-called serious musicians, so this apparent trend and perception is the exact opposite of Gretsch in the '50s and '60s. Why do ya think FMIC figured this direction for the brand? I mean, a Squire is a budget Fender, and cheap Gretsches could be an attempt to compete with Gibson's budget line, Epiphone. I guess the bottom line is I never thunk i'd see the Gretsch name on so many mass-produced imports, and I wonder about whether such a marketing strategy is viable.

^^^...and none of the 2026 nominees you listed play/played rock and roll. Add Grand Funk Railroad to the list of non-enshrinees. I've never visited the museum but the way things evolved, I'd prolly have a curmudgeonly attitude. Not on my bucket list, and never will be.

Did some bidness online yesterday (this is intentionally nebulous; I'm not naming names). Within about two hours after the transaction was done, I received two phone calls almost back-to-back on my office phone; same recorded message on both calls inquiring about use of the credit card with which I paid for this order. I rarely use the credit card that was involved in this transaction. The recording correctly stated the last four digits of the credit card and my name, and gave a phone number for me to call, which I did not do, and will not do. In my opinion, this is borderline Orwellian, and it's happened at least once before but nothing ever came of it (different business with which I interacted). Can anyone explain this, and should I send a "don't-pass-along-my-information" backup note to the retailer? Obviously, it appears to be a scam but one wonders if the business knows about it.

Swtiched from primarily utilizing a long scale bass to a short scale bass.

Leroy Van Dye is 96 years old. Every once in a while I'll pull this up and it never fails to bring a smile to my face. Those stringed instruments behind Van Dyke look interesting, as well...

Pondering buying a Gretsch short-scale bass to noodle around with round the house. had a question, sent it in, no response. Sent it in again, and got a response, apology and answer less than 24 hours later. iI followup calls are the norm after I purchase I'll request no phone calls. I still get a workout with our phone daily with around 20 calls from Third World calls regarding Medicare. Yeah, right ...and now, that's getting more confrontational...by me and them

I got that photo from an October 2007 in Vintage Guitar. Lotsa cool instruments. Here's the link; enjoy: https://www.vintageguitar.com/3698/jerry-and-gordon-kennedye/

F#,,,Where There Is Music, a promo album by Ernest Maxin and his orchestra (1959). Mantovani/Henry Mancini-type stuff ("Tangerine", Laura", etc.). First album that "influenced me" albeit not musically. "Music" or "musically" does not appear in the title and original post on this thread, so I'm going out on a tangent of sorts. Album cover had a velvet-type texture, and it was saturated in Faberge's new perfume fragrance, "F#". The aroma stayed around for years. I was only nine years old but I knew this was an aroma associated with females, while my dad's Mennen Skin Bracer was "masculine". Call it a vague realization---therefore a primeval teaser---about the trials and tribulations of puberty that would appear a few years later. And I'm not sure if and when ever got out of puberty...

It's a palm pedal, invented by a Nashville guitrarist and tinkerer named Dean Porter. Only two originals were ever made; the other one went to Grady Martin. Some of the parts are plumbing hardware. Gibson made a limited edition Jerry Kennedy model that also had the gizmo.

Nashville icon player and producer, died Wednesday at age 85. Got his start in Shreveport alongside James Burton. He played guitar on Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman", Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man" and played dobro on "Harper Valley PTA" (Jeanie C. Reilly). Won four Grammys. Produced Roger Miller's and the Statler Brothers' hits in the '60s and '70s. Was the head of Mercury Records' Nashville operation from 1969 to 1984. Was a member of the inaugural group of musicians (including Scotty Moore) inducted into the Musicians' Hall of Fame. Later, the Museum named that facility's onsite theater after him. Attendees at the ceremony included Ray Stevens, Ricky Skaggs and Steve Wariner. Owned some classic instruments that played on classic songs. All three of his sons are in the music business in Music City. The oldest, Gordon, owns John Sebastian's 'Burst, and was a member of Christian rock band Whiteheart. Later, Gordon used to gig regularly with Peter Frampton. Jerry was a consummate professional. And I never tire of listening to Lester 'Roadhog' Moran and His Cadillac Cowboys--Live at the Johnny Mack Brown High School. That album, now over 50 years old, still gives my tear ducts a workout because I'm laughing so hard. In particular, "The Saturday Morning Radio Show No. 2" should be mandatory listening for any musician who grew up listening to small-town country bands.

And here's a T-20 bass from that era in Frost Blue metallic. That angled pickup with the built-in thumbrest is still eye=catching.

RE blue finish: Earliest price list I can find on which a blue finish was available on the Dyna-Bass was November 1986; finish named Teal Blue, and the one I owned wasn't a metallic finish. That said, I really liked Frost Blue and Sunfire Red. The search also meant that my original post here is erroneous as '87 apparently wasn't the first year for the model. There were a couple of earlier price lists in '86 but no blue finish on a Dyna-Bass was listed

Found a decent image of the blue example I used to own. it would have looked so much better with chrome or gold hardware. YMMV

Yeah, the emphasis was on vocals but their backing band was crackerjack. That third album, Captured Live at the Forum, was all covers but was entertaining

So I got through earlier than expected at the doctor's office on Tuesday morning, and had about 43 minutes to kill before all of the steam tables of the lunch buffet at a favorite Chinese restaurant would be loaded. I opted to spend the wait at a pawn shop with whom I had done a decent amount of business back when I was collecting. Was just expecting to chew the fat (mostly reminiscing) with the owner for a brief time. And I walked out with this: '87 Peavey Dyna-Bass, peari white with gold hardware, first year model, as played by Leon Wilkeson of Skynyrd during the '87 reunion tour. Near mint, fully original except a replacement pan pot knob. The kicker is that it came with a Fender hardshell case (?) and I bet some dealers that might want to purchase this instrument might be even more interested because of the case. Always thought the Dyna-Bass was a great utility bass, with practical and easy-to-understand active electronics. I use to own the blue one on the cover and spine of The Bass Space. But that color didn't look like it "coordinated" with black hardware.

I didn't last long trying to watch A Complete Unknown. As boring as watching paint dry.

Sensible video. Wonder if and where Lemmy might have ranked if he was still alive (considering his standard vocal stylings over the decades (notice that I'm not referring to him as a "singer"). He did note that Motorhead wouldn't go on until they were over the hill and embarrassing themselves, and while that's the way it happened, it didn't happen like the band thought it would, I'd think.

^^^This. I won the Dead's first album in '67 in a bet with a friend about the final episode of The Fugitive (starring David Janssen). I'd never heard anything like Viola Lee Blues" and ws immediately hooked. Garcia later acknowledged that back then, "...everybody thought Weir was a girl." Few bands became massive institutions, but the Dead succeeded in a unique manner, which is particularly notable since they didn't have many bona fide hit songs...but they weren't seeking to be pop stars.

^^^It may be a synth bass (hard for me to tell with these small computer speakers) but the bass line on "All She Wants Is" has one of the slipperiest (and memorable) hooks I've ever heard. I'm not a Duran Duran fan, but I used to sneak it into a bass solo when I played in a bar band.