Chet's E and A string spacing

Discussion of history's greatest guitar player.

Chet's E and A string spacing

Postby Steve Sanders » Thu Jan 25, 2018 8:35 pm

I not only have been listening to Chet's tunes for years and years but I also have been scouring any and all pictures trying to learn things. One thing I have noticed over the years in pictures of Chet is sometimes, not all times, his E-string and A-string on the string bar with the little pins are not straight on. The A string appears to be all caddy-whampus and WAY over near the big E-string. And I've seen this on lots of pictures for many years. So I don't think this is something Chet overlooked or got in a hurry. It looks deliberate. So what's the deal. Is this some kind'a secret tone thang or whut? Does any of yall do this on your guitars? I got's ta know!!! Maybe I'm just picky (pun intended)!! Thanks, Steve
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Re: Chet's E and A string spacing

Postby Norm » Fri Jan 26, 2018 3:19 pm

I've seen some of those pix.
Anything south of the bridge in that harp section isn't likely to have much effect. If he did that for a while it was brief

I wouldn't trust the string not to shift itself. The guitar in question may be one gretsch shipped and he hadn't bothered to adjust
...that's how it looks to me...The opinion expressed above is my own and does not necessarily reflect the views of this station. Your mileage may vary...

Audio samples: http://www.youtube.com/user/acountrygent/videos
That should do it.
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Re: Chet's E and A string spacing

Postby Doug Working » Sat Jan 27, 2018 7:32 pm

Kind of a little off the subject, but didn't Chet usually keep his action a little high?
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Re: Chet's E and A string spacing

Postby Norm » Sun Jan 28, 2018 2:07 pm

hate to sound like a self promoting pitchman but a lot of (if not most of) your questions are answered by Paul in the book "Paul Yandell Second to The Best"

Amazon has some bargain prices
...that's how it looks to me...The opinion expressed above is my own and does not necessarily reflect the views of this station. Your mileage may vary...

Audio samples: http://www.youtube.com/user/acountrygent/videos
That should do it.
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Re: Chet's E and A string spacing

Postby Doug Working » Sun Jan 28, 2018 2:25 pm

I'll definitely check it out. Thank-you for the heads up. :)

Actually, though, just trying to spark discussion. I like to read about Chet, and I have done a LOT over the years. But I enjoy talking or discussing with real flesh and blood people. I enjoy real time CONVERSATION with people who knew Chet, or are close to other people who did. That's where the real nuggets of gold come out. Can't really talk to Paul, since he's gone. And when he was alive he called me a "flake", which really was not very nice and I am sure Chet would not have smiled on. I really don't think Chet was the kind to rush to judgements about people. He was way too kind. I'm just a guy who thourougly enjoys talking about Mr Guitar, and picking up new anecdotes about his life, habits and thoughts.

Trying to keep things "lively", as they say.

Doug
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Re: Chet's E and A string spacing

Postby rkk2786 » Sun Jan 28, 2018 6:07 pm

Doug!
Be careful about what you say about my dad! I'm still alive and kicking pal! Don't think Chet didn't like to be around germs!

Micah
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Re: Chet's E and A string spacing

Postby rkk2786 » Sun Jan 28, 2018 6:54 pm

Doug I can show you some lively stuff if your game Pal! Your the kind of guy that wants to know what kind of underwear Chet used! Dad said it like he saw it, if he labeled you as a flake... guess you were in his eyes! If your looking to start something, I'll be glad to accommodate you and finish this matter like men! Don't ever say anything negative again about my dad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Micah
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Re: Chet's E and A string spacing

Postby Eddie Estes » Sun Jan 28, 2018 7:03 pm

Paul Yandell was my friend.
If not for him I never would have played at the CMHoF with Phil Hunt.

He was a real, generous person and my friend. In Nashville a town with some unreal people Paul Yandell was a genuine honest person and that is rare in the music business.

I don't like seeing bad things said about him. Period!
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Re: Chet's E and A string spacing

Postby Doug Working » Mon Jan 29, 2018 8:42 am

I didn't say anything negative about Paul, except to relay the fact of what he actually said. It's not like I made stuff up or fabricated anything, because I didn't.

If I had fabricated something, then yes, I can see you being upset. But I didn't
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Re: Chet's E and A string spacing

Postby Doug Working » Mon Jan 29, 2018 9:34 am

And as far as Chet, I've loved him since I was twelve. Fell in love with his music like some people fell in love with Elvis.

Anything wrong with that? Why are you calling me a flake because I have a hero in my life? When I was a kid, I carried his music around with me EVERYWHERE on cassette, and kids laughed at me and mocked me because I didn't listen to rock and roll. They went further than that. They BEAT ME WITH BRASS KNUCKLES because I dared to be "different." Yeah. You heard it. Brass knuckles. I got BEAT UP for being a Chet fan. Hit me in the stomach and face. Broke my nose. And it's still crooked to this day, so I have the scars to prove it. I guess my peers considered me a "flake", right? Yeah. That's the way it is in this world. Those who dare to be different are "flakes." Right? Yeah. They took me out behind the barn because I loved Chet, just like you are threatening to do. Wow! Fifty or sixty years later, and nothing has changed!

Every year I would haunt the record stores waiting for Chet's newest album. I bought every single one of them because I loved him. Probably more than my own flesh and blood dad.

And I would scour magazine racks, trying to find an issue of "Guitar Player" to see if my hero did a new interview that I could read. And for your information, I did not THEN, nor do I NOW care what kind of underware Chet wore!! To say that was nasty and mean on your part, and has no foundation in TRUTH! It was simply a SMEAR!

My dear wife, who was very sick, and now passed on, arranged for me to see Chet (and Paul) in Elkharrt on my birthday in 1989. She SACRFIFICED, because we were raising a family and didn't have the money. But she made a way, and being able to see Chet live was a lifelong DREAM come true for me. So much so that it made me cry. It was the greatest birthday of my entire life, and I cherish that memory decades later. So why are you calling me a flake?

When I was a boy, my life stayed on the straight and narrow because while my friends were listening to rock and experimenting with drugs, I ensconced myself in my room, listening to my Chet albums, trying to imitate my hero. And I never did drugs or got in trouble or went to jail, like my peers, because Chet's music kept me on the straight and narrow, so I feel I owe him a big part of WHO I AM AT MY CORE. I will EVER be indebted to Chet and thankful that his music and influence came into my life: So why are you calling me a flake?

As a boy, I searched every TV channel back when they had the old TV guide, so I could see when Chet was appearing as a guest on any TV show, so I could be faithful there and record it on VHS to watch over and over again. So why are you calling me a flake when I'm just a guy who loved Chet?

When vinyl albums went out and record players were hard to find, I scoured the world to find every Chet album on CD so that I could have the entire collection to listen to for the rest of my life. And I was blessed to find a source so that I now have them all, and I treasure and cherish those CD's and I treat them like gold. My greatst earthly treasure. So why are you calling me a flake?

Years ago, I started a Y'tube channel to post Chet's music so multitudes can hear it and marvel at his skill. I posted over 500 of his tunes with videos I created and I poured my heart and soul into, and it was a LABOR OF LOVE that took me years. So why are you calling me a flake? And your accusations of me being a "trouble maker" have no foundation in truth!! I stated very clearly that I am a guy who likes to talk with people about my hero. In fact, if I'm not that's what it says at the top of the page. That we can discuss the greatest guitar player of all time. This board is all I have, because besides me, there are no musicians in my family. This is all I have. I truly expected to find people here who love Chet, and indeed I have found many. You can't take that away from me!

Whenever I see young players who can play Chet's tunes probably a hundred times better than I ever will, (as I realize I will never be one millionth as good as Mr Guitar,) I rejoice because Chet's legacy is being passed on to generations. So why are you calling me a flake?

The truth is, when it comes to Chet, the greatest guitar player ever to walk on God's green earth, I'm simply a die-hard fan of Mr Guitar. Ok, maybe I'm fanatical. But I have loved Chet's music since a was a very young boy, and wild horses could not drive it out of me. I'll love Chet's music till the day the Good LORD calls me home, where my greatest hope is (besides meeting Jesus,) to meet Mr Guitar and shake his hand again like I was blessed and privileged to do on the most special birthday of my life in 1989.

And if that day comes, and we are standing in the Presense of perfect knowledge, where we "shall know as we are known", do you think in your wildest dreams that Chet will look at me and say "Nah. I won't shake your hand because you are a flake??"

Usually when we point a finger at someone, (to the last of my recollection) there are three pointing back at ourself!
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