Speedy's Tunings on Stratosphere Boogie

Keith Grubb · Post by **Keith Grubb** » 15 Apr 2002 11:14 am

I've been listening to this CD for a while now and was wondering what he was tuning his necks to? Is it possible to play this stuff on non-pedal? This stuff is pretty wild. I love it.

Thanks,

Keith

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 15 Apr 2002 7:14 pm

Keith-Probably a E13th or an F#13th. He got a lot of those sounds.A lot of us used to use those tunings back in the late 30's and early 40's. Speedy was really wild! He excited the audience....al

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 15 Apr 2002 7:58 pm

He sure lit my fire in the early 50s.

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 15 Apr 2002 10:49 pm

Each time I post, I tend to attract one or more who readily put me in my place, however I'm taking the risk here as I feel your question was most deserving of a reliable response. I have here in my hands...as provided to me by Paul Bigsby on October 12, 1954, the tunings that Speedy West was using at that time. (This is how my own quad Bigsy was set up at that time and as it remains to this date)
From the TOP string down:

G# E C# B-flat/B G# E C# B (outside neck)

E C# G# E B-flat F# f# e-flat (chromatic strings on the 7th & 8th string positions)

E C# A F# E C# A F#

That's one pedal on the outside neck; no pedals on the next neck.....

Hope this helps!

Keith Grubb · Post by **Keith Grubb** » 16 Apr 2002 7:37 am

Hey guys,

Thanks so much for your responses. I bought this CD from b0b some time ago and it took a few listens for me to really get into it. It was a little wilder then I was expecting. Now it is one of my favorite CD's.

It seems like it should possible to do that Bb to B pull behind the bar without alot of trouble. Has anyone tried this? I was also wondering if Speedy favored one tuning over the others?

Thanks again, especially to Ray. I have always found your posts to be very informative.

Keith

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 16 Apr 2002 9:24 pm

I remember Speedy saying in an interview, that the pedals on his Bigsby raised only, so that Bb to B change is actually reversed change from what is common today ( fifth string lower on a C6 ). So while we push the pedal down to get a half step lower, he kept it down all the time and released the pedal when he needed to go from B to Bb. So behind the bar pull isn't really the same thing.
Jussi

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 17 Apr 2002 4:07 am

Jussi
You Got It.