My 1940 Gibson Electra-Harp pix

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 26 May 2002 10:49 am

I hope this works.
http://www.msnusers.com/mywebdocuments

This is a pix of my Gibson Electra-Harp with 8 strings and 6 pedals, Tuned E6.

I bought one used after I was discharged from the Army in 1945.

It was really beautiful wood and had a great tone with that big cabinet....al

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 26 May 2002 6:49 pm

Al that link took me to an MSN webpage. Should it have?

carl

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 26 May 2002 8:29 pm

Hi Carl, How are you doing with that new invention of yours?

Yes, it does give MSN webpage, I got that with the new XP windows, then you clik on "1940 Electra-harp" and you will have the picture. I tried it and it works. Hope you can see it. Thanks....al

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 26 May 2002 8:47 pm

I just put this over on "Feedback and Testing" and it seems to work....al

chas smith R.I.P. · Post by **chas smith R.I.P.** » 26 May 2002 9:43 pm

Al, they want my e-mail address and a password and I don't want them to have it, is there a way to circumvent this?

Al Gershen · Post by **Al Gershen** » 27 May 2002 10:09 am

Hi Al Marcus:

I can't get your link to do anything except as me to signin on MY MSN account.

Please email me your photo and I'll post it for you on the SGF.

Regards,
Al Gershen
aldg@mail.rvi.net

Bill Ford · Post by **Bill Ford** » 27 May 2002 5:23 pm

Same here,I've been looking for that site since my system crashed a couple weeks ago.
Thanks

Bill

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Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 27 May 2002 8:50 pm

Hi Guys, I am sorry that it doesn't work for you. I signed in Micro-soft when I got the new computer, it came with the Windows XP.

Al . Thanks for the offer, I will email the pix to you and you can post it on the forum. I don't know how to do that , I guess. It is interesting for 1940....al

Al Gershen · Post by **Al Gershen** » 28 May 2002 6:49 am

Hi Al Marcus & SGF:

Here's the photo of the 1940 Gibson Electraharp that Al Marcus was trying to get under this subject thread.

He emailed it to me and now I'm posting it here:

I was a little disappointed because I expected to see a photo of Al Marcus playing "his" Electraharp but the photo appears to be a Gibson advertisment that shows steeler Jimmy Smith at the controls.

It's still a fine photo and I hope all you Electraharp fans get some enjoyment from it.

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Regards,
Al Gershen
Grants Pass, Oregon. USA
Fender 1000 (1956),
Fender PS 210 (1971) &
Gibson Electraharp EH-820 (1960)
Al's Photos at http://www.alsphotographs.com

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 28 May 2002 7:40 am

If you play one, do you have to wear a suit and tie?

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Emmons D-10 9x9, 1971 Dobro

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 28 May 2002 8:34 am

Yes. In fact I had to sell mine years ago because the dry-cleaning bill was killing me.

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 28 May 2002 8:38 am

Thanks Al for posting the picture.

I know a lot of players never saw this model of the Gibson Electra-Harp 1940 version, and I thought they would like to see it. I played it for at least 10 years.

Believe it or not, I only have one picture of me playing my Electra-Harp, and that was at a jam session. Al Gershen, I hope will post this for me.

I have a photo of me with a big band playing my D8 non pedal in 1946 and one with my Emmons in Phoenix with a great mostly country band 1972 and that's about it!

Someone took a photo and gave me one. Others have taken pictures of me with various bands, but I never got a copy.

BUT I took it off that beautiful Cabinet to make it more portable and so people could see me working the pedals.

I had it installed on a Pipe Stand. Much easier to carry too. I still don't know how to post it.....al

[This message was edited by Al Marcus on 28 May 2002 at 09:48 AM.]

Al Gershen · Post by **Al Gershen** » 28 May 2002 11:08 am

Hi Al Marcus & SGF:

Here's the second photo that Al Marcus wanted posted on the SGF:

The contrast on the shot isn't very good and I'll try to edit the photo file this evening on my PC. If I can improve the photo, I will repost it here again by editing this posting later this evening.

Have a good day and I hope everyone enjoys the photo of Al Marcus and his Gibson Electraharp.

------------------
Regards,
Al Gershen
Grants Pass, Oregon. USA
Fender 1000 (1956),
Fender PS 210 (1971) &
Gibson Electraharp EH-820 (1960)
Al's Photos at http://www.alsphotographs.com

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 28 May 2002 12:37 pm

Holy cow -- that IS Al!
No hair, even in '55, eh?

Wonderful picture, Al. I just wish there were some audio to go with it. I've still never heard you play.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Emmons D-10 9x9, 1971 Dobro

Don Walters · Post by **Don Walters** » 28 May 2002 3:26 pm

The name of one of the steelers in the Ad photo is "Perry Bechtel". Any relation to "our" Brad?

Brad?

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 28 May 2002 3:41 pm

I don't know about the Bechtels, but I'm quite sure I'm not related to that Jimmy Smith. He sure does have a nice right hand position though!

Roy Thomson · Post by **Roy Thomson** » 28 May 2002 3:56 pm

Thanks Al for this look at yesteryear. The guitar is facinating!

Jim Landers · Post by **Jim Landers** » 28 May 2002 7:53 pm

Perry Bechtel was a "SUPER" plectrum (4 string) banjo player from the 30s and 40s. A lot of people consider him equal to, or possibly even superior in technique to Harry Reeser and Eddie Peabody.

As late as the 1960s Perry recorded an album with his longtime friend, Chet Atkins. Chet has said that Perry's style of banjo playing was one of his early inspirations, and contributed greatly to his own guitar playing style.

Perry was also a forminable guitar player. This is the first I have heard of him also being a steel guitar player. It sounds like he could do it all.

Jim

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 28 May 2002 9:14 pm

Thanks Al Gershen for showing a little history.
We were the house band , the trombone and clarinet player were sitting in. I guess we were all blowing our brains out in that picture, Perdido or something like that.

They had big bands once in a while. I remember , Duke Ellington's band was there one night. It was great meeting him.

Larry-I lost a lot of my hair in 1942 in the army.
I can't compete with guys like you, Jim Cohen, Roy Thomson. I've heard your work, and also Larry Bell and Frank Rogers. From what I have heard on your tapes and CD's, you guys are all top notch players.

But maybe I can knock off an old big band SLOW ballad and put it on a CD, just for kicks...

I had a music store then and had autographed pictures of a lot of the bands that came through.
Got them stashed away in the basement somewhere....al

[This message was edited by Al Marcus on 29 May 2002 at 10:08 PM.]

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 29 May 2002 9:10 pm

Hey look! Both feet on the pedals...al

Al Gershen · Post by **Al Gershen** » 29 May 2002 9:45 pm

Hi again Al Marcus & SGF:

I've taken the above photo of Al Marcus playing his 1940s Gibson Electraharp and ran it thru my Adobe Photoshop Elements program and did three things:

1. Cropped the photo to key in on Al and his guitar;

2. Added contrast to the photo; and

3. Increased the size of the cropped photo file.

The result is and I sure hope that Al Marcus enjoys this one:

It's not perfect but it give you a better view of Al and his early pedal steel guitar.

I'm not an expert on this digital photo software so perhaps one of you SGF members can download the original photo, play around with it and come up with an even better closeup of Al and his guitar.

Regards,
Al Gershen
Grants Pass, OR
aldg@mail.rvi.net

Al Gershen · Post by **Al Gershen** » 29 May 2002 10:04 pm

Hi Al Marcus:

As I now take a moment to look at the cropped photo of you playing your 1940 Gibson Electraharp, I observe the following:

1. you appear to be sitting at a sharp angle facing toward the foot pedals that are along the left side of the guitar; and

2. you do not appear to be using any volume pedal with your right foot; in fact, both feet appear to be positioned on or near the foot pedals of the guitar.

""Dr. Watson, is this a valid observation?" said my learned companion as he drifted between his pipe and his morphine."

Did this angular positioning present problems such as keeping your hands in a reasonable position over the instrument. How about over a period of time (during a gig), did you feel "playing" fatigue as a result of this positioning?

Al, were you using a volume control pedal during that time period? What year did these volume pedals come into vogue?

The photo sure suggests that the playing ergonomics of the early Gibson Electraharp left something to be desired.

Finally, compare Al's photo to the Gibson advertisment photo above with Jimmy Smith sitting squarely in front of his Electraharp, with one foot on the foot pedals....but he's probably not playing any music!

My first pedal steel guitar was a Harlin Brothers Multi-Kord and I don't recall sitting at such an angular positon when I played it....but who can remember so long ago?

I look forward to your comments.

Regards,
Al Gershen

[This message was edited by Al Gershen on 29 May 2002 at 11:12 PM.]

Bill Moore · Post by **Bill Moore** » 30 May 2002 5:18 am

Here's another version, Al, with a little more detail.

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 30 May 2002 9:33 am

Thanks Al Gershen and Bill Moore for the pictures. I look like I'm ready to fly with those ears sticking out.

To answer Al Gershen questions.....

There was a volume control and a great tone control on top of the guitar right by my little finger. I used both a lot, somehow.

I could sweep with the thumb and use the little finger to manipulate those controls. Just like Jody Carver , Speedy West and Alvino Rey did their sounds.

So, no I did not use a volume control at the point in time. I did use one before pedals, but I had to use both feet on the pedals to play my E6th stuff.

I have seen Jimmy Day and Buddy Emmons use both feet on the pedals. However now with Knee levers , it is not really needed anymore.

Yes, I did have to sit sideways, I used my right foot for the Maj7th pedal 6 and E7th-9-Bminor6, and 3 note D dim Pedal 5.

The left foot covered the other 4 pedals, but I used mostly the outside ones, P 1 and P2. P1 got the same as your P6 on C6 and P2 got your same as your P5 on C6. Pedal 4 I dropped the 3rd and 5th a whole tone to get a full A6. Sorta like PF does on his E9.But in those days, we played a lot of Melody.

No, the angle didn't bother me much, but I sure would rather play with the pedals as they are now.

The only fatigue I felt during the night was Leg, pushing those pedals! They were'nt easy like todays. But I developed good leg muscles and didn't have to go to a Gym! lol

About that picture, That was the most beautiful ballroom and night club in Northern Michigan. The bandstand was great and had Velvet curtain in back to absorb the sound so it had good acoustics.

One sad thing, All the players on that bandstand are Dead except the Bass Player, who still does MC work in Las Vegas, during the season and me. I miss them all , they were all good friends of mine....al
[This message was edited by Al Marcus on 30 May 2002 at 10:40 AM.]

Kenny Davis · Post by **Kenny Davis** » 30 May 2002 12:39 pm

After reading the text on that Gibson ad, I know know what to tell someone if they ask what a pedal steel guitar is!