birth of - rick turner guitars

I’m on the left working on the finish on Crosby’s 12 string while master luthier Frank Fuller works on the right.

Birth of

30 the fretboard journal

Birth of the12

the fretboard journal 31

teXtbyriCKturner

PhotoGraPhybyGarysoMberG

IN THE FALL OF 1970, these pictures were taken by Gary Somberg for a class at the University of San Francisco, where

he was studying guitarmaking. He happened to come to my Alembic basement shop on Judah St. in San Francisco on a particularly auspicious day: in these photos are instruments that went to David Crosby, Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead, Jack Casady of the Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna, and Lowell “Banana” Levinger of the Youngbloods, as well as my “Pretzel Guitar,” which went on display at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York last Fall and the either Stauffer or LaCote guitar that inspired my Model 1. These pictures encapsulate the very birth of Alembic as an instrument-building company and represent my early work in full breadth.

I should mention a postscript on Crosby’s 12-string electric: At one point in about 1972, he brought the guitar back for some fine-tuning. We had it upstairs in what was our PA warehouse and recording gear room where we had a mixing studio setup for our Ampex 16 track machine. Some guys broke into the place, the burglar alarm system having been mistakenly turned off by ADT, and they made off with Crosby’s 12-string. One of the hardest things I ever had to do in

my lutherie career was to call David and tell him the guitar was gone. Sure, it was insured, but it was also totally unique, and David had bonded strongly with that instrument and was planning on recording with it and had sessions booked at Wally Heider’s (now the Hyde St. Studios) in San Francisco.

A few days after the theft, I got a call from Bill Stapleton, one of the owners of a small San Francisco music store, Bananas at Large (now much larger and in Marin) saying, “Rick, I think we have something of yours.” I went over, and sure as hell, it was the Crosby 12-string. Three kids had brought it in trying to sell it; they put it on the counter, and Bill saw the “Alembic” logo inlaid in the peghead, grabbed the guitar and said, “I don’t think this is yours and I’m going to make a couple of phone calls.” The kids hightailed it out of the place, Bill called me and I picked up the guitar in perfect condition. Rather than call Crosby, I took the guitar down to the studio that evening and set it up on a stand in the main room, framed perfectly by the control room window and lit so it just glowed. David came in and I maintained a glum look until he turned and saw his guitar. I think his comment was something typically Crosby, “Turner, you asshole!”

Gary Somberg's previously unpublished photographs from Alembic’s earliest days.

That’s me playing David Crosby’s 12-string for the first time. It’s got a Gibson Crest thin hollow body in Brazilian rosewood with a solid Brazilian rosewood neck made by luthier guru Mario Matello. I finished it off by making the welded sculptural bronze tailpiece, doing the Alembic peghead inlay and making the true stereo humbucker pickups. My Alembic partner Ron Wickersham made a custom stereo/mono all discrete preamp. I inlaid LED postion markers in the fingerboard binding. After 40 years, everything still works, including the LEDs, and David swears it’s the best sounding electric 12 in the world.

I’m pulling away a very early — 1968 — double longhorn bass, a close duplicate to the one I made for Jesse Colin Young that burned up in the 1995 Vision Mountain fire in Inverness, California. Right behind it is Alembic 001, Jack Casady’s bass, next to that is a rebuild on a Guild Blues Bird for Lowell “Banana” Levinger, behind that is my old 1820s tilt neck LaCote or Stauffer, behind the classical guitar to my right is a Guild bass in progress for Phil Lesh. The Bigsby equipped 335 may be Bob Weir’s.


This is my 1969 “Pretzel Guitar” about to get a new neck pickup. This was the first “neck through” instrument I made and featured handmade welded, soldered and machined brass parts, a mahogany and walnut laminated neck, abalone inlays cut from shells that I slabbed on a diamond saw, and handwound pickups. My son Ethan now owns the guitar, and it was featured in a major exhibit at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York.

Me on the left, Ron Wickersham on the right discussing the details of electronics layout for a bass for Phil Lesh. Crosby’s 12-string is on the bench.


Stringing up Crosby’s 12 for the first time. Note the empty electronics hole, to be later used for a light dimmer knob for the side dot LEDs. I learned how to make the welded bronze tailpiece working for a Marin County jeweler, Anne Dick, ex-wife of science fiction writer Phillip K. Dick.

I’m buffing out the French polish finish on the face of Crosby’s 12-string. The body and neck finish were done in some sort of “Danish oil” formula; I don’t remember the brand.


I’m drilling yet another hole in the face plate for a Phil Lesh bass, a Guild Starfire conversion later known as Big Brown. Note the quad stacked pot for quad master volume! We were known for wretched excess in controls for Phil and Jack’s basses!

The Lesh bass. Where the hell are we going to put everything? That had, at that point, some of my early trapezoidal pickups. I cut the ceramic magnets myself on a diamond saw, hand wound the coils and cast them in a two-part catalyzed urethane. Ron did the electronics, which included preamps, complex switchable filters and quadraphonic speaker selection for the quad pickup (not yet installed).

On the phone, probably Crosby wondering when the hell his guitar is going to be done.



David Crosby reflects on history and harmonies

PhotoGraPhyanDteXtbyJasonVerlinDe

galE

DAVID CROSBY IS NO DIFFERENT from a lot of us. He

sports a Cheshire cat grin the minute he talks about guitars. He

proudly explains how the Beatles changed his life and his love for

music of all sorts, from folk to Steely Dan to the Fleet Foxes.

But of course, Crosby is no ordinary musician. Over his long career, he

went from being an acoustic folkie to honing his electric chops with the Byrds

to steering back to acoustics (with the electric sometimes thrown in) in various

Crosby, Stills & Nash incarnations. He released the pivotal If I Could Only

Remember My Name in 1971, the star-studded release that still sounds fresh to

modern ears. And, obviously, he lived a hard life filled with drama, drugs and

even a prison term.

Upon seeing him relaxing at his beautiful Southern California home, it’s

hard to imagine the wild life that David Crosby once lived, not so long ago.

His residence has to be in one of the country’s most peaceful places — Santa

Barbara wine country. His home is quiet, warm and filled with mementos of

a fascinating life, guitars he’s picked up along the way and — of course — his

loving family.

On the day I interviewed Crosby, we talked for hours about the early folk

scene he was a part of, shot some photos, filmed a video for fretboardjournal.

com (a quick take on Joni Mitchell’s “For Free”) and then talked some more

about guitars, music and life. Despite the roller coaster ride his body has been

on, his voice is, quite simply, spine tingling. I asked him how it’s held up all

these years. All he could say was, “I just don’t know, but believe me,

I’m grateful.”

force


fretboard JourNal:whatkindofbackground,musically,didyougrowupwith?

david crosby:Myparentsplayedalotofclassicalmusicinthehouse;iprobablyheardthebrandenburgconcertos,youknow,289times,bythetimeiwas6.buttheveryfirst10-inch33lPs,wehadseveralofthose,andtheyweretheweavers,JoshwhiteandasouthafricancouplecalledMarais&Miranda.andsoonthereafter,Peteseegeronhisown.andsoonthereafter,odetta.theywerefolkmusic.that’swhatmymombought.sothat’swhatiwasraisedon.

thenmybrotherturnedmeonto’50sjazz.ineverwentthroughtheelvisperiod.MybrotherturnedmeontotoGerryMulligan,Chetbaker,Davebrubeck,thatkindofthing.therewasoneradioactthatpunchedthrough,whichwastheeverlybrothers.

everlybrotherswereahugeinfluence—huge—theyjustrangmybell.ilovedtheirstuff.itwasjusttoogoddamngood.ilovedharmony,rightfromtheget-go.

fJ: becauseofthoseeverlybrothersrecords?dc:largely.ilovedit.andthataffectedhowi

heardfolkmusic,whenistartedhearingfolkmusicandgroups,evenonesascornyasthelimeliters.ilikedtheharmoniesthattheywoulddo.andPeter,Paul&Maryweregood:theyweren’tcorny,theyweregood.andthenyoustarthearingthewordsthatpeopleweredelivering.

fJ:iknowyoumadeyourwaytoGreenwichVillageandhookedupwithfredneil.what

influencedidhehaveonyou?dc:firstplace,hehadaverydeepvoice,very

beautifulone.second,hewouldwritesongs…goodsongs.

fJ:wasfredneilsomeoneyouwereawareofbeforeyoumovedouttoGreenwichVillage?

dc:igottonewyork.iwasafolksinger,playinginlittlecoffeehouses.andiranintothreepeople:fredneil,VinceMartinandawomannamedlisaKindrid.theywereallsinginginthesamecoffeehouses.andbobGibson,areallygood12-stringplayer.

freddyjusthadmoreontheballthananybodyelse;hecouldreallysingandhewasaverysoulfulcat.andhewasmesmerizing:hewasextremelygood.allofuskidsthatwerewantingtobefolksingersweretakenbyhim.idon’tthinkthatanybodythatiknewthathadheardhimwasn’tvery,verystronglyinfluencedbyhim.andthenhewentdowntofloridawhereVincewasfrom.theymadeonerecordtogether,thetwoofthem,andtheybothwentbackdowntoflorida.igotamessagefromeitherfredorfromlisa—ithinkitwasfred—saying,“hey,there’sworkdownhere.therearecoffeehouses.ifyoucomedownhere,youcouldeat.”

andthiswas,youknow,verytoughtimesearlyon.wewereplayingbaskethouses,whichwereplaceswhereyoupassthebasketafterwards.soitooktwocardboardboxesandmyVega12-stringandiwentdowntofloridaandstartedsingingdownthere,andbecameveryclosefriendswith

Previous spread:DavidCrosbyperformingonhisalembic-

modified,12-stringelectric(seepage30formoreonthisguitar’shistory)inMilan,italy.thisguitar

startedoutasaGibsonCrestbody,whichCrosbysomehow

procured,unfinished,fromGibson’splant.itwasthensent

toMarioMartello,whoputasolidbrazilianrosewoodneck

onit,withanebonyfingerboard.thenitwenttorickturnerandalembic.“imadethetailpieceandthestereopickups(three

coursesleft,threecoursesright—truestereo),didthe

alembicinlayinthepeghead,addedtheleDstothesideofthefingerboard(donein1970

andtheystillwork!)andronwickershammadethestereopreamp,”turnerremembers.

“wesetupanamazingamprigwithanalembicf2-bpreamp,aMcintosh2300powerampandsomealembiccabinets.”

Photo:buzzPerson


Opposite: thoughitstartedoutlifeasatypicalsix-stringMartinD-18,intheearly-1960sCrosbyconvertedthisguitarintoa12-string.anew12-fret,12-stringneckwasinstalledviaJonlundberg’sshopinthebayareaandthebridgewasmovedloweronthebody.anoversizedpickguardcoversuptheoldbridgepinholes.it’sheldupfordecades.“idon’ttuneituptopitch,”Crosbysaysoftheguitar’slongevity.“that’sthetrick.youjustdon’tputitthroughthekindofstrainthatyouputanup-to-pitchguitar.”

Crosby,stills,nash&youngattherhodeislandauditoriuminProvidence,rhodeisland,onMay20,1970.Grahamnashisplayinganearly1960sepiphoneft-79texanthatwasoriginallysunburstbutwasrefinishedinblack.heusedthatguitarintheholliesandintheearlydaysofCrosby,stills,nash&young.stillsisplayinghisGretschwhitefalcon.Photo:robertCorwin/Photo-arts


aguynamedbobbyingram,whowasandstillisamusiciandownthere,agoodone.webothlearnedagreatdealfromhangingoutwithfreddy.

freddywoulddothingstoyourhead.wewouldbeinanelevatorinnewyorkinanold,crapped-outbuildinginnewyork,andhewouldturnoffthelight.hewouldsay,“listen.themusic’severywhere.”andyou’dheartang, tang, tang, ding, ding, ding.we’dgetstonedandwe’dbesittingnexttoabamboothicket,andhe’dsay,“listen,that’smusic.”itwasabamboothicketinthewind,butitwasbeautiful.hewasaprettyamazingguy.

fJ:howmucholderthanyouwashe?dc:iwasmaybe20,andhewasprobably50.

hehadaverystronginfluenceonme,probablystrongerthanGibson,strongerthanmostpeopleatthattime.andwheniwasinnewyork,ihadrunintoDylan.hewasastronginfluence.

uptillthattime,theonlypeoplewhohadeverevenmadearecordinfolkmusicwerePeter,Paul&Mary.

soiwentovertoGerde’sfolkCityandi’dlistentoDylan.ithought,“well,fuck,icansingbetterthanthat.”thenistartedlisteningtohimatworkandithought,“oh,shit.”thenihadtostartrethinkingwhatiwasgoingtobeabletowrite.

buttheymademefallinlovewithacousticguitarsandtheymademefallinlovewithsinging…allofthoseguysdid.himandbaez.assoonasiranintobaez,i,ofcourse,likeeverybodyelse,fellinlovewithher.shewasagoodpicker.shestillis.

andihavebeeninlovewithacousticguitarseversincethen.Mybrothergavememyfirstone,idon’tevenknowwhatitwas,itwassomekindofnylon-strungthing.ilearnede-minortoa-majorandsatthereplaying“followtheDrinkingGourd.”

fJ:youandtravisedmonsonofbud&travisplayedtogether,right?

dc:Playedtogether,no.iusedtositandwatchtravis.endlessly.therewasaclubinhollywoodcalledtheunicorn.itwasjustadiveandhewouldplaythere.itwasa“coffeehouse.”iwouldjustsitthereandhawkhischangesand

trytofigureoutwhathewasdoing.hewasmoreaccessiblethanmostoftherestoftheguys.hewouldshowyou,hewasfriendly.andgavememyfirstjoint.ilearnedabunchfromhim.

fJ:whatwasthatfirst12-stringyouheard?dc:bobGibson’s.freddyhadone,too.fJ:youjustknewyouwantedone,

immediately?dc:yeah.imean,listentothedamnthing.

it’slikeapiano.thisone[holdinghisoriginalD-18thathehadconvertedtoa12-string]inparticular.ithinkthisisprobablythebestacousticonei’veeverheard.itriedtocopyitanumberoftimes.santaCruzmademeacopyofit.MartinmademeaDavidCrosbymodel12-stringthat’sa12-fretlikethis.

isentMartinthisguitar,andtheysaid,“somebodyveryamateurishlyshavedthebracesinhere.thatwouldn’thavebeenyou,wouldit?”andisaid,“uh,yeah.”

fJ:youdid?dc:yeah.ishavedthebracesalittlebitwitha

Cokebottleandsomesandpaper.fJ:whenwasthat?dc:thatwaswhenifirstgotit.whenibought

it,iwasinChicago.irodeabusouttotheonlystoreinChicagothathadaD-18,whichwasallicouldaffordfromMartin.igotitandiwantedittobeloud.andeventhoughthiswaslate’50sorearly’60s,youcanmake’emlouder.theywerebuilding’emlighterthenthantheydonow.

nowthey’rebuildingthemtotryandlast50years.whichisadmirableontheirpart,ontheonehand,andyet,ontheotherhand,thoseguitarsdon’tringanywherenear.whentheymadetheDavidCrosbyD-18,isaid,“builditlight.”isaid,“Donotbuildittothekindofspecsyouhavebeenbuilding,whereyouexpectaguitartolast50years.”andsothoseDavidCrosbyD-18sringlikeabell,becausethey’rebuiltlighterandbracedlighter.

fJ:howlongwasitasix-stringbeforeitgotconverted?

dc:severalyears.iwasplayingitwhenwe

Crosby’sguitarvaultincludesanolson,afewMcalisters,many

Martinsandslewof12-strings,includinga12-stringconverted

GibsonroysmeckradioDeluxe(toprow,fourthfromtheleft)

thatwasagiftfromJacksonbrowne(seepage59).Crosby

hassomegoodfriends:theolsonwiththeflorentine

cutawayandcustominlay(left)wasagiftfromafan.


“I shaved the braces a little bit with a Coke bottle and some sandpaper.

”


startedthebyrds.Dylanofferedmeagrandforitonetime.stephen[stills]offeredmeanoldbentleyforit.andthisisbackwhen$1,000was$1,000.alotofpeoplehavewantedit,becauseit’sareallygood-sounding12-string.

fJ:atonepoint,youjoinedlesbaxter’sballaders,right?

dc:iwasinthereandsowasmybrother.hewasplayingbass,andmyselfandbobingram,andanotherguynamedMikeClough,anditwasreallyprettypathetic.itwasanimitationChristyMinstrels,ifyoucanimaginesuchathing.that’sreallyprettyfardowntheline.

fJ:straightoutofA Mighty Wind?dc:well,weneededmoney.weweretrying

tolive.weneededtohavesomemoneyforfood.andtheydressedusupinlittlepeggedpants—blackpants—andlittleredbellboyjackets.itwaspathetic.butweweregood,wecouldsing.wewereontour,inbaltimore,whenKennedygotshot.

ihatedbeingdresseduplikeamonkey.theyweretryingtomakeusbealoungeact.andthatwasahorrorshowforus,becausewewerefolkiesandwewantedtobelikebobDylan.welistenedtoPeteseegerandwoodyGuthrieandtheweavers.that’swherewecamefrom.andthathadnothingtodowithbellboyjackets.

Joshwhiteandodettahadgivenusourstandardthatwewerereachingfor.that’swhatweweretryingtodo.wewantedtobeasgoodasthosepeople.

fJ:whenyoureturnedtoCalifornia,youweredoingthatwholeashGroveandtroubadourcircuit.wereyouasoloact?whatwereyousinging?

dc:somereallycornballstuff,like“theyCallthewindMariah.”andtheoccasionalgoodsong,areallyoddhodge-podgeofstuff.

thenistartedwritingmyown.notanygood,butistartedwritingmyownsongs.andyou’dgetupatthehootnightatthetroubadour.asmuchasanythingelse,weweretryingtoattracttheattentionofgirls.

fJ:thiswasyousolo?dc:yeah.iworkedforawhilewithmy

brother.onceihadestablishedmyselfdowninflorida,itoldmybrother,“Comeondown,”andhewouldplaybasswithmeandsingharmony.andthatwasfunforawhile.wewoundupinomahasomeplaceandwekindofsplitup.andtheniwenttoChicagofromthere.

Chicagowaswhereiencounteredthebeatles.thatprettymuchchangedeverything.

fJ:whatwasitaboutthem?dc:itchangedmyoutlookonwhatiwanted

toplay.you’vegottoremember,therewasabigsynthesisgoingonthere;uptothatpoint,now,rock’n’rollhadbeenprettymuchfourchords—almostentirely,asamatteroffact.thatwasthestandardthingthatcameoutofthebrillbuilding,butitallhadabackbeat.well,hereweretheseguysfromengland,theywereplayingfolkmusicchanges,muchmorecomplexchordchanges—muchbettermusically,butwiththatbackbeat.thatwasamixingoftwostreamsthatcreatedanewthing.

anditwasirresistible.iwentfromChicagotol.a.iwalkedintothetroubadourandtherewasrogerMcGuinnandGeneClarksingingthatkindofstuff.itwasGeneClarkwhodidn’tknowanyoftherulesatall;hejuststartedwritingwhateversoundedlikethebeatles.

androger’soneofthemajortalentsofourtimes.hewasamoreadvancedmusician;he’dcomeoutofChicago’soldtownschooloffolkMusic.andhereallyknewhowtoplay,inparticulara12-string.hestartedplayingthoseGeneClarksongsandthatjustpulledmelikeamagnet.soistartedsittingaroundwiththebandandsingingharmony.andthatworked,thatwasfun.

fJ:whendidyoureallyrampupyoursongwriting?

dc:whentherewasavenueforit:whenthebyrdsstartedtoactuallybeaband;whenwegotChrishillmantocomeandplaybassforus.hewasamandolinplayerinalittlebluegrassgroup.buthewasfascinatedbythemusicandhelearnedhowtoplaybasstobeinthebyrds.hehadneverplayedbassbefore.

CrosbystilluseshisMartin12-stringallofthetime;itwas

alsotheguitarthathissignaturemodelMartin12-stringwas

basedupon.sincetherearenoextrabridgepinholestocover

uponmodernversions,thecompanyobviouslydecidednottousetheoversizedpickguard.

oftheoriginalguitar,Crosbysays,“Dylanofferedmea

grandforitonetime.stephenofferedmeanoldbentleyforit.

andthisisbackwhen$1,000was$1,000.alotofpeoplehave

wantedit,becauseit’sareallygood-sounding12-string.”


MichaelClarkehadneverplayedtrapdrumsbeforeinhislife;heplayedacongadrum.hewassomebodythatimethitchhikinginbigsur.isaid,“Comeondowntol.a.,man.youlookright.youshouldbeinaband.”

fJ:thatwasallittook,thelook?dc:yeah.andhelearnedhow.andnoneof

uswereverygood,exceptroger.rogerwasreallygood.hecouldreallyactuallyplay.thenitturnedouthehadthisothertalent,whichwastobeabletoarrange—totranslate—fromafolkidiomintothisearlyrock’n’rollstuffthatthebyrdsdid.hecouldarrangethesongsothatitwouldchangeit;hetook“Mr.tambourineMan”andmadearecordoutofit—madeitcompletelydifferentthanhowbobwroteit,hugelydifferentfromthedemothatweheard,whichwasbobandramblin’Jackelliottjustoutoftheirminds.

fJ:whatwasthedemolike?thetwoofthemalternatinglines?

dc:no,bobwassingingthesonganddoingsomethingthathestilllovestodo,whichistosingthesongandgetsomebodyelsetosingalongwhodoesn’tknowthesong.anditwasprettyterrible,butyoucouldhearthesongifyoulistenedtobob.

fJ:howdidyouendupreleasingthatbeforeDylandid?

dc:iintroducedthoseguystoarecordproducerwhowasaroundhollywoodatthetimenamedJimDickson.Jimknewenoughpeopletogetusintoajazzrecordingstudiodownonthirdstreet[worldPacificstudios].hewouldgetusinthereaftertheyfinishedtheirsessionsfortheday.sosomenightswestartedat11:00,andsomenightswestartedat7:30,andsomenightswestartedat1:00,butwewouldgetinthereanditwasaplacetoplay.hecouldalsorecordus.

thetrickaboutthatwasthatwehadtolistentoitback,andthatwasbrutal.

fJ:that’llgetyourharmoniesinline!dc:yeah,itwasbrutal.itshort-circuitedthe

garagebandphaseofthebyrdsbyyears,because

Crosbywithhis1927Martin00-45.“it’saslightasafeather,”Crosbysaysaboutthisguitar.


They made me fall in love with acoustic guitars and they made me fall in love with singing… all of those guys did.

“”


ifyou’rejustplayinginagarageband,youthinkyousoundterrific.there’snobodytheretotellyouthatyoudon’t.yourgirlfriendsays,“wow,thatwasreallycool,man.”andthere’snobodytheretosay,“yeah,itwasreallycool,exceptitwasallcompletelyoutoftune,andyouturnedtheonearoundtothebackbeat,andthat’snottherootofthatchord,and…”wewereconfrontedwiththatrightafterwehadjustplayedit.

fJ:Didthestudioownerseverknowthatthiswasgoingonatnight?Didtheycare?

dc:iassumetheydid,andidon’tthinktheygaveashit.aslongaswelockedtheplaceupwhenweleft.

itstarted,afterawhile,tosoundbetter,andthenDicksonknewtheguywhowasmanagingbob.bobcame,listenedto“Mr.tambourineMan,”andsaid,“oh,man.”youcouldseeitclickinhishead:heknewrightthenwhathewasgoingtodo.heknewwhatwasgoingtohappen.hewentoutandfoundthebandandstartedplayingelectricmusic,becauseheknewatthatmomentthathisstuffcouldbeplayedthatway.andhelikedit.

iwishicouldtakecreditforit—icouldtakecreditforsomeoftheharmonies—butthecreditgoestoMcGuinn.hereallysawhowtodoit,andwewentoutandboughttheexactsameaxesthatthebeatleshad.ihadaGretschtennesseanandMcGuinnhadarickenbacker12-string.theonlydifferencewasweusedafenderbass…better.

fJ:wherewasguitarshoppinginthosedaysinlosangeles?

dc:wallich’sMusicCity,rightatthecornerofsunsetandVine.istillhaveaGibson335thatiboughtatwallich’sMusicCitybrandnew.

iwentthroughtwoGretsches.ihadaGretschtennesseanthatistartedoffwith.youwouldhavediedlaughingifyoucouldhaveseenmeinfrontofamirror…ihadnoideahowtoplayanelectricguitar.Didn’tknowhowtoholdit,howshortshouldthestrapbe.itwashystericallyfunny,nowthatithinkback.

iwasdoingreallysillythingslikethat.iwouldplayelectricguitarwhilewearingthiscape.

fJ:whenyoumovedawayfromtheGretsch,wereyoujustseekingadifferenttone?

dc:istartedoutwiththattennesseanbecausethat’swhatGeorge[harrison]wasplaying.andthenisawaCountryGentleman.ithoughtthatlookedsocool.andihadtohaveaCountryGentleman.iplayedthatforquiteawhile.

thethingthatGretscheshavegotisthatifyourollthevolumeallthewayonandthencontrolthevolumeduringthesetfromtheamp,there’sacertaincrunchthatthey’vegotonthebottomthat’sreallywonderful.soididthatforalongtime,butthenisawthat335hangingonthewallatwallich’sMusicCityandithought,gee,that’saprettyfancy-lookingguitar.iconfesstobeingsomewhattakenwithguitars.

fJ:Guitars,planesandboats,right?dc:well,particularlyguitarsandboats.

Guitarsandboatshaveremarkablesimilarities.they’rebothmadeoutofwood.they’rebothundertensionfromwire.they’rebothevolvedshapes,notinventedshapes.they’rebothexquisitelybeautiful.theybothfaintlyresemblewomen.andtheybothtranscendthestateintheuniverseofathing,normally,becausetheydosomething.athing,anobjectthatyoumake,hasaninnatevaluebuiltintoit,dependingonwhatitwasmadetodo.afencepostdoesn’thavealotofinnatevalue.butaguitar,aguitarcantakeoveryourwholelife.itcanmakepeoplecry.itcanmakepeoplelaugh.itcanmakepeoplefeelelevated.it’sathingthat—anditgoeswaybeyondthingness.andasailboatdoesthat,too.

fJ:you’vereallyembracedmodernguitarmakerslikeroyMcalisterandKevinryan.Doyouhavethesameappreciationformodernsailboats?

dc:no.Modernsailboatsaremadeoffiberglass.andfiberglasssucks!

fJ:you’reknownforplayinginalternatetunings.whendidthatcomeabout?

dc:thealternativetuningsthing…howthathappensisyou’resittingtherewitharegularguitarandyouplayaDchord.butthateisonthebottom,right?andthatisalwaysinyourway.and

formersantaCruzGuitarCompanyemployeeroyMcalisterbuiltthisConcert-sizedguitarforCrosbyin1998.theGermansprucetopsportssomegorgeousbearclawfiguring.“hebecameoneofmyfavoriteguitarmakers,”Crosbysaysofthenow-Pacificnorthwest-basedbuilder.


theaisnottheroot,soyou’rereallylimitedtothat,untilsomebodyshowsyouthatyoucantakethatbottomedowntoD,andthenallofasuddenyougotthatgreat-soundingchord.well,that’sthebeginningofalong,slipperyslope.

istartedmessingaroundwithtuningssomewheretowardstheendofthebyrds.andifyousittherelongenough,youeventuallystartplayingstuffthatdoesn’tcomeoutofregulartunings.

fJ:areyouwritingyourlyricslikepoetryfirst,andthenwritingthemusicforthem?ordoesitgobothways?

dc:ithinkwith“Guinevere,”ithinkithappenedprettymuchthesametime.

fJ:sowas“Guinevere”abyproductofyoustumblinguponthetuningandthenitjustcomingout?that’samazing.

dc::yeah,well,yearslater,oneoftheguysintheGratefulDeadpoundedthisformeandsaid,“youknowwhatyou’redoing?”hesaid,“two,three,five,six,seven—one,two,three,five,six,seven—two,three,five,six,seven.”andithought,“uh-oh,really?”

nobodyownsanyof’em:theyaren’tmine,they’re—Joni’saren’tJoni’s.anybodycantuneaguitarinanywaytheywantandyoumakeupnewchords.ProbablythegreatestpersonatdoingthatofallwasMichaelhedges.althoughi’dsayJoniwasn’tfarbehind.Joniwasfaraheadofme.

fJ:so,there’sarumorabouttheendofyourstintinthebyrds…didithaveanythingtodowithyoutryingtogetthemtoplay“triad”?

dc:idon’tknowhowmuchthathadtodowithitatall,truthfully.ithinkatthetimewewereyoungguyswhohadbeenbuttingheadswitheachother.iwasgrowingveryfast.iwantedabiggerpieceofthepie.iwaswritinggoodsongs.inthoseoriginalgroups,youwereexpectedtostayintherole—therhythmguitarplayerorharmonysinger—andstaythere.andthatdidn’tworkreallywellforChris,either.hewassupposedtobethebassplayer—theyoung-looking,reallynicebassplayer.hewasn’tsupposedtosingandplayandwrite

songsandstuff.andallofthesuddenherecomesChris,andhe’sarealtalent,andhecanwriteandhecanplayandhecansing.andifyou’veheardhimwithherbPedersen,youknowdamnwellhecanreallysingandreallywriteandreallyplay.

well,wedidn’tfitintotherolesanymore.weallhadegosandwehadotherpeoplestirringthepotfromoutside—badmanagersandstuff.and,youknow,iwascertainlynotaneasycasetogetalongwith.andtheythrewmeoutofthebandandsaidtheywoulddobetterwithoutme,whichdidn’tworkoutforthem,becauseaboutsixmonthslater,wehadCrosby,stills&nashatno.1.

fJ:wasthatreallytheamountoftimebetweengroups?

dc:Prettymuch.Maybeayear.itcertainlywasn’tlongerthanayear.and,sincethen,youknow,ihavegonebacktorogermanytimes.nowChrisandiarefriends.

fJ:so,withCs&n,wastheprocesssimilartothebyrds?Goingintoastudiotoworkontunesandlisteningbackthewholetime?

dc:Completelydifferentprocess.you’vegottoremember,bythetimewe’dgottoCs&n,we’dalreadydonethebyrds,theholliesandthebuffalospringfield.weknew.wewerenowveteransandweknewhowtomakearecord.weknewquitewellhowtomakearecord;wehadalreadymadehitrecords.nashhadmademorethanstephenandiputtogether,butweallknewhowandwehadsongs.wecouldsingyoutheentirefirstalbum,thecouchalbum,anytime,anywhere…justsitdownandsingittoyou,thewholerecord.

wewantedtobeonapplerecords,sowewenttolondonforawhile.andfinally,oneday,wegotGeorgeandPeterashertocomeover,andwesangthemtherecord.andtheysaid,“wellthat’snice.that’snice.it’sverygood.”weleftandwegotaphonecallalittlebitlatersaying,“idon’tthinkit’squitewhatwewant.”andiamwillingtobetthattheyregrettedthatdecisionmorethananyotheronetheymade.i’mfriendswithPeternow.istillhaven’taskedhim.butithinktheyprobablyregrettedthat,becausewewentbackandahmet

therussianCossackhatislonggone,but,yes,Crosbystill

ownsthesuedefringevestthatwasastapleofhismore

rebelliousdays.


Come on down. I’m going to be there every night. It’s where I go. It’s what I do.

“”


ertegunwastotallythrilledwithit,veryeagertoputitout.andintheyearoftheguitarplayer,wheneverybodyelsewasClaptonandhendrix,wejustcameoutandkilledit.

fJ:thechemistrybetweenthethreeofyoumusthavetakenalittlebitoftimeforittojell,orwasitjustnaturalfromtheget-go?

dc:ihaddugsteven’splayingandsingingwhenhewasinspringfield.ithought,“Geez,thatkidisreallytalented.”hehadareallygreatsenseoftimeandalotofego,butitwaskindofjustifiable.hereallycoulddoit.whenspringfieldcameapart,heandiwerehangingouttogethersingingsongsandgoofingoff.Casselliotwasadearfriend.she’stheonewhointroducedmetoGraham.sheputhiminmypathandibroughthimtostephen.wewereatJoniMitchell’shouse,whomihadbeengoingwithandhadbroughtoutandproducedherfirstrecord.andthenshestartedgoingwithGraham,whichireallydidn’tblameherfor.Grahamwascertainlythemostpolishedoneofthebunch!

stephenandihadjustmethimandwesangoneofstephen’ssongstohim.hesaid,“wouldyoudothatagain?”andwesaid,“sure.”andwediditagain.itwas“intheMorningwhenyourise.”hesaid,“onemoretime.”andstillsandisaid,“whyshouldwesingitthreetimes?”andhesaid,“Please.Justforme.singitthreetimes.”andthethirdtimewesangit,heputtheharmonyonthetopandbothofuslookedateachotherandwent,“oh,shit!”andthatwasprettymuchthat.

theonlythingwewantedtodowasgetintoarecordingstudioanddothat,becauseweallhadsongs.ihadwritten“Guinevere”bythattime.nashhad“Marrakeshexpress”andanothersongcalled“rightbetweentheeyes”—goodsongs—and“ladyoftheisland,”stuffthatreallydidn’tfitthehollies.he’doutgrownthehollies.andstillswasintheprocessofwriting“Judyblueeyes”andhad“helplesslyhoping”and“intheMorningwhenyourise,”andthingslikethat.itwasjustasnaturalasathingcouldbe.wegotsomemoneyfromahmetandwentintothestudioandmadethatrecord.it

didn’teventakelong.fJ:wereyouplayingmuchonthatfirstrecord

ormostlysinging?dc:iplayedonthethingsthaticould

play.nobodyelsebutmecouldhaveplayed“Guinevere.”andiplayedon“longtimeGone”and“woodenships”—theotherthingsthatiwrote.

fJ:whatinstrumentdidyouuseforallthose?dc:D-45s,aD-18,D-28sandthatMartin

12-string.fJ:yoursolorecord,If I Could Only Remember

My Name,wasgroundbreaking.ifthatwasreleasedlastweekitwouldbeplayedoncollegeradiostationsalongsideindierockbands.

dc:ithinkitwasalittletoofaraheadofitstime.youprobablydon’tknowthis,butRolling Stone,whentheyreviewedit,theysaiditwas“mediocre.”that’sthewordtheyused.andithinkit’s’causetheydidn’tunderstanditandbecauseitwasn’tlikeanythingelsethathadcomeout.butstill,tothisday,alotofpeoplelikeit.

fJ:Doyoulikeit?dc:iloveit.fJ:andtherearealltheseadditionalclips

floatingaroundontheinternetofthePlanetearthrockandrollorchestra.

dc:that’ssomething[Jeffersonairplane’sPaul]Kantnercameupwith.here’showitactuallyhappened.thereneverreallywasaPlanetearthrockandrollorchestra.whathappenedwasinthemiddleofusmakingDeja Vuinsanfrancisco,thegirlthatiwasinlovewithgotkilledinacarwreck,anditprettymuchdestroyedme.ididnothaveanywhereneartheequipmenttodealwiththat.

ihadnoexperience,nothing,didn’tknowhowtocopewiththatatall.soididtwothings,onegood,onebad.thegoodthingwasikeptgoingtothestudiobecauseitwastheonlyplaceifeltsafe.it’stheonlyplaceiknewwhattodowithmyself.andtheotherthingisistarteddoingalotofharddrugs,whichwasverybad,and,asyouknow,nearlydestroyedme.butatthatpoint,thestudio

Close-upofCrosby’sGibsonroysmeck12-stringconversion.


Chicago was where I encountered the Beatles. That pretty much changed everything.

“”


thingwasstillworkingreallywell.soimadeIf I Could Only Remember My Name.indoingso,ijusttoldmyfriends,“Comeondown.i’mgoingtobethereeverynight.it’swhereigo.it’swhatido.”ihadthemoneytojustkeeptheroom.

Deja Vuwassellingfasterthantheycouldprintit.someofthoseguys[atthesession]weretrulymyfriends:nashstillistrulymyfriend.and[Jerry]Garciausedtocomealmosteverynight.andwewouldfoolaround.Phillesh.JackCassidycamealot.JormaKaukonencamealot.thesewereallguysthati’dbeenfriendswithforalongtime—Kantner,Grace[slick]—thesewereallgoodfriendsandgoodpeopleandtheyknewthatiwaslonelyandtheyknewalsothatiwasslightlynutsatthetime,andtheywouldcomeandwewouldplaymusic.ihadsongs.i’donlyusedtwoorthreeofmysongsonDeja Vu,soihadalot.iwouldsitdownwithwhoeverdidshowup—mostoftenJerry—andstartplayingasong.

Musicwashoneytofliestohim.ifyoustartedplayingmusic,hewantedtoplay.andwehadtwo-tracktaperunningconstantlytheentirenight.andtheminutethatsomethingstartedtohappen,the24-trackwouldstarttoroll—ormaybeitwas12-trackbackthen.idon’tknow.itwasrolling.andtheniwouldstartlayeringharmoniesontoit,andthatwasalotoffunandi’mgoodatitandijusthadablastwithit.i’dsingalotofnonparallelthings.anditwoundupbeingreallyadelight.nowthereareacouplemomentsintherethataretranscendent.i’dobviouslylistenedtotoomuchbach.butthethingattheend—“i’dsweartherewassomebodyhere”—ireallydon’tknowwhatyoucallthat.it’scertainlynotsomethinganybodyelsehaseverdone.

andit’sjustmefoolingaroundwiththatechochamber.“whataretheirnames”…thatonewasajam.

fJ:Giventhatitwaslikethatandthatyouhadthetaperollingallthetime,howdidyouknowwhentostop?howdidyouknowwhenthealbumwasdone?

dc:ididn’t.andthat’swhentheP.e.r.r.o.

partcamein,becausewewerecontinuingtofoolaroundwith“theMountainsong”andtherewereanumberofotherpiecesofmusicthatwewerehopingtodevelopintosomething.andit’snotlikeJerrydidn’thavealotofmusic,too.butoncewehadthatalbum,onceitstartedtotakeform,thenifinallyjustcheckedoutoftheroom,andthatwastheendofthat.butinthemeantime,therewerealotoftapesthatwereattemptsatthisandattemptsatthatandalmostsofthisandalmostsofthat.PaulwasgettingunhappywithJeffersonairplane,sohestartedcallingitPlanetearthrockandrollorchestra.andithinkhehopedthatthereactuallywouldbeaPlanetearthrockandrollorchestra.butitlivedinhismind.andonceihadthatrecordputtogether,ihadjustputitout.thenthenextthingthatididwasstartworkingwithnashonthefirstofnowmanyCrosby&nashalbums.

fJ:theyearthatthesoloalbumcameout,Four Way Streetcameouttoo,right?itwasacrazyyear.wasthatright?

dc:Four Way Streetwasahairlater.roughlyaroundthesame…ididn’thavealottodowithFour Way Street.ijustsangsomestuffonitandletthemputittogether.

fJ:youandnashgosofarback.Doyouguystalkeveryday?

dc:Mostly.he’sagoodmanandhe’ssortofarenaissanceman.he’saguywhocameoutofoneofthetoughest,grittiestindustrialcitiesinallofnortherneurope,Manchester,whosaidtohimself,“youknow,idon’tknowaboutanyoneelse,butiamnotgoingtowindupworkinginthatfactory.that’snotit.i’mgoingtoplaymywayoutofhere.”andhedid.nowlookatwhathe’smadeofhimself.he’saworld-classauthorityonphotographyandart.heknowsmoreabouttheearlystagesofphotographythanalmostanyoneiknow.hebrokeintodigitalprintingofphotographysoearlyandsofarandsodeeplythathisprinterisnowinthesmithsonian.thisisaguywhoseriouslyaffectedhowyoumakephotographs.andhe’sagoodhumanbeing.


fJ:andyou’reabouttogotoeuropetogether?dc:Goingtoeuropewithnash.big,bigfun.

ofallthedifferententities—Csn&y,Cs&n,Crosbynash—ithinkCrosbynashisprobablythemostfun.

welookatthingsverysimilarly.andhe’sagenerousman.hegivestothemusicprettywholeheartedlyandhe’snotcompetitive.there’stwokindsofwaystoapproachmusicandoneistogivetoitandtryandcreatesomethingwherethewholeisgreaterthanthesumofitsparts…wheremagichappens.andtheotheristotrytoimpressandalsoparticularlyaggrandizeyourself.andnashisthefirstguy.he’sajoy.

fJ:Doyoutalktoneilyoungmuch?dc:italktoneilfairlyoftenactually.icallhim

upandtalktohim.wegobackandforthabout,“well,youshouldn’thavedonethis,”or,“youshouldn’thavedonethat.”allofusdo.thefourofusdo.there’sneverbeenatimewhensomeofushaven’tbeenhappyaboutsomeoneelse’schoiceaboutonethingoranother.

fJ:andyoustilltalktostillsregularly?dc:allthetime.ilikestephen.i’vegottotell

you,twonightsagoatthebeacon[theaterinnewyork],stillswasjustterrific.everythingyoucouldaskofhim,hedelivered.hewasreallygood.

fJ:whodoyoutalkaboutguitarswiththemost?

dc:italkguitarswithJackson[browne].italkguitarsalotwithayoungguitarplayernamedMarcuseaton.he’saguitarnutandanincredibleplayer.italkguitarswithJames[taylor].italkguitarswithalotofpeople,truthfully.

nash,ofcourse,wasmuchsmarterthaniwasaboutbuyingguitars.iboughtguitarsthatsoundgreat.iwouldhearaguitarandthink,“ohmyGod,thatthingsoundslikeabell,”andbuyit.nashwouldgooutand,well,lastnightonstagehewasplayingDuaneallman’sguitar!

fJ:hetookthecollectabilityintoaccount?dc:yeah,he’sgotJohnnyCash’sguitar,he’s

gotDuane’sguitar.he’sgotguitars,withacapitalG.

fJ:iseethatyouownguitarsbyluthiersroyMcalister,JamesolsonandKevinryan.arethereanyotherbuildersyouadmire?

dc:Martin.whenitallcomesbackdowntoit,youhavetogobacktoMartinandlookatthemandsaywhataphenomenontheyare.becausetothisday,Martinguitarswillbuildyou,canbuildyouanddoesbuildyou,everyday,aguitarthatyoujustcan’tbelieve.

admittedly,itcomesoffanassemblyline.buttheguysonthatassemblylinearethebestguysintheworld.thereareonlyahandfulofguyswhocanequalthem.

fJ:whatguitarareyoumostbummedyousold?

dc:a1939herringbonethatihadthatitradedfordrugs.i’llregretthattherestofmylife.

fJ:Doyouknowwhereitendedup?dc:no.thesethingshappen,man.youmake

mistakesinlife.

Music was honey to flies to him. If you started playng music, he wanted to play.

“”

birth of - rick turner guitars

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