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Joined:
December 2008
Posts: 1456
Location: Texas | Hi folks!
(disclaimer: remember the rules; No Politics! This post is ONLY about Mr. Earle's musical talent and his instruments, NOT his politics.)
That said; I saw Steve Earle on his "Townes" tour last week. (His most recent release; "Townes", is a tribute to his late friend and mentor, Townes Van Zandt, and features Steve's interpretations of 15 TVZ compositions.) The CD (and the concert) included an nice collection of Townes' songs. Steve played solo/acoustic for the entire show. He is a very impressive musician.
I was really amazed by the pure, rich sound of his guitars, it was superb! His guitars sounded better than just about any live (acoustic) performance I have heard. My wife noticed it also, she commented that I'd sound better too if I had someone tuning my next guitar during each song… but it was certainly more than just that. I'm not savvy to the specifics, but I believe that all of his guitars were various colors of the same Martin model. (sorry, no O's/A's, but I did put "OT" in the subject line.)
Here's a photo:
There are a couple other photos (mandolin and bouzouki) on my ning site…
Anyway, if I could just get my sound that good…
…I'd still be pretty mediocre. ;)
I haven't posted in a while, family obligations have occupied a lot of my time lately. I have tried to check in occasionally… I need to catch up… I hope the NJ gathering was a success, wish I could have been there! I AM going to find photos somewhere here, right? ;) |
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October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | his appearance sure has changed dramatically over the past few years. "guitar town" is one of my all-time favorite albums. |
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Steve Earle is a very powerful and poignant songwriter. A lot of his songs get played in my house ... I do a couple of his songs and my boys really like to play his music and I see his influence in a lot of their own stuff.
Originally posted by standing:
I believe that all of his guitars were various colors of the same Martin model. Most likely his signature model. Steve Earle M-21 |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 766
Location: New Hampsha | Last month's issue of Vintage Guitar featured him as their cover story.
I'm sure he sounds so good because he tunes to the fall of the note. :D |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | No, I think he comes up to it.
A good sound man and system will do wonders for your sound. Always. |
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February 2008
Posts: 747
| This clip sounds pretty nice for being recorded live in a radio station. He's used those round shoulder dreds for a long time and always gets them to ring real good:
http://www.wikio.com/video/1034953
I've always liked his picking style - simple but really effective:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4WOys7sWvU&feature=response_watch
Works well with Emmylou:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr2IY8q687I&feature=response_watch |
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Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 354
Location: nashville | Saw him in Knoxville last week, He's my favorite communist. Came out after the show signed everbodys stuff. I saw him go into Collins Guitar store last year, Buy the time I got parked, he was trying out a guitar in the back.
As I walked to the back to take a listen, the salesman ask if I wanted to play anything, I said "No just here for the free Steve Earle Concert" Steve look up and said" Hay man aint nothing free anymore" |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 766
Location: New Hampsha | page 102:
"I tune to the fall."
And it has nothing to do with tuning on tension or slacking of the string. It has to do with the initial pick attack being slightly sharp.
Check out the Question on Tuning post = bcoombs has it right. |
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February 2008
Posts: 747
| Can anyone identify the following:
1. The model of the Martin pictured in the original post.
2. The make and model of the guitars being used in the 3 youtube clips which I posted. |
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Joined:
December 2008
Posts: 1456
Location: Texas | Joe,
I believe stonebobbo is correct; he was apparently playing his signature models, with electronics.
Steve Earle Signature Model
They sounded amazing.
james37214; was the sound of his guitars as noticeable when you saw him in Knoxville? He sure sounded great in the little 400 seat theater where we saw him here in Texas… |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15680
Location: SoCal | I've never been a Steve Earle fan. Has nothing to do with politics. And his guitar playing sounds pretty simplistic to me (not that there's anything wrong with that...) |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Been a fan for years, of both his music and his politics. I've seen him a ton of times, solo and with various bands. When he's on form he's great, but when he's off it's amateur night. Before he quit the substance abuse it was usually the latter. That said I saw him with his band about 5 years ago and it was truly appalling. Way too loud, sloppy playing and really bad sound. I went to the back of the auditorium to protect my hearing (even though I was wearing earplugs!) and stood behind the board. Every clip-light on every channel, compressor and gate was on constantly. Dirtiest, nastiest PA sound I've ever had to endure. We left well before the end
My favourite Steve Earl quote; At a solo show to promote the acoustic album he made when he got out of jail, some dick was heckling between every song and Earle says "You know, the difference between me and Garth Brooks is that Garth Brooks wouldn't come down there and rip your f*****g head off" |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15680
Location: SoCal | Originally posted by Paul Templeman:
"You know, the difference between me and Garth Brooks is that Garth Brooks wouldn't come down there and rip your f*****g head off" Now THAT is a great line.... |
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March 2008
Posts: 354
Location: nashville | Standing,
The sound was very good, and I guess Moody is right the fact that he's no Richard Thompson, But he gets a lot out of a 3 chord song like Someday.
We had a heckler in Knoxville, Steve said "Man your gona have to do better than that, I've heard it all" Dropped a few F bombs as well, so leave the kids at home.
Best Line of the Night "You know have a problem when Towns VanZant comes to you house to gives you a Temperance Lession" |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4833
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Originally posted by james37214:
...gives you a Temperance Lesion" That would be what...a broken bottle upside the head? |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15680
Location: SoCal | I fully acknowledge that a lot of people who I have a lot of respect for (and even Bobbo) think Earle is the cat's ass. His music just doesn't appeal to me. I was never a fan of Bob Dylan and a lot of people disagree with me...... |
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Originally posted by Joe Rotax:
Can anyone identify the following:
1. The model of the Martin pictured in the original post.
2. The make and model of the guitars being used in the 3 youtube clips which I posted. The picture one is his signature Martin
On the clips, they are hard to tell. The first one appears to be a Gibson ... looks like a J-45 but with inlays. The second one I can't quite tell ... could be an early Collings though. The last clip looks like a Santa Cruz 12 fret slothead slope shouldered dread. |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | On the vids, the first one is a Gibson Advanced Jumbo reissue, the second one is an original 1930's Gibson Roy Smeck Stage Deluxe. Built as a Hawaiian lap-style guitar, most surviving Roy Smecks have like that one been converted to Spanish-style. They are cannons, my favourite guitar of all time. The third one is a Santa Cruz. |
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OT: Steve Earle - Musician
