He was, in many ways, the inspiration for a lot of the early Surf. He pioneered the use of reverb, not as a general studio effect used to season the sound of everything, but as a signature sound for the guitar alone.

I got to hear him play live and had a chance to speak to him at the Gretsch Booth, the day he signed on to endorse Gretsch guitars. He was such a gentleman. First class, all the way.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

"Have Twangy Guitar Will Travel" has been and always will be one of my favorite instrumental records.
The overall sound that jumps off my mono copy on vinyl is monumental!

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CrazyAces wrote:

"Have Twangy Guitar Will Travel" has been and always will be one of my favorite instrumental records.
The overall sound that jumps off my mono copy on vinyl is monumental!

Going to have to look for a copy. I just picked up a Mono copy of Miles Davis’ “Round About Midnight”, and love the sound.

Rev

Canadian Surf

http://www.urbansurfkings.com/

chillybilly wrote:

Duane often enthuses about the Magnatone amp he used. The brand has been relaunched in the last few years - unfortunately, like so many quasi-boutique amps the MSRP is an eye-watering $3k or more for a 22w combo.

But there's really no substitute for the pitch-shifting vibrato on a Magnatone. I spoke with a friend recently who owns one and he declared it his desert-island amp.

Oddly enough, my introduction to Duane Eddy was not the Jamie years but the Colpix years ie toward the mid-60s and when Duane had his Guild signature model (a beautiful instrument also fetching huge sums on the vintage market). If my count is correct, Duane's had a Guild signature model, a Gibson and now a Gretsch. Usually I would call this excessive and a bit cynical but this is Duane Eddy we're talking about and, by the way, all those instruments are top-drawer. I may have talked myself into robbing a bank and buying all three models.

Anyway, the 'Duane A Go Go Go' LP on Colpix was my Duane Eddy immersion at a young age. I wasn't even aware of Rebel Rouser at the time apart from the Ventures cover of it or his other early hits. It was a 1965 release with Lee Hazlewood still in command and the cream of the LA session cats credited as his usual backing band The Rebels. I was also intrigued by the go-go dancers up on platforms in their fringed outfits but anyway....

The second LP side began with 'Cottonmouth' - an intricate and high-tempo hammer-on part with what I eventually discovered to be a baritone guitar - even twangier than his usual instrument!

I was glad to obtain Duane's catalog on CD with issues and reissues from various labels but the 'Duane A Go Go Go' release was a shocking digital transfer - thin-sounding etc. As one harsh review says on Amazon: 'It's as if they did a digital recording of the LP and then added more reverb.'

The vinyl LP was incredibly warm and present - I'm tempted for that reason alone to get a turntable again - even if I make my own MP3s from the LP!

Surf indeed owes him several nods but what amazes me is how many country players may not be as aware as they should be of Duane's contributions to the modern country guitar lexicon. All those bass runs and bends/releases to an open string (eg Turn It On, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose by Dwight Yoakam with Pete Anderson on guitar) are signature Duane Eddy. With the pop charts mostly subsumed by hip-hop, the country charts have been invaded by what are essentially rock bands with rock instrumentation. Most of them use the now-standard Mutt Lange/Shania Twain formula - it's more Def Leppard than country but they throw in a fiddle part or a Duane Eddy lick as a fig leaf.

As for me I make it a point to use DE 'vocabulary' in both country and surf playing. First, because it fits...second, because it slows me down, reminds me to give some space between notes and let them breathe.

A few years back, when Fender still owned Guild, they made a special run of Guild T-400s, which were essentially the old Guild Duane Eddy model, but without his name on it. I got the last one to leave the Westerly Rhode Island factory, before Fender shut it down. It's an exceptional instrument. It's capable of serious Jazz guitar sounds, bright surf sounds and pretty much everything in between. I had long wanted a Gibson Byrdland, but this instrument takes its place nicely.

Duane Eddy worked in Nashville for many years. He was a part of the community of musicians that gave us much of the Country from the late sixties, on through the seventies. Some of his later solo recordings would lead me to believe that he was up to the task of batting in the same league as Chet Atkins, and this is saying something.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Last edited: Jul 05, 2020 22:09:44

chillybilly wrote:

[I'm probably not the first to say it but this forum software needs a like button]

Didn't know about the Guild model - it makes sense that all the time and effort put into the design wouldn't be wasted as and when the endorsement deal expired.

I've seen various clips of DE doing some impressive Atkins-style fingerpicking.

The DE-400 was somewhat lost to time, but it was a great instrument. I always wanted to check one out, but never even saw one in person. Since about 1966, I’ve had this fleeting fascination with thin archtops, and I have 4 of them, mostly Gretsch, but this one takes the cake. It’s really a unique instrument, with very widely spaced pickups, so you can capture a lot of sonic turf, with one guitar.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Those are some great clips, Rev’.

He has an absolute mastery of that style. Of course, he did invent it. I remember hearing that when I was a child and thinking it was pretty cool. That has changed, because now I listen to it and think that it is the very definition of cool. I don’t think anyone was doing any thing even remotely like that, until he came along.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Last edited: Jul 06, 2020 11:15:36

What I learned from listening to Mr. Eddy

1 Melody
2 Silence
3 Tone

All are key to making great music.

Rev

Canadian Surf

http://www.urbansurfkings.com/

Duane Eddy is the best, and definitely at the root of Surf.

revmike wrote:

I’ve been on a Duane Eddy listening jag for the last couple of weeks. Brought out my Baritone guitar, and was having a ball (until hand pain crept in from overplaying...physio for me for a while). Duane’s early tone is so good. Really digging the early albums more so than the later ones. One of the first tunes I learned on guitar was Rebel Rouser...40 years ago. He is still an inspiration.

Rev

Just so that it is clear to readers of this thread in years to come, Duane did not play a baritone guitar on any of those hits. Rather, he played a Danelectro six-string bass guitar. Baritone guitars didn't come along until much later. Also, be sure to check out the modern-day G6120TB-DE DUANE EDDY 6-STRING BASS manufactured by Gretsch. It is a stunning looker of a guitar. And it sounds wonderful.

The Duane Eddy Signature Six String bass Guitar

Also, a tremendous factor in Duane's tone, even to this very day, is that he uses Dynasonic pickups in his guitars. That is a huge component of his tone that has remained despite a stream of amps that he has favored over the years.

The Sun Rays -- The Sierra's Surf Band

Last edited: Apr 23, 2024 20:53:57

Duane did a water themed album. He’s surf then.

Kitten and The Tonics

https://kittenandthetonics.com/