Guitarist's Forum

[MAJ]

I also understood that Miss Gibson was retired from live performance because so many refrets and rub downs has left her in a delicate condition. The lovely sound probably came from the fact that Ralph had the soiund board stripped soon after he bought it. (She is not a natural blond, you know!). I have never found a J45 that sounds quit like his, but I keep looking ...

This is true, she is a frail lady now.  But you never know, she may be persuaded to attend the Birthday Concert...   And you are so right, Chris, her sound is unique.

[Gibson]

Moving swiftly on from That'll Do Babe  and back to Al  -  I remember the Guild guitar although I couldn't have told you the model, and it certainly didn't make more than one or two appearances.

Another mystery to clear up.  MAJ, are you on the case tomorrow?  What happened to the Guild?
 

[Al]

I also understood that Miss Gibson was retired from live performance because so many refrets and rub downs has left her in a delicate condition. The lovely sound probably came from the fact that Ralph had the soiund board stripped soon after he bought it. (She is not a natural blond, you know!). I have never found a J45 that sounds quit like his, but I keep looking ...

This is true, she is a frail lady now.  But you never know, she may be persuaded to attend the Birthday Concert... And you are so right, Chris, her sound is unique.

Indeed, whatever the reason, and no doubt Ralph's playing has a lot to do with it as well, what a fantastic sound that old guitar makes  I think, in retrospect 'awful' was too strong a word probably to use in reference to Ralph's current on stage sound but I did think that  on the last BBC broadcast it didn't sound too good :-((

Anyway, enough of all that, can I be the first to use the afro (  ) on this particular thread ? There done it - when is it meant to be used ?? What does it mean

[polly]

Speaking of guitars has Ralphs National guitar had an airing recently.He did say he was getting hold of an authentic National and I suppose he must have it by now,if so has he played it at any concerts anyone has been to?
I hope we get to hear it at the birthday concert.
Even though the guitar he recorded National Treasure with turned out to be  not the "real thing" I still think it looked and sounded wonderful .

[John Beresford]

...has Ralphs National guitar had an airing recently...

Not where I've been and not mentioned in any reviews I've seen.  Let's hope he's saving the Real Thing for RFH...

...the afro (  )... when is it meant to be used ?

When referring to black, blind and usually dead resophonic guitarists?

[SteveK]

Speaking of guitars has Ralphs National guitar had an airing recently.He did say he was getting hold of an authentic National and I suppose he must have it by now,if so has he played it at any concerts anyone has been to?
I hope we get to hear it at the birthday concert.
Even though the guitar he recorded National Treasure with turned out to be  not the "real thing" I still think it looked and sounded wonderful .

Ralph got a "real" National last November, I believe.

Here's hoping for the 26th!!

SteveK

[MAJ]

I took this photo in 1977.  Is this the Guild F50 guitar?

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[Al]

I took this photo in 1977. Is this the Guild F50 guitar?

Yes, thats the one, well done super sleuth  I remember being quite taken aback at the time as in "where's the Gibson?" 

Does anybody know if Ralph sold the 'National' that was on 'National Treasure', he was going to sell it wasn't he, or was that in some dream I had 

[Gibson]

Regarding the Guild photo (nice one MAJ), it might just be me, but is there a rather small UFO just under his left elbow that is trying to insert a fairly large probe into his trousers??
 

MAJ says: 

[Ozspur]

Well folks this is my first time on this forum. I've had a couple of Ralph songbooks for years and learned how to use tab from a 1976 book which has all the songs from Streets, Easy and Not Till Tomorrow.  My favourite songs to play are Nanna's Song, Barges and Nettle Wine.

Just yesterday I received my copy of Songs for 6 Strings and have already found that "That'll Do Babe" is a little out of my league. They sent me a numbered copy signed by the author and by Ralph!

I've just got back into the guitar after the kids have left home and I have some time to myself now. Unfortunately my stomach has got somewhat convex over the last few years and as I play an Ovation I find I am now playing a fair way out in front of myself. Most difficult to hold the guitar steady.

Barges reminds me of growing up in Newton Longville/Bletchley in the 1950s and I can remember walking for many hours along the Grand Union canal talking to the lockkeepers and.......watching the barges.

[MAJ]

Welcome Ozspur,

Re: That'll Do Babe - as Ralph is always professing - "practice, practice, practice".

What number is your new songbook.  Mine is 73/1000.

MAJ

[Ozspur]

Thank you for the welcome Maj. My book is no 731/1000. I've also ordered Stealin' Back and Blue Skies Black Heroes, plus the two autobiographies. I'm gonna be a busy lad..............with very sore fingers.
Do you live near where I used to? I was born in South Bucks - Taplow - but its now part of Berkshire, which I don't like as much. I'd rather be a buck than a berk. But then we moved to the north of the county.
Cheers
Ozspur

[MAJ]

Yes I don't live that far from Taplow - in fact nearly drove through it coming back from Maidenhead tonight (or rather last night as it is now nearly 1 a.m.) 

You are going to be busy - square eyes as well as sore fingers by the sound of it.  I think you will enjoy the autobiographies - let us all know when you have finished them...

MAJ

[toney]

Has Ralph sold the National? Yes

[Gibson]

Hey Ozspur - if you can play Nettle Wine then That'll Do Babe shouldn't be out of your league.  I found that the first section was the easiest but you have to take it very slowly at first, pretty much bar by bar.  It helps if you can really get the tune in your head and try and mentally slow it down to match your playing.  As MAJ and the man says - practice, practice, practice. 

You could always try Leah's Favourite as well.  It's a bit slower!  Good Luck.

PS.  If we're trading book numbers, mine's 126.
 

[Ian R]

The Fairground
This is perhaps one of Ralph’s more obscure songs (has he ever done it live?), but one of my favourites from Spiral Staircase.

I like the way the even verses start a semitone lower and are shorter in length - these sort of quirks appeal to my jazz sensibilities! It’s also the only one on that album with a string arrangement that I like. [I wonder to what extent Ralph approved of those early strings? Were they “forced” on him by the producer? His singing & guitar-playing are so strong, that his songs just don’t need string accompaniment, and in my opinion, are mostly spoiled by them.]

Back to the point, does anyone play this song, and if so, which tuning do you use? I believe he uses an open G tuning: (from 6th to 1st) DGDGBD with no capo. I’ve worked out most of the shapes, but somehow it doesn’t sound quite right! I’m in the process of writing out a chart for my “version” - will post a link when it’s ready.

In the meantime, I’d be grateful for anyone else’s take on playing this song.

[Ozspur]

Gibson,
Actually it took me almost a year before I could play Nettle Wine. I reckon by Christmas next year I might have That'll Do Babe down pat. When Ralph was in concert in Adelaide a few years ago he played it towards the end of his bracket, told us the story that goes with it - and then said that he only gets it right two times in five! Two in five! So I'll be pleased if I get it right once. Ever.
The other two songbooks and the second part of the autobiography arrived in the post today. I was well chuffed to see that the book was a numbered and signed edition.
On reading the books I keep seeing bits of his life that have turned up in songs. I particularly liked the Heron Song story.
And can anybody tell me if the character Tubs was his friend Martin (Song for Martin) who died in the caravan fire?
Cheers
Ozspur

[Al]

The Fairground
This is perhaps one of Ralph’s more obscure songs (has he ever done it live?), but one of my favourites from Spiral Staircase.

... does anyone play this song, and if so, which tuning do you use? I believe he uses an open G tuning: (from 6th to 1st) DGDGBD with no capo. I’ve worked out most of the shapes, but somehow it doesn’t sound quite right! I’m in the process of writing out a chart for my “version” - will post a link when it’s ready.

Hi Ian,

I'm not sure I've ever seen Ralph do it, its an interesting question, one I suspect Maj will know the answer to 

I've never had a go at playing it so can't help you. But it raises the question in my mind ..., can I think of any of Ralph's songs that are in open G ? I haven't thought of it before, there's lots in open D of course ( Birdman, Sand In Your Shoes, Bentley And Craig, The Setting etc ) but open G ?

Of course he's used it on his covers of Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters' songs, for example, but can't think of any of his own that are in open G.

I don't mean to say you're wrong, the exact opposite in fact, for whatever reason its just a tuning I don't associate with Ralph particularly and it could be that some other of his early stuff is in open G as well as 'The Fairgound' and I've missed this.

'The Fairground' has always been one of those pieces that when listening to them a mental picture of what's going on isn't obvious to me and this could be why. I've always found the title track obscure to me too 

Its a great track, I'll have to listen to it now ! I agree wholeheartedley with your comments about the arrangement and arrangements in general except to add that I think the arrangements on '8 frames a second' ( the song not the album ) and 'The Ferryman'  are quite good too.

ps just had a look and spotted "You Make Me Feel Good" is in open G 

[Al]

Has Ralph sold the National? Yes

to you ? 

[MAJ]

I haven't got The Fairground in any of the songbooks and I can't say that I've seen Ralph perform it live, but that's not to say he hasn't of course.

The only other song that comes close to the open G tuning (DGDGBD) as far as I can see is Louise but it does state to use the capo 2nd fret.

MAJ