Ed Bickert's switch to the Tele
Dave M
album (the one w/ Desmond on the cover looking like Larry
King). Bickert's tone is warm and clear, and sustaining,
and there's something about it--a certain openness in the
freq range that reminds me a hollowbody. This album was
recorded in '75. Wasn't he playing the Tele by then?
Anyone know for sure?
ott...@hotmail.com
As far as I know he was playing the Tele after 1965 or so, and
definitly on those Desmond things.
Bg
ott...@hotmail.com
Joey Goldstein
Yes.
He was playing the Tele on Pure Desmond as well but I think he may have
had the single coil pickup still on it.
I think he switched to the humbucker right after Pure Desmond, but I
could be wrong.
Most of the recordings of Ed in existence will have him on the Tele.
But I've got a jazz callendar with a pic of the CBC Orchestra, circa
1964 (or possibly earlier), and he's holding a 175.
I think, but I'm not sure, that Ed was in the band that my Dad hired to
play at my bar mitzvah. He hired some CBC musicians and I think Moe
Koffman was the leader. My friends were all..."That guy plays
slow!"....But I said "Yeah, but look at those chords!". I was more into
fast playing myself but at least I had the sense to recognize the chords.
--
Joey Goldstein
http://www.joeygoldstein.com
joegold AT sympatico DOT ca
Dave M
> had the single coil pickup still on it.
That might account for the tone I'm hearing, because a
rolled-off single--even on a Strat, still retains something
on top that, along w/ laid-back upper mids, provides a
somewhat acoustic tonality, if you know what I mean.
> "Yeah, but look at those chords!".
His comping (and the chording w/in his solos) is unreal. Do
you know, are there any good Bickert chord/voicing/comping
books?
pmfan57
Dave M wrote:
> > He was playing the Tele on Pure Desmond as well but I think he may have
> > had the single coil pickup still on it.
>
> That might account for the tone I'm hearing, because a
> rolled-off single--even on a Strat, still retains something
> on top that, along w/ laid-back upper mids, provides a
> somewhat acoustic tonality, if you know what I mean.
>
I don't think that's true. The neck pickup on a telecaster in the
original wiring configuration has almost no treble at all. Even as
modified, you can roll it off so that it is pretty mellow. The strat
pickup/wiring is a different story altogether, although it can get a
decent jazz sound as well.
Joey Goldstein
>> He was playing the Tele on Pure Desmond as well but I think he may
>> have had the single coil pickup still on it.
>
> That might account for the tone I'm hearing, because a rolled-off
> single--even on a Strat, still retains something on top that, along w/
> laid-back upper mids, provides a somewhat acoustic tonality, if you know
> what I mean.
I know what you mean, but...
Ed always sounds more like he's playing an archtop to me than most
archtop layers and he sounds that way especially with his humbucker on
his Tele.
>
>> "Yeah, but look at those chords!".
>
> His comping (and the chording w/in his solos) is unreal. Do you know,
> are there any good Bickert chord/voicing/comping books?
Ed never wrote any books that I'm aware of and I'm not aware of any EB
style books written by 3rd parties.
But the records say it all. Just start lifting. Ed's stuff is not all
that technically demanding. It's just beautiful.
Paul
On 8/20/06 5:43 PM, in article ecal2m$1pt$1...@news.datemas.de, "Joey
Goldstein" <nos...@nowhere.net> wrote:
>
> Ed never wrote any books that I'm aware of and I'm not aware of any EB
> style books written by 3rd parties.
> But the records say it all. Just start lifting. Ed's stuff is not all
> that technically demanding. It's just beautiful.
I found transcribing the chord work (and playing it) a real challenge. Lots
of voicings I don't use much. The single note stuff is not so bad. One thing
for sure, though, playing along with the recording is key to getting his
vibe, since (IMHO) part of the depth of his playing comes from the
articulation/dynamics/placement WRT the beat, etc, things that don't show up
so well in raw musical notation.
Paul K.
Dave M
> archtop layers and he sounds that way especially with his humbucker on
> his Tele.
It just goes ta show ya... I'm not sure what, but...it
goes ta show ya.
> But the records say it all. Just start lifting. Ed's stuff is not all
> that technically demanding. It's just beautiful.
That it's not too technical is one of the things that
attractive. I guess I'm just getting lazy in my old age (or
have less time). If I could read the voicings I wouldn't
have to figger 'em out.
Dave M
> original wiring configuration has almost no treble at all.
I've never owned a Tele, but now that you mention it, I've
heard others say that about the Tele neck PUP.