Duanne Allman - Skydog - SG content

[rickc007]

Just finished reading Skydog, great book to read

Didn't really follow the Allman Brothers that close,
and had some insteresting revelations, for me at least

Didn't realize Duanne was so young when died, too young
Didn't realize he did so much session work, was a highly
respected musician back then

But mostly didn't realize that most of his music, and
tone that is so highly regarded, was done with the SG

He got the Les Paul only a few months before his accident

Was kind of surprised there is a Duanne Allman LP
and not an SG

 

[Ad_02Std]

Not sure how true that is. He did use an SG, but he had 3 LPs at various points. I believe most of his session work was done with a Strat.

 

[mistersnappy]

There is some Lester on sessions as well-notably Layla...:dude:

There's lots of good info here at the Forum re: Duane's gear, try doing a search and lots will come up.

In a nutshell, he used:
'57 Goldtop thru mid' 70
CherryBurst '59 from then til Summer of '71
"HotLanta" '59 TobaccoBurst that the tribute guitar was based on, used til death.
The SG used to belong to Dickey and Duane started using it late' 70/early '71. So, I would say some of his most noted tones and playing were done with the SG but equally 'famous' stuff done w/ the CherryBurst (Layla, Fillmore East). :dude: :salude :jim

 

[Ad_02Std]

I thought Layla was the Goldtop?

 

[JWest]

There is some Lester on sessions as well-notably Layla...:dude:

There's lots of good info here at the Forum re: Duane's gear, try doing a search and lots will come up.

In a nutshell, he used:
'57 Goldtop thru mid' 70
CherryBurst '59 from then til Summer of '71
"HotLanta" '59 TobaccoBurst that the tribute guitar was based on, used til death.
The SG used to belong to Dickey and Duane started using it late' 70/early '71. So, I would say some of his most noted tones and playing were done with the SG but equally 'famous' stuff done w/ the CherryBurst (Layla, Fillmore East). :dude: :salude :jim

+1 I read skydog too and I'm still trying to figure out how you came to the conclusion the sg was used more than the les pauls?
The reason he had the sg was because Dickey wanted a Goldtop but couldn't afford it. So Duane bought Dickey's sg so Dickey could buy a Goldtop.

 

[mistersnappy]

I thought Layla was the Goldtop?

you might be right...:hmm

I think he swapped pups from the '57 into the Burst so the PAFs are the same....:hmm :jim

 

[rickc007]

+1 I read skydog too and I'm still trying to figure out how you came to the conclusion the sg was used more than the les pauls?
The reason he had the sg was because Dickey wanted a Goldtop but couldn't afford it. So Duane bought Dickey's sg so Dickey could buy a Goldtop.

Meant it was used more than the tobacco burst that
Gibson did a tribute of

Thought the SG was the Fillmore Guitar tone that
everyone is after

 

[Steve Craw]

Meant it was used more than the tobacco burst that
Gibson did a tribute of

Thought the SG was the Fillmore Guitar tone that
everyone is after

The guitar you hear on "Live At Fillmore East" is the cherry burst. If you get the chance, go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Duane's two bursts are there, as well as his SG.

 

[mistersnappy]

SG for slide, Burst for regualr lead work. BUT, he played slide in standard tuning as well, so some of the slide work on "Mountain Jam" may have been the Burst. Likely the SG was used for the early part of the set when they do "Statesboro","Don't Keep Me Wonderin", etc...

 

[csteward]

Yeah Most of Duane's work was done with Les Pauls, it wasn't until after he got the 59 we refer to as Hot 'Lanta that he started using an SG, and even when he did he only used it for slide so he wouldn't have to retune the Lester. Most of his session work was done with a Strat except for the Layla Album, although there is the occasional acoustic, or a coral sitar.

You should probably read the gear section in the back, it goes chronologically by when he got the guitar. Infact, his first guitar was a '59 Double Cut Cherry Les Paul Junior. Live sometimes he used different guitars. At Love Valley he used a TV yellow LP Junior during Whipping Post. And at the Cosmic Carnival he used a darkburst ES 335. And I've even seen him using a LP Custom. The First Concert I know of that the ABB has released from '71 that has the SG on the slide songs, is Boston Commons 8 /17/ 71. Although there might be one they released that is a liitle bit earlier in 71 as well. I wish they would release a recording of the last concert Duane performed at since it was right in my hometown. I was talking to an art teacher at my school one day, and he said that had seen the ABB and Wet Willie at Painters Mill and that Duane was there. I told him that that was Duane's last concert. I'm pretty much a Duane freak, so I know a lot about him, so if there's anything you need to know I can probably answer it.

And Yes, Duane recieved the SG from Dickey when Dickey wanted to buy a Goldtop. The Goldtop was used at the last fillmore shows, the actual fillmore album was Duane on Cherryburst LP and Dickey on SG. Duane didn't start using the SG until after the closing of the Fillmore though.

 

[csteward]

Slide work on Mountain Jam and Dreams no matter what year was always done on an LP, unless he was using another guitar as his main guitar that night, like the 335. SG was used for open E slide tunes that always started off the show, but that wasn't until after the closing of the Fillmore East. the 57 and Burst had the same pickups in it, so the first half of Layla was done with the GT, and the ending was done later with the Burst, but it had the same pickups in it as the 57, so different guitars same pickups.

 

[concert410]

Painters Mill in Owings Mills??? I have lots of found memories of that place. I didn't realise Duane's last show was that close to home. I was too young to know Duane's music back then so I guess it didn't matter.

 

[csteward]

here's a chronoligical order of Duane's guitars with the ABB:

69- sept 16, 1970 - 57 GT

sept.17 unitl the last fillmore show - Cherry burst

Last Fillmore show till death- Tobacco Burst, so last Fillmore show done with Hot Lanta.

and I'd say July or '71 till death- SG used for open E slide songs

 

[mistersnappy]

It is a little ironic that Gibson chose the Tobaccourst (HotLanta) to copy b/c it was not officially recorded and released w/ the Brothers much (last Fillmore show I think was the only time)when they built them. I think he may have used it on Herbie Mann's "Push Push"?

The reasons likley had to do with the guitar's unique broad flame, tobacco color and how Twiggs had Duane's name put in the back with the old frets. All of which make it more 'unique' than the CherryBurst-even though the Cherry had more well known recordings.

Now, one can certainly hearthe TobaccoBurst on bootlegs and the StoneyBrook show from 9/71 is commercially available as well as the last Fillmore show on the latest EAP release. Personally, that guitar is my fave of Duane's-just a screaming, ripe, wailing, banshee!! :dude:

 

[csteward]

yep Painters Mill in Owings Mills. Wish I could have been around then, but I guess being 16 going on 17 is ok. I just missed out on being able to see many great guitarists, which is a drag. I don't live in Owings Mills, but I live in MD, but I used to live in Reisterstown, so I used to always be in Owings Mills for things.

Tobacco Burst was also on the recordings that Duane was on on Eat a Peach. It does have a great sound very different from the 57 and the cherryburst. I like all of Duane's sounds though, although the Strat tone was rather thin.

 

[csteward]

Oh btw I love the Skydog book. I read that Sophmore year of Highschool and this year I'll be a senior. I still resort to it for info on Duane.

 

[mistersnappy]

Ooops! Forgot EAP studio stuff...:wah :rofl Oh, well...

I always assumed Duane started using the SG right after he got it from Dickey. Thanks for the clarification. :salude

 

[concert410]

I am from Maryland and lived in both Owings Mills and Reisterstown. I now live in the Cleveland are and work a block from The Rock Hall of Fame. The Allmans guitars are in there, as well as Steve Gaines, Allen Collins, Leon Wilkerson--Skynyrd, and other cool artifacts like a couple of Hendrix guitars.

 

[mmcquain]

I am from Maryland and lived in both Owings Mills and Reisterstown. I now live in the Cleveland are and work a block from The Rock Hall of Fame. The Allmans guitars are in there, as well as Steve Gaines, Allen Collins, Leon Wilkerson--Skynyrd, and other cool artifacts like a couple of Hendrix guitars.

Which guitars from Allen, Steve and Leon are there? I've got pics of Rossington's Bernice and the 2 Duane Allman Les Pauls... what about Duane's SG? Is there any chance you could get some pics (even camera phone) and share as I know we'd all love to see 'em. Thanks!

 

[csteward]

It think Duane bought it from Dickey just so he could Dickey could buy a GT at first, but then I think maybe he got tired of retuning the LP's and ended up using the SG for Slide only. That's maybe how that came about, but that's just me guessing, so it's not probably what happened. I guess you could always ask Dickey how Duane finally came to use the SG for slide after he bought it from him, and how long it took him to use it on the road.