Re: Tuned metal bodies

[hippo@xxxxxxxxxx (Hugh Messenger)]

At  4:11 PM 10/17/94 -0500, Rick Barker wrote:
>>I used to have a bell metal combed Huang Silvertone in d
>
>Where the heck did you get something like that? It's not standard issue is it?

In about 1986 I saw Norton Buffalo playing with Roy Rodgers at Larry's (I
think - a downstairs, cellar type club, very intimate, nice folk) in
Oakland.  He had a couple of full sets of them, custom made for him by
Huang.  I got talking to him afterwards (in a state of total awe and hero
worship I might add).  He showed me the harps, then kind of joked about
giving me one.  Then he started to back out of the deal, but Roy Rodgers
was standing there and made him stick to his word!  I guess I shouldn't
have accepted it, but the chance was too good to pass up.

I finally lost it somewhere in Kuala Lumpur.  It was an awesomely powerful
instrument with great projection for acoustic work.  A little overwhelming
for electric stuff (or at least I never got used to playing it through an
amp).

I think that Huang might make them for you.  Try writing to CBH.  I noticed
you have a full set of (I think) SilverTones and obviously like them, so
it's worth a go.  Or call Norman and lobby for him to make Huang compatible
bodies!

BTW, what do you think of the Star Performer?  Despite the kind of cheesy,
50's automobile type styling I actually quite like it as a rock-blues
instrument, and it seems to take more punishment than the SilverTone.  The
first time I saw The Nighthawks Mark Wenner played them, although he seems
to have switched to Marine Bands now.

>
>Rick Barker

   -- hugh