Members mike madej Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 This article is BS. I doubt the author actually interviewed Eddie Kramer...just compiled a lot of articles. Hendrix did not play his guitars strung upside down! He played them with Bass on top ie strung EADGBE from top to bottom. Just the mirror image of a right handed guitar. I'm sure he could play a bit upside down...most lefties can with time and experience having to test guitars in retail environments or working with other band mates but he played left all the way in concert and on record. Some people like The Reyes (Gypsy Kings) do because the guitars around the family are like that but Hendrix didn't. He used right handed guitars restrung for left because of their availability on the road when guitars were stolen or destroyed plus he figured there would be less inconsistencies in a right handed Fender since the builders would be making 25 for every lefty. The lefty guitar would be like the car built on a Friday before a long weekend... rushed. In his later years, he also played left handed Gibsons which were for the most part kept at home. As to writing with his right....I highly doubt that too...perhaps some occasional ambidexterity but not consistently. I 've seen Bob Dylan give left handed signatures but it's not his writing hand. Signatures are an art unto themselves and not consistent with writing style or dexterity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 FWIW, I've known Craig for years, and I know for a fact that Craig knows Eddie (I sat on a recording panel at NAMM with the two of them a year ago), and if he said he interviewed him, you can take that to the bank. Craig's credibility and integrity are 100% beyond reproach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 I'd be surprised if Craig DIDN'T know him! Anyway, I know you're a troll, so I'm not gonna waste too much time on you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nat whilk II Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 The photos I've seen of Hendrix playing do show low E on top, high E on bottom. All us guitar players envy him his really big thumb that he'd wrap around the neck and cover bass notes with. Don't know if he tried it both ways - but there are lots of photos you can Google showing the strings this way, including this iconic one: That said, I'm still a 100% supporter of Craig and his integrity. If there's something to correct or clarify, Craig would be the first to want to do so. This one item does not make or break the entire article. Certainly no need to slag the entire article and denigrate the author, Mr. Madej. Especially an author with Craig's track record. What's your track record, anyway? nat whilk ii Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 The reason why I asked that question is because I've seen it stated both ways - high E on the top, high E on the bottom, and the advocates of both are equally sure. Now, it's entirely possible that I transcribed that single sentence in the "imaginary" interview incorrectly, and while I did send the copy to Eddie for fact-check, it's possible he didn't catch the error...assuming it is an error. Roger Mayer said it was strung with the low E on top, and since he actually worked on Jimi's guitars, I should think he would know. So I changed the text to he hit the low E first, and the high E last. The comment about Hendrix writing right-handed is correct. I actually played one of his black Strats, my band had time booked after Hendrix a the Record Plant, before he opened Electric Ladyland. But that was like 45+ years ago, so I don't remember how it was strung. It was a gas watching him mix Electric Ladyland, that's for sure. Tony Bongiovi (yes, from that family) was one of the engineers for Hendrix and for us, so we got to use Hendrix's flanging setup (and blew out a capstan motor, but don't tell anyone). At one point Chris Wood from Traffic was there, he was doing the flute parts. Traffic used to hang out at Steve Paul's the Scene when they were in New York, and saw us play a few times. I think I may have been the first synthesizer player Steve Winwood saw on stage. I asked him several years ago when he was doing the "Different Light" sessions, and he wasn't sure but said it was definitely possible. Anyway I knew Hendrix before he was Hendrix, and playing at the Cafe Wha in New York. I met him through Randy Cassidy, who taught me how to bend strings in return for my teaching him how to rewire pickups I remarked that he was a really good player, and he said "You should meet our lead guitarist." So I did. Hendrix was always very shy, but courteous. Randy later changed his name to Randy California and became lead guitarist for Spirit; his dad was the drummer. Unfortunately Randy died in Hawaii several years back, IIRC he drowned. I could tell you some Janis Joplin and Doors stories, and what it was like to be on the same bill as Frank Zappa for two weeks. Or playing with Procol Harum in Chicago right after the Democratic Convention riots. Or the Young Rascals, or the Association, or even opening for the Ventures in high school...but you'd probably think it was all BS. To find out more, you'll have to wait until the biography that Joe Gore wants to write gets published.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 And in case you think the link Ken posted is BS, here's another one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 But since this guy's a troll, this is all for our benefit. Maybe we'll get some fun stories out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark L Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 I could tell you some Janis Joplin and Doors stories, and what it was like to be on the same bill as Frank Zappa for two weeks. Or playing with Procol Harum in Chicago right after the Democratic Convention riots. Or the Young Rascals, or the Association, or even opening for the Ventures in high school... I'd be very interested to hear those stories Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted February 7, 2015 CMS Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 I thought that just about every left handed guitar player strung the guitar with the strings in the same order (top to bottom) as as standard guitar. The only left handed guitarist I knew who didn't string a guitar with the strings in the conventional order was Elizabeth Cotton, and John Styne, a right-hander who learned to play Freight Train "upside down" because that was the only way he could play the bass pattern just like Libba (and he was correct about that). Could there be some confusion as to which is the top and which is the bottom? In my world, the top string is the one closest to my nose, but in someone else's world, the top string might be the one at the highest pitch. I'm sure that guitar gurus will tell you that there's something terribly wrong with there being so much bass string between the nut and the peghead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rjt Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 My response was: Don't feed the troll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 How about one of the admins delete the first post, delete the user from HC and change the title of this thread to… "CA interviews EK" and be done with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 How about one of the admins delete the first post, delete the user from HC and change the title of this thread to… "CA interviews EK" and be done with it? I don't think there are any admins left. The remaining three members of HC's editorial team (Phil, Chris, and Ara) were fired yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 I don't think there are any admins left. The remaining three members of HC's editorial team (Phil, Chris, and Ara) were fired yesterday. nice, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted February 7, 2015 CMS Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 I don't think there are any admins left. The remaining three members of HC's editorial team (Phil, Chris, and Ara) were fired yesterday. Uh-oh! There goes my payment for the NAMM show highlights that they asked me to write. I guess there's nobody but us just plain folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 It might be time for SSS to find a new home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sailorman Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 I know of 2 guitarist who play with the strings reversed from the 'normal' way; Doyle Bramhall III and Albert King. Both play with the treble E string closer to their face, and the bass E string closer to the floor. Being a guitarist myself, I have no idea how you'd do that, especially not with their level of proficiency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 As to writing with his right....I highly doubt that too...perhaps some occasional ambidexterity but not consistently. I 've seen Bob Dylan give left handed signatures but it's not his writing hand. Signatures are an art unto themselves and not consistent with writing style or dexterity. Nonsense. Lefties tend to be all over the place with ambidexterity. Some do everything left handed; some only do some things left handed and do others with the right hand. My drummer plays drums left handed, but he's a pretty decent guitarist and plays the guitar right handed. Not sure which hand he writes or eats with. Seems like every left handed person I know does at least one activity with their right hand. As far as Hendrix goes, I'm gonna trust the guys who knew him rather than some forum troll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 Yeah. You know, the troll who has still only made one post in all of HC. Looks like he's done his job!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members philboking Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 I thought that just about every left handed guitar player strung the guitar with the strings in the same order (top to bottom) as as standard guitar. The only left handed guitarist I knew who didn't string a guitar with the strings in the conventional order was Elizabeth Cotton, and John Styne, a right-hander who learned to play Freight Train "upside down" because that was the only way he could play the bass pattern just like Libba (and he was correct about that). Could there be some confusion as to which is the top and which is the bottom? In my world, the top string is the one closest to my nose, but in someone else's world, the top string might be the one at the highest pitch. I'm sure that guitar gurus will tell you that there's something terribly wrong with there being so much bass string between the nut and the peghead. Here's one of my favorites who plays with the high E on top: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted February 7, 2015 Members Share Posted February 7, 2015 I don't think there are any admins left. The remaining three members of HC's editorial team (Phil, Chris, and Ara) were fired yesterday. Thats really sad. This forum is doomed. Craig, I think its time we move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Goober(s) Posted February 8, 2015 Members Share Posted February 8, 2015 But since this guy's a troll, this is all for our benefit. Maybe we'll get some fun stories out of it. i don't think that guy's a troll at all. he's doubting Craig's veracity (which he has every right to do). In response, Craig defended and fleshed out his position rather well. God bless the internet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Goober(s) Posted February 8, 2015 Members Share Posted February 8, 2015 How about one of the admins delete the first post, delete the user from HC and change the title of this thread to… "CA interviews EK" and be done with it? we're really that thin-skinned? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted February 8, 2015 Members Share Posted February 8, 2015 i don't think that guy's a troll at all. he's doubting Craig's veracity (which he has every right to do)...God bless the internet I agree. I can't guarantee that I'll be right 100% of the time, I've accepted the fact I'm going to have to settle for 99.9999999% But if something's wrong, even if I'm quoting someone else, it should be corrected. It's possible that Eddie misremembered or it's possible that I transcribed incorrectly, but in any event, the preponderance of evidence is that the OP was correct about the way Hendrix strung his guitar. It's unfortunate he had to extrapolate that into me never even interviewing Eddie Kramer and that the entire thing was BS strung together from other articles, but...in the immortal words of Goobers, God bless the internet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted February 8, 2015 Members Share Posted February 8, 2015 Thats really sad. This forum is doomed. Craig, I think its time we move. Apparently GC is not going to be using remote employees in the future, and no one from HC worked at the Westlake Village headquarters. My understanding is that they could have relocated, but that wasn't an option for any of the team due to family and commitment standpoints. I do not know what the future plans are for HC, I've been pretty disconnected since I joined Gibson. But suffice it to say that SSS is now having its 20th anniversary and if anything, I'd like to be able to return it to the form it had back in the day. Stay tuned. Life is full of surprises. The one thing I can tell you is that I'm going to be staying at Gibson for as long as they'll have me, I'm really settling in and enjoying it. But also suffice it to say that my gig is multi-faceted and constantly changing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted February 8, 2015 Members Share Posted February 8, 2015 . But also suffice it to say that my gig is multi-faceted and constantly changing. The best ones usually are! Glad to hear you're enjoying things, Craig. That's awesome. You deserve it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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