Bill Kirchen, King of Dieselbilly, talks Tele!
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- Опубліковано 22 тра 2013
- Titan of the Tele: Bill Kirchen explains why he flips his control plate backwards, and shows how he got the famous sounds he recorded on Hot Rod Lincoln.
About the guitars in this video: Dan's baritone Tele is a custom body of catalpa wood that's light like swamp ash, with a Bajo Sexto neck made by Fred Stuart at the Fender Custom Shop. Bill played it at the Jorma Kaukonen's Fur Peace Ranch, loved it, and talked Dan into selling it. Bill's pine guitar was built by Rick Kelly of Carmine Street Guitars in New York City.
The folks who keep Bill's Tele twanging:
Steve Ripley, The Guitar Doctor, Falls Church, VA
Mike Dove, Silver Spring, MD
Ben and Chazz, South Austin Music, Austin, TX
Larry Smoak, Wooden Wizard Guitars, Fairfax, VA
Jon Thacher, JT Saddles, Fairfax, VA
Ed Reynolds, Austin TX
If you have questions, please contact us through our webpage www.stewmac.com/email or visit our Facebook page / stewmac
For more information on tools and parts:
CTS Control Pots
www.stewmac.com/0115.html
Golden Age Knotty Pine Body for Tele
www.stewmac.com/0450.html
Tele Style Control Plate
www.stewmac.com/0132.html
Orange Drop Caps
www.stewmac.com/1281.html
Compensated Bridge Saddles for Tele
www.stewmac.com/5167.html
Wiring Kit for Telecaster
www.stewmac.com/0138.html
Bakelite Pickguard for Tele & Esquire
www.stewmac.com/0059.html - Навчання та стиль
![Commander Cody & The Lost Planet Airmen- “Seeds and Stems (Again)” LIVE 1971 [RITY Archive]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Nh_fUHi67I8/mqdefault.jpg)
Bill Kirchen is one of the nicest guys in music.
Hot Rod Lincoln, one of the biggest songs of
all time. Essential listening. All these years,
I hadn't realized that his horns were from his
guitar. Epic!
I came here to learn about the tele but I could just watch you guys mess around and talk all day.
Bill Kirchen, the titan of the Telecaster!
My pappy said “Son, you’re gonna drive me to drinkin’ if you don’t stop driving that Hot... Rod... Lincoln!” A truly legendary Rock ‘n’ Roll song!
This may be one of the best 3 minute guitar lessons of all time. God bless Bill Kirchen. Absolutely one of the best things I've seen on ewetoob.
I go back every so often and watch this video. It's so relaxing, informational and I even learned a couple new techniques. And now I want that Tele!!
"We recognized each other because we both had articles in Fretboard Journal" and "All wood all day long, no truss rod". That's bona fide right there. And a shoutout to fellow Michiganders!!
This guy blows about 90% of shredding posers online. And I'm a Paul Gilbert fan. Great idea with the tone knob. Proper player!
dadude7 I think you meant to say that he blows them... out of the water perhaps? Your wording gave me a chuckle.
@christopher ryan
Thanks for clearing that up, chief! xD
dadude7 you shouldn't say that cuz it's just not true there are many many absolutely incredible guitar players online I understand you liking your style of music that you like but for a person like me who loves absolutely all music and has been a musician for 60 years guitar player I see young kids that are absolutely incredible
dadude7 Paul Gilbert has so much fun!
Bill was my guitar teacher when I was in high school in Virginia circa 1990. He has some great stories!
Seriously...you guys should have your own TV show...priceless entertainment and info. Love this stuff!
I met Bill at a bar and he treated me just like he treats Dan, like we were old friends. He absolutely astonished me by being an amazingly nice, friendly, and authentic person, plus his awe-inspiring intellect and musicianship were impossible to miss. Fan for life!
For those who don't know, this guy is a rock and roll legend.
That was awesome...Bill and Dan both are so cool.
Definitely
Flipping the plate around is a great mod as you can see. I did this to my Tele about 5 years ago when I ran across someone who had done it to theirs. It took me about an hour, but it is not as simple as just flipping the plate and controls. The biggest issue is that several of the interconnecting wires that run to the caps, pots and switch are too short to just flip everything around; I had to replace 3 or 4 wires with longer ones. It is not too difficult, you just need to know how to solder well or it could turn into a disaster. I'm serious, DON'T do this if you cannot make a solid, clean solder connection, take it to a pro.
Here is the basic procedure:
You need to document current wiring, remove all controls from the plate, be very careful they will still be connected to one another , with plate in new orientation (switch at bottom) flip the pickup selector switch 180 degrees from original mounting and reinstall, if you try to flip the position of vol and tone pots you will see you can't because several wires are too short, you need to replace these. Carefully unsolder and remove the wires you need to replace. I'm sorry I don't remember the exact ones but it will be obvious because you can't mount the pots. Install the vol pot at the top and tone pot inboard. Carefully size for length and solder in the new wires. Make sure everything is tightened down, remount the plate with vol at top and switch at bottom, reinstall your tone and vol knobs. Check for correct operation of vol and tone controls and pickup selector switch.
You are now ready to play Hot rod Lincoln with horn effect!
Go Daddy!
were the pickup wires long enough?
Had the pleasure of playing bass for Bill years ago at a gig in Baltimore...great musician and a real gentleman...keep picking partner.
Hey Bill, I met you through Chris and Joanne Hackney in Sonoma California. At a place called Sky Blue Studios, I was the studio rat.
But I remember you man.
I love what you do. Thank you
I hope people understand that this guy is and has long since been an absolute BEASSSST of a guitar player. Just monstrous chops
Why has it taken me far too long to hear this man playing? Needless to say, I'll be listening to him for a long time to come.
I saw this guy (Bill Kirchen) play a month or so back, what a true pro, great player and great entertainer.
Its so cool when us old guys get together and find we still have stuff to learn. Tell Bill greetings from Spain. After many decades of being died in the wool bass player I just went back to my very old Telecaster- Thanks for another cool time with you bro!
Ever since I first saw this video, I wire all of my Tele's backwards like Bill does. That orientation just makes more sense to me.
Bill Kirchen : a great musician and artist. Thanks for all you have given us.
Thank Mr DAN FOR PRESNTING US THIS WONDERFUL PLAYER
This vid needs to be 10x longer, I could listen to these gentlemen for hours! I would really like to see more about that old pine body tele.
Dan should have his own TV show like those guys from Orange County with the motorcycles...
+Thomas De Lello I wouldn't miss a single episode, that's for sure.
Totally. That said UA-cam is probably the best place for it. Sort of like Roadkill and Live From Daryl's House. Stuff that a network executive wouldn't understand but normal people love to watch.
Both shows are on my go to list. We must shop at the same store.
"American Pickers": great title, wrong theme.
Great Idea!
Cheers, Bill Kirchen.....monster tele player. Love the volume swells.
I used to see Bill in the 70's with Commander Cody....you knew the music was special the first time you saw the band, and heard Bill play....as a Tele player, I have great respect for his musicianship
Just saw Bill playing at Gruene Hall last Saturday at a free show. He was having a great time and the crowd did, as well. What a player!
Dan, you're about a mover as well... and once again you've charmed me ta pieces...
and thanx fer bringin' yer pal Bill on board...
cheers
I learned more from this guy in 6 min. Than what normally would take years, awesome advise and demonstration in his craft.
I loved the little Jam at the end! Great to see the two of you having so much fun together on such a unique guitar.
Ive watched this a dozen times. Every time I practice the licks on my geetar. Thank you!
Great playing I love that steel guitar sound on the volume. What a great Telecaster.
This is so cool. What a video. Thanks!
It was great fun watching & listening to these two old mates. Clearly they love what they're doing & for me that's the key.
These two are Great! I could watch them all day! Thanks
It's an inspiration watching you guys play, keep rocking.
.
the warmth of conversations in this video is better than the tube amp hidden harmonics. you don't try to sell anything and i don't feel like a chicken. "i think wa-wa is just a tone knob" you're so right and thanks for saying that.
He was right! Wah is just a tone knob. Tone knobs are equalisers. Equalisers are Filters. Wah is a band pass filter iirc, but there are a couple of dozen types (Filter) to choose from, then it all just repeats and becomes variations on a theme. A 'Notch' filter is the opposite of a band pass - it's inverted iirc. Sometimes called a 'Band-Reject' filter. Does the same job.
Anyway, he was right!
Will Gelvin of Gelvin Guitars has a really super-duper Tone knob built in to some of his guitars, and that does act like a proper parametric EQ/Filter - so when you do that 'violining' or riding the tone knob, you really would get a proper Wah Wah effect going on. I think. Don't quote me. Kind of. Not far off really though.
Just agreeing with you kirkmetkirk!
thx for sharing your thoughts, i know gelvin. but i never tried one of his good guitars.
kirkmetkirk - I saw Rocket Ritchotte demoing one of his guitars in the studio, and he really worked that tone knob. I think Will designed a special kind of pickup called a VIP. It has an incredible tonal range.
Funnily enough, he plays a bit of country too and is a real virtuoso (Rocket).
But yeah, nice to see some people talk about guitars for a change, without wanking up and down the fretboard (as if no one has ever done that before).
cheers.
I was lucky enough to see you live Bill at Funky Quarters in 1972. Hot Rod Lincoln was a great song and your band put on a fantastic show. Thanks for the great memories.
Bill, you're awesome! Thanks for taking the time.
I never heard of this guy before. But Bill Kirchen you're the man. That's was awesome. Loved the sound and the licks.
I been diggin' on this dude for 40 years!
So great! More of this kind of stuff, please!
Man this awesome! A beautiful and legendary moment...hopefully this energy is passed on for future generations.
old school right here
The definition of Old School!
the face of Old School!
billville111 I
Dan O'Riordan Saw bill playing in the Golden Lion in Bristol, awesome player, great band, good muso's pub. He tours small venue's in the UK every couple of years.
It's called TRUE SCHOOL, Bill. Someone I knew used to say that.
Hot Rod Lincoln = one of the coolest songs/raps ever!
Yeah.. Another example of rap stealing from "old school" music....Sampleing anyone?
Total respect !! Bill, you have inspired me and countless other lives with your guitar playing. What a legacy you leave for future generations to enjoy!
GREAT always loved your playing. thanks!
In the late 70's Commander Cody played at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, AR. I was working the concert, and got to talking to Bill. He came up to my dorm room and almost bought my Les Paul from me, but changed his mind because he wasn't able to try it out on a gig. Bill is a super nice guy and we talked about living in Michigan, which I had also. I'm glad to see Bill is still pickin'!
Bill Kirchen could make any guitar sound great. Wonderful player.
I love tele`s and thanks Bill for all the info and riffs.
Always a treat to learn from a true Legend.
I absolutely love it, great video! Respect to these silver-haired guitarists. What a breath of fresh air on a UA-cam full of young guitar ego.
You guys are playing the tunes I played all my life…I also did the same thing with my controls in HS 1972 wood shop class (Got an A+) with my 1st Tele, only I went a few steps further an put it thru the plainer then did contours like at Strat and put a humbucker in the neck. I had no idea how great it was, still I wanted a Strat so I traded it in on one, a huge big mistake. After I did the deal, the guys asked me…"who did the custom work on the Tele"…er me duh...Maximum Respect
Lovely, refreshing, and authentic. I love the idea of a telecaster harvested from old pine. Fab!
I could watch and listen to these guys all day!
Dude's goofing around is hotter than everybody else's trying hard.
No he's not.
Robert Hunt you must not know how to play. The guy is good but nothing special.
@@DaPoopIsInDaPudding with a reply like that, then, respectfully, you must not do that much comparative listening. Mr. Hunt's observation is spot on. Bill Kirchen is one of the most incredible guitarists ever, and a national treasure. Got about 7 minutes? Please check this out: ua-cam.com/video/wxjvlB26Rgw/v-deo.html
(You have to sit through 2:00 minutes of "normal" before it really gets good, but then...whoa. Talk about a guitarist encyclopedia. All sounds produced by Mr. Kirchen's fingers and the smelly old tellie...and nothing else.)
HOT ROD LINCOLN is till a blazing cool song!!!!
I love these guys, right on!!!!!
More of you and Bill please!
My hero of hero's! Bill Kirchen
I love stuff like this....My volume pot is too stiff for me to do swells like that....
But I like the idea of turning the plate around, and the switch, and pots.....
I've listened to 'Hot Rod Lincoln' many many times....and I admire the fast picking on it....
Also, love the 'horn' effects that Bill demonstrated....
There's still so much to learn.....
Just spray inside your pots with contact cleaner, and turning it to use it as lubricant, it will remove friction
volume pedal is crucial for expressive playing. I don't play guitar, but play clavinet, the keyboard guitar, and cutting out the attack (in my case with a filter controlled by an expression pedal, which acts like a volume and tone control, and a sort of wah) is a very expressive tool
The swells sound amazing on the harmony bends!
Those volume/tone swells are inspiring!!👏👏👏
I remember being in the opening band For one of Bills shows in Catskill New York in the Early 90's I as like.....Who the hell is Bill Kirchen!! LOL A damn good guitar player that's who!! I think I have a video from that night maybe Ill post a song or two with Bills permission of course!!!
There's a trick to volume swells that few people know. It's what made Phil Keaggy the king of swells.
By the way, Zalman Yanovsky was doing volume swells with the knob on his guitar way back in the mid 60s with The Lovin' Spoonful. He was no Phil Keaggy, but he was the first.
Very nice clip.Thanks.
Sweet riffs, I could listen to that guy all day.
I love this! I could hang with you guys all day long, talking about this stuff...
I'm 61 and my tele (1960) has been set up this exact way since I was in my early '20s. Who woulda thunk? Go Bill Kirchen!
You switched the plate around? I came up with this idea independently of ever seeing it when I first tried modulating the volume and tone controls while playing. I was surprised when I saw other people doing it already. Makes perfect sense. I use the tone knob more than the volume knob for effects... still not very good at it.
Buelligan88 My tele has been set up exactly like this for about 40 years. I also thought I was the only one doing that. Apparently it just makes more sense in a practical way. Also, my strat only has two controls. I took out the volume knob (the one closest to the bridge) so I can mute the strings and strum without whacking that knob all the time. The strat is wired like a Tele and I think I'm the only one who does that too. lol
Bourne Accident Interesting! I remember the first time I played a Strat, I kept hitting the volume knob and the guitar got quieter and quieter. Thought it was the amp at first. I also had trouble with the pitch changing; I kept resting my palm on the tremolo bridge. There was no whammy bar installed and I didn't realize at first what the hell was going on.
I've never really been comfortable with a Strat.
Buelligan88 Yep. It takes time. Everything's always moving around. Strats go out of tune real easy. Aside from removing the volume knob, I am always checking the bridge and making sure I'm in tune. That's why you can't beat a good Tele. Reliable, stays in tune, and as solid as a rock.
Bourne Accident Do you remember how much you paid for your '60 Telecaster? Is your Strat an older one? I imagine it must be really amusing for players who held onto their guitars to see how prices have skyrocketed.
Very cool!
Oh man you guys are great. I i've never seen the swells be played like that... such an inspiration. Thank you so much for this video, you are an inspiration to me. I want a Telecaster now.
Brilliant! Adds whole new levels of versatility without much work. Brilliant! Thanks for Posting!
Great video! :)
Well said! :)
3:43 awesome popping sound
These guys are legends. What a wonderful video.
I love this little shot of history! Thanks!
Wish this guy would put some lessons on DVD .....
Richard Crocker Bill has a course of ‘30 Hot Rod Licks’ available as stream/download/DVD through Truefire.
CAN'T BEAT THE SOUND OF CHICKEN PICKIN ON A TELE.
I thought it fantastic also...
What that’s a guitar not a chicken
Basically the history of progression of the guitar, what an amazing video...I am from Michigan and these guys make me proud to say that...pine Telecasters, coolest things around
I saw Commander Cody in Waterbury CT in 1979...there were 250 people at the "Wooden Goblet"...I'll never forget That Show!!🎵🎶🎵
Must have been b4 volume pedals were all the rage. I just can't do the vol knob thing. IF I were playing live, I'd use a pedal on the floor and free up my brain. hahah interesting mod, though.
That is quite a pronounced "popping" sound happening here: 3:48
I don't believe I've ever heard that effect before.
+bluesborn I heard that too! I thought it might be the the strings slapping off the pickup covers, or maybe the reverb unit being overdriven by his heavy snapping of the strings. Either way it's a very unique sound!
+Alex G I think you're right. I'll have to try that next time I plug in!
It is the string bouncing off of the pickup... I used to do that with my old Westone Thunder II. Cool sound.
TheIndigobo
huh that's interesting.I guess the strings would have to be fairly close to the pickup? You can't get too close or it starts to sound out of tune.
I think he's resting his thumb on the string then flicking the muted string with his fingernail, I'm too lazy to grab my guitar and try it though. 😊
HEY, Just ran across this video and it is so Cool. I really enjoyed listening to you two guys. GREAT.
Got to see bill twice live, even in this interview he shows such joy while playing
This'll kill ya....I'm a lefty...I'm @ a buddy's place 2 years ago (he's backwards...oops, I mean "right-handed"), he's got this rosewood tele...I played it most of the afternoon, upside down, backwards....what'so funny? Well, I 've tried to play the "hot-rod Lincoln" riff for years, and best I can get it is about 75-90%, on my lefty guitars (strung left-handed)...that day, I grab that rosewood tele, right-handed, upside down, backwards, and discover that I can play "hot-rod.." PERFECTLY!! what a hoot! my two buddies just sat there, with their jaws hanging down!!
I remember when you went head to head with the late great Danny Gatton.
Wonderful. Wanted more of that great voice at the close! Two great musicians! Thanks guys. :))
I could listen to this man's stories all day.
When they're gone , they're GONE......SOAK it all ip.
You are right, the ranks of guys like this are thinning, but thanks to youTube future guitarists can still listen to these pioneers forever, until the Apocolypse.
Soak it all ip!
With Clapton and Fripp!
Good riddance. Generation entitled aisle blocker has got to go!
@@madcowusa4277 ....as opposed to the creative plagerist morons of today......gfy
@@irredeemabledeplorable5227 ok, boomer. gfy right back.
Love videos like this, two guys still getting a buzz out of playing and just simply looking at a guitar. What was the song called right at the end of the clip
uke bass "She's About a Mover" by the Sir Douglas Quintet, from 1965. That little bit at the end of this clip put a big smile on my face.
Bill K is a great performer. I saw him this past Spring. He signed my tele and I'm in the process of the doing a Kirchen switch on it! Had a great time and got great pics.
What a cool idea!! incredible sound
Seems like he’s done those volume swells once or twice.
canadablake three times
Looks like he's got an inductor from a wah-wah pedal that he's using for a tone pot. Never saw that before, but that's most likely why his tone swells were so extreme. Cool idea. But then again, maybe that is just the dust cover from an inductor.
thanks for showing us -God Bless
Wow! I'll be watching this a few more times, for sure.
Capacitors make all the difference in the world on a clean guitar signal. Most of these good ol' boys use a Tele plugged into a Fender (or some vintage amp) and changing the caps will really change the sound. An Orange Drop .047 uf will smooth out your tone. You can play around with different microfarad values but remeber this: It only works if you USE the tone pot. If you are one if those guys who rolls everything up to 10 and leaves it there (like me) then the tone pot is basically useless. If you roll the tone off, you engage the potentiometer and there is where the cap magic starts. Guys like Jeff Beck and Eric Johnson are huge adjusters of the volume and tone controls on a guitar. I will not bore you with all the details, look it up. There is a really good article on this called Change Your Caps, Change the World! (or at least your tone pot response) Just Google that and read.
You couldn't buy the knowledge these two guys have about guitars.
They'll sell you small amounts.
Very true buddy!!
More importantly they're are some knowledge they couldn't sell you even if they wanted to! These guys are classic and iconic as the guitars they are playing
Payin'/playing, dues is about the only way you can get there and keep your hands on your instrument...practice (×3)
I can barely buy groceries come on now
One of my favourite player ever. Thanks StewMac!
This guy visited a class of mine, and he was fantastic, I can't believe he is on my favorite luthier site. I loved his song where he just names tele players!!
Tarak McLain I love that too!