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! Young's J-45 ?


E-minor7

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I knew about Neil's D-45, the 2 D-28's, the D-18, the J-200 and even the 1950's J-50 for hotel-noodling when bein' on the road, , , ,

but now rumor tells us there was a J-45 as well.

But did he really play it on Hitchhiker back in the mid-70's - - if yes, then why didn't we see it.

And how come he never picked it up during the famous BBC-gig from his big break.

 

1971 ~ g09cJM5.jpg

 

News ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri2bol-siaw

 

What will be the next - a secret 1961 Hummingbird ?

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Interestingly, that recording sounds more like a J-45 than a Martin.

You and the rumor are probably right - and the Gibson actually sounds very good.

Focused, loose and warm, but a bit smaller than and not with the boom-room of an M dread.

 

 

 

1976 ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0ckHW3MFjk

 

bbg. I hear you and have covered the same thought - the J-45 is very close to the Young-universe.

Guess he seriously chose the square Martins as signature guitars and stayed there.

Would have been contra-hip-hip though (or should we even say meta-hip), to bring the ghost-45 forward in the mid-70's as the whole decade was almost cleansed of round shouldered Gibsons, , , , acoustic Gibsons in general.

 

As we know, if someone said or thought 'slope' then, every corner instantly answered Ovation, , , , well except CSN& particularly not Y.

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This is what Neil played on Nov 9/2014 when I did a gig with him as a local stagehand in Vancouver for the Blue Dot tour (an environmental issue tour with Bare Naked Ladies and others). I believe it's an old Martin and as you can see it's in mid-string change. I spoke with him briefly about his mouth harp rig and after the show I was given the mouth harp he had been using. Pretty decent guy and very personable. Those are his mouth harps and work box in the background

 

post-88476-092163500 1510801677_thumb.jpg

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This is what Neil played on Nov 9/2014 when I did a gig with him as a local stagehand in Vancouver for the Blue Dot tour (an environmental issue tour with Bare Naked Ladies and others). I believe it's an old Martin and as you can see it's in mid-string change. I spoke with him briefly about his mouth harp rig and after the show I was given the mouth harp he had been using. Pretty decent guy and very personable. Those are his mouth harps and work box in the background

 

post-88476-092163500 1510801677_thumb.jpg

 

 

It’s hank William’s D28

 

Care to relate more of the conversation about his harmonicas ?

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This is what Neil played on Nov 9/2014 when I did a gig with him as a local stagehand in Vancouver for the Blue Dot tour (an environmental issue tour with Bare Naked Ladies and others). I believe it's an old Martin and as you can see it's in mid-string change. I spoke with him briefly about his mouth harp rig and after the show I was given the mouth harp he had been using. Pretty decent guy and very personable. Those are his mouth harps and work box in the background

 

post-88476-092163500 1510801677_thumb.jpg

Wow, , , that's quite something - I once played one of his songs on a stage where he performed several times over the decades, , ,

and btw. shook his hand in '76.

Welcome aboard

It's hank William's D28

 

Care to relate more of the conversation about his harmonicas ?

Seriously believe this is the D-18, bbg, , , and Young is known to blow Hohner Marine Band harps (dipping them in liquid).

But more tales from BC Mike - YES thanx !

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Wow, , , that's quite something - I once played one of his songs on a stage where performed several times over the decades, , ,

and btw. shook his hand back in '76.

Welcome aboard

Seriously believe this is the D-18, bbg. , , , and Young is known to blow Hohner Marina band harps.

But more tales from BC Mike - YES thanx !

 

 

Oh yeah. Upon enlarging the picture I see you’re right em7

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On that show it started with me having to "go get a few guitars out of the truck". At that point in the morning I didn't know Neil Young was on the bill. I was pretty surprised to see that the guitar cases had his name on them and while I've been in the business a long time I felt like I was holding something special. I got a friend to take a pic of me giving them a hug :) I was assigned to assist his road tech who has been with him forever (forget his name) and I mentioned I played a couple of Neil's songs when I do casual gigs. He showed me Neil's travelling harmonica case and later while he was waiting to go on stage I had an opportunity to ask him how his rig was mic'd as backstage at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver has a very small wing space and we were all in close quarters. He showed me the two wireless packs that are in cloth pouches attached to the back of the wire harmonica holder and rest on his back just beneath his shirt collar. One miniature mic is attached to and picks up the high end of the mouth harp and the other gets the low end with both operating in stereo. Very slick. Neil is also famous for blowing out the mouth harps and the one I was given from that night has one blown reed. It's a Hohner Marine Band in the key of G. I didn't see any evidence of his mouth harps being put in water. If you look at the picture of the harp case you can see the initials NY upside down on it.

 

Funny I just thought to see if I could find a pic of him playing the guitar picture I posted above. Here he is playing it for Farm-Aid:

 

Mike

post-88476-056764200 1510824763_thumb.jpg

post-88476-077134500 1510825023_thumb.jpg

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On that show it started with me having to "go get a few guitars out of the truck". At that point in the morning I didn't know Neil Young was on the bill. I was pretty surprised to see that the guitar cases had his name on it

Must have been a special kick to be at work that day.

Seems he keeps most of the alphabet in his harp-garage and I wonder which F version he prefers - the high or low octave. Probably the latter.

Big chance he played the G you got on Heart of Gold at some point - makes the whole thing even more precious.

 

Regarding the Marts., I think the Farm Aid dread is the D-28 (rosewood back'n'sides) - the 1941 Hank Williams guitar.

Here's the early 1950's (mahogany) D-18 you were lucky to encounter and photograph.

 

Recent times ~ en3ohYR.jpg

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