Yet another first by Steve !

[PO]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=030804083420068001162193338644/g=guitar/search/detail/base_id/53148

This is a stand that anyone can buy that holds an acoustic guitar in a position for playing it. It allows you to "wear" a guitar and reach over to play another.

Who was the innovator of this and had one custom made? Steve Howe! (of course). I wasn't aware that he started it, but he was the first I ever saw use on (c. 1973-4). He still does this. Lately, Santana was seen doing the same.

This company now makes stands to hold thin acoustics, thick acoustics, electric 6 strings, and electric basses.

Thanks, Steve! I enjoy mine.

[Dr Yes]

Originally posted by paostby


Who was the innovator of this and had one custom made? Steve Howe! (of course). I wasn't aware that he started it, but he was the first I ever saw use on (c. 1973-4).


I wasn't aware that he actually started the trend with this type of stand. I know that Mike Tait built Steve his guitar tree for the Topographic Tour, which had 4/5 guitars (incl. a Danelectro 12-string and Coral Sitar) bolted to it, but that was a different beast entirely to my knowledge. On the guitar tree the guitars could rotate in and out couldn't they? This is a different thing to the static stand - which incidentally I have too and is a boon for performing Yes live.

This section from Steve's site confirms my suspicions I think:

From: Paul Webb

I just saw you in the "Open Your Eyes" tour and really enjoyed your playing. I have long appreciated your use of various guitars to achieve different tonalities. I've seen you take this approach to the concert stage as well to some degree.

I noted your use of a stand to hold up your acoustic guitars. I could really use such an item myself and can no longer locate a manufacturer. Was yours custom made or is it commercially available?

"Just commercially available, you shouldn't really have any trouble getting one of them. Call Guitar Center, they're a pretty national guitar shop now and they would most probably tell you. But I did help to get that idea going; not that it was mine, it actually predates my life; guitars were designed on the 19th century on guitar stands as well, they looked very elegant when you sit down and you have this little pedal stool with a Spanish guitar on it. But it didn't catch on, and then I saw it as a way to play multi-guitars, and had the tree and stand-up guitars, and also the ones that I'm using now, where the sitar guitar comes off the pedal board frame.

"There's a lot of different ways of doing it, they could come out at the ceiling one day. We did design other things that were never seen and were going to include them in the guitar book but didn't. But there are some other devices that didn't work [laughs]. Of course my favorite one is the rail that ran to the right of me with the steel guitar on it, so when I wanted it I pulled the guitar and it and it just came in on a rail, like a train, and then it went back when I didn't want it. And that thing is coming back, that's what I'm hoping to use quite soon. It was a very clever thing. But you need a big stage because if I'm playing in a theatre I wouldn't be able to use a rail, there's not any room for it, not very often anyway."

Sorry - not trying to be smart arse of the year, but am interested in these things like you, and just wanted to add my thoughts.

Doc Y.

[upbgirl]

apparently, i was under 'altered states' during that tour, but i DID get some decent pics during 'in the round' [was it 79?]

it took me a few years and a few more concerts to realise the guitars werent soldered together somehow!! many many people asked about howe he could change instruments so quickly, and now i have my answer..
[geeze! took long enough to solve THAT mystery, didnt it? yikes!]

hey! maybe they could use that 'rail' he was taking about to bring em food & water onstage!!
i can see it now-
wakemans 'curry on a rail' shows!! lol!!:cheers:
and then, when shooz makes a mistake tuning or something, they could tape him to the rail and parade him out in front of everyone!! [only kidding, folks!]:evil2:

[Thoughtbecontact]

I remember Steve using that guitar stand during the tours in the 70s. I also remember that his pedal stell was on rollers and have a particularly vivid memory of how he used to push itaway from himself after the steel part in SK , the his roadie hunkering down, trying to appear innocuous to take the instrument off to the side.

[TNyesfan]

Steve took an ancient idea and made it his own, made it work for him.
He is eternally self- effacing about his contributions to his art.
I think it's safe to give him modern credit.

[PO]

Originally posted by TNyesfan
Steve took an ancient idea and made it his own, made it work for him.
He is eternally self- effacing about his contributions to his art.
I think it's safe to give him modern credit.

Thanks, TN. I was speaking in the modern context. Electric guitars and Rock guitar players were still relatively new in the late 1960's. Steve brought this concept of mounting guitars for playing to its fruition. His personality will never aggrandize himself, despite the long, tedious hours he spent refining the craft of his art.

Thanks for the input, Doc. I really enjoy that info you included. The "Tree" was a machination of the mounted-guitar concept on the Tales tour. I remember it well. Prior to that he did use singular stands of various incarnations. During the Tales tour he even added the now-common Fender Dual Professional Steel that he still uses. This complimented the Sho-Bud D10 pedal steel, so he had 4 steel string necks he was playing !! You will even see pictures of Chris with mounted guitars.

I just love that there is so much going on in this subject that is Steve Howe. A seemingly minor little detail such as this ends up having numerous tangents and observations. It just goes to show what an ecelctic person Steve is. We CAN'T get it all straightened out. Just as I like it.

[BillGuitar]

I'm still trying to figure out how to get something to hold the electric sitar, on stage. It won't fit in the Gracie stand I used for Roundabout, at the Boston Yesfans Gathering...

Hmmmm.
To play like Steve you not only need the instruments, you need a machinist to build you the stands for the stage!

Does ANY other guitarist have so much equipment?
WHY did I have to learn Yes?
:lmao:

[Yesguitarman]

Bill,

My Jerry Jones sitar fits in an electric guitar Gracie stand very nicely. I just use a wood paint can stirrer across the back to distribute the force.

Gracie stands have gone up outrageously in price over the past four years!

If you look closely at vintage photos, Steve had mounted the Coral Sitar with two different systems over the years. The first was one large bolt through the top of the upper bout. Later photos show the sandwiched, brushed aluminum plate system with three smaller bolts through it at the lower bout. You can still see the large unused hole in the sitar at the top.

[TNyesfan]

WHY did I have to learn Yes?
:lmao:
Better question - where the hell did you find this old thread?! :lmao: 6 years - sheesh, we're all getting old... except Steve of course. ;)
RIP PO.

[BillGuitar]

Better question - where the hell did you find this old thread?! :lmao: 6 years - sheesh, we're all getting old... except Steve of course. ;)
RIP PO.

Trudes, oddly enough, it came up in a Google search.
Google knows where to find all of the dinosaurs!
:hearts:

[Timmo]

Unfortunately there's a "this product has been discontinued" note on the link.

Must not have caught on.

[relayeire]

I thought Alex Lifeson started a company to build guitar stands and other gear... the Omega Concern(?)

[BillGuitar]

Unfortunately there's a "this product has been discontinued" note on the link.

Must not have caught on.

Timmo, that IS the Gracie stand, that Tom and I already own. Even their website graciestands.com is a little uh, primitive.

Some people swear by 'em. I really needed one for Bostonia, and was happily surprised to discover I enjoyed playing acoustic MUCH MORE when I no longer had to 'strap it on' (sorry Helmet)

I knew like Tom said that drilling a hole in the electric sitar was Steve's solution, but drills and guitars don't mix! (someone insert a Paul Gilbert pic, here)

[BillGuitar]

I thought Alex Lifeson started a company to build guitar stands and other gear... the Omega Concern(?)

Pete, Alex DID indeed start this company, but stopped, for some reason. Perhaps the Gracie IS the same stand, I don't know. It was called The Omega Stand, and was available for years. But not now.
:crybby:

The Omega Stand looked like the top section of mine. Maybe someone just realized they could sell a cymbal stand with it, and jack up the price?

[acejackalope]

I shot these for my blog back in December in St Louis. I can go back and look at the un-cropped frames if it'll help ID the stand.:

http://www.thelope.com/images/08-12-02C-256.jpg

http://www.thelope.com/images/08-12-02C-257a.jpg

http://www.thelope.com/images/08-12-02C-258.jpg

http://www.thelope.com/images/08-12-02C-261.jpg

http://www.thelope.com/images/08-12-02C-457.jpg

http://www.thelope.com/images/08-12-02C-598.jpg

[Missmoonlight]

I shot these for my blog back in December in St Louis. I can go back and look at the un-cropped frames if it'll help ID the stand.:

http://www.thelope.com/images/08-12-02C-256.jpg

http://www.thelope.com/images/08-12-02C-257a.jpg

http://www.thelope.com/images/08-12-02C-258.jpg

http://www.thelope.com/images/08-12-02C-261.jpg

http://www.thelope.com/images/08-12-02C-457.jpg

http://www.thelope.com/images/08-12-02C-598.jpg

ohhh Ace, you are also here!:) Great blog! :)
Please post these nice pictures in the Photo thread (http://www.yesfans.com/showthread.php?t=43375&page=50)
(I posted a couple of pics of yours, they are so nice and well done!)