Jerry Blanton

[Neal Sanford]

The cutout was there when I got it.

[Neal Sanford]

[David Ball]

Love the pick holder!

The Blantons are great guitars, but they sure are heavy! I had a wonderful D12 that played and sounded great, and fortunately didn't need to be moved around very often.

Dave

[Geoff Queen]

Hi Neal, I believe I owned this steel at one time. I can tell by the keyhead; for whatever reason it didn't have the same one as other Blantons I've seen. It was a double neck when I had it, so maybe it found it's way back to Jerry and he converted it? I sold it to Ward Orsinger in 2007. I remember how good it sounded, I always wondered what became of it. It was my first real steel guitar, thanks for letting me reminisce!

[Neal Sanford]

Geoff,
I would say that it was a double neck because of the extra hole for volume knob and the empty holes in the wood underside. I got it 2 years ago for a 60th birthday present from my niece and her boyfriend. Keanan's band goes by Wrong Way Jackson. His steel player was Robert (don't remember his last name). A local Austin player. That's who I got it from with a Nashville 400. I play a little acoustic guitar and am learning this very complicated beast. LOL

[David Laveau]

Roger,
Jerry built two wooden cabinets. One he sold one and just recently stared working on again. I wish I could visit with him in person and record an interview and then make it available for folks to listen to

Here's an early pre-"woody" unit.

I think I need to pull the steel base to get to the serial number...

[Justin Griffith]

He made 15 of those woody guitars before he passed. I have a single neck on a double body he gave me. I asked him to build me a double neck after he agreed to build one for Benny Fred Kothman, He got sick right after I asked him. He finished the cabinet and stuff. I can finish the rest. I just need to do it. He gave me all of his parts and machines not too long before he passed. He was like a second dad to me.

[David Laveau]

He was like a second dad to me.

I was lucky enough to speak to Mr Jerry before he passed.

Seemed to be an extraordinarily kind soul from our brief chat.

I really should have called him back to chat some more, as he mentioned digging through his records to identify some background on the instrument I'm going to get going again, if he was to find a moment or so available to do it.

He sounded a little tired, so I didn't want to be an additional burden - it was great speaking to him though.

But alas, a busy schedule precluded that intention.

[Jack Hanson]

Southern Colorado/Northern New Mexico multi-instrumentalist legend Don Richmond plays a Blanton.