My New Fulawka; in Memory of the "Blue Darlin"

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 5 Jul 2002 2:14 am

WEll it's here and a Beauty to behold.
Ed Fulawka outdid himself on this one.....and I just played my First gig with it.....and It plays and sounds better than anything I've stomped my feet on.
First thing I did when I un-packed her......was to see for myself of the Drop in this guitar. Tuned her up.....pushed A&B pedals down....and the 4th string(E) dropped 1 cent........and with just "A" pedal down.....sixth string dropped 0 cents.....matter of fact....everything else I check.....was ZERO cent drop(Eddy also said that 1 cent drop will go away after she's played a while).
There's no counter force....no compensators......just genious design and when you hit the link below......you will see Genious workmanship.
I am more happy about this guitar than anything I've been happy with. This is my tribute to the late great Jimmy Day...and his "Blue Darlin's"......and Lloyd just e-mailed me after seeing the pics.....that Jimmy would have been very proud.
Thank you Ed Fulawka for waiting so long to find the Right Birdseye Maple for this very special Pedal steel....and "YOU ARE KING" my friend.
Of course I can go on and on about every little feature of this pedal steel....but you know how excited one gets when receiving a new toy.....ah....ha....but if anyone wants to know anything about this guitar....or the great Ed Fulawka......I will field any questions asked.
Here's the Link; Click Here!!

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Ricky Davis

My Homepage
Rebel™ and Ricky's Audio Clips
www.mightyfinemusic.com
Email Ricky: sshawaiian@aol.com

[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 05 July 2002 at 03:21 AM.]

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 5 Jul 2002 2:37 am

Ricky, I'm going to take every opportunity I have to tell you what an amazing instrument you have here. I've been saying for sometime now that Ed Fulawka makes the most beautiful steel guitars, period. But this one is the best I've seen yet.

I sure wish I could hear it and touch it, but the pictures tell the story pretty well. That instrument defines what a steel guitar should be -- the ideal in every respect, including beauty. Ed is a craftsman without peer and that steel is worth every minute you waited for it (and every dollar you paid).

Tell us more about the mechanics and electronics.

Larry Miller · Post by **Larry Miller** » 5 Jul 2002 2:39 am

BEAUTIFUL!!

autry andress · Post by **autry andress** » 5 Jul 2002 4:54 am

Yep, She's a little Darlin. Please don't mistreat her.
Ricky I'm sure little darlin will treat you well.

Joey Ace · Post by **Joey Ace** » 5 Jul 2002 5:11 am

Congrats Ricky!
I've seen and played a lot of Ed's Mechanical Masterpieces.

Yours look the purrty-ist of all I've seen.

I can see your GRIN way up here!

Will this be a Road Guitar?

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 5 Jul 2002 5:31 am

WOW!!!! That is one beautiful guitar. Know you will enjoy it.
Henry

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 5 Jul 2002 5:43 am

Ricky, it's amazing beautifull!
I notice it has a blue fretboard?
JJ

John P. Phillips · Post by **John P. Phillips** » 5 Jul 2002 5:51 am

Rick, WOW !! what a beauty, I'm drooling here (hehehe)

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"Let's go STEEL something"
If it feels good, do it. If it feels COUNTRY, do it twice
jpp

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 5 Jul 2002 5:57 am

Very nice, indeed! You actually gonna take that thing out of the house and let some lady fall on it???

What are those pickups you have on there? And what are those switches on the right-hand side of the rear apron?

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 5 Jul 2002 6:06 am

Let me repeat what Larry said:

BEAUTIFUL ! BEAUTIFUL !!

And Yes, Jimmy would be more than proud !

Regards, Paul

Greg Vincent · Post by **Greg Vincent** » 5 Jul 2002 6:55 am

Congratulations Ricky! You DESERVE the best!

-GV

-Dig those BLUE NECKS!

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 5 Jul 2002 8:22 am

Sho'nuff BeautyFull !!!
Steel loves the Blues...

Steelin'France]

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 5 Jul 2002 8:38 am

Super looking guitar Ricky!

What are the two little button looking thingy's on the back apron?

Bill Ford · Post by **Bill Ford** » 5 Jul 2002 10:40 am

Jim,choke & throttle maybe...LOL
Rick,to call it beautiful would be a gross understatement,I would'nt want to take it out of the house couse I'd be afraid of hurting it, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill Ford

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Al Udeen · Post by **Al Udeen** » 5 Jul 2002 10:43 am

Ricky! Its a killer looking guitar, let me know when your close enough for me to hear it, Heck, were close enough on the amp thing! Now go pick! My best to You! au

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 5 Jul 2002 10:59 am

Ok Thanks everyone....ya'll are too cool for school....ah...ha.
Johan....That is birdseye maple necks just like the body...and that is blue stained maple your looking at...with ivory white frets and markings screened right on the neck.....so no fret board...just natural beauty.
For the inquiries of the "buttons"...ah..ha.
The two Right Knee levers of course work both necks....and of course I have a million changes on each of those knees for both necks. So instead of pulling all the strings for both necks, when your only playing one of the necks; you can un-enguage the pulls for the neck you are not playing ...and visa versa....and of course two knees doing this so two levers(Buttons); and those are actually pull/push levers that enguage or dis-engage those particular linkage underneath......"pretty cool eh??""
The pickups are Ed's own design as he makes them and every single part of his guitar. They are two single blade...reverse wound and wired together and 18,500 ohms is what Bob Lucier has and of course that's what I wanted too....as Bob's Fulawka sounds awesomely like a Sho~Bud and well, you know me....I want to sound like Bob....ah.....ha.
As far as the mechanics of the Fulawka.....well gosh where do I start?? Well I'll just say...it is Perfect. Ed makes his own pullers(well he makes every part)...but most are familiar with Bruce Zumstead's work.....and first time I saw the underneath of a Zum....and said..."Oh my gosh this is so perfect and genious design".....that is how I compare Ed's work underneath....but he staggards his pullers on cross-shafts....so that each change works perfectly for that pull....and so no un-neccessary linkage is what's going on there....
Also; I use a wound 6th string G#.....and Ed's guitars are the only one(well except for maybe a Franklin)that can lower a wound G# string a whole tone....and just to see if what Ed said was true about his guitar....I made the throw longer just to find out for myself.....and that wound string can go down two whole tones.....WOW...of course I put it back for the whole tone...but it can do it.
I have the mother-load of knees on this and Copedant found here>My Fulawka Copedant Click Here!!...So that's 9 knee levers...but 11 total knee functions....6 on e9th and 5 on C6th....and 8 pedals...but Ed puts 9 pedals 6 knee levers standard on his guitars. And all changes work like a dream.
Ok this is longish I know....but tried to field some questions and some not there...but keep'um coming.....and I'll try as much as I can to inform about this Dream come true for me.
Ricky

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 5 Jul 2002 11:26 am

those are actually pull/push levers

Oh no!!!

Cairo Zoots · Post by **Cairo Zoots** » 5 Jul 2002 11:59 am

Ricky-what can I say? That Birds eye is so Deep it looks like you could DIVE in! And what a classy chassis! Even Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth would be snergling all over his gimlets! Congrats to U for knowing what U want, and finding a man that could make dreams come true. You deserve it!

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ree-00-dee-doo

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 5 Jul 2002 12:30 pm

How about some pictures of the undercarriage? Some of us geeks don't care what the top looks like.

Rick Garrett · Post by **Rick Garrett** » 5 Jul 2002 1:59 pm

WOW what a horn Ricky!! Man thats the finest looking steel I've ever seen. Absolutely gorgeous. Congrats to ya!

Rick Garrett

Jerry Roller · Post by **Jerry Roller** » 5 Jul 2002 2:18 pm

Hey Ricky, that is a real beauty. In your hands I know it will sound great also. I am very happy for you Pal.
Jerry

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 5 Jul 2002 2:19 pm

Done deal Jim....I will snap some close shots of undercarrige and Changer area....but don't have the guitar at the moment....I'll have to do it Monday....as I'm otta town....and it is in Van until then.
Ricky

Marco Schouten · Post by **Marco Schouten** » 5 Jul 2002 2:31 pm

Hi Ricky,

that's a beauty, will you take it to the steeldays in october?
I'd like a date with your sweetheart

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Steelin' Greetings
Marco Schouten
Sho-Bud Pro III Custom

Susan Alcorn (deceased) · Post by **Susan Alcorn (deceased)** » 5 Jul 2002 3:49 pm

Beautiful guitar . . . and is that a wooden neck? I'll bet it wounds wonderful

Martin Weenick · Post by **Martin Weenick** » 5 Jul 2002 11:59 pm

That is without a doubt the most beautiful steel I have ever seen. He must have looked far and wide for that piece of birdseye. Congradulations Ricky !!!

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Martin W. Emmons LG III 3/5 Peavy 1000