[Dixielandjazz] Guitar Volume

[Steve Barbone]

With all the conjecture about the lack of volume with guitars, how on earth
then, did Freddie Green manage to be heard, UNAMPLIFIED, in Basie's Band?
Man, he anchored that rhythm section like a metronome and as many times as I
saw that band, I always heard Green's pulse from wherever I sat.

---snip

Freddie said he once tried the electric guitar but added. "I've still got
the thing sitting up in my room. It was about four or five years ago. I
didn't stay with it long. I couldn't get the sound I wanted, and it was hard
getting the tone adjusted so it wouldn't sound too loud over the band. I
didn't get with it, and I don't think Basie had too much eyes for it. Every
once in a while, he'd say 'Soften down', and so finally I just put it away.

Green went on to talk of his favorites in the increasingly rare art of
unamplified rhythm guitar. He cites Allan Reuss, the late John Truehart
(with Chick Webb), Freddie Guy, and Charlie Christian. Freddie also enjoyed
Christian as a soloist, "He revolutionized the guitar."

---end snip

Cheers,
Steve Barbone