Several years back I was fortunate to see Willie P. Bennent with Fred Eaglesmith. I was wondering if any cafe members know what mandolins he played and what effects he used when he plugged in.
Several years back I was fortunate to see Willie P. Bennent with Fred Eaglesmith. I was wondering if any cafe members know what mandolins he played and what effects he used when he plugged in.
I was fortunate enough to meet him a few times in the 90's. He was playing a Weber A-style at the time, probably the same one in the photo.
A wonderful human being.
www.apitiusmandolins.com
What is good Phaedrus? and what is not good?, need we ask anyone to tell us these things?
In early Fred Eaglesmith video's it looks like he's either playing a Gibson or Epiphone A. I'm a fan. He was actually a very tasteful player. RIP Willie.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
"She didn't know hay from straw." Now that's a real country song! With Ralph Schipper that's the original line up of the Flying Squirrels. First saw them in 1992 at Port Dover. A great band.
I saw him with Fred many, many times, and he always played a Gibson. Still, that photo clearly shows him playing a Weber. Willie was a great player. I remember him playing wicked slide mandolin, doing Allman Bros. songs. Beyond that, I have nothing for you.
When I saw him he was using the Weber. Aside from his earlier mandolins, what really interests me was his pedal board. Great tone and complementary tremolo but then he would kick in his effects chain. Almost an entirely different beast for slide, lead, distortion...I was blown away by his versatility. I still enjoy Fred but I really miss Willie!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM6ufsyYPTM
Was at this Fred concert at the old Saengerhalle in Texas (sat right behind the meatball that recorded it). Willie had his own set.
Made full use of his Weber on this tune.
I saw Willie several times with Fred Eaglesmith and he played the Weber A model. I heard that sometime later it was stolen but I don't know what he got to replace it. He was a great musician. Too bad he's gone now.
One of my favourite recordings of Willie is a bootleg of a college show done in 1978. The show had been taped for broadcast on the campus radio station, and the tape forgotten for many decades. No mandolin, but it is Willie in his glory.
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