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Thread: Too Many Hands guitar solos

  1. #1
    Stuck on the Border Delilah's Avatar
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    Default Too Many Hands guitar solos

    Quote Originally Posted by Jonny Come Lately View Post
    I should probably have responded to this earlier, but I have listening closely to the guitar work on Too Many Hands recently and I'm convinced you're right about this. One of the lead guitars sounds quite similar to the leads on One Of These Nights (I'm guessing it's a Gibson Les Paul), which strongly suggests it's Don F, and Glenn is most likely playing Old Black. To me, the most memorable solo parts have the Old Black. I'm definitely not saying that Don F's playing isn't good (quite the opposite!), but I think Glenn's playing on that song is brilliant, especially his licks on the outro.
    I'm curious about these solos and didn't want to derail the press topic. I've gone back and forth about who plays what but I'm thinking it's this:

    2:07-2:28 Don
    3:28-3:38 Don
    3:44-3:49 Glenn
    3:50-4:00 Don
    4:01-4:05 Glenn
    4:06-4:10 Don (about this time I start doubting myself and wonder if I have it switched)
    4:11-4:16 Glenn
    4:17-4:22 Don

    Anyone agree or am I totally off?

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  2. #2
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    Default Re: Too Many Hands guitar solos

    This is interesting, because I've always thought it's the other way around! Someone who so the song played live in the 70's once confirmed my theory, but the gig was long ago, so he/she could have been mistaken. If you are right, it's definitely Don who "kills" Glenn in that song IMO.

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    Default Re: Too Many Hands guitar solos

    If you can find a live bootleg, it might be more obvious as my guess is that Don was more consistently great live.
    To me, they both sound good and a few seconds isn't enough for me to work out who is playing.

    ETA: https://www.eaglesonlinecentral.com/...ingfield75.mp3

    My guess would be that nearly all the early parts are Felder as Glenn would be concentrating on backing vocals.

    I love hearing them tune-up on these old recordings.
    Last edited by UndertheWire; 11-03-2016 at 10:06 AM.

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    Default Re: Too Many Hands guitar solos

    I was surprised to hear all the same licks in that live version - even when they are "trading licks" at the end. I agree (well, who doesn't) that Don F was more consistently great. They both sound fine in that performance, but the guitar I believe to be Felder is played with a bit more...."authority"? (can't think of a good word right now)

  5. #5
    Stuck on the Border Jonny Come Lately's Avatar
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    Default Re: Too Many Hands guitar solos

    I think it was a very good idea to make this a separate thread. Thanks, Delilah! Seeing as I was the one who first mentioned I think it is fair that I see how my theories match with yours. I hope you don't mind me adding a few comments to your quote, I think it's easier than typing it out again and hopefully more useful this way.

    Quote Originally Posted by Delilah View Post
    I'm curious about these solos and didn't want to derail the press topic. I've gone back and forth about who plays what but I'm thinking it's this:

    2:07-2:28 Don

    I've separated this solo part from the others as this is a distinct guitar solo, more like Don's on this album's title track and After The Thrill Is Gone. I'm pretty confident from the sound/tone that this is Don and I'm also confident that this is just one player throughout.

    We can now move onto the guitar solos at the end that start after the second last chorus. I totally agree with your original assessment but have added in other licks with timings and who I think the player is. What I think is clear is that this is more of an extended duel between Don and Glenn than a true 'guitar solo' in the strictest sense although I'm not sure a casual listener with limited guitar knowledge would notice.

    3:22-3:27 Glenn (to my ears, this guitar sounds different from the earlier solo and also the lead guitar on the choruses)
    3:28-3:38 Don
    3:44-3:49 Glenn
    3:50-4:00 Don (I think this is probably my favourite of the solo parts)
    4:01-4:05 Glenn
    4:06-4:10 Don (about this time I start doubting myself and wonder if I have it switched) (I think you're correct and this is Don, it does seem to shift back to the other guitar sound at 4:06)
    4:11-4:16 Glenn
    4:17-4:22 Don
    4:23-4:27 Glenn (starting to fade out)
    4:28-4:32 Don
    4:33-4:36 Glenn
    4:37-4:41 Don (fades out at end)


    (I would add that it's possible they may have recorded other licks but not used them. This however is where the recording ends on the studio album)

    Anyone agree or am I totally off?

    I agree with your analysis. I am not very good at describing the difference in guitar sounds when the difference is relatively subtle as it is here (as opposed to, say, between the guitar on Victim Of Love and that on Peaceful Easy Feeling) but I would say that Don F's guitar has a fatter sound that makes me think it's a Gibson Les Paul, which he also used on OOTN itself, whereas Glenn's reminds me most of his leads on the debut album - Chug All Night, Take The Devil etc. so I think he was probably using Old Black (a Les Paul Jr).
    I personally love the parts that both guitarists play here. I assume that Don F's parts are technically superior, but Glenn's are cool too. Listening to the guitar closely has given me a lot of appreciation for this song, I've always liked it and considered it somewhat underrated, but it's only recently that I've started to think about exactly who is playing which parts. The duel at the end is pretty unique in the Eagles canon, as is the song itself IMO.

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    Default Re: Too Many Hands guitar solos

    Well, it's two against one. So perhaps I'm mistaken (as well and the person who saw the song live decades ago - no recollection who this person was). To my ears it sounds like the guy you think is Don and I think is Glenn worked out most of his licks beforehand, and that's one of the "clues" that made me think it's Glenn. The other guitar (which I hear as Don) sounds more improvised.

    Having said all that, there's one lick that "my Don/your Glenn" plays that is similar to something Glenn plays at the end of Midnight Flyer.

    I have mentioned the other "clues" earlier. One of them are the "rakes" that Glenn used to do in those days. Also there's a weird bend at one point (not bending to the most obvious blues note) that makes me think it's Glenn. I've heard him do the same bend once in Witchy Woman. Also the pinched harmonics are something Glenn used to do. (To my ears it sounds like the early lead breaks are Glenn) It's interesting that this guitarist is panned more to the right when he plays alone, but during the "duel" he's panned more to the left.

    But I'm confused now, although it naturally doesn't change the music in anyway - whoever's playing.

    PS. Johnny Come Lately, the favorite part you mentioned is my favorite as well!
    Last edited by chaim; 11-03-2016 at 11:33 AM.

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    Default Re: Too Many Hands guitar solos

    By the way, in this live version the bit starting from the 3:39 mark sounds too sloppy to be Felder IMO. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BxO9neWAAU

    Also, IMO the "my Glenn/your Don" has a thinner sound in this version and the other guy has a stronger sound.

    I'm more confused than I've ever been. Should we ask Felder?

  8. #8
    Stuck on the Border Delilah's Avatar
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    Default Re: Too Many Hands guitar solos

    You're welcome JCL, and thanks everyone for your input. I don't have a guitar ear that can distinguish between Glenn and Don's styles. I'm going more by the sound of the guitars i.e. the Gibson Les Paul vs. "Old Black" based on hearing them in other songs. But I certainly am no guitar expert so I could be completely wrong. Both parts sound great regardless who plays them. AFAIK, this is the only song that features dueling guitars by Glenn and Don, as JCL alluded to.

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  9. #9
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    Default Re: Too Many Hands guitar solos

    Yes, both parts are definitely great, no matter who plays them. They should have done this more between Glenn and Don. It's a fantastic guitar song.

    PS. I don't have an ear for sounds, so I could easily be mistaken.

  10. #10
    Stuck on the Border WalshFan88's Avatar
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    Default Re: Too Many Hands guitar solos

    A Les Paul Junior would have a brighter, more punchy sound than the smoother tone of a Les Paul Standard (a Burst like Felder would have), then again Felder may have used a Strat, hard to say.

    I also agree that the more "sloppy" licks are not likely Felder, but I like them that way. I'm into very raw and a bit scatterbrained and loose lead playing of guys like Walsh, Page, Perry, etc. I love Felder's fluid style, but at the end of the day I'm more in the Walsh camp stylistically as a guitarist myself. I find them to exude more of the unabashed rock n' roll style and swagger than more perfected styles. I'm more Joe Perry than Brad Whitford, more Keith Richards than Mick Taylor, and more Joe Walsh than Don Felder.

    I'm not sure who is who other than discerning the guitar sounds, which would point to a Les Paul Junior, but another bright instrument like a Fender could also do those sounds. And honestly I haven't listened to that song enough to make an educated guess despite one listen just now.

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