Dick Dale the “King of the Surf Guitar” turns 71 today. Dale himself was an amateur surfer and wanted his music to reflect the sounds he heard in his mind while surfing. While he is primarily known for introducing the use of guitar reverb that would give the guitar a “wet” sound, which has since become a staple of surf music, it was Dale’s fast staccato picking that was his trademark. Since Dale was left-handed he was initially forced to play a right-handed model, much like Jimi Hendrix would do a few years later. However, he did so without restringing the guitar, leading him to effectively play the guitar upside-down (while Hendrix would restring his guitar) and often plays by reaching over the fretboard rather than wrap his fingers up from underneath. Even after he acquired a proper left-handed guitar, Dale continued to use his reverse stringing. Dale is also noted for playing his percussive, heavy bending style while using what are, for most guitarists, extremely heavy gauge string sets (16p, 18p, 20p. 38w, 48w, 58w; standard electric guitar string set may range from .009 to .042 or .010-.046). Leo Fender was to play a large part in the development of the Showman amplifier designed in conjunction with Dale specifically for his aggressive style. Currently Dale is recovering from treatment for rectal cancer and all wish him a speedy and healthy recovery. Credit: Dick Dale & Wikipedia.