OK. I've taken a stab at tabbing this out. It was challenging because you have to be really nimble in some places to play these licks...that Nokie played so effortlessly :-/.
This is my take on it, the tab may not be 100% accurate and you may find better ways to play some of it...if you do, please post updates.
Enjoy
Chuck
Steel Guitar Rag
The Ventures (1963 recording)
Tabbed by chuckm
Listen to the recording for timing, rhythm and embellishments.
Intro
----------15------12----9-----6----7--7--7-7--7------------------------------|
----------14------11----8-----5----5--5--5-5--4------------------------------|
----------15---12-----9-----6------------------------------------------------|
—--14-14---------------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Verse 1
E A E B E B E
------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
--------5-7b9-------5-7b8-------5-7b9--8-7-5----------------------------------|
--4-4-6-------4-4-6-------4-4-6--------------7-6-5----------------------------|
—--------------------------------------------------5-4-2----------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------5-4-2----------------|
---------------------------------------------------------------3-2-0----------|
E A E B E B E
-------------------9---------9-------9-------9------------------------------------------|
---------5-7b9-5-----9r7-5----9r7-5---9r7-5---9r7-5—7b9---8-7-5-------------------------|
---4-4-6--------------------------------------------------------7-6-5-------------------|
—---------------------------------------------------------------------5-4-2-------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------5-4-2-------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------3-2-0-|
Bridge 1
A E F# B
------4-5------5h7p5--4------------2---2-----7p6p4--------------------------------------|
--5-7----5---5----------5-----------2---2---------7—7p6p4-------------------------------|
-----------6-------------4-4---2h3---3---3----------------4-----------------------------|
—-----------------------------------------------------------7p6p4-----------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------7p6p4-----------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------7---------------|
A E F# F E
--5---------5h7p5--4--------------0--0----0--0-----0------------------------------------|
----5----5-----------5-------------2--2----1--1----0------------------------------------|
------6----------------4-6-5-4--3--------2-------1--------------------------------------|
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Verse 2
E
--------12-----12-----------12-----12-------12-10h12p10---9-7h9p7---7-5h7p5---4-2h4p2----|
----------12-----12-----------12---------------------------------------------------------|
--12h13-----13-----13—12h13-----13-------------------------------------------------------|
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B E A
---------7-9-7-9-7-------9-10-12-9-10---9-----------------------------------------------------------|
----7-10---------------12------------12—-12-10-9----------------------------------------------------|
--8----------------------------------------------11-9-----------------------------------9----9-11-12|
—-----------------------------------------------------12-11-9--------------9-11-9-11-12---12--------|
--------------------------------------------------------------12-11-12--12--------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E B E B E
-------------------12-12--12--12—12----------------------------------------------------|
-------------12-14---b17-b17-b17-b17—b17r15-12-----------------------------------------|
--11-9-12h13-----------------------------------14—b16r14-12----------------------------|
—--------------------------------------------------------------14----------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Verse 3
E A E B E B E
----------------------------------9-7-----------------------------------------|
--------5-7b9-------5-7b8-------5—---b8r7-5-b8-b8-7-5—2-1-0-------------------|
--4-4-6-------4-4-6---------4-6-----------------------------2-0-1-0-----------|
—-------------------------------------------------------------------4-2---2---|
------------------------------------------------------------------------4-----|
------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E A E B E B E
------------------7---9-------9-------9--------------------------------------------|
--------5-7b9--5----5—-b9r7-5--b9r7-5--b9r7-5-b9—-8-7-5---7-5----------------------|
--4-4-6-------------------------------------------------6-----6-5-4-2-4-2-0-1------|
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------2--|
------------------------------------------------------------------------------2----|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Bridge 2
A E F# B
------4-5------5h7p5--4------------2---2-----7p6p4--------------------------|
--5-7----5---5----------5-----------2---2---------7—7p6p4-------------------|
-----------6-------------4-4---2h3---3---3----------------4-----------------|
—------------------------------------------------------------7p6p4----------|
--------------------------------------------------------------------7p6p4---|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------7-|
A E F# F E
--5-4-3-2-1-0---4-4-4-4-4-4---0---0---0-------------------------------------|
----------------5-4-3-2-1-0---2---1---0-------------------------------------|
------------------------------3---2---1-------------------------------------|
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Verse4
E
---15-15-14--15-15-14--15-15-14--15-15-14--14--12-12------------------------|
---17-17-16—-17-17-16—-17-17-14—-17-17-16--16—-14-14------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B
---15-15-14--15-15-14--15-15-14--15-15-14--15--14-14------------------------|
---17-17-16—-17-17-16—-17-17-14—-17-17-16--17—-16-16------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E A
---15-15-14--15-15-14--15-15-14--15-15-14--14--12-12------------------------|
---17-17-16—-17-17-16—-17-17-14—-17-17-16--16—-14-14------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E B E
---15-15-14--15-15-14--15-15-14--15-15-14--14--12-12------------------------|
---17-17-16—-17-17-16—-17-17-14—-17-17-16--16—-14-14------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Final verse and fade out
E A E B E
----------------------------------------7---9-7-----------------------------|
--------5-7b9---------5-7b8-------5—7s9---9-----9-7s5---5---b8r7-5---5------|
--4-4-6-------4-4-4-6---------4-6---------------------6---6--------6--------|
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
….fade out from here
The end