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Topic: Playing when it's cold |
Stuart Legg
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Posted 22 Apr 2012 7:54 pm |
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I was just wondering how many PSG players have had this kind of experience?
Bo is playing with the Ozark Outlaw Band.
They played a big Outdoor thing at Sunrise Beach and I about froze to death.
So I don’t know how the band got through it.
Bo said he could move the tone bar back all over the neck with the left hand but the right hand just couldn’t get there at the same time.
Those tube amps just don't sound the same when they’re cold.
The Band still sounded good and played high energy as usual. Rock on!!
Bo said he usually brings a hair dryer with him if he thinks it’s going to be cold but this time he forgot it.
I don't have the pictures yet but here is from earlier warm shows
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Bo Legg
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Posted 22 Apr 2012 8:34 pm
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Man it was cold but that little Stage One handled the cold great. It amazingly held within about 4 cents from top to bottom.
The little (stock)Stage One really rocks out and sounds real fat when I use a Peavey Tubefex (that I always use) into the real secret (a Boss Fender 59 Bassman pedal) into my old stock Peavey Session 500 (for high volume).
I didn't need the hair dryer for the steel I needed it for my hands.
What was lacking in temperature we made up in Volume
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John De Maille
From:
On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.
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Posted 23 Apr 2012 7:33 am
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| Was playing an outside job, last year, in October. It was a two day event. Saturday was a little misty and around 50 degrees, but, we were on a "show mobile" and were protected from the light rain. Sunday was completely different. The temps dropped to 38 and there was a cold wind blowing across the stage. My right hand fingers were refusing to move during the second set. I had to keep putting my hands in my jacket pockets to keep them warm between songs. My steel, a Zum, had to be retuned every other song. It was going flatter as the temps went down. I really didn't care for the gig, but, the money was good. I don't care for outside gigs in inclement weather. |
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Clyde Mattocks
From:
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 23 Apr 2012 7:55 am
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I carry one of those little square Holmes ceramic heaters that you can get from WalMart or Lowe's for about 25.00. I place it right under my steel so the heat rises up. It's not ideal, but it helps.
_________________
LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 23 Apr 2012 8:12 am
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John this gig was nothing like 38 degrees and windy, you got us beat on that one. How could you play?
Clyde we are playing in Columbia Mo. on Sat. and Kansas City Sun both inside but I may take your suggestion anyway. I will more than likely need a fan this time. |
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Joe Naylor
From:
Avondale, Arizona, USA
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Posted 23 Apr 2012 8:17 am
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Well we turn off the AC. 
Just thought maybe this would make someone smile.
On the way back last night from the Southern Steel Guitar Association Jam in LA - it was 108 in Palm Springs yesterday so the COOL playing just made me smile.
Not trying to highjack the thread just want to make some smile here.
Joe Naylor
www.steelset.com
_________________
Joe Naylor, Avondale, AZ (Phoenix) Announcer/Emcee owner www.steelseat.com *** OFFERING SEATS AND Effects cases with or without legs and other stuff ****** -Desert Rose Guitar S-10, Life Member of the Arizona Carport Pickers Assoc., Southwest Steel Guitar Assoc., Texas Steel Guitar Assoc., GA Steel Guitar Assoc., KS Steel Guitar Assoc. (Asleep at the Steel) tag line willed to me by a close late friend RIP |
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Ben Lawson
From:
Brooksville Florida
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Posted 23 Apr 2012 9:10 am
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| In the early '90's I was playing at Great Adventure (Six Flags for you non-Jersey guys) when the season opened. It was so cold I didn't play at all, I literally sat on my fingers all day. Joe Dalton was playing guitar with gloves on. Joe could probably play with his elbows and still be great. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 23 Apr 2012 9:59 am
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One deer to the other: "I just love the Summers in Minnesota".
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Clyde Mattocks
From:
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 23 Apr 2012 12:20 pm
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We once played outside at Greenbriar Resort in W. Va. on top of a mountain. The audience stood inside by the fire in the lodge and looked out at us thru the big plate glass windows. This was nighttime in late October and the temp was in the 30's. Finally, we started playing Christmas songs and they took the hint and let us quit.
_________________
LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 23 Apr 2012 2:13 pm
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| Bwaaa! Youse guys are killin' me! We played the closing day of Cleveland's Winterfest. First week of January. Flatbed trailer. Public Square, just a few blocks from frozen Lake Erie. They were doing the finals of the ice-sculpting contest in front of the stage. 7 or 8 degrees! Kline worked just fine. Glove on the left hand, glove with the fingers cut halfway off on the right hand. Never, ever wanna do that gig again! |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 23 Apr 2012 9:33 pm
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I was ask if that was me playing on the demo songs on the website.
No, It was a different steel player.
I've only been with them for a few weeks. |
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Paul King
From:
Gainesville, Texas, USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2012 3:44 am
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| This ole boy hates cold weather. I remember playing one night outside and I was shaking so bad I could not play. Good thing it was not a paying gig. They would have felt cheated. I figure about 75 degree weather is about right for me, that is if the wind is not blwoing. |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 24 Apr 2012 6:30 am
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This picture doesn't really give a sense of how cold this place can be - Medora, ND in late-May at rehearsals. We're under cover but exposed to the elements. The wind can be wickedly cruel on top of ambient temperatures around 40 degrees...
This pic is 2006 but last year I finally capitulated and cut the fingers off some woollen gloves I had; it really does help ('though it plays Hell with my palm-blocking!!!)
_________________
Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Barry Blackwood
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Posted 24 Apr 2012 6:36 am
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Playing when it's cold? Beware of shrinkage ….  |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 24 Apr 2012 6:40 am
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Dunno about you guys, but my guitar goes sharp when it gets cold...
Ref: John DeM.'s post)
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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John De Maille
From:
On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.
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Posted 24 Apr 2012 8:34 am
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Roger,
Contrary to your steel, my steel got flatter, the colder it got. Must be a mechanical anomaly. |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 24 Apr 2012 8:47 am
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Maybe that's 'Day vs. Emmons'?
Just kidding - I don't know! I'd have thought that cold would tighten the strings as they'd theoretically contract, and heat would expand them rendering them looser and 'flatter'. I should start a new thread!!!
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2012 8:53 am
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Roger,
I'm with you.
When I first sit down at my steel, the tuning is sharp. I wait until the strings warm up before I tune otherwise I wind up flat if I tune too soon. |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 24 Apr 2012 9:04 am
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That's how I've always understood it, Erv but, in the picture above, I couldn't have given a toss how out-of-tune I was - I was more concerned with my personal comfort which was distinctly compromised at that point!
When I first did this gig (2002) I was told by the costume department that no garments could be worn underneath our stage-shirts - that didn't last long, though, and there was an uprising in the band-room as the temperature dropped lower and lower.
These days when it's cold on the gig I'm wearing so much underneath that shirt that I look like the Michelin Man!!!
_________________
Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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John De Maille
From:
On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.
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Posted 24 Apr 2012 9:13 am
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| Erv Niehaus wrote: |
Roger,
I'm with you.
When I first sit down at my steel, the tuning is sharp. I wait until the strings warm up before I tune otherwise I wind up flat if I tune too soon. |
I find this to be the complete opposite. I've found, that, on many occassion, when bringing my steel in from the outside ( from my truck to inside my house or to a club ) where the temps are cooler outside as compared to inside, when tuned immediately the tuning gets sharper as the steel acclimates to the higher temp. Knowing this, I never tune it immediately after opening. I wait until the steel reaches the ambient temp. It's happened so many times, it's just second nature to me to do it that way. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2012 9:43 am
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| I guess it must be a case of different strokes for different folks. |
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Frank Parish
From:
Nashville,Tn. USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2012 2:22 pm
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| About three years ago I played an outside show in November and there was ice puddles all around us so it was very cold that day. I said then that I wouldn't play anything outside after Nov 1 no matter what it pays. Then this last year I was playing outside in Oct and it wasn't quite as cold but still very uncomfortable and now the date is Sept 15! That's the cut off date for me period. When my hands are cold I can't play anything and it doesn't take much for me. I've played sitting on a heating pad and that makes it better but it doesn't do a thing for my hands not to mention the tuning issues. It's April 24 now and today it was 46 when i got up so it's still too cold for me! Maybe May 1 would be the start date but I'll be watching to see. |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 24 Apr 2012 3:54 pm
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Frank:
In ND all bets are off! We had a show cancelled three years ago on June 6th - snow on the stage! Mind you, when Summer begins ND is far more pleasant than Naples, FL - I've known it be 115 degrees but with zero humidity, while my poor wife is at home here in a Florida Summer!
I miss Susie, home, and our little dog, but I don't miss Naples in mid-Summer!
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Tracy Sheehan
From:
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2012 6:58 pm Re.
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| Erv Niehaus wrote: |
One deer to the other: "I just love the Summers in Minnesota".
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I have played many jobs in Minn.In the summers it was always my luck for it to rain that day. |
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) and about a 10-15 mile an hour wind. Clam-arama... and no touch at all. I was so cold my brain wouldn't work, much less my hands. I have a friend who has the perfect analogy, "Sometimes my tone sounds like I'm beating on a pipe with a hammer." EXACTLY!!
