Confession: my favorite instrument is actually the bass

Curt Trisko · From: St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

I just thought it'd be fun to start a thread where people admit that the pedal steel isn't actually their favorite instrument. I love the pedal steel, but I think I like the bass guitar better. I love how it sets the rhythm and I love how you can feel the vibration of the notes travel through your body.

I'm spending the time and money learning pedal steel because it's more stimulating to me and because I believe in preserving instruments that are diminishing in the world. In 50 years, there will be very few people who are proficient on it. It reminds me of the old grandpas playing concertina and accordion when I was growing up. They're almost all passed away now. Don't get me wrong, I think the pedal steel can create a far more beautiful sound than the bass guitar and that it's also superior in evoking emotion.

If pedal steel isn't your favorite instrument, I dare you to post here and tell us why.

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

My crystal ball says that in 50 years the Pedal Steel will be more popular than ever. As far as other instruments go I use to play the "Swinette" before Jagwire stopped makin strings for it. Razz

Joachim Kettner · From: Germany

Depending on the mood I'm in I like standard guitar a little more.
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Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

I think your basic premise is flawed. In the grand scheme of the musical world, there have never been a lot of accomplished pedal steel players around. In fact, I think it's getting more, not less popular, because the barriers to entry are much lower than, let's say, 40 years ago. But my guess is that there are still enough barriers to entry that it will always basically be a niche instrument. But what a niche. Nothing can do what it does.

As far as what is my 'favorite', I never bother to even think about that. Wrong question, IMHO. My love for steel guitar in all its forms stands on its own, no need to rationalize, justify, or compare. I also love guitar, which I have been playing much longer, but again, no need to rationalize, justify, or compare.

Barry Blackwood · Posted 23 Feb 2013 7:58 am

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

I enjoy playing bass; but, the first time I played bass on a 4-hour gig, I said never again. Too much work!

Cal Sharp · From: the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN

Some of the most musically fulfilling moments I've ever had playing live music were when I was the bass player in a smokin' band, locked in the pocket with the drummer, zoning out and just listening to everyone play. You know what you get without a good bass player? Heartaches! Nothing but heartaches!
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David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

I like playing music, and I got more money out of bass than anything else, but that's related to what I wanted to play at the time. One thing I noticed in local rock music bands that seems to hold true all the way out to the star level, is that if your founding members of the band include the bassist and drummer, that band has a much better shot at holding together past "the terrible twos" and getting somewhere with it. It seems that the Nashville star system treats the band members as largely interchangeable, but when a young singer (or guitar "hero") treats the band that way, his biggest hit is most likely to be "you want fries with that?"

It does seem that "the rules" for how parts are to played are locking down tighter and more conformist every year. You have to go way back to Sting with the Police, some of the later (80's) David Bowie stuff, to find hit songs built on the bass - it used to be common. Mo-town, mo-town who? There was a fairly awful band called the Red Hot Chili Peppers who were hitting the heroin before they got famous, instead of the Richards/Page/Clapton/Garcia model - but their bass player "Flea" could carry the whole band.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I hear ya Curt !

It would be very easy for me to go to Bass full time..I did that in the 90's for about 8 years and now and then over the last 10 years or so...

truth be known..my number one has always been the Telecaster, #2 is a toss up between Dobro or Steel and # 3 Bass..but..should I happen to go to Bass on a few gigs I could easily go #1 Bass, over the next few months I am on Bass duty with our band so I may be closer than I think !

Fender stack knob JBass and SWR Redhead kinda talk to you while you're playin'...this rig has a special thing going on under the 5th fret...

Come on you Bass guys..show us the gear !

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William Lake · From: Ontario, Canada

My mistress for many years. Paid the rent.

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Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

When the English musicians invaded the USA in the 1950's, the steel guitar faded away. To survive, I started playing bass in a mixed race R&B band, and it was one of the most fulfilling periods of my professional career. Playing bass for a sax and piano player who had survived the R&B years was a high lite for me.

To be honest, I was not a great bass player, but I survived until Nashville started using steel guitars again. I then gave up my bass and started playing the pedal steel guitar again.

I'm still not sure that I wouldn't rather be playing the bass for a kicking R&B or a western-swing band.
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"FROM THEN TIL' NOW"

Joachim Kettner · From: Germany

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

Well, in my world of that era, the 1950's were the downpoint that ended the steel guitar's influence in the music industry. Virtually no recordings featured a steel guitar. A standard guitar with holes punched in the speakers etc, was the favored sound. A sideman who could barely hum a one line harmony, was always the one hired.
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Dave Hopping · From: Aurora, Colorado

Well,pedal steel is the one I love the most,but bass can be a lot of fun.Made me feel like Atlas,carrying the whole band around,but at the same time I felt like I was continually soloing even though it was just root-fifth.I haven't done an actual bass gig in some time,but still play my own bass parts on the never-ending home recording project.

Geoff Barnes · From: Sydney, Australia

I love my basses... really more of a guitarist but as we're posting bass pics.... here are my gals Cool

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