Why The Need For More Than One Steel Guitar?

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

I have been puzzled about this for some time now; why do non-pedalers have this strange lust to own two or three or more lap or console steel guitars? Is it to keep up with the other guy, is it because a steel player is never satisfied with their guitar's sound or could it be that they feel the need for different steel guitars to play different songs or back up work.

I still have my beloved Guya D8 and my Remington D10; and, almost bought a Fender Stringmaster but got a hold of my common sense at the nick of time.

Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

Well, Les, they're all different! Currently I have Georgeboard with P-90s, 50's Oahu Tonemaster, 40's Rick Panda, and a Marrs/Fluger Cat can. They each feel and sound completely different, and each inspires a different approach and provides a different experience.
There are so many variations in tone and feel that I can understand a lifetime of exploration without even denting the available lap steel gene pool.

Tuning is a related issue- I've found that some laps I've owned or played really spoke with a C6 tuning, others just woke up with open E or D. I just wish I could keep 'em all.
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Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Well, in my case, my quad Bigsby was a mid-1950's design/manufacture with cables and all.

In the early 1970's my ears were being saturated with the fabulous pedal sounds of Lloyd Green and Buddy Emmons. Unable to get "that SOUND" from the Bigsby, I just had to acquire the Emmons.

Now, I'd been searching for a Rickenbacher Bakelite since the mid-1950's but had been assured that those olde plastic guitars had all likely transformed themselves into black dust. Until I met a great Texas gentleman by the name of Wayne Tanner, Belverde, TX. Thanks to him, I got to actually see, touch and play one and was forever hooked.

My good friend Michael from Dallas happened to find one for sale, a seven stringer, and I was hooked.
The ease of playing, the accuracy in fretting and the fantabulous TONAL SOUNDS will never escape me.

I have several now and would hate to part with anyone of them. Each has its own personality and playability. I'm NOT a collector or hoarder but I'd like to corner the market on them.

And........they are much lighter than some of my other guitars. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

I have about 10 or 12 at this time, not sure exactly, but each one sounds slightly different, looks different, and plays different. Different scale lengths, string spacing, pickups. For teaching I need several configurations, 6 string, 8 string, 10 string, sometimes multiple tunings on one guitar. I also need a pedal steel for gigs and teaching.

A lot of vintage lap steels and consoles are rare and unique. I see them as historical and beautiful instruments. When I see a nice one for sale at the right price it's very hard to resist! Cool

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Jeff Mead · From: London, England

I guess it's the same reason that other guitar players own lots of guitars (often the same make and model) and I wouldn't say it's because they "need" to.

For my own part, I have a lovely old Gibson 6 string BR-9 which I use if I'm doing a gig where I will only be playing steel on a few numbers or maybe for a jam session.

I have a Japanese "Fender" style steel, on legs, which I use with my main gigging band where it's easier to leave it set up and stand up to play rather than sit down with the Gibson (again, I only play it on 3 or 4 numbers).

For gigs that are primarily Steel gigs, I'll either use my Fender Triple 8 custom or my double 8 dual professional. These are very similar to each other but the double neck does sound slightly better to my ears but I basically weigh up whether I need the extra neck or not. If I'm mainly doing Don Helms style stuff I'll probably use the double if I'm likely to be venturing into Speedy West territory (mainly in my own mind, I must admit) it'll be the triple.

There's one band I play with where we do a couple of numbers where I use Am6 tuning and it's easier to take the Gibson in that tuning than retune the Fender.

To be completely honest about what I "need" I could probably play about 75% of my licks on my 6 string if I had to.

Stephen Abruzzo · From: Philly, PA

Pick-ups and tunings.

You just can't go from a C6 to an E tuning with some thump in the bass on the same set of strings.

If you only like the sound of a certain pickup, then maybe you can get away with one guitar.....but if you like different types of pups, then you need multiple guitars. Very Happy

Jack Aldrich · From: Washington, USA

My growing kit of steels I own is a result of looking for something that sounds better or has features the others don't. For years, my main gigging steel was my D8 medium scale Stringmaster. I have a Fender Deluxe 8 that I use when I know I won't need the B11 neck. After playing Frank Miller's T8 Stringmaster at Joliet, I decided I needed one, to add an E7 tuning, so I bought one from Mike Perlowin. Then, when I was in Hawaii, I got a Canopus D8 from Greg Sardinha, which has become my go-to steel for gigging. Of course that doesn't explain why I have A Rickenbacher B6 and B10, or my ShoBud Jerry Byrd Frypan, or the 3 resonator guitars. Me pedal steel story is like my D8 story - I played a ShoBud ProIII until 1999, when I got my D10 Carter. I tell people that the reason I have so many steels is that I don't have anyone to tell me "No". - Jack
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Carter & ShoBud D10's
D8 & T8 Stringmaster
Rickenbacher B6
3 Resonator guitars
Asher Alan Akaka Special SN 6
Canopus D8

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

I can't think of a good answer to that question........

Tom Snook · From: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA

steel guitars are like beautiful women,but I wouldn't want to take a shower with one. Shocked

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Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Don Kona Woods · From: Hawaiian Kama'aina

Mark says,

Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

I'm down to 6, and with a little luck I'll be down to 3 !
All I need is the frypan and the bakelite....both 7s.

And still have the New Yorker I bought new, which rarely gets out of the case...just a keepsake at this point in time...

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

I didn't need my dining room table, chairs, paintings, coffee table, or couch.....so I had to fill the space with something........

Mark Mansueto · From: Michigan, USA

I thought I'd make my wife happy by letting her know that I recently sold 3 of my beloved guitars. She replied by asking how many I have left. I had to stop and think.... "15" was the total number. I have one more that I want to oft and I'll be down to the bare minimum of acoustic and electric lap steels, guitars and bass. Five are steels.
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Tony Lombardo · From: Alabama, USA

I have a few instruments, but only one of each kind. I have one electric guitar, one S-8 lap steel, and one tenor banjo. I'm currently saving for a 5-string banjo and an electric tenor guitar. For some reason, I don't want to own more than one of each instrument.

Michael Robertson · From: Ventura, California. USA

OCD on my part, but I contracted this ailment from my wife.
So it’s her fault.
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Mike Neer · From: NJ

I have 2 but I really only play 1. That's going to change soon, though.
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Jay Yuskaitis · From: Massachusetts, USA

Why would anyone want to look at "just one" One Dollar Bill, One Woman, One Bankbook, One Menu, One 5 String, One Flat top, One Dobro, One Pedal Steel, One Straight Steel or Non Pedal Steel?? Guess I've missed something along the way. JY

Don Barnhardt · From: North Carolina, USA

I just like them.

Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

My thoughts are that you just need a few:
1. A dobro (resonator) for acoustic gigs, campfire songs and unpluged jamming.
2. A small 6 or 8 string for travel or to leave in your car to play while your wife is shopping.
3. A 10 or 12 string for expanded chords, or a double neck console (for the same reason)
4. And perhaps a pedal steel for recording, and playing country gigs.

So I guess 4 would be my minimum number, regardless of tunings.
Dom Laughing

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chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

one for each costume change .

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

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