A little more help

Scott Tooredman · From: Palatine, IL

Well all of you have been very very helpful. Some of you even e-mailed me, which has aided to my enjoyment out of all of this. I can actually get some help from people. You've helped me pick my guitar (I'm going with the chandler, if u wanna see it, the link is in "is this guitar good") and I have an amp (I might get a new one for my slide guitars, I don't think I need any help in picking that out) now the big thing is, what else do I need? I would have a guitar and an amp. That's it, please don't leave any details out. I just need to know what else I need other than those 2 things. P.S. I am getting the case too, and again thanks for all the help.

Jim Landers · From: Spokane, Wash.

Thumb pick.
Finger picks.
Bar.
Perseverance.
Perseverance!
Perseverance!!
Perseverance!!!
Perseverance!!!!
Perseverance!!!!!
Perseverance and determination!!!!!!!

Scott Tooredman · From: Palatine, IL

now, my finger picks do u mean normal guitar picks, or kinds that attach to you. Also any info on a bar, any good kinds, any differences?

Jim Landers · From: Spokane, Wash.

Scott, the thumb picks are the wrap around type the same as a lot of guitar pickers use. There are several brands such as National, Dunlop, etc., and they come in small, medium, and large szes and are made of plastic. If you can't get one that feels just right to you, they can be put in hot water to soften them up and then you can bend them around to suit you.

The finger picks that most steel players use are metal and are the same as the ones that most banjo players use. Again, there are several different brands. I prefer the heavy gauge (.025) Nationals but a lot of people like a little lighter gauge. That's just whatever feels best to you.

The bars come in a lot of different sizes from 3/4' to 1" or more in diameter. Most of the non pedal players use a 3/4" stainless or chrome bar that is anywhere from 2 3/4" long to 3 1/4" long. The ones I like the best are a BJS that is 3/4" round and 2 7/8" long.

I would suggest that you give Scotty's a call in St.Louis. They are a music store that specializes in steel guitar. Just tell them you need some help picking out the right stuff to get started with and they will fix you up right with everything you need. They also have a lot of instructional material available to get you started in the right direction. I don't have their phone number or e-mail address handy, but somebody here will be glad to give it to you.

Good luck, and I hope this helps.

Jim

Tim Rowley · From: Pinconning, MI, USA

A good volume pedal is something you'll need. DON'T BUY JUNK! Get a good used pedal here on the "Buy and Sell" portion of this forum and it will serve you for many years.

Tim R.

Sage · From: Boulder, Colorado

I like the heavy National finger picks- hard to find. Propiks are very good, and stay on too. For thumb picks I like the Golden Gate and the Propik. My BJS bar rules, but I'm a little goofy in that I use a giant 12 string PSG bar for playing my lapsteels and dobro- I'm just comfortable with it. It also keeps me from getting a "nervous" vibratto.
Get a spare cord, and a couple of rags to clean your strings and guitar respectively. I have a very small tupperware carton that holds my string wipe down rag with a little isopropyl alcohol in it.
In addition to practice time for scales or songs, give yourself a chance to goof off. This is an especially good way to discover slants, and get to know your tuning without getting a headache. Try to find one tuning that is interesting enough to stay with it for a while. I like the 6th tunings. They are pretty enough for a beginner and deep enough for a demi-god player.
I don't believe a steel player should even have a volume pedal until he or she gets a year's practice and playing under the belt. My .02

[This message was edited by Sage on 17 June 2001 at 12:58 AM.]

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