Don Warden with Porter Wagoner-what kind of steel ?

Larry Lenhart · From: Ponca City, Oklahoma

I remember watching the Porter Wagoner show and Don Warden would play his pedal steel standing up. What kind of steel guitar was this...as I recall it had two pedals. Am I remembering incorrectly ? Can anyone provide more information about this steel guitar ? Thanks in advance.
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Dean Holman · From: Branson MO

It was a Sho-Bud single neck.

Duane Brown · From: Reno,Nevada USA

Sho-Bud. I have heard that it was the first one built. Reruns of the Porter Wagoner show are on RFD TV and Don is out front singing harmony with Porter. He had real long rods and played standing up. You are right- two pedals.

Daniel McKee · From: Corinth Mississippi

The first one he had just one pedal. it can be seen in a few really old clips of the Porter Wagoner show. Later on he got another one which had two pedals. Not sure if he had any others. Ill try to link a couple of clips so you can see them both.

Daniel McKee · From: Corinth Mississippi

Ok in this first clip you can see the later of the two guitars which was much darker in color and had 2 pedals.
https://youtu.be/OyYCClHDrmU

Now in this second video you can see the first guitar is a much lighter color and doesent have endplates. On the album cover "The Porter Wagoner Show" from 1963 there is a really good color photo with first guitar.
https://youtu.be/2q8Jf6OR-j8

I like the sound Don got out of his guitars. It always amazes me how he had no knee levers, and for a time only one pedal and 8 strings and no volume pedal and how amazing those sounds were. I know the first guitar was a permanent but I am not sure if the second one was I just assume. I've tried to find a good clear image of the changer end to see but haven't yet. Hope this helps to answer your question

David Nugent · From: Gum Spring, Va.

I always enjoyed viewing Don strolling around the stage carrying his guitar, casually walking back and forth to the mic. Try that with a loaded double neck!...The later Porter Wagoner shows broadcast from 'Opryland' featured Stu Basore on steel and Fred Newell on guitar.

Larry Lenhart · From: Ponca City, Oklahoma

Thanks for all the information guys ! That was fun to watch...great musicians and you can tell they were having fun ! Buck Trent always amazed me too,,,both on guitar with his travis pickin and on his special banjo.
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Zum Encore, Remington D8 non pedal, Hallmark Mosrite clone, Gretsch 6120 DSW, Gretsch G5210T-P90 Electromatic Jet Two 90,1976 Ibanez L5, Eastman archtop, Taylor Dreadnaught, Telonics pedal, Squire Tele, Squire Strat, Fender Tonemaster, Gold Tone 5 string banjo, Little Wonder tenor banjo, 3 Roland cubes 30s and 80, Carvin combo bass amp

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

I remember the Shobud with 2 pedals at the changer end.
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'91 Tele with 60's Maple neck
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Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

The newer guitar was tuned in D, could have been a long scale like 24.5", and probably a permanent.
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My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Larry Lenhart · From: Ponca City, Oklahoma

I noticed on that first video that the song was in D and at one point Don strummed the steel open for the D chord, so Herb is right, it was tuned in D...interesting.
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Zum Encore, Remington D8 non pedal, Hallmark Mosrite clone, Gretsch 6120 DSW, Gretsch G5210T-P90 Electromatic Jet Two 90,1976 Ibanez L5, Eastman archtop, Taylor Dreadnaught, Telonics pedal, Squire Tele, Squire Strat, Fender Tonemaster, Gold Tone 5 string banjo, Little Wonder tenor banjo, 3 Roland cubes 30s and 80, Carvin combo bass amp

Steve Allison · From: Eatonton,Ga. U.S.A.

The first steel he had a pedal (home made)on was a National if my memory serves me right.

Jeff Mead · From: London, England

[quote="Daniel
Now in this second video you can see the first guitar is a much lighter color and doesent have endplates. On the album cover "The Porter Wagoner Show" from 1963 there is a really good color photo with first guitar.
https://youtu.be/2q8Jf6OR-j8
[/quote]

I can't see a pedal rod in this clip.
Was this from before the pedal was fitted or did he just not hook it up for this perfomance?

Barry Blackwood · Posted 10 Oct 2016 9:19 am

Daniel McKee · From: Corinth Mississippi

Barry I would say you are correct that sometimes he didn't use it. I've seen at least a couple of videos where I couldn't see it so its possible that it wasn't hooked up. I believe the guitar was built with the pedal though.

David Nugent · From: Gum Spring, Va.

Seem to recall reading that originally both A&B pedal changes were on one pedal and that it was Buddy's idea to split them onto two. Could Don's single pedal have been set up that way?

Roger Shackelton · From: MINNESOTA (deceased)

In the 2nd photo it appears to be pre-Sho-Bud. ???

Roger

Rex Thomas · From: Thompson's Station, TN

Happen to have this from a discussion a few moons ago, thought I'd share.

john buffington · From: Owasso OK - USA

The Porter Wagoner Show came to Miami, OK., several years ago and got to see the guitar up close. Don allowed me to strum the strings to hear his tuning. He said "it is tuned to D9th, no chromatics, it has 8 strings"! It is a permanent mechanism. It probably was about 6 months old at that time, looked to be walnut, or maybe rosewood, really pretty wood. At that time he raised a couple of strings and lowered one string, hence the 2 pedals. He was playing through a Fender Vibrasonic amp with a 15" speaker in it, was placed to his immediate right and was not facing the audience as were the other amps on stage, heavy as all get out! Don was very friendly and loved to talk steel guitar when they weren't having to sell PW's albums.

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