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Topic: Does elevated (boot heel) foot help? |
Steven Welborn
From:
Ojai,CA USA
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Posted 2 Dec 2005 2:02 pm |
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I have a problem sometimes riding a pedal by mistake. My pedals might be too high and could be lowered a bit, not without rod extensions or new rods though. I know many or some players like cowboy boots. Perhaps not so much to be cool but for the foot elevation of the heel. Then some dont like the boot toe getting caught in the rods right? Well, I guess my question is do many players prefer an elevated heel and has it better positioned the foot ergonomically?
I saw some nice Italian dress shoes (reeeeal nice  )the other day that had some heel hidth without a pointy toe, also a nice firm hard sole that might make for good pedal work. Not sure to spring for em yet. Any feed back on the heel thing? Thanks [This message was edited by Steven Welborn on 02 December 2005 at 02:03 PM.] |
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Tucker Jackson
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 2 Dec 2005 2:57 pm
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| Steven, I agree. It's easier to avoid accidently touching a pedal when playing in boots or shoes with a larger heel. A little bit of heel-elevation goes a long way. |
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James Sission
From:
Sugar Land,Texas USA
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Posted 2 Dec 2005 3:30 pm
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| I took John Fabians advice and I wear a roper style boot. It has a rounded toe and a little lift on the heel. It also has a softer leather sole than other boots, so I can still feel the pedals through the boot. It seems to have worked out pretty well for me so far, but I also play in pair of soft leather deck shoes that have a little heel as well. I am beginner, but I like to feel the pedal through the shoe a little bit, it seems to give me some confidence and keeps me from looking down there…James |
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Tyler Hall
From:
Mt. Juliet, TN
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Posted 2 Dec 2005 3:53 pm
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I've been playing in cowboy boots for about 2 years. I love them. The heal lift is really comfortable, and they're not bad looking either. It's hard for me to play without my boots now. It makes pedal work easier, and I even work my volume pedal better than before. It's great because I don't have to bend my foot up as far as before. Hard to go wrong with boots.
D-10 Fessenden, Nashville 112, Session 500, Goodrich LDR |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 2 Dec 2005 4:47 pm
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| Skater shoes, Chucks, or anything fairly flat works fine for me. I can't stand walking, much less playing, in cowboy boots. |
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Paul Brainard
From:
Portland OR
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Posted 2 Dec 2005 6:52 pm
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I always thought it was like a union regulation that you had to wear cowboy boots when you play steel. . .
Yes, leather soles are best, although you can get used to harder ones too. A lot of times I wear roper-style work boots that are sturdy for loading out & waterproof as well.
The heel sure helps a lot, also a good pivot for rocking between pedals.
It also has occurred to me that you could put down a strip of 1x2 wood where your heel lands & sort of use that as an 'artificial' heel, then you don't have to wear boots. Make it hook on to steel's back legs or something. |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 2 Dec 2005 10:40 pm
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There have been many discussions of footwear here.
Personally, I play in soft-soled moccasins. They give all the flexibility of playing barefoot, but provide enough cushion to remove any discomfort.
I found the best moccasins (for our purposes) are made from Elk skin, and are made and sold by a firm called Taos Moccasins in Taos New Mexico.
I believe several other steel guitarists have also purchaed moccasins from these people.
If you get a pair, make sure they are the soft-soled type.
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Mike Ester
From:
New Braunfels, Texas, USA
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Posted 3 Dec 2005 7:23 am
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I alternate between boots and flat shoes constantly. It makes no difference to me.
My choice of footwear depends on the gig. Here in Texas, I use my boots for more "formal" venues (weddings, real Texas dancehalls, etc.). In more casual settings, I leave the Tony Lamas in the closet. I don't care to mess them up in a club setting. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 3 Dec 2005 7:42 am
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I gave up on boots years ago. You can always adjust your pedals down and boots don't allow for the ankle flexibility required to rock between the A & B pedals.  |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 3 Dec 2005 8:13 am
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| Ha! I've had to re-heel and re-sole my favorite boots 4 times in the last 20 years! Most comfortable footwear I've ever had. They have a blunt toe and are nice and soft. Guess I got lucky when I picked them out. But, after all that, I can play in boots or flat shoes or mocs. Doesn't matter. I'd say you need to extend your rods a bit. |
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Gene Jones
From:
Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)
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Posted 3 Dec 2005 9:09 am
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I have worn boots to work for many years because boots were usually expected in the venues I worked...especially western-swing. However, I always found the elevated heel to be undesirable.
As a compromise, I have always bought good quality, narrow-toed western boots, (Lucchese or Rios of Mercedes), but, before wearing them, took them to a shoe repair shop and had two or three layers of the stacked leather heel removed.
This gave me the lower heel of a shoe, but without the round-toe of a roper boot that always seemed to be a little too wide and somewhat compromised pedal selection when playing.
Off the bandstand, I'm not that discriminating, and will play in Nikes or whatever I happen to be wearing! 
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www.genejones.com
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Bo Borland
From:
South Jersey -
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Posted 3 Dec 2005 9:19 am
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As a guy who has not owned a pair of regular shoes in over 30 years, I always played in regular western boots for years, even for practice. I always had a leg tension/strain problem, either my right leg would feel strained (calf & shin) many times it would even twitch ..a lot like I had the vibrato on. My lower back would ache a lot while playing too. I chalked it up to nerves.. but in the last 10 years I have been wearing only Justin or Lama Ropers. I have no problems with my legs or back at all. There is plenty of ankle room to rock. It also let me flatten out the guitar instead of pitching forward and playing a little downhill. I practice in my Nike athletics many times even in flip flops and have no transition problems into my regular footwear. FYI.. I buy a lot of brand new ropers on Ebay for way less than at the local western wear store. Just remember that every boot maker cuts the sizes a little different, one size 11 doesn't fit all...
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Bo Borland
Once, only my equipment was considered vintage... now I find that I am too!
[This message was edited by Bo Borland on 03 December 2005 at 09:21 AM.] |
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Jim Ives
From:
Los Angeles, California, USA
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Posted 3 Dec 2005 10:07 am
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| Topsiders. Similar to Mike's mocs... |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 3 Dec 2005 11:19 am
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Gene - How in the world did you find out about Rios boots? Are they that popular now? As a young teenager, in the mid-1960's, we lived in Mercedes, right across the street from the original Mr. Rios. Several of his offspring have continued the tradition of making very fine boots.
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Lee, from South Texas
Down On The Rio Grande
Mullen U-12, Evans FET-500, Fender Steel King
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Gene Jones
From:
Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)
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Duncan Hodge
From:
DeLand, FL USA
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Posted 3 Dec 2005 5:18 pm
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Personally, outside of real shoes. I play in Kino sandals, handmade in Key West. Solid leather upper part and very thin leather/rubber on the bottom. It's just like playing barefoot, but you have a stiff bottom of the shoe. Here is the link, the product for men is #18. The best part is that they are only about $12 and last 3-4 years. Order about one size bigger than your regular size. They will start to fit your foot like a pair of Levi pants after a while. http://www.kinosandal.com/
Duncan[This message was edited by Duncan Hodge on 03 December 2005 at 05:19 PM.] |
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Darryl Hattenhauer
From:
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
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Posted 3 Dec 2005 6:58 pm
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| I play in high heels. Preferably with black nylons and..., oh never mind. |
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Gene Jones
From:
Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)
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Posted 4 Dec 2005 4:40 am
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Darryl...I tried that too, but gave it up because getting my equipment loaded and out of the club parking lot safely was always kind of dicey!
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www.genejones.com
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 4 Dec 2005 5:05 am
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You can tell how soft those boots are just by looking, Gene.
But take a tip from the old master and have the heels lowered or raise the pedals. Functionally, the strain on the shin and upper foot will get you. |
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Bill Moore
From:
Manchester, Michigan
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Posted 4 Dec 2005 6:31 am
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| I feel most comfortable wearing tennis shoes. If I wer to raise my heel 3/4 of an inch, I'd need to raise my guitar too. Probably has a lot to do with one's height, size of the foot, the distance you sit back from the guitar. I have a feeling that a shorter person would find the raised heel more comfortable, just because his feet are probably shorter and he is probably sitting closer to his guitar. A smaller foot needs to rest at a more acute angle than a longer foot. Just my thoughts, I guess what's best is whatever works for you. |
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Darryl Hattenhauer
From:
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
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Posted 4 Dec 2005 7:14 am
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Gene,
What a sight that would be. Somebody ought to put thatin a movie.
Steve,
Sorry if it seemed I did take this topic seriously. Actually, I was wondering the same thing and appreciate the advice of ropers and will look them up on ebay.
I don't own cowboy boots anymore. The heel was too high for walking, and they were slippery on the floor of truck trailers.[This message was edited by Darryl Hattenhauer on 04 December 2005 at 07:14 AM.] |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 4 Dec 2005 7:25 am
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I like the idea of Mike's moccasins (except not in white - that's the "Leisure World" spring shoe color!). I keep a pair of cheap slipons next to the steel since I usually don't wear shoes in the house, and the soft-soles do make it much easier to play. I'lll have to check out those mocs and pick some up.
FWIW I tried a neighbor's cowboy boots (who wears the same size as me). Yeegads, I don't see how *anyone* could play with those things! Stretches the heck out of the front of the leg because of the raised heel, and it's almost impossible to hit two pedals, much less roll between two, with a skinny toe and your ankle wrapped in leather...[This message was edited by Jim Sliff on 04 December 2005 at 07:27 AM.] |
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Steven Welborn
From:
Ojai,CA USA
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Posted 4 Dec 2005 9:31 am
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Not a problem at all Darryl. If it wernt for a sense of humor, I would never have been able to continue tryng to play steel guitar.
I ges as far as soft mocs vs. firm sole and heels go, it all depends on ones individual feet or foot type. Since my feet are a bit large,floppy, poor arches, etc., I need all the help I can get.
Ive noticed some new boot technology out there while searching the web called "technocrepe" claiming superior flexablilty and super light weight might be worth a try. Not cheap though.
A low top zipper boot with heel is on my list as well. Looks like they could allow some ankle freedom.
If a lot of trial and error and money spent produces something that really clicks, it'll be worth it. With surplus of extra new shoes lying around , wont need to be any for some time  . |
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Howard Tate
From:
Leesville, Louisiana, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 5 Dec 2005 4:40 pm
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I started playing in boots, now they bother my feet too much. I've been playing in Mocs although with a little stiffer sole. Now my problem is the volume pedal. Sometimes I will put something under it to raise the back. I've been wondering if a low profile pedal would help.
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Howard, 'Les Paul Recording, Zum SD12U, Carter D10 8/8, Vegas 400, Boss ME-5, Boss DM-3, DD-3, Fender Steel King, Understanding wife. http://www.Charmedmusic.com
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