Sacred steel tone and Derek Trucks

Brooks Montgomery · From: Idaho, USA

I've been listening to a variety of sacred steel lately (specifically an album called "The Best of Sacred Steel")
and the thing i notice about all the sacred steel masters is their tone. They all have a vocal, slightly over-driven tone that is very similar.

And the guitarist's tone that it reminds me of the most is the tone of Derek Trucks. He has that same, almost exact, tone.

Now I realize it's apples and oranges: sacred steel lap, console, pedal) vs. Derek's Gibson SG, with an Allesandro and PRS heads, and a glass slide. . .but what is it that makes them sound so similar in tone?

Obviously the skill of the player, but the tone similarity is, to me, quite remarkable.

is it the overdriven amps?The humbuckers?

any ideas here?

edit: i meant for this to be in steel without pedals, so move it there if you think that is a better place for this post.
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Mark Eaton · Posted 6 Aug 2021 12:17 pm

Here is an interesting factoid: Officiating at the wedding of Derek and Susan Tedeschi a number of years ago was one of the Sacred Steel masters - the Reverend Aubrey Ghent.
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Danny Letz · From: Old Glory,Texas, USA 79540

Many use a Morley fuzz wah volume pedal.

Dustin Rhodes · From: Owasso OK

Know much less about sacred steel than Trucks but with his classic tones were modified super reverbs into super inefficient speakers. Also the way he attacks the notes. He swoops into them like a vocalist might. I think that's the biggest difference to my ears. You have to think like a vocalist or even a blues 6 string player.

His supers had the tube for normal channel pulled and possibly the Trem circuit disconnected for more preamp gain. The Weber version of the 10's he uses are 92db sensitive. The polar opposite of most steel speakers. Lots of breakup and compression.

Brad Sarno · From: St. Louis, MO USA

It's my understanding that Derek's tone is done without pedals, just a good Fender Super Reverb turned up REAL loud to the point of power tube overdrive. Bass set real low, around 2, treble set high, around 8. Then just use the guitar volume and tone knobs to tailor things and go from clean to dirty. Such purity, love it.

B

Bob Womack · From: Virginia, USA

His tone became defined early on, accidentally. He was playing through a Super and blew the speakers out. His father, who was his manager, went out frantically looking for replacements for the next night's show. All he could find was Pyle stereo speakers. Derek installed the Pyles and liked the sound. And away we go.

Bob

By the way, a few years ago he was given one of Duane Allman's primary 1986 Marshall bass amps. He keeps it at home.
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George Redmon · From: Muskegon & Detroit Michigan.

When i'm playing Sacred Steel on my MSA SuperSlide, i just simply use a little compression, verb-delay {easy does it}, and leave my Wilson Wah on to the sweet spot that matches the SS vibe. Also most of the Sacred Steel players are using tube amps, with that sweet tube natural compression. Using their Sacred Steel tuning also helps. This works for ME, cain't speak for anyone else.

Asa Brosius · Posted 8 Aug 2021 2:35 pm

Tonally, Trucks is pretty different than the sacred steel players I've listened to. Aside from the obvious gear differences, the finger tips vs metal picks and his muted string rakes mark the difference- however they're in the same ballpark with vocal lines, vibrato and blues.

Dustin Rhodes · From: Owasso OK

Brooks Montgomery · From: Idaho, USA

Douglas Schuch · From: Valencia, Philippines

I've also heard strong similarities between Derek Trucks and many Sacred Steelers, but have never really analyzed it. In trying to listen a bit closer now, I think I agree with Asa - it's not the tone so much as his technique and style - the way he uses vibrato, soaring highs above the main melody, etc. But then, I it goes without saying that there is a lot of Duane Allman's style in his playing as well.

Here's a compilation video of Derek's solos. The first one I would say starts more Sacred Steel in style, and ends more Duane Allman. The middle one seems very much in Duane A's style. The third, seems more like Sacred Steel. These are just my personal views, of course.

https://youtu.be/GBbRrvJt8G8

You may hear different influences in these tunes. And in no way do I wish to imply Mr. Trucks is not a brilliant, creative musician. But I also think neither he nor we can divorce ourselves from everything that has gone on musically before us - we all have influences.

By the way, that compilation video is one of four on Youtube should you wish to listen further.
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David Gertschen · From: Phoenix, Arizona

Naturally, a Gibson SG is going to be tonally different than a steel guitar. But he certainly has a technique. His hand vibrato is fantastic. I think even better than Duane's.

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