Steel Guitar vs. one having pedals.......

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

How many of you actually relegate your steel guitar (lacking pedals) to a back seat or secondary roll in your playing?

Some have said they use it only for "SLIDE GUTIAR" affects during rock tunes; others have said they only use it for "Hawaiian tunes" or "ballads". (No one in the Pacific Northwest has said this, as best I can recall)Others have indicated they use it only with FUZZ or SCREAMING devices....

Have any of you actually played an entire four hour dance gig with your little steel guitar? If not, why not?

Bob Tuttle · From: Republic, MO 65738

In recent months I've been feeling like I'm in a rut, and that my playing is getting too mechanical. So, during the last couple of months, I've been taking only my 6 string lap steel to some of the gigs. I haven't had so much fun playing in years. It's hard to explain, but it seems like there's more of ME in my playing. The other guys in the band were all knocked out over the "new" sound. Every time I take the pedal steel now, they ask me why I didn't bring the lap.

I started out on 6 string lap steel in 1950. I guess I've come full circle.

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Yep, the steel is mostly the only thing I've been taking out, and an acoustic one at that. I do it often and it's alot of fun.

I've been a guitarist for almost my entire career until now.

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www.mikeneer.com

Paul Arntson · From: Washington, USA

I am a strictly amateur player. (I played rock pro for a little while in the late 60's early 70's before I realized it was way too much work for a person of my somewhat limited talent to make a living at).

I got a little magnatone 6 lap steel about 1 1/2 years ago and started playing it with our little amateur group, where I formerly played guitar. I have finally got to the point where I play on about 90% of our songs with a double 8 magnatone. People seem to like it and I can get through most of an evening without embarrassing myself too many times.

This steel guitar is the most fun I have ever had playing. Partly due to your kind words of encouragement, Ray, I have had the confidence to keep at it and it just keeps getting more enjoyable. Maybe someday I will get one with pedals, but right now I can't imagine needing them.

The non-mechanical sound seems to be exactly what feels right. And the only effect that seems to make any sense is a little reverb.

The support of this forum is what keeps me learning and enjoying. THANK YOU to all of you.

PS Thanks too to Orville Johnson and the great lesson I had the other Saturday. I learned a ton.

-paul

[This message was edited by Paul Arntson on 08 November 2004 at 08:55 PM.]

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

I haven't played any gigs with my non pedal National because they never want to pay me.

There are things more important than money, but I'm drawing a blank on what they are..

um......

It'll come to me....

EJL

Jeff Au Hoy · From: Honolulu, Hawai'i

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

.

[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 17 November 2004 at 07:31 PM.]

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

Ray I started out on straoight steel in 1935 or 6. Went to pedals in 1956. Got tired of sounding like everybody else in 1980 and have done all my gigs on straight steel since; hawaiian, country, western swing, pop stds etc. This averages 8 gigs a month. no sweat CC

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

I played non pedal for 15 years before switching to pedals. I recently acquired a six-string non pedal and have enjoyed the nuances of playing without pedals again!

www.genejones.com

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

Bob Stone · From: Gainesville, FL, USA

Hi Ray,

I don't play a whole lot of gigs, mostly parties and jams, which always include dancing. But the last real "gig" I played was at a restaurant with a sizeable dance floor. Everybody loves the old Ric B6. We played a lot of swing and old standards as well as some country and rock n roll.

The steel is treated as an equal to the other instruments. In fact, because I don't gig that much and steel players aren't all that common, it's usually percieved as something special.

Back in the '90s I doubled on fiddle and D8 Stringmaster in a Cajun dance band.

I'm fortunate to live in a town where there are a lot of dancers. Well actually, the music and dance scene was one of the reasons we moved here!

To me, playing for dancers can be very rewarding in terms of interaction--the musicians and dancers become one. It's my favorite playing situation.

Gerald Ross · From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Playing for dancers also keeps you from playing the tunes too fast.

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website

[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 09 November 2004 at 06:56 AM.]

Terry VunCannon · From: Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

I'm very much following in the footsteps of Steinar. I have plyed guitar only for 30 years. Over the past few years in have got deep into lap steel. In my cover band, I play guitar only. In my main blues band, I play guitar & lap steel. In a 3rd blues band, I play lap only. I love the groove that you can get into playing lap all night. I can see myself becoming a lap player only...I have noticed the extra attention that I get from other players & people in the crowd. I think that there in a steel movement in the works. Since I have started playing here in NC, there have been two other local players to get into the lap & we talk steel all the time.

Terry VunCannon · From: Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

Having already posted where I am coming from on my playing, I must ask. Do PSG players respect lap steel players? Do they accept us as equals, or look down on us. I have noticed an "Us vs. Them" attitude mainly from PSG players when something different than traditional playing comes up, like say Robert Randolphs style. As a lap steel player, I would love to have a player like RR bring that much attention to the lap steel. Where do the lap players stand, and are they more open minded???

Ron Randall · From: Dallas, Texas, USA

I enjoy them both for what they are. I am the proud owner of Gene Jones' Fender T8 Custom from 1949. So much fun.
I also play an SU12, 8+5. On regular Thursday night deal, I play Dobro, lap steel and PSG.

Variety is good, me thinks.

Ron

John McGann · From: Boston, Massachusetts, USA * R.I.P.

I'm with Ron- there are things the non-pedal does that the pedal can't do- and vice versa. They co-exist beautifully. I don't consider good pedal steel playing to be "mechanical" any more than good saxophone playing is "mechanical". They are both "machines" in their way...the difference is usually between a musician and "instrument operator"!

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http://www.johnmcgann.com
Info for musicians, transcribers, technique tips and fun stuff.

Joaquin Murphey solos book info and some free stuff : http://www.johnmcgann.com/joaquin.html

Larry Phleger · From: DuBois, PA

I too began my steel playing as a non pedal player. I have been playing pedal steel for over 25 years, but still dig the sound of 50s country. About 2 years ago, I bought a National T 8 console, did some restoration, and found that it is a blast to play. I don’t play it on gigs, but it has actually helped me improve my pedal steel playing. I think my experience with pedal steel has also made me a better non-pedal player. I’m looking forward to actually taking the National out on a gig with our band. We play to a hardcore country crowd, and I think it would go over pretty well

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

It puzzles me how a peddle, ten stringer can jump back and forth from a six or eight string steel then back to a ten or twelve. I bought a Guya D8 not long ago and a another steeler who has been playing a D12 for a few years tried to play the D8. This poor guy almost blew his mind trying to get his fingers to connect with the strings on my D8. A Guya has very wide spacing to the point that it is almost as wide as a six string.

Don’t you ten and twelve string boys get a bit confused with the wide spacings of the non pedal string spacing?

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I am not right all of the time but I sure like to think I am!

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

Ron, it's good to hear that the "Custom" still has a good home with someone who appreciates it! Having bought that guitar new in 1949, it constantly reminded me of how old I am!

www.genejones.com

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

I play most of my "Unsanctified Gospel Revival" gigs up here in Seattle these days using just my little old "English Electronics" 6 string lap (it's the best sounding lap I have ever played, a long scale Supro). Plenty of dancers, because this music *rocks*. On my new CD most of my solos are on non-pedal (it's available on the forum).

No effects other than wah pedal.

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www.tyack.com

Paul Arntson · From: Washington, USA

And it does ROCK!!!! It's awesome!

[This message was edited by Paul Arntson on 10 November 2004 at 06:46 AM.]

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

i started out w; a Gibson BR6 before movin' on to psg
when i play somewhere i always have my lap steel since it's part of my upbringing
inevitably, it serves in educating the public as to how my Zum came about
in other words i play both lap & psg at a gig, jam or party
i jes can't do without'em

seldomfed · From: Colorado

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

John McGann......might you be kind enough to expand on your recent comments, per above, regarding limitations you find in the various models of the steel guitar. Thanks.

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