How old were you when you started playing, and in what year?

Joe Naylor · From: Avondale, Arizona, USA

6 in 19 something and the only reason I did not start a year earlier the guitar teacher made me wait a year till after I was finished with the 1st grade - and I told Mon and Dad that I did not know why since THEY only use 7 letters and I knew UM all (yep all 26) Very Happy

I had to play steel because my hands were too small the they let me play both steel and guitar at 12 - which was when I started teaching steel.

My first student was 78 I remember it well - retired Railroad man and he played 10 or 12 hours a day - by the way I only taught him about 3 months when he started playing in a band in one of those dance halls I could not go into. Very Happy

Joe Naylor
www.steelseat.com
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Joe Naylor, Avondale, AZ (Phoenix) Announcer/Emcee owner www.steelseat.com *** OFFERING SEATS AND Effects cases with or without legs and other stuff ****** -Desert Rose Guitar S-10, Life Member of the Arizona Carport Pickers Assoc., Southwest Steel Guitar Assoc., Texas Steel Guitar Assoc., GA Steel Guitar Assoc., KS Steel Guitar Assoc. (Asleep at the Steel) tag line willed to me by a close late friend RIP

Marcus Provis · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

I was 27 in 2009 when I started playing steel. Had played various instruments previously, but never got "serious" about any instrument until the steel came along... Marcus Wink

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Emmons Black Rock S-10, Hilton Volume, Peavey Nashville 400, Fender Steel King, Fender Champion 40, Line 6 Echo Park Delay, Bullet Tone Bar.

Howard Steinberg · From: St. Petersburg, Florida , USA

1976 at age 29, on a Marketrite kit? Had been playing guitar since 1959. Time is moving too fast.
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Justice Pro Lite (4-5), Justice D-10 (8-5)x2 , Quilter Steelaire, Hilton Pedal, BJ's bar.

Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

In 1963, I was 10 years old, my dad built me a 6 string, used a wrist pin for a bar.

Instruction material was the LEEDS Hawaiian music book (yellow cover) and the Mel Bay book.

A C# E A C# E..............
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Lawyers are done: Emmons SD-10, 3 Dekleys including a D10, NV400, and lots of effects units to cover my clams...

Thiel Hatt · From: Utah, USA

At age 11 in 1949. On a six string Ohau electric guitar with a small Oahu amplifier with an 8 inch speaker and no control knobs, just the ones on the guitar. My teacher taught me from sheet music. Pedals came along about 1961.

Paul Wade · From: mundelein,ill

1981 age 31 years old shobud maverick 3+1

Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · From: Greenwell Springs, Louisiana (deceased)

18 March 1976 at age 21 is when it all started for me on a little MSA Red Baron.

Of course, this doesn't count, but there's a story my dad (who didn't play anything) used to like to tell from time to time. He had an old guitar laying around the house (he didn't think a house was complete without a guitar in it) and as far back as 2 years old, I'd find something to slide on its strings (usually one of those plastic Vicks inhalers). According to him, I didn't do any of that sliding around on his old guitar past the age of around 5 or 6, but dad always got a kick out of watching me slide that Vicks inhaler over the strings while pounding and plucking them with the other. He predicted that I'd someday probably end up playing "an electric steel guitar" as he called it back then. Smile

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1986 Mullen D-10 with 8 & 7 (Dual Bill Lawrence 705 pickups each neck)
Two Peavey Nashville 400 Amps (with a Session 500 in reserve) - Yamaha SPX-90 II
Peavey ProFex II - Yamaha R-1000 Digital Reverb - Ross Time Machine Digital Delay - BBE Sonic Maximizer 422A
ProCo RAT R2DU Dual Distortion - Korg DT-1 Pro Tuner (Rack Mounted) - Furman PL-8 Power Bay
Goodrich Match-Bro by Buddy Emmons - BJS Steel Bar (Dunlop Finger Picks / Golden Gate Thumb Picks)

Jeff Watson · From: Anza, CA. USA

25 in 1978 as the 2nd wave of steelers was peaking.

Dale Rottacker · From: Walla Walla Washington, USA

I think it was 1972 or 73 on a borrowed Fender three legged 6 or 8 string...couldn't figure out why the kept coming off when I'd pick a string, might have had something to do with having them on backwards...anyhow I ended up getting a Fender 400 from my Dad shortly after that and a Sho~Bud Maverick after that...that was a long time ago when I was 16 or 17 years old...Good Times!!!
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Dale Rottacker, Steelinatune™
*2021 MSA Legend, "Jolly Rancher" D10 10x9
*2021 Rittenberry, "The Concord" D10 9x9
*1977 Blue Sho-Bud Pro 3 Custom 8x6
https://msapedalsteels.com
http://rittenberrysteelguitars.com
https://www.telonics.com/index.php
https://www.p2pamps.com
https://www.quilterlabs.com

Bill L. Wilson · From: Oklahoma, USA

Started around, 1953, I think, I was 7yrs old, my mom bought me a Supro Lap Steel and matching amp. Took a few lessons, started playing guitar in '59, took up pedal steel in '74, and after all these years, I get to play both in a country rock band.

Karen Sarkisian · From: Boston, MA, USA

I got my stage one in April of 2009 so it's been almost 4 years now that I have been playing pedal steel ! I was 45 years old Rolling Eyes

Like others, I have played 6 string for many years (since i was 6)and also a little bass, but since I got my hands on the pedal steel guitar I haven't played much else...
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Emmons PP, Mullen G2 and Discovery

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

I know that this sounds too much like a story, but in 1944 my dad actually bought me a guitar for $5.00, and asked a friend of his to tune it for me.

I regularly listened to the only related program available on our old battery radio, the Ernest Tubb Show, and became a fan of country music.

I eventually added a steel nut to my old guitar and began my long journey into the steel guitar world.

In retrospect, I wish that I had focused my attention on math and science. Oh Well

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"FROM THEN TIL' NOW"

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

Gorf. 43, in 2001. But I claim extra transfer credits because by that time I had tried every single possible nutty thing you could do to slide guitar to make it... act better... and it just wouldn't. Had to buy the table thingabob. Very Happy

To concentrate on steel I quit playing slide guitar until I heard Sonny Landreth, then I had to re-start that back up again as my 2nd backup instrument, as I've always played bass (1973?) as well as guitar. It all seems the same to me though (incl. electric mandolin), if I learn the song I can play it on anything. Bass players who claim to "know" something but can't call the chords, yeesh.

Earl Foote · From: Houston, Tx, USA

1973/16

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Larry Becker · From: Ontario, Canada

Age 13, the year was 1959
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Show Pro D10, 9&5, Boss RV3, Fender Steel King, Fender Twin,Fender Hot Rod De Ville ,Fender Stratocaster, Fender Telecaster, Gibson '61 SG. Fender Studio DeLuxe lap steel,,'59 Fender Princeton amp..1973 MSA S12

John De Maille · From: On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.

1974, with a Sho-Bud Maverick. I was 25

Jim Curtain · From: Phoenix,Arizona, USA

48 yrs old, 2012, Carter Starter, now a Dekley, caressed with a BJS bar.

Peggy Green · From: San Jose, California USA

I bought my first pedal steel in August 1970. I was 19. Prior to that I had raised the nuts on a couple of guitars while I was 18-19.

I had grown an acre of cucumbers. The proceeds from that paid for a real (Maverick didn't exist then) single neck Sho~Bud with 3 pedals and 1 knee lever. The reason I didn't get an Emmons was it seemed to push my feet off the pedals when I went to release them. Funny how you make choices like Sho~Bud or Emmons when you don't know much at all.
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Worn out cords, worn out amps, worn out guitar wiring...worn out most everything

Wally Moyers · From: Lubbock, Texas

I was 16 -- 1969... I had been playing guitar since I was 9..

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

I built my first lap steel in 1963 at the age of 17. Body was from an old door, with parts from Meccano and a pickup from an old Air Force microphone. It actually worked and didn't sound too bad. Winking

Notice the headphones. I didn't have an amplifier so I listened to it using the inputs on the record player, and feeding the signal direct into the tape recorder, which meant that while the other fellows were playing I was the only one who could hear my part. Unfortunately they had to hear the whole thing at playback, where there were often mixed feelings. Laughing

Joe Miraglia · From: Jamestown N.Y.

15 years old, 1954 E-Harp tuning Lap steel.

Mike Ester · From: New Braunfels, Texas, USA

Hmmm, let's see. I started playing steel in 1980. Was 21.
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U.S.A.F. 1978-1982
2005 Carter S12U 7x5
1978 Sho-Bud Pro II Custom 8x4

If you can't be a good example, be a horrible warning.

Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

1948 AT AGE 9.YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
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Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC !

Tommy Shown · From: Denham Springs, La.

I was 20 years of age in 1979. Started on a Sho-Bud Maverick. I now play an EMCI.

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