What does your steel guitar sound like.

Gordon Sharp · From: Kingston, Tennessee

Most of todays steel players are using more and more effects.and a lot of steels sound the same.I listen to some of the older players with just a little reverb,and you knew if it was a Emmons Shobud or some of the other brands.Maybe we should just play our steel without all the effects we might be surprised what our steel sounds like.

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

I don't use a lot of effects-I just play my Jackson at the Clean Steel setting on my Nashville 112.

Brett

Georg Sørtun · From: Mandal, Agder, Norway

I always use buffer on the steel-PU, but usually there's no reverb or delay and not even pre-amp and equalizer in the sound-chain as I go directly into the power-amp section of an NV-112.

All my 6 steels sound different through this simplified sound-chain ... in some respects regarding body-tone and how they sustain they sound very different.

Ned McIntosh · From: New South Wales, Australia

Steel-guitar into volume pedal into Nashville 112. Simple. I like it that way. (The NV112 does have the Ken Fox upgraded chips, which I really like.)
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The steel guitar is a hard mistress. She will obsess you, bemuse and bewitch you. She will dash your hopes on what seems to be whim, only to tease you into renewing the relationship once more so she can do it to you all over again...and yet, if you somehow manage to touch her in that certain magic way, she will yield up a sound which has so much soul, raw emotion and heartfelt depth to it that she will pierce you to the very core of your being.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Steel. Izzy Plus. Volume pedal. Holy Grail. Amp.
I will use distortion 3 to 4 songs a night.
Phase shifter about the same.
If I have the LTD and they play some hippie rock, I will use a tremolo.
For the most part, I want my steel to sound like a steel.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

I like a Telecaster type sound... clean and bright.
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MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes

Richard Rice · From: Illinois, USA

Depends on my condition.. It can sound like angels singing, or a cat being run over by a bicycle..
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'84 Marlen Custom D-10, 8X4
Oahu Tonemaster 6 string lap steel
Rice Custom 6 string lap steel
Republic Squareneck Tricone
Homebrew 6 string reso
10 string Melobar- Rice modified
Rice Custom 8 string reso (under construction)
Hohner 6 string lap guitar (acoustic)
Kustom K-500 tuck & roll
Peavey Century
Peavey Vegas 400
Peavey CS-800
Bag End custom 1X12 & 1X15 cabs w.EV drivers
Steelin' thru a '72 Vibrosonic Reverb and a '69 Dual Showman Reverb (Stereo)

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Ken, the best Tele sound I've ever gotten was that MSA Classic I just sold to Nathan Powell.
I don't know whether to credit the construction or that original single coil, but if you picked between poles and changer, it didn't go thin and brittle, but just barked and twung like you reached down and pressed the Brent Mason button.

There're times that effects are nearly essential. I was just listening to Don Walser's "Hot Rod Mercury."
Without overdrive, the steel's answer to "hear that mercury roar", as well as the steel ride, would be lacking.
As would Buddy Cage's Kick in the Head (I wish he hadn't had so much pick noise)
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

Shobud Fingertip to shobud pot pedal to Fender twin with 15" JBL K130, amp reverb only. Occasionally, I use a delay pedal.
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"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement"~old cowboy proverb.
shobud@windstream.net

Fred Glave · From: McHenry, Illinois, USA

Just a tiny bit of delay and a little less reverb. Enough to keep a clean sound and sink into the mix easier.
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Zum Encore, Zum Stage One, Fender 2000, Harlan Bros., Multi-Kord,

Ray McCarthy · From: New Hampshire, USA

Derby into the Sarno Black Box, into the 112. Goodrich VP in and out of the pre-EQ loop, DD-3 delay in the post EQ. All George-L cables. No reverb at all lately. Best sound I ever had.

Ray McCarthy · From: New Hampshire, USA

I forgot--the 112 has the Fox chips.

Larry Behm · From: Mt Angel, Or 97362

For me it depends on the band and the music we are playing. I was with a country rock band for 25 years, I used dist-compression-phase-flange-leslie-dobro settings. I felt like a Tele player most of the time and actually thought (tone wise) like one.

Now with this 1950-1960 country band I just use delay and rev and the great sound of my PP's.

Larry Behm
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'70 D10 Black fatback Emmons PP, Hilton VP, BJS bars, Boss GE-7 for Dobro effect, Zoom MS50G, Planet Wave cables, Quilter 202 Toneblock, Telonics 15” speaker.

Phone: 971-219-8533

Tony Glassman · From: The Great Northwest

Topic: What does your steel guitar sound like?

- Harley James or Larry Behm playing it = killer
- Me playing it = poop

Bud Angelotti · From: Larryville, NJ, USA

It's the most "vocal" sounding electric instrument There is, IMHOP. Having a good day and having it "all together", the steel reflects that. Having a "bad" day, a frog in the throat so to speak, the steel reflects that as well. So to me, the steel sounds like a voice, plus you can play more than one note at a time! A little electricity is a wonderful thing.

Larry Behm · From: Mt Angel, Or 97362

Do not let Tony fool you, he and Harley and I all grew up learning and playing together along with Mark Simpson, we were always steeling his licks and tricks. Very Happy

Larry Behm
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'70 D10 Black fatback Emmons PP, Hilton VP, BJS bars, Boss GE-7 for Dobro effect, Zoom MS50G, Planet Wave cables, Quilter 202 Toneblock, Telonics 15” speaker.

Phone: 971-219-8533

Ben Lawson · From: Brooksville Florida

I use a '76 Emmons P/P through an Emmons or Hilton pedal to a Peavey 112. I use a Bosstone (little old black box) for distortion. I use the "dirty" sound for certain rock songs and because Jeff Newman told me how to get a violin and viola sound from it. It works well with a large band. About 95% of my playing is done with a some reverb and nothing else.
I still haven't found the talent setting on any of my equipment.

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