Some guitars just sound better.

Keith Hilton · From: 248 Laurel Road Ozark, Missouri 65721

I have several guitars. I had not played my 1971 push pull Black Emmons in a long time. Tonight I took the Emmons push pull to a dance that I play. Guys in the band loved the sound of the old push pull. I ask why, and they said, "It is a quality sound". Audience even seemed to notice the sound was better. I played a instrumental version of Crazy Arms and people were clapping their hands as I finished. One of my guitars--not naming brands---just does not have a quality sound. I have changed pickups 3 times. I have put on new strings, and done everything I know to do. The guitar just does not HAVE IT. Several of my buddies have told me that guitar does not HAVE IT. I don't know what it is, but there is something about that old 1971 push pull that turns people on.

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Everyone knows, black guitars sound best. Cool

_________________
-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video

Roual Ranes · From: Atlanta, Texas, USA

b0b is absolutely correct.

Bud Angelotti · From: Larryville, NJ, USA

Thats it. My next stop is home despot for a can of black spray paint. Hope it sticks to formica. Uh- is it bad to spray paint a mica p/p ?
_________________
Just 'cause I look stupid, don't mean I'm not.

Georg Sørtun · From: Mandal, Agder, Norway

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Each guitar has a particular "voice", but the fact that you don't personally like a certain sound does not mean that everyone else feels (or should feel) the same way. If things were that simple, then everyone would eventually wind up with the same brand or type of guitar, and we know that's simply not the case. Truth is, it really torqued some players when Buddy switched around with different brands, but suffice it so say that even the best carpenter has more than one hammer in his tool box! Wink

Stuart Legg · Posted 19 Feb 2014 9:57 am

Not exactly a scientific test.
When you ask anything about your playing or tone etc. folks will usually give you the answer they think you want to hear.
Bo told me he never asks anyone in the audience about anything regarding Steel Guitar because there are two kinds of folks out there. One kind are those who donâ€™t have a clue and donâ€™t know and the other kind are those that know but wonâ€™t hurt my feelings and tell me what they think I want to hear.
I'm a pretty good sized fellow and they are not apt to say â€œyou sound like crap as usualâ€ Laughing

Bo Legg · Posted 19 Feb 2014 10:14 am

Bump
to make sure we have a topic about P/P tone stay on the first page of a Forum section, otherwise the myth will die.

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

Stuart forgot to mention the third, and most usual, type of person in the audience: those who have absolutely no idea what a steel guitar is. Even some musicians don't. This is emphasized when you look at MIDI definitions, which list "nylon guitar" and "steel guitar", as though a steel guitar is any guitar with steel strings.

And Bo is right about first and subsequent pages of a topic. So many times you see someone making the same comment as someone else has on a previous page. One should never make a comment on anything without reading what other people have already contributed. This is very obvious on the "Nothing" topic, where it has so many pages that the same comments come up time and time again.

I apologise for the diversion. On the subject of some instruments sounding better than others, this is very very true. Also I've noticed that the instruments played by other people always sound better than mine. I guess it's in the action. Embarassed

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

did i myth something?

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Lately I've been playing bass, and doing what I think is a pretty good job of it. I notice that unlike when I play steel, people don't come up to me between sets and compliment my playing or my tone. I don't mind, but I didn't realize how much extra attention the steel player gets until I wasn't the steel player.

Keith didn't say whether he solicited the responses to his black p-p or not, but I suspect not. Certainly the audience response to Crazy Arms was spontaneous. Even the dancers know, black guitars sound best. Mr. Green

_________________
-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video

Nick Reed · From: Russellville, KY USA

Keith:
I couldn't agree with you more. I've said it for years and the other guys laugh at me but there's just a special magic about the sound of an old Emmons P/P that no other Steel Guitar has. I've played em all and my ears can tell the difference. The rosewood is my ole '71 fatback. It's a hoss and has sustain till the cows come home. And that black '66 bolt-on ain't no slouch either . . . it's my favorite.

Keith Hilton · From: 248 Laurel Road Ozark, Missouri 65721

There are times that I think the audience doesn't care about the music, and I think the audience is not paying attention. Then there are other times when I am surprised to find the audience cares, and knows more than I thought. So it goes both ways. Not naming brands of guitars---I have seen 3 great players who get a great sound out of the same brand of guitar that does not sound good in my hands. I do understand there is a "heroic myth" surrounding old push pull guitars, and black ones in particular. Thinking back, I don't ever remember any old push pull that sounded bad, even in the hands of a less experienced player. Many, many years ago, I had a 1966 black push pull, and at that time I did not appreciate the sound. I bought this guitar from Jack Kandora's estate after he died three years ago. I really wish Donny Hinson lived near me, where he could hear me play at a dance. After hearing this old black push pull I would need to check Donny Hinson's hair and see if the sound curled his hair. You do know that the sound of some push pulls is so wonderful it has been known to curl people's hair Donny?

Tom Gorr · From: Three Hills, Alberta

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

BLACK MICA Emmons do sound better, altho' my tattoo
greenish '72 Emmons P/P has a very special warm tone that I wouldn't trade for anything.

Now I understand much better WHY........
those Rick's sound so much better than most other brands.

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

Ray, does that mean I should glue black Formica onto your old Rickenbacker? Whoa!

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

I wouldn't got to that much trouble with the MICA.

From all the spray can graffiti that's destroying the esthetic value of our neighborhoods, I'll bet it's safe to just a pressure can of BLACK Rustolium?

Doug Palmer · From: Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

Wasn't Buddies 'The Blade' a Rosewood Mica Push Pull? I have several steels and the Push Pull's do usually get positive comments. I think it is the lighter wound pick-ups(14.5K) versus the newer fatter pick-ups(20K) that people notice. They have a clear sound that cuts through with out the mud. My old Green Lacquer ST-10 sounds the best to me. FYI, when I play my LeGrande Mica I still get compliments!
_________________
Emmons D-10, ST-10,LD-10 III, NV-112,Fender Deluxe Reverb. Authorized wholesale dealer musicorp.com!

Bobby Bowman · From: Cypress, Texas, USA, R.I.P.

My D-10 PP was originally black.
Mark Giles changed it to fire engine red and I couldn't tell any difference in the sound, tone and sustain unless it was a little better in all aspects. Mark and I both agreed to that.
Oh well!!!!????
BB
_________________
If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!
http://www.bobbybowman.com

Kenneth Kotsay · From: Davie/Ft Lauderdale, Florida

Forget black spray paint, black magic marker will work fine, cheaper also.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

doug..people notice my p/ps also..but my pickups are all 19 or 20k...so i don't think that's it. 14 is awfully light. l prefer a thicker sound.

Paul Sutherland · From: Placerville, California

A couple day ago I broke the C floor pedal on my 83 push-pull. I immediately ordered a new cross shaft from Mike Cass, but in the meantime I pulled out the old Rus-ler D-10, cause I thought I really should have a functioning C floor pedal. But the Rus-ler just doesn't sound the same; no sparkle, a muddy mid-range and a hash high end.

Today I played the Emmons without the C pedal. The Emmons is a dramatically better sounding steel to my ear. I'd rather play the broken Emmons, even for gigs, than play the Rus-ler.
_________________
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing.

mtulbert · From: Plano, Texas 75023

sssssshhhhhh

don't tell Lloyd or Paul that they have been playing the wrong guitar all these years.
_________________
Mark T

Rittenberry Laquer D10, Rittenberry Prestige SD10, Revelation Preamp,Revelation Octal Preamp,Lexicon PCM 92 Reverb, Furlong Cabinet

Ben Lawson · From: Brooksville Florida

A few years ago we opened for Aaron Tippin in Jim Thorp Pa. When we were done with our sound check one of his band members asked "who was playind the Emmons"?. Penns Peak is a large venue and his band was in the large warehoue type area behind the stage. The guy didn't see the steel and only heard it from the back stage area yet he still knew what it was. Notice he didn'say it was played well, just that he recognized the Emmons sound.
That's proof that I own a steel that's above my pay grade.

J R Rose · From: Keota, Oklahoma, USA

Not to suggest that my Black SD-10 Carter is anywhere near a Black p/p Emmons sound but it does sound very good. Its all in the hands. Any of the pro's can sit down at any guitar and make them sound good. Plus, mine is Black. I love it. JR

Forum Index > Pedal Steel	Goto page 1, 2, 3 Next	Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic