What to do while waiting to buy a steel?

Adam Tracksler · From: Maine, USA

Ive had a couple of pedal steels, that I had to sell for various reasons. I’m back in the market for one, but waiting to build up the “fun fund”. I have a c6 6 string that I can retune in the interim. I know I would not be practicing straight bar and grips, but what would you wizards suggest?

Just jam on theory?
A version of an E tuning?

I’m really wanting a U12 or an a6/D9 Universal just as a frame of reference. I don’t really want to buy a Maverick and then buy a better guitar in 3-4 months. I’d rather wait a bit and get the right guitar.

Raybob Bowman · From: S. Lake Tahoe, CA, USA

If the goal is to eventually go to A6/D9 Uni, you could tune your 6 string to A6 instead of C6, just to get used to the different placements of the frets.
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Fred · From: Amesbury, MA

I'm no wizard but with a set of C6 strings on there you can retune to several tunings.

These are all low to hi.

C6/A7 C# E G A C E

A6 C# E F# A C# E

E13 D F# G# B C# E (My favorite E13, there are others)

Leavitt C# E G Bb C D (My favorite 6 string tuning)

D9 D E F# A C E

E9 B D F# G# B E

Adam Tracksler · From: Maine, USA

Thanks Raybob and Fred (Greetings from Kittery, ME)!

I'll look into those. Any other suggestions?

John Larson · From: Pennsyltucky, USA

Something I did was tune my 6 string lap steel to the middle of the E9 PSG tuning. This lets you practice some of the grip mechanics for the common major chord grips.

Low to high
E–F♯–G♯–B–E–G♯
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Richard Alderson · From: Illinois, USA

How about buying a double neck ZB Custom for only 1500 while you are waiting? Theres one for sale in Quantico right now.
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Fred Treece · From: California, USA

It’s great that you have a lap steel. If you can set it up as a console, you can practice your ergonomics - posture, hand and leg positioning, etc., a get familiar with keeping your right foot on a volume pedal. It would be good to have an adjustable height chair or keyboard bench.

This would also be a time to practice basic right and left hand technique. Check out Joe Wright’s lap steel videos on the Sierra website
http://sierrasteels.com/lessons/lap-lessons.html
Or books and videos on his learning pages
https://www.pedalsteel.com/prt/members/books.html
All available for free.

Don’t worry about practicing grips that you think you’ll never use on pedal steel. With only 6 strings to practice on for now, you don’t have nearly enough possibilities, so try every one you can think of.

It’s also great that you have a little bit of experience and know what you want in a basic tuning setup.

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

Practice fundamentals on your lap stseel. Tuning your steel by ear. Bar control and playing in tune. Picking technique and grips. Blocking - palm, pick, whatever. Using a volume pedal. Getting a good amplified sound and getting what you do play to sound good. None of these are trivial, and you're gonna have to deal with them no matter what setup you go with.

I don't think it matters all that much what tuning you use - pick one that you can make some music on. If you think you're gonna dominantly be using something like E9/B6 or D9/A6, maybe go with the guts of the E9 tuning, which for me would be strings 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3. Or if you're gonna focus on 6th, go C6. But the basic mechanics of playing are the critical things, no matter what tuning you use.

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

Lots of good suggestions there.
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Paul Strojan · From: California, USA

While I was waiting on my 8 string pedal guitar, I tuned my guitar to E9 and practiced using the open tuning and using bar slants to mimic pedals. By the time I got my new guitar, I was good enough at bar slants to almost not need pedals. If I were you, I would make or buy a 10 or 12 string lap steel, and practice with the open tuning.

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

If you're considering E9 tuning, spend time toggling back and forth with these two tunings, to emulate "pedals up" and "pedals down" positions on the middle strings

E F# G# B E G#

E F# A C# E A
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Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

Sometimes even on E9th or Universal tuning, Bar slants have a place to get the sound you want.
Watch Lloyd Green or Buddy Emmons play, Even with pedals and knee levers they use some bar slants.

J Fletcher · From: London,Ont,Canada

I suggest tuning to C6 , because there is so much free instructional material available . That way you can work up some fills intros , solos and tunes . More rewarding than doing exercises only . You are then practicing the most important aspects of playing steel guitar ie. left and right hands . Blocking , bar placement , vibrato , picking , etc .
When you get a pedal steel you will have some chops and will find that the C6 stuff will transfer over to your chosen tuning . Plus you can immediately start learning tunes , which is a motivation to sit down with your steel. Play music !
Good luck ! Jerry

John Larson · From: Pennsyltucky, USA

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