new member

John Rosett · From: Missoula, MT

hello!
i'm new to the steel guitar forum, and to steel guitar, really. i've been playing guitar and mandolin semi professionally for many years, and have always been a big fan of steel guitar.
for twenty years or so, i've played in bands with steel or dobro players, so i've never really worked on it. a couple of weeks ago, the steel/dobro player in my band quit, and i've decided to "jump in there" and be the new steel player.
i'm a big fan of tom morrell, vance terry, and most swinging steel players that i've heard, although my band is more of a honky-tonk, alt/country band. right now, i have an old tele with a nut riser tuned to dobro tuning, and i'm starting to get the hang of playing it. what do people think about the advantages of 8 strings?
anyway, i just thought that i'd introduce myself
john

Harry Sheppard · From: Kalispell, MT USA

Hi John,

Welcome to the forum! I see you live a couple hours south of me. This year we will be playing First Night in Missoula for the first time. We usually play in Kalispell but Missoula made us an offer we couldn't pass up. Maybe I'll will see you around.

Harry

Terry Farmer · From: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Welcome, John.

Paul Arntson · From: Washington, USA

Welcome, John. I also joined fairly recently. As you have no doubt figured out, these folks are an interesting and really gentlemanly bunch. You won't find a nicer forum anywhere. The great people here have helped me a lot on my uphill battle to learn steel.
In answer to your question, I too thought I needed an 8 string last spring, so I bought one, and then another. I'm still overwhelmed. In hindsight, I could have got 99% of where I am (which isn't saying much) by just studying hard and not worrying about how many strings I played. But these things are like candy. A guy needs 'just one more'...
One tuning that might be a good honky tonk one is (lo to hi) C# E F# A C# E , being the upper 6 strings of a very often used A6 tuning. I think I would be farther along if I had started with that on 6. The top 3 are like a dobro in their relationship, so a lot of stuff falls right under the bar. Just a thought. Then if you want to add the bottom F# and A you are already in the groove.
Welcome and best of luck.
-paul

Rick Alexander · From: Florida, USA, R.I.P.

Hi John - Welcome to the best forum on the net!
I'm a "converted" guitar player too - I've been playing guitar for 45 years and I used to play the usual flaming bic slide and foaming bud slide on my Strat. About 20 years ago I picked up a Fender Champion (6) and a Fender Dual Professional (D Cool

and started on steel. Now all I want to do is play my Stringmaster T8, my New Yorker (6), and my recently aquired Fender Champ (6) - the coolest axes in the universe!
I think it's a good idea to play both 6 and 8 string steel. It's probably also a good idea to become familiar with the different tunings - they're all related . .

------------------
Rick Alexander
Fender Stringmaster, National New Yorker, Fender Champ

Travis Bernhardt · From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Probably the only concern I would have about starting with an eight-string is the string spacing. The wider spacing of a six-string guitar is more forgiving, which is a bonus when learning. Other than that, I'm not sure that an eight-string tuning would be that much harder to grasp than a six-string tuning. But, I don't even own an eight-string lap steel, and I certainly didn't learn on one, so this is just speculation.

-Travis

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

Welcome to this Great Forum John

Thanks to that steel player who quit yer band and brought you here amongst us
now get down & Peep on Kickin'

Jeff Strouse · From: Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Hi John!

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Welcome to the forum John.

Crowbear does a fine job with 6 strings, but I definitely lean towards 8 strings.

The voicings just open up exponentially for any kind of music.

On a T8 with an X6 9 (A E C B etc )and X13 (E D F etc) neck each you pretty much can do any music you want.

Don Joslin · From: St. Paul, MN

Welcome John! I am a new steel player too. I just gritted my teeth and went with an 8 string neck. My background is also on guitar and in college I majored in Theory and Composition. From that viewpoint I would say the major advantage of 8 over 6 is versatility in both tunings and voicings. There is so much information here you will have to take some time to digest it all. Welcome and happy exploring.

Don

------------------

fo·rum - n - A public meeting place for open discussion.
mod·er·a·tor - n. - One that arbitrates or mediates.

Kevin Macneil Brown · From: Montpelier, VT, USA

Welcome to the Forum, John, and kudos for jumping right into steel with your band.
Funny, but I play six-string steel in an alt country/ honky tonk outfit, too. I've been making them play more and more western swing material as time goes on; maybe you can do the same with your band!

John Rosett · From: Missoula, MT

hey everybody!
thanks for the kind words. i have 'til the 16th of october to get it going. they'll probably only make me play a few songs on steel right off. i've always been a "seat of the pants" player, so i'm looking forward to it. i'll probably make my debut on my "lapocaster", but i really like the looks of those fouke industrial lap steels. does anybody have one of those?
john

Loni Specter · From: West Hills, CA, USA

Hi, and welcome aboard! Since you're already playing a Fender with a nut riser,(I did the same thing to my Silvertone/Danelectro back in '67) why don't you check out one of my RedNeck steel conversion necks. Bolts right on and ads lots more sustain, wider string spacing, and clarity. Yes this is a shameless plug:-)
Loni, www.Lapdancerguitars.com

Richard Cooper · From: Eads,TN,USA

Welcome John

------------------

[This message was edited by Richard Cooper on 25 September 2004 at 02:04 PM.]

Forum Index > Steel Without Pedals		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: