| Author |
Topic: Wow ... 39 years of steel guitar |
Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)
From:
Greenwell Springs, Louisiana (deceased)
|
Posted 18 Mar 2015 6:21 pm |
|
My nephew blindsided me with one today. He asked me if I realized what today is. I simply said, "March 18th" and he countered, "And, exactly what did you do on this date in 1976?"
 I suddenly realized that on 18 March 1976, I bought my first steel and struck my first note on it. That was 39 years ago. Where did the time go? Guess it's true ... time sure flies when you're having fun!
Anyone else ever look back and go, "Man, has it really been that long? 
_________________
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) |
|
|
|
Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
|
Posted 19 Mar 2015 3:53 am
|
|
I just realized that '76 was the year I first picked up a bar--it was a long socket--and put it to a detuned guitar.
I guess it has been a long time.
_________________
Those that say don't know; those that know don't say.--Buddy Emmons |
|
|
|
Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
|
Posted 19 Mar 2015 5:36 am
|
|
A "young kid"
I started on pedal steel in 1969. 
_________________
GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit |
|
|
|
Mike Bowles
From:
Princeton, West Virginia, USA
|
Posted 19 Mar 2015 8:18 am steel
|
|
it only takes one hit and you are hooked im not a good player but i love it. wish i had started yrs ago.
_________________
Mike Bowles |
|
|
|
Jack Aldrich
From:
Washington, USA
|
Posted 19 Mar 2015 9:00 am
|
|
I started in 1975 - 40 years ago! I haven't been playing much pedal steel lately, mostly non-pedal.
_________________
Jack Aldrich
Carter & ShoBud D10's
D8 & T8 Stringmaster
Rickenbacher B6
3 Resonator guitars
Asher Alan Akaka Special SN 6
Canopus D8 |
|
|
|
John De Maille
From:
On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.
|
Posted 19 Mar 2015 9:27 am
|
|
| Yup, I started on a Maverick back in 74'. Boy, I can hardly remember a lot from back then. I do remember stumbling around trying to play that thing. It wasn't until I went to a Jeff Newman seminar, that, I realized that my approach wasn't exactly right. It certainly has been a long interesting journey to where I'm at now. Really hard to believe that it's been so long of a trip. Well, I hope we all still keep playing until we can't anymore. At least that's what I plan to do. I hope you all feel the same. |
|
|
|
Paul King
From:
Gainesville, Texas, USA
|
Posted 19 Mar 2015 4:10 pm
|
|
| And Jim you turned out to be a fantastic player too. |
|
|
|
Brett Day
From:
Pickens, SC
|
Posted 19 Mar 2015 8:52 pm
|
|
I started playing pedal steel in 1999-that was fifteen years ago. I was eighteen at the time and a 1974 Emmons GS was my first steel. Now at thirty-three, I'm still amazed by this beautiful instrument we call the pedal steel guitar. I now play my best and favorite steel I've owned and played-my 2010 Jackson BlackJack Custom "Black Diamond"
Last edited by Brett Day on 19 Mar 2015 10:22 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
Charley Hill
From:
The Dirty South
|
Posted 19 Mar 2015 9:28 pm Re: Wow ... 39 years of steel guitar
|
|
| Jim Lindsey wrote: |
My nephew blindsided me with one today. He asked me if I realized what today is. I simply said, "March 18th" and he countered, "And, exactly what did you do on this date in 1976?"
I suddenly realized that on 18 March 1976, I bought my first steel and struck my first note on it. That was 39 years ago. Where did the time go? Guess it's true ... time sure flies when you're having fun!
Anyone else ever look back and go, "Man, has it really been that long? |
Nothing Slack about Sheldon. Get that Mullen fired up and lets do some picking brother.
_________________
Traveler, Peddler and Extreme life lover. Giving up is not an option. |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 20 Mar 2015 6:35 am
|
|
You're all just a bunch of youngsters. I started on "Hawaiian" guitar approx. 60 years ago.  |
|
|
|
Jerry Berger
From:
Nampa, Idaho USA
|
Posted 20 Mar 2015 8:56 am
|
|
I also started in 1955 at the age of seven. 
Last edited by Jerry Berger on 21 Mar 2015 7:55 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 20 Mar 2015 9:02 am
|
|
Jerry,
In 1955 I was playing a radio program on Saturday mornings. |
|
|
|
Jerry Berger
From:
Nampa, Idaho USA
|
Posted 20 Mar 2015 9:06 am
|
|
| Erv.....If your radio program was being aired on the radio here in Oregon City I seriously doubt that I would have been listening to it at my age. LOL |
|
|
|
Louis Armentaro
From:
Montana, USA
|
Posted 20 Mar 2015 11:49 am
|
|
| March 20, 2015 With interest I read about several players as to when they started playing steel guitar AND are still actively playing. I can pretty close come to claiming as being the oldest steel guitarist still playing our favorite instrument. I started playing steel guitar in 1950, which is 56 years ago and started pedal steel when I got my Bigsby pedal steel guitar in 1955 which is 61 years inclusive. Well, do you think I could claim as being the oldest ( almost 91 years of age) steel guitar player actively still playing steel guitar. If not, I am sure to be maybe second best. Now remember, the player must still be able to use both hands, all ten fingers, playing both necks, using both feet, both knees for the knee levers. Can anyone out there beat my record. Let me know anybody. Louis Armentaro from Livingston, Montana |
|
|
|
Louis Armentaro
From:
Montana, USA
|
Posted 20 Mar 2015 11:54 am
|
|
| March 20, 2015 In my post I made a mistake in starting in 1950 inclusive, will make it 66 years and not 56 years in playing steel guitar. Regards, Louis Armentaro, Livingston, Montana |
|
|
|
John Peay
From:
Cumming, Georgia USA
|
Posted 20 Mar 2015 6:00 pm Great Job, Louis!
|
|
| Louis Armentaro wrote: |
| Now remember, the player must still be able to use both hands, all ten fingers, playing both necks, using both feet, both knees for the knee levers. |
That alone beats most of us !
Keep on picking, Louis, you're an encouragement to me and other "youngsters" out there... |
|
|
|
Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
|
Posted 21 Mar 2015 4:47 am
|
|
| Jack Stoner wrote: |
| A "young kid" |
Yes; I was 3.
_________________
Those that say don't know; those that know don't say.--Buddy Emmons |
|
|
|
Steven Finley
From:
California, USA
|
Posted 21 Mar 2015 7:35 am
|
|
| Started in 1970 on a zb d 10 with 8 and 4 for pedals |
|
|
|
Micky Byrne
From:
United Kingdom (deceased)
|
Posted 22 Mar 2015 2:19 am Re: Wow ... 39 years of steel guitar
|
|
I started in 1970 "BUT" it didn't have pedals and was a Japanese copy of a Fender Stringmaster with 6 strings.I tried so hard to copy licks from records, till a friend told me "Micky, what you're hearing are "pedal steels" How Naive I was  ...so that guitar was sold pretty quick and went on to pedals very soon after 
Micky "scars" Byrne U.K. |
|
|
|
Joachim Kettner
From:
Germany
|
Posted 22 Mar 2015 4:46 am
|
|
Micky, a similar thing happened to me five years later. I bought a Fender eight string console steel with three legs. Probably inspired by the NRPS records laying around the living room of the guys I was living with at that time.
I couldn't play what I heard on the records also
I bought my first pedal steel later in ninety- one.
_________________
Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube. |
|
|
|
Micky Byrne
From:
United Kingdom (deceased)
|
Posted 22 Mar 2015 7:06 am
|
|
Joachim, I bet many of us had that experience Re New Riders Of the Purple Sage....."Class act" my band of many years did many of their songs
Micky "scars" Byrne U.K. |
|
|
|
