How did you come to play steel?

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

What made you come to play steel, in a world where everyone else just bought a guitar and learned to play it?

Jerry Berger · From: Nampa, Idaho USA

I choose Other. My mom decided that I should learn to play Hawaiian lap steel guitar at the age of 7. I never regretted it. Very Happy

Frank James Pracher · From: Michigan, USA

I have always been drawn to the steel guitar. I loved the sound.. the way they look.. everything. When I started playing it felt very natural.. not to say it wasn't a challenge.. but it felt right to be playing this way.. with the guitar flat and facing up.
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"Don't be mad honey, but I bought another one"

Roman Sonnleitner · From: Vienna, Austria

I always loved the sound of both lap steel and pedal steel guitars - the Gun Club's "Mother Of Earth" with its haunting steel tones was one of my favorite songs in my teenage punk rock days; also loved the steel on Hank Williams sounds; when I discovered Calexico (pedal steel), and a little while later, the Friends Of Dean Martinez (lap steel), I finally got the urge to learn to play those instruments myself.

Frank Agliata · From: Jersey Shore, USA

As a rockin & rollin' member of the baby boom generation, I picked up guitar and bass back in the 60's. Along with millions of others of my peers. Early inspirations being the surf music sound, ie . . Ventures and the like.
But it was that much discussed song written by Graham Nash with that beautifully haunting steel guitar that got much air play back in the day, that hooked me.
Later I discovered "Country" rock, New Riders with Buddy Cage and PPL with John David Call. They magically made the steel dance on it's own on top of the tune. Afterwards I came to appreciate the great Buddy Emmons, along with Tommy White and Joe Wright among many others.
My latest infatuation is the C6 non-pedal sound of Cindy and Rose along with Eddie Rivers along some others right here on this forum who graciously share their material for all to learn from.
It never stops I suppose. I know I won't stop until they put me in the ground. I'm totally hooked . . Winking

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always learning

Jim Newberry · From: Seattle, Upper Left America

I had to choose "Other" since I first got excited from listening to the Cajun steel recordings of Archonge Touchet, Atlas FrugÃ©, and Phillip Alleman. After messing with that a bit, I fell in to choice "3", listening to Byrd, Helms, and others of that era.
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"The Masher of Touch and Tone"

-1950 Fender Dual Pro 8
-1950's Fender Dual Pro 6
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-Homebuilt Amps

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

I picked natural assumption tho wonders if that's possible, reading about Lowell George's Craftsman plug socket after trying a glass bottleneck.
Steel was the deal.

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

I lost the feeling in my left ring and pinky fingers, so I switched from 6 string guitar and 5 string bass to steel.

Started with lap first, to pedal, back to lap and dobro.
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I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Jamie Mitchell · From: Nashville, TN

i was a kid, already playing slide.
then i heard Kaki King's 'Gay Sons of Lesbian Mothers'.

bought a Hawaiian nut for my acoustic, and off i went, watching other possibilities for employment slowly vanish.
Neutral

John Booth · From: Columbus Ohio, USA

John Hughey with Twitty and Bruce Bouton with Skaggs.
Heard em' - hadda do it.
JB
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Jb in Ohio
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GFI S10 Ultra, Telecaster, a Hound Dog, and an Annoyed Wife
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Bob Russell · From: Virginia, USA

I was playing a lot of guitar and bass in pit bands for musical theater. A couple of shows came up which called for doubling lap steel, so I got hold of one and learned in self-defense. Smile

Then I got hooked and went into pedal steel.
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Lots of stringy things, many of them slidey.

Robert Allen · From: Tennessee, USA

Other: I wanted to play guitar, so my dad brought me to the music store for proper lessons. At 8 yrs old my small hands couldn't make any chords so the teacher decided I'd learn lap steel. I was off and running, glad it turned out that way.

Peter Jacobs · From: Northern Virginia

Ive been a banjo player for 40 years now, but David Lindley and Rusty Young's pedal steel and Melobar work with Poco blew me away back in my teens and 20s. I didn't actually get a steel and start trying to play until much later, though. It's not as easy as it looks, and it doesn't look that easy.
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Peter
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www.splinterville.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@splinterville6278/videos

Tom Pettingill · From: California, USA (deceased)

I've always loved steel guitar, in all its forms, but it wasn't till later in my life that I jumped in the pool.
I was getting back into playing regular 6 strings and quickly found that years of abuse with a touch of arthritis now made doing the left hand spider monkey thing a painful challenge.

My defining moment came while watching a David Gilmour video and it all became clear. The smile on his face was infective and figured I'd give my left hand a break and give steel guitar a try. Steel guitar had always been part of the music I loved and it just made sence.

Like many, I shopped around looking for a decent quality steel to get me started. It didn't take long till I realized that I did not want to settle for a cheap import and the instruments I liked were a bit more than I wanted to spend for an unknown experiment. Being one that has always been good with my hands with a lot of experience in building and making things, I figured I'd give building my own a try. My first one came out great, and my secound even better. Fast forward to today and my playing skills are still modest. I'm lucky to be easily amused by the simple melodies I can play. But, the creative side of me that was reaching out in the begining found a home with building them. Its been a great journey and I look forward to what the future may bring.
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Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
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Dennis Montgomery · From: Western Washington

As a teenager I was heavy into progressive rock and Steve Howe was the first player I ever saw with a steel (Fender Stringmaster and Sho Bud D10). Loved the sound of his steel solo's on And You and I, To Be Over, and Going for the One. Also hearing Pink Floyd's Dave Gilmour's slide playing was inspirational too. I used to sometimes solo on regular electric guitar with a slide. Years later after discovering some of the famous rock steel parts (Garcia on Dire Wolf, Sneeky Pete on 6 Days on the Road & Zappa's It Just Might be a One Shot Deal, Perkins on the Stones Torn & Frayed, McPhee on Pride of Cucamonga, etc) decided to try pedal steel and then console steel Winking

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Hear my latest album, "Celestial" featuring a combination of Mullen SD12 and Synthesizers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhh6b_xXTx4&list=PLfXm8aXRTFz0x-Sxso0NWw493qAouK

Hear my album, "Armistice" featuring Fender 400 on every song:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfXm8aXRTFz2Pz_GXhvmjne7lPEtsplyW

Hear my Pedal Steel Only playlist featuring Mullen G2 SD12 on covers like Candyman, Wild Horses, Across the Universe & more...
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfXm8aXRTFz2f0JOyiXpZyzNrvnJObliA

Derrick Mau · From: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

A little old lady from San Diego.

Tony Lombardo · From: Alabama, USA

When I was young, my guitar teacher, a brilliant multi-instrumentalist, knew I wanted to follow in his footsteps and play standards several nights a week in local combos. He also knew I didn't have the talent to compete with some of the top-flight, national level guitarists who worked in my town. He suggested I take up tenor banjo and lap steel to give me an edge, in terms of getting work. I took his advice on tenor banjo, and it was good advice. I now do about three gigs a week on tenor. (By contrast, I average between one and two gigs a month on guitar.) After my teacher died a few years ago, I decided to act on his advice concerning steel. I'm terrible, but I'm sticking with it. Who knows? Maybe some day, I might be able to produce some sounds on this thing that are interesting or useful or pretty to someone. It goes without saying that I'm not there yet.

Tony L.

Mike Neer · From: NJ

I've always loved the sound, but didn't know what the instrument was. I got interested in slide guitar, but I played mostly in standard guitar tuning. Once I really discovered what the sound was, I started trying to emulate it on guitar. Buddy Emmons was an influence at that time, but it was mostly Speedy West and Gabby Pahinui.

Bought an old Electar Model M at a flea market, tried to figure it out on my own, gave up, bought a pedal steel, gave up, bought a tricone, stuck with it and eventually (around 2007) forced myself to learn C6 tuning. Things are a lot different today. After playing electric guitar for a lot of years, I only play steel now. My guitar style is starting to resurface in my steel playing.
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Tony Lombardo · From: Alabama, USA

My first exposure to the instrument came when I was about 18. I was going on and on about some famous guitarist, and my teacher said, "It's about tunes more than the players. Know the tunes so well you could play them in your sleep." To demonstrate, he pointed to three lap steel leaning against a wall. After telling me that they that were all in different tunings, he told me to pick a tune, a key, and one of the steels. I picked the yellow one, "It Had to Be You," and key of A. He immediately picked it up and played the most beautiful version of that tune I could ever inagine. (I GUESS it was in A.)

It was a very memorable moment for me, but I didn't take up the instrument until several decades later:

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

I wasn't good enough on guitar to get in a band, so I took up steel. Less competition.
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Larry Carlson · From: My Computer

I bought a guitar and taught myself to play.
I was a finger picker on acoustic guitars.
Many years later arthritis in my left hand said, "No, you can't do that anymore".
On a whim I ordered the cheapest lap steel I could find so I could give it a try.
I fell in love with it. I am no good but I am having a great time.
I modified the cheap lap steel and ordered a bunch of Troy's lessons.
Now my little cheapo has 4 friends, including a reso and a 70 year old Electromuse
which oddly enough I really like. I understand that is a federal crime in some circles.
I couldn't stand not being able to play music. It's been a lifesaver.
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I have stuff.
I try to make music with it.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes it doesn't.
But I keep on trying.

Joe Breeden · From: Virginia, USA

The sound, the sound, th........

Jack Aldrich · From: Washington, USA

How do I vote? I was playing bass in a country band in 1975, and I fell in love with the sound of the steel. It wasn't long before I was playing. The outlaw thing was going full blast, and I loved it!
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Jack Aldrich
Carter & ShoBud D10's
D8 & T8 Stringmaster
Rickenbacher B6
3 Resonator guitars
Asher Alan Akaka Special SN 6
Canopus D8

David DeLoach · From: Tennessee, USA

I bought Arlen Roth's HOW TO PLAY SLIDE GUITAR book from Homespun tapes in the late 1970's. It had one of those square floppy 45 RPM records in the back that you had to tear out of the book. Learned to play DUST MY BROOM and a few other blues tunes using as slide.

Shortly after, I ordered a stainless steel square neck neck Dobro (new for $380) and started playing Dobro. And shortly after that my mom called one day and said, "I was at an estate sale and I saw this little toy guitar with Gibson written on it and it was only $5 dollars so I bought it." I burned rubber to mom's house to find a 1955 Gibson BR9 lap steel. Way to go mom!

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

This is the song that did it for me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBpERMkIYlY
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Amor vincit omnia

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