One can obviously refer to it whatever way they want, but the terminology is there to be able to communicate with others, and not really so much with "steel guitar legion" here on the Forum.
I think a fair number of the general public actually can relate to the term Hawaiian Steel Guitar, but if you are playing in a rock and roll context with some overdrive or distortion, it no more sounds like a "Hawaiian" guitar than does Jimi Hendrix playing Purple Haze fit the term "Spanish" guitar.
History teaches us that the first reported episodes of people playing a lap style guitar on a regular basis with a steel bar of some kind occurred in Hawaii. But who produced the first electric Hawaiian Steel Guitar - was it Rickenbacher? Los Angeles is a long ways from Honolulu...
And, if you were discussing the possibility of getting a recording session gig with a record producer, would you tell him "I can play Hawaiian steel guitar." Probably not (unless the session had something to do with Hawaiian music).
Along with his pedal steel and dobro playing, I really enjoy the recordings in my collection with Dan Dugmore on the aforementioned overdriven lap steel/Hawaiian guitar.
But somehow, I just don't picture Dan in a phone conversation with a producer with which he hasn't worked in the past saying "would you like me to bring my Hawaiian steel guitar for this session?"
Because I'd bet a dollar to a doughnut that the producer would respond with "is that the same as a lap steel?"
Regardless, John, those are some great looking guitars in the photos!
