Know more than the pros??

Bill Howard · Post by **Bill Howard** » 16 Dec 2013 7:09 am

I just got done watching a Doug Jernigan Video on you tube. I saw him with his chrome corner Nashville 400...Killer tone.
I also know Jim Lossberg uses a Nashville 400 as well, as does Mike Johnson but notice a lot of novice players have stacks of rack mounted effects a thousand watts play thru at least 2 speaker cabinets.
fancy volume pedals...300.00 tuners...
I guess they know more than the pro's?.
My favorite story I have told on the forum before was Bill West AKA "Wild Bill West", I got the pleasure of meeting him at Opryland in the late 70's He was playing a decrepit Sho Bud parts missing off one neck to replace part on the other, a small pair of vise grips was one of Bill's knee levers,But he could light that old S Bud up boys!.I quit going to the convention in the 80's I thought they had new and improved steel guitars and accessories. At the time I had an SD-10 Franklin I bought new in 1987, a Nashville 400 with an E 130 JBL and my ol standby never had a problem with Goodrich 120 v pedal.
I alse use a Dan Echo ANALOG DELAY
Many years later I find it is as good or better than the 5K worth of overpriced hoo hah:)... Now Steels pretty much same only seems like the Old steels are most sought after??
as of Tuesday I will have another chrome corner NV 400 still same v pedal gr 120 with my new to me Derby... I heard all the expensive toys sorry I think I will stick with what the pros use..

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 16 Dec 2013 7:29 am

Are you saying the "Pro's" such as Paul Franklin who used a rack and two speaker system for years and John Hughey who used an Evans rack system with two speakers are wrong?

Many only use one amp (that's what I do) but I see many Pro's, today, with something other than a Nashville 400.

Paul Franklin now uses a Little Walter amp usually with two speakers., Several other "Pro's" in Nashville are also using the Little Walter amps. Others I've seen are using the Nashville 112.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 16 Dec 2013 8:01 am

Bill, you can find pros of all levels playing nearly all configurations of gear. And every one aims for a different sound, or at least different desired traits of gear. Quite frankly, I think Lloyd sounded killer on Panther Hall, with just a Bud and a Twin. I have a Twin, and I just bought a 400 Limited anyway.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 16 Dec 2013 10:50 am

I've gone the rack route twice, and always keep going back to my 84, silver corner, Nashville 400.

Patrick Strain · Post by **Patrick Strain** » 16 Dec 2013 11:20 am

Different strokes for different folks. When I first started playing pedal steel, I put together a rack system because I was using a lot of effects. It worked well for what I was doing at the time. Then I purchased a Nashville 1000 and it was great, but having been a six string guitarist for years, it's hard for me to wrap my feeble mind around being happy with a solid state amp that says "Peavey" on the front. I found a 1973 Fender Vibrosonic Reverb and grabbed that. I've been playing it for about a year and a half. Recently, I pulled out the Nashville 1000 to put in the rehearsal studio. I have to admit, the Peavey sounds better to me than the Fender does.

Stan Paxton · Post by **Stan Paxton** » 16 Dec 2013 5:44 pm

Well hey, guys, for many a year the old LTD400 was what was lined up across the stage at Steel jams and all the big names played thru them and every pro sounded just like himself. At a few jams I hauled my old LTD 400 over for them to use on stage. (I never played at one $:\$ ) It was as good as it gets, sound, tone, the whole tamale!

Sean Borton · Post by **Sean Borton** » 16 Dec 2013 8:05 pm

I stopped looking for gear to create my tone long ago. Now I buy gear that brings out my tone!
That is something I learned long ago as a guitar player but I apply that same thought process to the pedal steel today.

Paul Franklin would sound just as good on a Nashville 112 as he does with a Little Walter. He'll notice the difference, but very few listens would...

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 17 Dec 2013 4:04 am

IMHO, everything has their own "thing". Some people are hooked on sound, and some are hooked on ability. (I can still remember players walking out of the hall at the ISGC whenever Curly Chalker started playing.

) I don't pay much attention to what a player uses because that's all personal taste, to me, and I just happen to think it has little bearing on the final product. Having a good sound is, of course, preferred, but I feel it's sorta wasted if the playing isn't up to snuff. You can take a junker car and put fancy wheels and a $10,000 paint job on it. But under all that glitz...it's still a junker. $:\$

I could be wrong, but I feel pretty sure that Paul would still have his gig without the Franklin and the Little Walter.

Bill Duncan · Post by **Bill Duncan** » 17 Dec 2013 7:27 am

It doesn't matter what the equipment is if it's what you like. I'm sure Willie Nelson can afford most any guitar he would want.

If one picks just for your own enjoyment then by all means play what you can afford. Some folks like equipment and that's perfectly fine. It's good for the economy!

Some day I hope to get a vintage Standel 25L15.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 17 Dec 2013 9:52 am

Some people are fascinated with gear, and the acquisition thereof. It happens most with 'bedroom' players, I suppose, who want the same gear as their favourite player. I don't think the majority of them seriously think that having the same amp and guitar as their hero will really make a difference but I think it's all harmless fun...

..and it's what drives the musical instrument industry! Most pros have some sort of endorsement deal that means they pay next-to-nothing for the stuff they play but it's a sound investment for the manufacturers who reap the benefits from the hero-worship.

Look at the golf equipment industry - millions of high-handicappers want the same clubs as Phil or Tiger and ignore the fact that they possess maybe half the clubhead-speed of the master players. But it's all harmless fun and even I am guilty of paying out for Titleist Pro-V1 balls when a dozen Top-Flights would do me just as well (with my 17-handicap!

)

I'm a pro musician and have long since adopted a more down-to-earth attitude with gear - I want it light, reliable and to sound good to my ears.

Maybe, though, there was a time when I wanted the same guitar as Chet or James Burton - but that was over fifty years ago. Now it's my living, too.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 17 Dec 2013 9:55 am

Roger Rettig wrote: I'm a pro musician and have long since adopted a more down-to-earth attitude with gear - I want it light, reliable and to sound good to my ears.

... but if a Super 400 with a MarbleiSed pickguard should come along, well, then that's a different story...

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 17 Dec 2013 10:08 am

That goes without saying, Jim, but that's 'cause I want to look like THIS guy!!!!

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 17 Dec 2013 10:20 am

This is a picture of little Roger upon first hearing the news that, of all the crummy groups in his neighborhood, The BEATLES just landed to a screaming throng in America!

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 17 Dec 2013 10:23 am

Yes, but now I've lived in the USA for fifteen years I've learned how discerning Americans are.....

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 17 Dec 2013 10:29 am

Oh? You coulda learned that the day they approved your visa... I'm just sayin'...

OK, we now return you to your regularly sKeduled program(me).

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 17 Dec 2013 11:02 am

Nashville 400 is a wonderful amp, my favorite is Session 500, but its soooo damn heavy... these days everything seems to be overpriced not just instruments, thousands and thousands of hard earned dollars for new steel guitars, amps, effects etc... nothing but overkill....but as long as there is people willing to pay, prices will stay that way...

Db

Bill Duncan · Post by **Bill Duncan** » 17 Dec 2013 11:11 am

There is nothing wrong with being a bedroom picker. I'll bet Chet and Buddy started there.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 17 Dec 2013 11:13 am

Bill Duncan wrote:There is nothing wrong with being a bedroom picker. I'll bet Chet and Buddy started there.

I dunno about Chet, but I'll bet Buddy was a "bedroom picker" until about the age of 6, when he turned pro and went on the road.

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 17 Dec 2013 11:17 am

I was a bedroom picker until the age of 6 myself, I had mostly pick my nose, after 6 I turned pro...

Db

Bill Duncan · Post by **Bill Duncan** » 17 Dec 2013 11:17 am

Doesn't matter where you start, it's where you end up.

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 17 Dec 2013 12:44 pm

The greatest steel guitarist of all time - Buddy Emmons - is also the greatest tinkerer of both his guitars and his outboard equipment .... Just about everytime I saw pics of Buddy's toy box - (or rack) it had new stuff in it ...he was continuously exploring different sounds and textures because he was such an innovator !
So if you want to stick to your NV400 and Goodrich pedal thats fine - but I'm with Buddy

Stan Paxton · Post by **Stan Paxton** » 17 Dec 2013 1:10 pm

Paddy, Bill, Roger and all; my point exactly; the Big E still sounds just like Buddy Emmons. No matter what I get to play on or thru or with, I still sound like me trying to be me, for whatever that is worth. ...

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 17 Dec 2013 1:16 pm

Where did I say there was anything wrong with being a 'bedroom' player?

My point was that thousands of players - many of them excellent musicians - have no aspirations to turn pro or even play out at the weekend. Many of these players derive satisfaction from emulating their favourites and buy their equipment accordingly.

No slight was intended - don't be so sensitive!

Bill Duncan · Post by **Bill Duncan** » 17 Dec 2013 4:15 pm

Roger, I certainly was not offended, and I am not at all sensitive. I don't play pro, and neither do I play my steel in the bedroom. The written word can come across different than what it was meant to at times.

I do however believe that buying equipment can be exciting and pro or amateur owning as much as you can afford is perfectly fine. I for what ever reason just discovered tube amps again and I will probably go overboard in obtaining more and different varieties of said tube amps. My taste, my money, my choice.

Owning lots of equipment is nothing to be ashamed of.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 17 Dec 2013 4:38 pm

No question, Bill. Nuance is hard to express on-line.