Improper Introduction

Chris Lasher · Post by **Chris Lasher** » 6 Sep 2003 5:17 pm

Note: I hope I'm not making the ultimate newbie mistake of posting this in the wrong forum, but my apologies if I am.

*takes a deep breath*

Hello, my name is Chris, and I'm addicted to listening to pedal steel guitar.

Phew! That wasn't as hard as I thought.

Some of you may have seen my thread in another forum. There's some background info on me there, but if you don't want to read it, I don't blame you—I don't want to read it again, either.

To say a few things, though, I'm a research technician for two labs at the University of Georgia. I'm 21 years old, which means I'm probably the least experienced person on this board, and not just in the area of pedal steel. $:\$ So, unless you specify otherwise, chances are I'm going to refer to you as Mr. or Ms.; my mom's a Southern Belle at heart, and she didn't raise no ill-mannered boy.

I've got a hundred questions in me so far about pedal steel guitar and its players. I'm not sure which ones to ask first, which ones I can ask, and which ones I shouldn't. I didn't feel this much like a newbie even when I was starting in music again on guitar over five years ago; that's probably mostly due to the fact that I have internet access now. Back then, I didn't have anybody to tell me how much I needed to spend to get started, what equipment I would need, what techniques I would need to learn, etc. Something tells me that a lot of you were in that same type of position when you started out on pedal steel. My guess is you probably did what I did for guitar: just dug right in and went after what sounded right, with occasional advice from the local (or maybe not-so-local) pedal steel jockey. I can tell you that in today's world of prolific information and connective technology, that's no longer possible. Maybe it's for better, maybe for worse, but for sure my experience of attempting to get into pedal steel is probably different than most of the members here. I guess I'm just leading up to a request that if you see me going nuts with information overload, please bestow your wisened patience upon me.

I was reading here on the board, albeit selectively, and I stumbled upon this comment by Mr. Doggett:
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>
It's the beginner level expense that hurts pedal steel. You can get a beginner's acoustic or electric guitar, or banjo for less than $200. Sure top 6-string guitars and vintage ones cost thousands. But you can get started, amp and all for less than $300. Getting started on pedal steel will run you four or five times that much. And then you'll end up with equipment you'd be embarassed to play a real gig with; whereas, plenty of 6-stringers feel fine playing real gigs with a few hundred dollars worth of gear.

It's tough for young kids with low incomes to get started on pedal steel. And forget asking the parents to spring for it.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
This is so true! One of the things that makes me fear pedal steels the most is the bottom line pricetag: what it will actually take to purchase a pedal steel that will facilitate my learning of technique and also keep my imagination fueled by not being frustrating due to being mechanically sub-par. When Mr. Stallings informed me that I could probably find a decent steel to learn on for under $1,500, I had to slowly absorb that figure. Had I been a business major with an entry-level job, that number would be pretty dismissable, but as a person working in a research entry-level job, (for a government instutition, nonetheless,) that number is a little more difficult to swallow. (Of course, unlike quite a few business majors, I actually enjoy my job, and I don't have to work in a cubicle village.) This is not to say that I couldn't spend that much on an instrument, but that kind of figure demands a lot of deliberation and justification, so that I feel like I'm making a good investment for myself.

I guess it all boils down to the question, How much is learning to pedal steel guitar, and possibly finding a new outlet of expression, worth to me? So I guess you could say I'm joining this forum to do a little soul searching and look for advice and thoughts that might point out the right direction for me. So, sorry to use you guys, but I'll try to give back in whatever way I am capable of.

Another thing about me that's probably pretty darn obvious by now is that I tend to write or talk prolifically when I get onto a topic that I'm passionate about. I guess that's all I've got for now, though. (Go ahead, and sigh for relief, I won't hold it against ya

) I'll do my best to learn the etiquette of this board. I envy you all for your ability to play and enjoy the pedal steel, you really are lucky, but I'm sure it's well-deserved.

I'd like to thank Mr. Stallings for getting me some contacts from a few folks here in Georgia, and being really, really helpful to for no other reason than being a very, very kind person. I'd also like to thank Mr. Lee for encouraging me to, and letting me, join this forum.

And a howd'ya do and a thanks to you all in advance, to the rest.

Chris

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 6 Sep 2003 6:12 pm

I'm no expert, but I suggest you continue reading and listening for awhile. Sooner or later, you'll come across a decent steel you can afford (either a Carter Starter, or a used pedal steel), and you can always pick up a decent amp for a couple hundred. I would think you can get enough to get you started for under a grand (if you're lucky, and you take your time).

One thing that will help you tremendously is to get out and see the steelers around you. Go out and see them play, and ask if you could come over their house sometime for "familiarization" with their instrument. Most of us are pretty decent folk, and will help anyone who has a genuine interest. If you're able to buy some steel CD's from our Forum, do that, too.

But if you're really in a hurry, and are seriously limited financially, then go to pawn shops, flea markets, or yard sales in search of an old Hawaiian steel. No, you won't be able to cop that Paul Franklin stuff you hear on the radio, but you can learn the rudiments of tunings, bar control, and right-hand technique, all of which will transfer over when you can afford a pedal steel.

Ask, read, and listen as much as you can. Just rmember, it's a lot easier to learn to play steel than it will be to quit once you've started!

Pat Burns · Post by **Pat Burns** » 6 Sep 2003 6:30 pm

...my advice to you based on my own experience is to buy the best guitar you can the first time...otherwise, you'll only end up buying guitars you really aren't happy with and have to sell them for less than you paid...it will only take you longer to get where you want to go that way..I learned that the hard way...

...the good news is that it's a buyers market for used steels right now...there have been some great deals right here on the forum recently for professional grade used guitars...Donny is right, take your time to research the market, test drive as many as you can, then spend your money...

...and on a personal note, welcome to steel guitar, and don't be shy, we're all just folks, even the pros (or I might say especially the pros, they are all nice people and very helpful)...

...I only wish I had started when I was 21..you are embarking on a life-changing journey, so enjoy the trip!...

Larry Jamieson · Post by **Larry Jamieson** » 6 Sep 2003 6:41 pm

Hello Chris, welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of steel guitar. I was about your age when I bought my first axe, an MSA with 3 pedals and one knee lever. On the forum I see used BMI guitars with 3 pedals and 3 knees going for less than a thousand. New or used Carter starters are good learner guitars as well. In October or November my new Zum will arrive and I'll have for sale a nice Cougar Elite with 3 pedals and 5 knees for around $1295. This guitar is about 6 or 7 years old and plays well. I have used it professionally for the past two years. If you want to see pictures, let me know and I'll e-mail some to you. If you really have a desire to learn to play, get a rig and get started. You'll always have something to do, and 30 years later, you'll be like me, still learning! Regards, Larry J.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 6 Sep 2003 7:04 pm

Donny says he's no expert. Ha! My advice - don't ever play poker with him. Okay, Chris, find yourself the cheapest beat up old solid-body electric guitar you can find, and the cheapest old beat up amp. Raise the string action as high as you can. Make your own raised nut (that's the piece of plastic the strings rest on at the tuning key end of the neck), or you can buy a metal raised nut from one of the on-line steel guitar shops like Scotty's Music or Steel Guitar Nashville or Beard's Resophonic Outfitters (e-mail me for the links if you can't find them). Put some really heavy guage strings on there. Get yourself a bar from a music store. Tune the guitar to GBDGBD (bottom to top), or EBEG#BE. Or just about any other major chord you want. Now you have a lap steel, which is what most of us learned on.

Start playing single note melodies. Learn where the I, IV, and V chords are in 3 or four keys. That's any fret for the I, 5 frets up for the IV, two frets up from that for the V. Now you can play country. Every now and then go 3 frets up from the I chord. Now you can play blues and rock. Get a lap steel instruction video from one of the steel shops. You're on your way.

At some point put a post in the Buy and Sell here on the Forum and ask for a cheap used volume pedal. You can probably get one for less than $100.

While you're foolin' around with all that, save your money (or get a good credit card). When you get about $500 bucks, go to Buy and Sell here on the Forum (also call the above steel shops) and say you are looking for a cheap used starter pedal steel, and I'll bet someone will fix you up. You want a single-neck 10 string E9 with 3 pedals and 4 knee levers.

Play that for a year and save some big bucks. Then come back to the Forum and watch Buy and Sell for something better. Don't get married and have children. You wont have the time or money for them.

Ron Randall · Post by **Ron Randall** » 6 Sep 2003 8:32 pm

Hello, and welcome Chris

I understand where you are. I been there. My first guitar was in and out of hock a lot.
When I was 21 I was in college and eatin' baloney and Cheerios.

A six or eight string lap steel will go along way to getting you started. You can experiment with lots of tunings, play tons of western swing, old country, Hawaiian, blues, single note melodies. During this period you can learn the right hand technique, bar technique, etc. Whenever you are ready for pedal steel, you will be miles ahead.

Good luck
Seek and ye shall find.
(you don't have to call me Mr.)

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Stringmaster T8, Benoit 8, National Tricone, MSA U12

Chris Lasher · Post by **Chris Lasher** » 6 Sep 2003 8:39 pm

Mr. Hinson, Mr. Burns, Mr. Jamieson, and Mr. Doggett, thanks very much for your replies.

Mr. Hinson, as much as I want to be in a hurry, I've been wisened by getting burned a couple times from letting my emotions make a few purchases in the past. I was pretty close to diving in and getting that Dekley in Commerce, but I made the intelligent choice and reasoned I should sleep on it. I guess you could say I've passed out on it, since I haven't been back to that store yet. The times when I've done a lot of research have definitely paid off, and I'm willing to invest the time in researching pedal steel, because even if I decide not to go with it, I'll still walk away with a greater appreciation for the instrument, and maybe a few new friends, too.

As for buying a lapsteel, I'm really not interested. For my intents and purposes, I can achieve the same playing slide on my six-string, and save money by not purchasing the instrument. The only way I can explain the difference in interest between pedal steel and lap steel is that I love the possibilities that those pedals allow, particularly sliding up to different chord inversions or intervals. I've actually been goofing around with sliding around my fretting hand on my guitar and trying to smoothly maintain the right interval (for instance, having to slide up a major third of a root chord into a fourth interval of the V chord. It's not quite the same loveliness as with a pedal steel, though, due to the frets which makes the actual pitch make several jumps up, rather than slowly sliding up.

I think I'm getting off topic.

As for going to see pedal steelers in action, well, I need to work on that, but there certainly aren't any here in Athens that I know of. I went to the Kicks 101.5 "Last Blast of Summer" concert last Labor Day weekend, and watched Dierks Bentley's steel guitarist tear it up, and Merle Haggard's seasoned steel veteran play with great grace. I asked Mr. Bentley if I could meet his pedal steeler, but it was after Bentley's set, and he kindly replied, "Man, I wish I could tell you where he is, but I have no idea. He could be anywhere." Bummer, but meeting Mr. Bentley wasn't too bad

Mr. Stallings helped me out, and I've been contacted by Mr. Miller in Covington and Mr. Cunningham in Cumming. Mr. Miller is actually being nice enough to let me come over to his house and muck around a bit on one of the pedal steels he's built—what generosity! Maybe I should bring some earplugs for him and his wife, out of courtesy

So no worries, I'm going to invest a lot of time into researching and reading. After all, the way I get paid right now, obviously my time is worth less than an expensive mistake

Mr. Burns, it may be a buyers market, but the only place I've seen pedal steels is that Krazy Al's in Commerce, and their selection is minimal and pretty much dependant on folks coming in there to trade in their pedal steels, except for the lone new Carter Starter. Also, I've been told by several of you pedallers that it's important (critical, even?) to bring along an experienced pedal steeler with you to help you select a guitar. That throws an even bigger monkey in the wrench. Now, I guess there's always eBay, and there is the buy/sell forum here, but, the last time I purchased a guitar over the internet that I hadn't played, I wound up having to sell it for a loss because the neck did not feel comfortable to me. And goodness, with a pedal steel and all those parts, there's just so many things that could be missed, failed to be described, or even hidden until it's too late. Plus, how the heck am I supposed to know if I'll actually like the way it sounds and feels unless I've played it in person, or at least been present when someone else played it? I don't know, it just seems like such a leap of faith (foolishness?) to me.

I will completely agree with you about buying the best guitar I possibly can afford, though. It's really no different for six-strings. And I learned that lesson by experience, much as you did, although, the first two guitars I've ever owned are still the only two I have (after selling the aformentioned guitar). If you get the chance to read through that thread I put a link to in my post above, you'll see a part where I explain about the $1,000+ guitar I was going to build until my mom gave me her words of wisdom that essentially boiled down to "You can't afford something that nice yet." I'm still uncertain that I can afford an instrument worth that much. And also, there's this conflict of interest because, if I spend that much on a pedal steel, am I cheating myself from a dream guitar that I already invested months of research and money to make? I really haven't found any answers yet (obviously).

So there are some professional musicians here? That's kind of a change from guitar forums. For the most part, it's all amateurs; if there are any pros that post on the internet, they must use pseudonyms, and usually the best playing amateurs are the ones who post the least, which is unfortunate. I will not be able to identify any of the pros here, and that's really embarassing for me, and I apologize in advance, because I admire that they're able to make a living making music. It's certainly a fantasy a lot of musicians have. Unless Sonny Garrish, Mike Johnson, or Randel Currie post on here, I'm not going to be able to say, Wow, I know you, I love your work, even if I do know and love work they've laid down on tracks I've heard. I only know the first pedal steeler because of his work with Kenny Chesney, and the latter two because they play(ed) with Brad Paisley. So, again, I'm reeeeeeaally sorry!

And as for starting at 21, well, we'll see about that. Maybe I'll need to wait a year or two...or ten...whenever it is that I have the bank statement that says "Okay, he's cleared to be serious about pedal steel." Daydreaming about playing is pretty cheap, though, so I guess I can manage.

Mr. Jamieson, congratulations on the purchase! As you can tell by what I've written above, I'm not sure that I could purchase your Cougar Elite, but I will most definitely keep it in mind. I really appreciate it. And that's great that you started at my age and are still with it! That's the sort of connection I feel to music. It's a kind of neverending path of expression and self-discovery, where as soon as you get to something you were trying to get to, you realize that all you did is just create more things to pursue! It's almost a headache, but I wouldn't trade it for sitting on my couch and watching TV and living a comfortable, cushy life. I guess musicians are gluttons for self-punishment.

Mr. Doggett, thanks for the advice. I guess, see the above explanation of why I'm pretty much all-or-nothing for pedal steel. And I believe the comment about the not getting married and having children thing! I guess I could say that I was preparing in advance for that, since I lost a girlfriend at the beginning of the summer. Unfortunately, unlike Brad Paisley, whose girlfriend "broke my heart and made me a songwriter," I missed out on the songwriter part.

Thanks again to you all! What a friendly, warm welcome!

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 6 Sep 2003 8:51 pm

Chris,

Track down John Neff in Athens. He is can point you in the right direction.

Have fun, Bob

Winnie Winston · Post by **Winnie Winston** » 6 Sep 2003 8:56 pm

When I got hooked on steel, I went out and bought a good one. Got a Sho Bud S-10 with 3 and 1 and then added 3 more knees.
Having a good guitar with easy action will make learning a lot easier. I know a guy who is trying to learn and he has a terrible amp, a terrible volume pedal, and an old single neck "starter model" MSA that has one knee lever, and is impossible to tune (rotten tuning pegs) and sounds terrible.
I could barely coax anything out of it. He will NEVER get it to sound like it should, and will have nothing but frustration until he decided to spend the money and get something which is halfway decent.
As to starting on a lap steel... If you want to play PEDAL steel, then go for it. Lap steel will be a frustration-- unless you want to duplicate lap-steel sounds. Having a lap steel and listening to Lloyd will get you nowhere.
With the kind of information flow and contacts this list offers there should be no problem in getting good stuff to start with.
A personal plug... get my book: "Pedal Steel Guitar". It is filled with very valuable information. Ask anyone who started with it... like Sara Jory!

Good luck with it all!

JW

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 6 Sep 2003 10:32 pm

Hi, Chris, welcome to this great forum. Always lots to learn here! I'm literally right down the road from you and would be more than glad to help you in any way I can, can probably hook you up with a guitar, lessons, check out steels for you or whatever will help out. I was in Athens tonight at the 40 Watt as a matter of fact with Sugarland. Give me an email or call anytime. 770-972-9013

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C'mon by and visit!- www.markvanallen.com
My Bands: Sugarland Kate and the Retreads Kecia Garland Band Shane Bridges Band Dell Conner Blues Band

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 7 Sep 2003 2:40 am

Chirs, welcome aboard..there ya go..a fine response by Winnie Winston..well respected pro and Mark Van Allen..another professional road and session player is your neighbor ! And by the way..the Atlanta area is full of great players.

Donny and all above are right on target. It's my opinion that you could get into a Carter Starter (3 Pedals and 4 Knee levers) for around $700 and just use whatever amp you have at home for the 6 string.(reverb would be nice) You will need a quality volume Pedal such as a Goodrich 120..

Most of us buy amps and get rid of them the next week anyway in search for the holy grail something or other !

I would make every attempt to get into a Steel with at least 3 Pedals and 4 Knee levers..( E9th Tuning) as these Steels will offer excellent flexibility in the learning arena and offer very good return on your investment when you decide to step up. So the Carter Starter seems like a good choice here.

Unless you plan on being on a gig as a primary player in the next 30 days or so you will be fine for a good long time.You could do this for about $800 , maybe less..and be well satisfied I feel.

Don't forget a Bar and picks..total about $30..

My first Steel as many here, was a Sho-Bud Maverick 3 Pedals and 1 Knee lever..I bought it new for I think $350 back in the early 70's....and within 6 months came to realize that the stuff I wanted to learn how to play was not on that Steel..some may say yes it was by slanting the bar and by using good Bar technique , but what I wanted and needed was the extra Knee Levers, not to add another dimension to my Steel playing education which was crazy enough. E9th, 3+4 will serve you well for a very long time.

Best of luck
TP

PS: The parallel Forum is also a fine place but just a little more wide open..Good advice from both locations.[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 07 September 2003 at 03:47 AM.]

Budd Kelley · Post by **Budd Kelley** » 7 Sep 2003 5:07 am

Hello Chris. Did you attend the Jody Carver school of writing?

I bought a Carter Starter new because I didn't know anyone to check out used ones for me. Paying cash and doinig a little driving, I paid considerably less than $700.00. For me to learn in my bedroom it is fine.

Best of luck to you!

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Carter-Starter, the cutest little Peavey you ever saw, and now a BJS bar!

Pat Burns · Post by **Pat Burns** » 7 Sep 2003 5:27 am

So there are some professional musicians here? That's kind of a change from guitar forums. For the most part, it's all amateurs; if there are any pros that post on the internet, they must use pseudonyms, and usually the best playing amateurs are the ones who post the least, which is unfortunate. I will not be able to identify any of the pros here, and that's really embarassing for me, and I apologize in advance, because I admire that they're able to make a living making music.

..you can easily see if someone is a pro or not...at the top of each post is an underlined link to each poster's "profile"..almost everyone here has filled it in, including the pros....and you'll find that they do not use pseudonyms on this forum...

..just be aware that there are also people on here who may not currently be road or session pros but have been in the past, or who are giants of pedal steel musical development, or are innovative manufacturers of guitars and equipment, or are otherwise highly accomplished in the steel guitar world and are more qualified than amateurs such as myself and you may not be able to tell all that from their profile...there are several of these people who have already posted on this page..

Now, I guess there's always eBay, and there is the buy/sell forum here, but, the last time I purchased a guitar over the internet that I hadn't played, I wound up having to sell it for a loss because the neck did not feel comfortable to me....how the heck am I supposed to know if I'll actually like the way it sounds and feels unless I've played it in person, or at least been present when someone else played it? I don't know, it just seems like such a leap of faith (foolishness?) to me.

..I didn't suggest that you buy a guitar sight unseen...on the contrary, I suggested that you do your research before you spend your money...I suggested that the forum is a good place to buy a guitar, and it is...don't buy from somebody on the other side of the planet, buy from someone local so that you can try it out..again, their profile will tell you who they are and where they're from...

...one of the best things you can do to start is to go to one of the steel guitar shows in your area...check the "events and announcements"...

..the single best thing you could do right now is to take Mark Van Allen up on his offer!!..

...I think you'll find that this forum is a lot more up-front and honest than most other ones out there...

[This message was edited by Pat Burns on 07 September 2003 at 07:10 AM.]

Carl West · Post by **Carl West** » 7 Sep 2003 5:55 am

HI Chris and welcome to The Forum. Eventually you'll get all your questions answered because of the many great people assoiated with this forum that b0b has set up for us. Welcome aboard and enjoy it as I have.

Carl West
Emmons LaGrande lll

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 7 Sep 2003 6:01 am

I think Paul Franklin, Buddy Emmons, Herb Steiner, Jim Cohen, Ricky Davis, Jeff Peterson et alia count as "pros", no? I have never seen anything like this in a guitar forum. Pay attention to the postings of Carl Dixon, Jeff Lampert and others on theory, learn to use the search function and explore the links, and you will have a good head start.

Gaylon Mathews · Post by **Gaylon Mathews** » 7 Sep 2003 7:18 am

Chris,

I play in Gainesville at the Wildhorse every 3rd weekend. That's not too far from Athens. You would be welcome as my guest anytime you'd like to come out and see the show and visit. Check our schedule at: http://www.craigcollinslive.com/schedule.html
We will be in Clarksville next Friday night too. Call if I can be of any help to you as I am in the Gainesville, Commerce area alot.
770-634-9712

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Gaylon's Homepage
www.geocities.com/nashville/1064

Craig Collins & High Lonesome
www.craigcollinslive.com

Rick Collins · Post by **Rick Collins** » 7 Sep 2003 7:58 am

Hello Chris, welcome...

If you can makeup your mind to live without an automobile for a while (but, I haven't been able to do it

); you can buy the best pedal steel and amp. setup that money can buy, for a little less than a moderately priced pre-owned car. And, you don't even need registration and insurance___at least, you don't need liability insurance, even if you opt for casualty for the equipment.

Rick [This message was edited by Rick Collins on 07 September 2003 at 09:00 AM.]

Chris Lasher · Post by **Chris Lasher** » 7 Sep 2003 8:13 am

Wow, thanks so much to all of you for your responses! The participation here must be incredible! I want to reply to each of you individually, but I have a few chores around the place to take care of, and I've got to resist the temptation of pleasure before work.

I just wanted to let you all know that I've read your replies, though, and I really appreciate them, bigtime!

To Mr. van Allen and Mr. Matthews, I'll certainly contact you guys! Thanks so much for extending the offer!

Okay, I'll be back later.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 7 Sep 2003 8:54 am

As for buying a lapsteel, I'm really not interested. For my intents and purposes, I can achieve the same playing slide on my six-string, and save money by not purchasing the instrument.

You can learn two basic techniques from a lap steel that you will never learn from slide guitar.<ol>[*]How to use a steel bar.</li>[*]How to pick a steel guitar.</li>[/list]In addition you might learn bar slants, which will teach you why the pedals on a pedal steel are what they are.

Lap steel is a lot more versatile than bottleneck slide. On a lap steel, you can slide any two-note harmony to any other two-note harmony. You can't do that with a "slide guitar".

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 7 Sep 2003 12:32 pm

Welcome to this Great Forum Chris
looks like you've already gotten plenty of good advice
i'll agree w: b0b about lap steel compared to slide guitar
i started out on a lap steel and learned some good basics before i went on to PSG
and i still play it as much as PSG
i'm no expert tho', i just love Steelin'

Chris Lasher · Post by **Chris Lasher** » 9 Sep 2003 5:52 pm

Wow, I keep running out of hours in a day! I will get to replying, though! Mr. Lee and Mr. Schmitt, thanks very much for your advice. I'll definitely be heeding it

What a warm welcoming!

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 10 Sep 2003 5:26 am

Something tells me you're already on the right track, Chris. Maybe it was this:

I went to the Kicks 101.5 "Last Blast of Summer" concert ... and watched ... Merle Haggard's seasoned steel veteran play with great grace.

That was Norm, err I mean Mr. Norman Hamlet. You'll hear from him from time to time here on the forum.

Best wishes and welcome to our world. It looks like you've got plenty of local help to give you good guidance. I, like you have a passion for PEDAL steel, but Bobby Lee is probably right about the non-pedal guitar.

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HagFan

Roger Davis · Post by **Roger Davis** » 10 Sep 2003 7:35 am

Hi Chris,
I am a beginner like you...check out my first post to see what I did as far as getting started... http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum5/HTML/006157.html
Not knowing any players, there was no way I could have bought a used PSG...
Enjoy the ride!

Roger[This message was edited by Roger Davis on 10 September 2003 at 08:36 AM.]

Jesse Pearson · Post by **Jesse Pearson** » 10 Sep 2003 8:46 am

Cris, you can not play the same stuff on your 6 string guitar because of the scale, it's too long. All the the greats started on non pedal before going to pedal. You can get a short scale Magnatone on E-bay if your lucky for under $100.00 and start with C6 tuning, this is a good place to start if you don't have alot of money right now. Don Helms used a short scale 6 string E6 tuning with Hank Williams for the most part and he has a great tab book out on Dewitt Scott's site. Jerry Byrd has a great instructional course out also found on Scotty's site, but JB'S course is over $100.00. Bobby Semore and Cindy Cashdollar also have great video courses out. If you can't play non pedal, I think your missing the foundation of steel playing, plus it's a very affordable instrument. You can look things up in the archieves here on the forum which can answer alot of questions.

Dale Bessant · Post by **Dale Bessant** » 10 Sep 2003 9:55 am

Welcome Chris, I started the musical journey in life at and early age and didnt get into pedal steel guitar until about twenty years ago

I started out on a student guitar made by M.S.A.which had a single neck, 3 floor pedals and 1 knee lever and the body was a one piece molded affair with the fake woodlike covering on it. It played fairly well considering and I found personally that I caught on to it faster than I thought I would...I remember the first time I sat at a pedal steel..I felt like an octopus out of control.so many things to do at once..so little control..and only two eyes...but as I said ,it seemed that in a very short time I was wanting to get more of the sounds I was hearing from other players and recordings and I was unable to get them until I upgraded ...so keep it in mind and if you can afford it, get something that you wont have to replace in short order and you can get most of the country sounds out of..ie: a S-10 with 3 pedals and 4 knee levers is a good start and check out the buy and sell forum here, there are some really good buys and it also helps this Forum stay online...

I also have a lap steel and it is good for your co-ordination as b0b stated.....enjoy....

[This message was edited by Dale Bessant on 10 September 2003 at 10:58 AM.]