Jeff Newman ?

[A. J. Schobert]

Did Jeff have a particular steel he liked or a particular brand he liked?

I have seen him play in video's and he seems to play alot of different brands.

[Dave Diehl]

Zumsteel!

[Ernest Cawby]

In his early years he played Shobud, his picture is in the Shobud Catalog that came with a new guitar. On his old C6 VHS he was playing a Mullen.Then a Carter, his last part he was playing a Zum, seems like most pros are now playing zums.

ernie

[Bent Romnes]

In the 70's he played MSA and also the "All American"(?) Marlen I think it was. Pictured on one of his instructional albums. He told us that he didn't endorse any special make.He also had Emmons.

He played my MSA once and exclaimed, Man that thing has a bite to it! It made me feel pretty good...

[Joe Butcher]

So I guess the answer is........NO.

Jeff played

Sho Bud
Mullen
Carter
Franklin
MSA
Emmons
Zum

[Roger Foreman]

Jeff also played a Thomas guitar for a while-- I went to June Jam 1996 and he was playing a red Thomas.

[Ron Page]

I've also got videos where he played a Franklin. I believe he wanted to give a lot of steels some exposure rather than a specific endorsement.

[A. J. Schobert]

I never meet jeff, I am sure alot of you guys did, when you would go down to meet him for PSG lessons at his home would he be playing the same guitar there?

[Alan Harrison]

I am hoping that Randy Beavers will jump in this post, Randy and I both knew Jeff and Fran quite well, I first met him in 1973. Jeff always said "Its not the guitar, the tone comes from the player. He had and played many, many brands of steels. If he had a favorite, he never told me what it was and I remember asking him that question a number of times. He would only say that some are more comfortable to play than others. I have seen him play several different guitars at the June Jams that he used to have and they all sounded great. He proved his point, to me anyway. Alan

[Dave Diehl]

Missed one Joe. He also had a Fender which he used on the CD with Jesse McReynolds. Alan is right about Jeff but you could read between the lines on some things with him.

[Michael Johnstone]

He told me once at a seminar - even tho he was playing a Zum that day - that his Kline had the best tone and stayed in tune better than anything he'd ever played. A couple of years later in 1984 at Scotty's I heard him play the Roy Orbison tune "Crying" on the Kline and it was truly an amazing tone - and performance.

[Doug Beaumier]

In 1982 Jeff told me he had over a dozen pedal steels.

[A. J. Schobert]

Alan you must be the guy! What guitar did Jeff teach his students on? I would think this guitar would more then likely be the same over the years wouldn't it? I would also think he would have owned multiple guitars right?

Kline? interesting

[Sonny Jenkins]

Yeh,,,let's not forget Kline,,and the oft repeated "incident" relating to him playing his Kline and Buddy playing his Emmons,,,???

[Alan Kendall]

I was chatting with Fran a couple of years ago, and she said Zumsteel was his favourite.

[Alan Harrison]

Hi A.J.
When Jeff's Steel College was still in Nashville just off of old Hickory Blvd, I was there about once a week or sometimes more often. And almost never missed the concert he had each week.(I can't remember if it was on Monday or Tuesday evenings). That was from 1977 when he first opened the school until he moved to Watertown, I have seen him use many different guitars during the week long schools. If my memory serves me correctly, he change guitars every day. He changed guitars often to show the students the importance of technique.
There was a point that Mr. Emmons was also teaching at the school, and could tell you more about the daily routine.
I can remember him playing most of the brands that have been mentioned on this thread at one time or another. I believe he told me at one point, he had 13 steels.
Those weekly concerts were sure something to see and hear. I sure Miss Jeff and Fran.

[Bent Romnes]

Amen to that Alan. I think we all miss them.

[A. J. Schobert]

Thanks Alan for the info, there is no denying good right hand technique.

[Bernie Gonyea]

Yes, Fellow forumites, I honestly believe that our man, Jeff, was the greatest Steel Guitar Instuctor of all time. I never heard a bad note played by him, no matter what brand guitar he was utilizing. As he would tell us, The tone is in the player's hands; whether on the guitar or adjusting one's Amp settings. I definitely learned a heap from the Seminars which I had the privelege to attend; And, I, too miss him a great deal. Bernie

[Alan Harrison]

I will always remember the mini concerts. Thats where I first had the opportunity to see and hear all my steel heroes play.
I got to see Buddy Emmons, Paul Franklin, Stu Basore, Johnny Cox, Bruce Bouton etc. This is to name just a few of the great players that brought their talents to Jeff's small stage and usually played to no more than 25 to 30 people who were in attendance. Jeff always had a great backup band for them to work with. I didn't always agree with Jeff but my respect for him had no end. alan

[Jack Stanton]

Back in the '70's I attended one of Jeff's seminars hosted by the PSGA in NY. He had at least 12 different guitars with him, all set up in the room for everyone to check out. He pretty much had one of everything that was out there at that time.
It was Jeff, Fran, and a guy named Mitch whose job was to set up and tune them all.
The morning was an E9th class for which he played a Marlen, the C6th class a single neck Shobud with 5 pedals and one knee. It was steel guitar heaven!

[Dale Hansen]

I was at Jeff's school in January '83. At that time, he had a very nice looking red Dekley, with pinstriping on it.

[Rick Nicklas]

I have seen Jeff sit at many guitars. He would take only a moment to analyze the pedal and knee lever arrangements and once locked in, he would play the guitar like he had it his whole life.

p.s. Eat your heart out... I own the above Kline you are referring too. I had to paint it several times though because it was a pinkish/orange color when I first got it from Tom Bradshaw.

Jeff sometimes would run a seminar like "Hells Kitchen" with Ramsey at the helm. But what a gift he had. I actually think he could immitate any players style better than they sounded in the first place.

[Ken Mizell]

I went to Jeff's seminar in Lakeland back in 83 or 84, and he had the red Dekley with pinstripes. Here it is in this photo:

[Mickey Adams]

It wasnt the guitar!...it was his fingers and those pointed black boots!