Quiz: Name the Steel

Joey Ace · Post by **Joey Ace** » 14 Feb 2003 4:59 pm

just for fun...
What brand of Steel is Jim Vest playing in this photo?

I and several others guessed wrong. Jim provided the definitive answer.

Doug Seymour · Post by **Doug Seymour** » 14 Feb 2003 5:09 pm

I saw Jim for the first time @ Fentier Village, Salamanca NY (who knows how long ago?....between 1964 & 1970?) playing with Pee Wee King (& Redd Stewart) At that time he was playing a Miller custom I believe. I remember it was heavy! Don't think it would've "walked" on stage! Jim was nice to talk to & I think Bobbe took me out to see him playing on one of my Nashville visits!
He'd been eating more in between those two times I saw him! and after this picture was taken!

Joey Ace · Post by **Joey Ace** » 14 Feb 2003 5:33 pm

I didn't think it would be answered correctly on the first guess!

You're correct, Doug.

Anyone have any more info about Millers?

Larry Miller · Post by **Larry Miller** » 14 Feb 2003 5:42 pm

I'm a pretty good guy, born in'52

Bill Ford · Post by **Bill Ford** » 14 Feb 2003 6:07 pm

1973/74,I talked to Bobby Simons at Demons Den in Nashville,at the time he was playing a Miller,got literature from him on this guitar,the best I remember it was mfg. by Roger Miller(not the singer)I think in Michigan,(not sure)been a while ago.Bobby played real well,had good tone,nice guy to talk to also...

Bill

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Bill Ford<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bill Ford on 14 February 2003 at 06:09 PM.]</p></FONT>

Bob Blair · Post by **Bob Blair** » 14 Feb 2003 7:34 pm

Joey, Scotty has a Miller S-10 for sale on consignment right now, with a pretty good picture.
www.scottysmusic.com

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 14 Feb 2003 9:24 pm

Miller guitars were made in Illinois. A friend and fellow forumite whose name also happens to be Roger Miller, grew up down by where they were built. Southern Illinois I believe.

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1985 Emmons push-pull, Session 500, Nashville400, 65 re-issue Fender Twin, Fender Tele

Billy Easton · Post by **Billy Easton** » 15 Feb 2003 11:35 am

Roger Miller rebuilt a guitar for me once. He lived in NORTH CENTRAL Illinois....the town is Chillicothe. He had his basement fixed up like a machine shop, a very nice man and did a teriffic job for me. This was about 1966,67. Lost all track, so I don't know where Roger is now. He used to work for Jerry Hanlon, who did a song on the Ernest Tubb Record Shop Album.

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Billy Easton
Casa Grande, AZ
Southwestern Steel Guitar Association

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 16 Feb 2003 3:10 am

When I first decided to play steel I was working part time in a small Music Store in Ct and we had a full color brochure for Miller Steels. I think this was around 70 or so.

I called and tried to order an S10. This went on for about 3 months.I could not even get the guy on the phone to take an order, he said something like we don't have any wood..or somthng along those lines.

So I did the next best thing, drove to NYC and bought a Sho-Bud Maple body Maverick.

Other than Miller Beer..I don't have anymore Miller stories..well..I do have some Roger Miller records including "Uptown to Country"

tp

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 17 Feb 2003 7:04 pm

Roger had a shop in Chillicothe, IL (which is considered Central Illinois)...I am from Peoria a 15 mile trip away.

The best resource on Miller steels would be Roger himself which I think now lives in Iowa (quad city area)??

...Also Dean Dobbins a Chillicothe (Rome) native and a friend of Roger. Dean is a great steel player/singer. He is a forum member.

Hope this helps!

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Tim Harr - Carter D-10 8 & 9 - Troy Cook Jr Band ~ Stardust Nashville Recording Artist