Has anyone ever taken up Pedal Steel?

benmurray85

NOT LAPSTEEL! (The two terms seem to get interchanged!)

Ive been really into it for a good five years and I love the sound. Having said that I've never taken the plunge and bought one to try and learn. They look bloody hard work with all the levers and pedals etc. I'm not sure whether it would be a little ahead of my capabilities!

Just curious to see if anyone's tried it?

Gassage

Ben

I give you the absolute king of pedal steel- this guy is incredible.

benmurray85

Thanks gassage. I have seen his stuff before I like it when he does the trad stuff best tbh. His phrasing is exquisite on that stuff.

His rig rundown is quite humorous as well.

KKJale

Yes... I did  a year or so on lap steel and then bought and restored a Sho-Bud S10. 

It's a hell of a lot of fun and in some ways easier to a certain novice level than lap steel, as so much is available without moving the bar. 

I put it off for ages thinking it would be way too difficult, but then a guy I know who plays in a band with Eric Heywood (my hero) said, nah, it's easy if you understand inversions a bit, Eric says he can teach someone the basics in a couple of hours. So I took the plunge. 

The thing is... he was lying, in a nice way. It's easy to get so far but there's a three-dimensional aspect to pedal steel that makes it hard to get out of old ruts and improvise. Everybody apart from the greats suffers from it. 

My steel playing has slipped over the last couple of years as I've been busy in bands on guitar and bass. But I'd say just do it... main advice is play an hour a day, don't wait too long before you join a band (six months is about right if you have any talent), though don't be too eager to release early stuff you've recorded under your own name, you might regret it a bit later on!

Fire away with any questions, I love chatting about steel 

ICBM

I bought one once, because it was going quite cheap - a proper Sho-Bud, although it was one of the basic models (can't remember which one).

The chap I got it from warned me that it was like trying to play the guitar, drive a car and operate a knitting machine all at the same time.

I've never tried to operate a knitting machine but I'm guessing he was right! I couldn't get on with it at all. Possibly not helped by already having an intense dislike of thumb- and finger-picks, which seen fairly necessary for the way it's normally played.

Sold it at a profit after about six months (so not all bad) and now have an increased respect for cheesy country music which features it…

benmurray85

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm a little while off being able to ask questions but I'll bear that in mind @KKJale. Thank you

They seem to go for a pretty decent price on eBay etc so unless anyone knows of any going cheap or any budget models it'll be a while till I can spring to a purchase.

Cabicular

Skaggs guy is great

2:15 if you are impatient

I've fancied trying it but I doubt I could put the time in to be anything other than mediocre

IvisonGuitars

I've got one, a single E9 neck with two pedals, very basic, unbranded model but I love it! It's been hanging around for ages, not really had the time to get into it but since Christmas I've set it up again and am really enjoying it.

Think I've mastered most of the grips, I find it really helpful to play along to something so I have recorded a simple 12 bar on acoustic and use that to play along to.
 

Just got a volume pedal (finally) for it yesterday so am off to hook that up now and give it a whirl, happy Valentine's Day the wife! ;-)

koneguitarist

I borrowed a mates for a while, completely and utterly out of my depth!

Dominic

very few English players ...Jerry Hogan who plays with Albert Lee is a great player

Its my favourite instrument but I am a ' country boy '

Kebabkid

I like ICBM's description and didn't Clapton once liken it to "trying to fly a helicopter".

Isn't BJ Cole a good homegrown player who's worked with many including PJ Harvey?

Love the sound of them and love guitar players who incorporate pedal steel licks.