The Steel Guitar Forum

Amen to that, Mike!

Yeah I'm sure the copedent makes a difference and I certainly don't have those changes Tom had set up on my guitar. Interestingly whoever wrote that tab that Lee reposted has the lick in question done entirely on fret 5. I'm using 3 and 5. I think the key here really is "touch" (as you men...

OK, after doing a litle research I guess a number of steel players (including Tom Brumley) did indeed tune to Eb., esp. in the "old days". I actually seem to recall this now, I went through a Buck/Tom/Buckaroo phase many years ago and even played on a ZB Custom (which I miss!) for a few ye...

Tune: Dwight Yoakam's "Heart That You Own" I love this song and the very beautiful steel solo! (IMO). My "predicament" is with the 3rd measure of the solo (not counting solo pick-up notes). The song is in E, but the move in the 3rd measure (3rd beat), a typical AB pedal move we'v...

Two. My very first steel, a P/P baby blue Emmons S-10 with pad I bought from Bobbe Seymour and eventually sold back to him. Bad move.

Then a ZB Custom D-10 (Billy Knowles rebuild) which I sold on here. Bad move again.

These were the 2 best sounding steels I ever owned.

Dang. I really miss my ZB. If I only had the dough....

This is the most beautiful Derby I've ever seen, literally. (It also has IMO the best Derby logo, out of at least 4 I am aware of!). If I didn't already own one I'd snatch this up. Not just because it's gorgeous but because Derby's are great steels, they can keep up with anything out there. I'm surp...

Thanks guys! Dale, I think you may be on to something with pick angles and how "deeply" I play into the strings. I need to experiment some with that stuff because I do think that's part of my issue. I'm pretty sure the "amount" of pick extending off my fingers is about correct. I...

After about a 5 year hiatus, I'm back into playing steel. I started in 1998 or so. One thing I've always struggled with is playing fast licks cleanly. To this day I'll still miss strings or just graze them, even practicing a lick or run over and over. I'm a musician from way back and I know all abou...

From 2010 or so...

Wow. This is now the 4th logo I’ve seen on the front of Derbys (being number #27, I also assume the first). And check out the all-white fret markers! Really cool, Larry!

No question, Damir. The specific article’s point not withstanding, making music is the magic elixir of life, and I believe has untapped mental and physical healing properties.

While I do believe things like humidity and temperature physically effect tone to a point, I think it's mostly our ears that "change". Our perception is different from day to day. And our mood and what we are emotionally putting into the instrument (not just steel but any instrument) impac...

These are great photos, and some nice background info. on Derby's and Charlie. I never met Charlie although I spoke with him on the phone once or twice, he was always very nice to me. Basically I was (am) a steel "nobody" so I appreciated that. I bought my Derby new in 2008 (#390) just a y...

Just checked that link - I forgot about those early Derby's with the hat and cane screwed on logo! - I guess those were the first (someone more in the know could comment). It's funny, I like the location of my knees on the Derby more than other steels I've played, probably just how I sit at it more ...

Oh yeah here's mine..

Paul I'm not sure of the year Charlie Stepp starting building Derbys. I've owned and played a number of steels over the years (well, decades)...Emmons P/P, ZB Custom, Sho-Bud, Carter. The Derby D10 (the only guitar I still currently own) is the most reliable and trouble-free of them all. While I can...

That's one beautiful Derby! These are great guitars..sound and play wonderfully. I'd go for this if I didn't already own one! I prefer the older decal style too like this...

Good grief, Bruce's playing makes me want to quit the steel entirely! Ironically enough.....I LEARNED to play the steel from his Homespun video!

Sale pending . Donation coming is soon as the deal is done.

Thanks to all who inquired about my guitar, if anything changes i will contact those who have emailed and let them know.

BUMP

I'm regrettably selling this beauty to make room for another instrument in my stable. I purchased it here about 5 years ago from another forum member and it has been used sparingly and never gigged. It's a head-turner and sounds really sweet too. Here is what I know. Probably around a '78 (however p...

Keith

The darker finish is still charcoal grey with what I would call a hint of brown. Guys...stop, you're killing me! I'll miss this guitar but times change and you gotta move on to different things I suppose....

Sale pending receipt of funds...

This breaks my heart, but a new recording project I am involved with (which I need $$ for) forces me to sell my lovely ZB. It’s a D-10 8+5. I have owned the guitar since 2003 (having bought it from a fellow forumite here). It is a Billy Knowles rebuild. The serial number is 0330 which puts it somewh...