The Steel Guitar Forum

I am not too worried about the money, I am looking for something that be a forever amp. I like the idea of rechargeable batteries, I am just curious whether it makes sense to go with the 30 amp model to provide room to use a volume pedal.

Thanks

I have been thinking about getting one of these amps to be able to play where there might not be an outlet. Thoughts? The little three watt amp, I am using now doesn’t have the headspace to use a volume pedal.

I like the thought of dropping out of a 6th tuning with benders because they are an effect and 6th tuning is more versatile than a ninth.

The tuning is the same as Ralph Mooney's. Next time I change strings I am thinking about going to a lighter top two strings to be able to do string pulls to fully encompass the Mooney Sound. I haven't progressed to the point as a player that I can do justice two the instrument. The advantage of havi...

I have an 8 String Jackson Slide king with two benders (G#, E, B to C#, G# to A, F#, E, D, C#). I have found that playing a guitar with benders is its own thing, it’s different than lap steel and it’s different than modern pedal steel. I take inspiration from the players who played right as pedal st...

I found the best way to utilize the extra strings is to fill out the notes within the existing tuning instead of going lower. Jerry Byrds- 8 string C6/ A7 tuning was E, C, A, G, E, C#, C, A with both the major and minor third.

I have been working my way through the Don Helms book trying to fake my way playing E6 on an E9 pedal steel. When I need to play the 6th, 5th and 3rd of a chord, I move up the neck two frets, hit the B pedal and drop down a string.

Buy the Don Helms book and play 4 frets higher.

Wire in a tone knob. I am not sure why pedal steels don’t have tone knobs as standard.

What is the tuning on your other neck? And what sort of music do you want to play. Unfortunately there isn’t a standard lap steel tuning. Each player developed their own style as sort of a trade secret. The set of strings that you bought are for getting the Hank Williams sound. Buy the book and have...

Does anyone know of any tablature or books or anything that would tell me how to play a 6 string pedal steel guitar tuned to a straight E (G# E B G# E B) with 3 pedals and 4 knee levers. I am learning to play a Hudson but I’m following along in a book. I don’t have anything for this today can anyon...

C6 and E6 are the same tuning four frets apart. I would stay with an E tuning because of the amount of resources that can be adapted from pedal steel. You have two extra strings add to the tuning. I would add a D and a F# to the E6. G#, E, C#, B to C#, G# to A, F# , E, D . Once you get the hang of t...

Chris should do a Lap Steel Method. He has so much knowledge about lap steel that we could all learn from.

I’m thinking about commissioning a standup steel guitar from Jackson and I am exploring what kind of setup I want to get. The music that I really like is the late lap steel music and early pedal steel music. I want to inhabit a similar space as Don Helms, Ralph Mooney, Kayton Roberts or Bud Isaacs. ...

The vast majority of non pedal steel instruction is in C6. So I would have one neck tuned C6 D E C A G E C A F C For the other Neck: I would recommend an E9 tuning F# C# or D or D# G# E B G# F# E D B My rational for the E9 is that with it the tuning there is the E major (G#EBG#EB), E7 (EBG#EDB), and...

Do you want a changer on the C6 neck or just a lap steel neck?

I have Jackson Slide king lap steel with wrist levers that I have tuned the same basic way. Currently, I have it tuned: G# E B to C# on lever A G# to A on lever B F# E C# A I am not really happy with the bottom strings at the moment, I am leaning towards the Ralph Mooney style D and C# on the bottom...

When playing with a volume pedal, only half of the max signal is used. In order to do get sustain with a volume pedal, a note is struck with the volume pedal at roughly 30 percent output and that level of volume is maintained by depressing the volume pedal at the same rate as the note is decaying. S...

If I am playing through a volume pedal, the output to the amp is at most half of the unimpeded signal. Is there a way to boost the signal backup to fully utilize a small amp?

Thanks, I’m looking for Ideas. I have a little 9 volt orange crush mini amp that takes a nine volt power supply. What I would like to do is set up something that I could busk with. I am thinking I could mount the amp, a volume pedal and maybe a couple of effects pedals on and have a battery that wil...

I am looking for a little pedal board that I can mount a couple of pedals on that has its own power supply and perhaps may be able to put a little 5 watt amp on it for taking to places.

Talk to the Jackson’s about their dual lever slideking lap steel. It is so nice to be able to take the guitar out of its case and just play. Plus anyone can play the guitar big or small.

Gentlemen, thank you both for your comments. You have confirmed what I suspected, that the benders are best used for the classic PSG bends. I will be leaving them off my shopping list for this project! However, D. Schubert, you've now given me an idea for upcycling an old six string - thanks! Yes b...

I have an eight string Jackson Slide king with two benders. I have settled on an e9 tuning. G# E B up to c# G# to A F# E D B There is a reason why the early pedal steel players settled the standard E9 tuning. The benders didn’t click for me until I put the 3rd on top. With that I can access he Don H...