The Steel Guitar Forum

Here's a brief taste of the Ray Charles classic "Drown in My Own Tears" played on a Weissenborn-style Hawaiian guitar built by David Dart. The subtle D7 tuning (high to low: D-A-F#-C-A-D) came at the suggestion of sacred steel player AJ Ghent, who knows what he is doing. Thanks to Dave Cha...

Good working condition. It's seen some wear and has two strips of Velcro on it. The bar comes with it. SOLD for $180. https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix1712/8475_Matchbro_SGF_1_1.jpg https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix1712/8475_Matchbro_SGF_2_1.jpg https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix171...

Tony, it really depends on your guitar. On my David Dart Hawaiians I use .015, .017, .025w, .035, .045 and .056 for D tuning. On a Dobro you can go heavier, and on an electric steel heavier still, like .016 to .060. On a vintage Weissenborn please go lighter and err on the side of caution because th...

I asked about a B11 version and they told me that they couldn't find a B11 version. So I don't know if there ever was a B11 version. Or maybe the listing showing C6th/B11th is incorrect? Yes, there is a B11 version of "Carefree", and I have it. I got it from Jerry Byrd over 20 years ago. ...

+1 on the drum throne. After a surgery a few years ago I had to sit on stage for a while. I got a Roc-N-Soc and loved it.

This may be a lost cause. But while we're on the subject, I have a Fender D-6 that's missing a lollipop button. It's a great sounding guitar and ought to be played. Any suggestions besides plastic buttons or pliers?

In the 1980s I used to visit Bobbe's store every time I was in Nashville. A lot of steel players hung out there, and for somebody starting on the instrument it was a great place to be a fly on the wall. Bobbe always took time to ask about me and what I was doing. This might sound a little crazy, but...

The unconscious part happens when the technique moves from the conscious part of your brain to another, deeper place. The only way for this to happen is by long, frustrating practice. An older player in Nashville once told me, "You'll give up and decide you can never get it. Then you'll wake up...

That's my video and auction. Thanks, Dennis.

I am on quite a budget at the moment though - I wonder what the cheapest option for this would be? The cheapest option requires a little work. But if you have time and are fearless, you can adapt old organ pedals and hook them up via MIDI to a keyboard or laptop computer. People harvest these and s...

Looks more like the work of Paul Tutmarc to me, though I make no claims to be an Audiovox expert. Bud usually mounted his pickups on a slant.

Listen to the way Ray Charles sang. That's a college course in sliding from one note to another -- what this instrument is all about.

Whatever else has happened to this guitar, I believe the finish looks original. I've have a D-6 like it and have seen several other old Fenders that color.

Not sure if this story is on-topic, but I think any way we can keep the old songs alive is a good thing for everybody, as long as it's honest and not hokey. Several years ago I was playing a Dobro solo gig at a weeknight event -- just background music next to a catered buffet -- playing a little of ...

Lee, I played it at the 5th, 7th and 12th frets, but it didn't lay out neatly. There was a lot of jumping back and forth.

Lee, I used to play "Chime In" in C6/A7. It's been a while, but I could get everything I heard on the record in that tuning, chiming the "off" notes at the 7th fret. It's a fun tune to play.

Steve, I've got a shameful number of Ricks: 6-, 7-, 8- and 10-strings, prewar, postwar, bakelite, frypans, stamped metal and console. If you'd like to come over and try them some time just give me a call.

In blues it's a good thing to put your third in motion, usually from minor toward major, but not quite coming all the way up. Yes, I am talking about playing between the frets. In E pick the 2nd string at the 12th fret and the 3rd string at the 11th fret. Then move your bar back toward straight acro...

Years ago Leonard T. Zinn demonstrated to me his bar grip with a restaurant butterknife. He said the index finger should act only as a guide. The grip is between your thumb and the bigger joint of your middle finger. If you lift your hand the front of the bar should fall and point down. This grip wo...

Michael, for blues the G tuning will get you part way there. You can quickly change three strings to a D tuning (low to high: D-A-D-F#-A-D) and get the Elmore James licks. C6 is a great and versatile tuning, but it will take you in a different direction. It wasn't designed for songs like "I Can...

From what you are describing it sounds like you might be putting a little weight on the bass strings. That will bend them sharp, so you have to slant to compensate. I don't know if that's what's happening in your case, but it's a common problem. The solution is to ease up on the pressure and make su...

+1 on the Bradley, but only if you have more than roughly 1/4" clearance under the strings. Otherwise you can scar up the fretboard.

You'll find my name as one of the sources of the Dobro info in Gruhn's Guide, and I can tell you I've never before seen five digits in the center of a 1980s OMI serial number. But there's a first time for everything, and that goes double for Dobros. What I can offer you is this group of quotations o...

Thanks for posting this, Bob. In case anyone else has trouble with the code, that's MAL40 with no space in it.

Years ago a guitarist taught me to play that kind of tremelo by turning a flatpick at a right angle to the string and using just the tip. This technique also works with a plastic thumbpick.