First Steel Guitar Lesson

[Gary Shreve]

I found an excellent steel guitar instructor in Ft. Worth at Lamb's Music. Steve Lamb and I spent an hour together today with my new-to-me Pedalmaster SD-10.

I bought the steel from someone here on the forum and took my chances that everything was alright. Well...it only took Steve a few minutes of tuning and adjusting pulls and it was up and running well. With 3 pedals and 5 knee levers, Steve told me I wouldn't need another guitar until I just wanted another one. That's nice to hear. And...it's pretty, too.

I've been dreaming of playing the steel for the past 13 years, ever since Les Shelley from Belton, TX, sat in with the band I was in back then for a show. Steve threw more stuff at me today than I could handle, but I'd bet that I'll have it down by next Saturday.

For all the guys and gals here who answer the same ole newbie questions time and time again, THANK YOU. Your time and patience are everything that keeps this forum going. I've already learned a lot from the archived posts, and almost without exception, everyone of whom I've asked a question has been friendly and encouraging. Again, thank you.

So...it's practice practice practice, and I'm proud to say I'm finally making noise with my own steel guitar!!!!! [/code]

[John Roche]

well done Gary

[David Ziegler]

I have only been playing 3 years and mine is still mostly noise, but it is a joyful noise. Enjoy!

[Brian Folks]

That's great Gary...I got my 1st pedal steel back in 1977, a Emerald Green D-10 MSA Classic (a heavy thing), made a lot of noise for a few months, then sold it and bought a new Sho-Bud Pro I in 1978 much better (easier to carry) and finally took a few lessons...got decent playing it and started playing with a country band, lasted for 6 years, moved and sold my Sho-Bud...laid out for 14 years and started back up in 1999 and I am still trying to learn this incredible stringed mechanical instrument...just don't give up and stay with the lessons, you will be a fine Pedal Steel Picker...Take care and "Keep on Pickin'"...Brian

[John Coffman]

Outstanding Gary. Steve is a good steel mech. he has done for me the past. Good luck on the lessons

[Don Brown, Sr.]

Congratulations Gary,

The main thing is to not get discouraged and you'll do great.

Don

[Dick Wood]

Hello Gary,

I know exactly how you feel because it was Steve who taught me to play in 1981. Steve still laughs about the time I drove up to his old shop where I bought an MSA sidekick and hauled it off on a motorcycle strapped to the sissy bar.

Every Saturday I would show up to take my lesson and there would usually be guys like Gary Carpenter or Gary Hogue along with numerous other very good steel players hanging out.

After three months Steve said he had shown me every thing he knew so it was time for me go out and see if a band would hire me.The first band I played with hired me and I've been playing every weekend since.

I wish you much luck and hope you have as much fun with it as I have over the years.

Say hi to Steve for me.

[Gary Shreve]

Whilst I was practicing over and over to the backing track of Faded Love, I got ahold of the 3,4,5 group, bar at the 10th fret...and just as I mashed the a and b pedals....TWANG!!!!!!!!

There went the third string. I've only had this thing three days, and already tearing things up. Guess I'll follow the advise of Winnie Winston, buy a dozen of 'em.

Steve is a demanding taskmaster. Scales, gliss's from 3rd the the 10th fret, Faded Love chords, lead in intro, Man, I'm digging it!!!!!!

How long does the honeymoon with a new steel last?

And a question...I have a .011 electric guitar string for my Stratocaster. Will it work on a steel guitar? I figure it's all the same...but, I'm no expert. Thanks, guys, for all the encouragement and comments. It's easy to see you all are happy for me. Thanks a bunch!!!

[Mark van Allen]

Hang in there Gary! It's a great path with many rewards.
The .011 string should be fine for the third string, unless it was adjsuted for a different gauge, say .010, in which case you'll have to do some minor adjustment on the nylon tuning nut at the endplate.

Most of us use standard guitar strings, you can buy spares at any music shop. Some may be harder to find, like if you use a plain .022 for the sixth string. Jagwire Strings makes a special unwound string for Pedal steel with a shorter winding, but most any string should be fine. Some brands may not hold up to the stretching as well, you'll figure that out. I've had good luck with GHS, SIT, Ernie Ball.

[Gary Shreve]

Don't get discouraged? I think I'm having the problem at the other end of the spectrum. I'm too excited. I want to learn it all and do it all RIGHT NOW! BEFORE DINNER! NOW!

I know it's a long and worth while row to hoe, and I'm anxious to see what each week of lessons brings, as well as the tidbits I pick up from the interaction here on the forum.

Charlie emailed me, and I forgot to mention that after the string broke, I measured all of the strings on my guitar, and it seems fairly standard. Top to bottom are (without the formal decimal places) 13, 15, 11, 14, 17, 20, 26.30, 34, and 36. The forum store sells GHS Super Steels as a set in exactly that combination. Can I use stainless wound strings with a stainless bar? Just curious. I'll visit Mr. E's tomorrow and grab a couple until b0b can fill my order.

Many thanks.

[Eric West]

Yes you can.

I have an original Shot Jackson Lower Broadway rough cut and polished end Stainless Bar.

Bobbe Seymour gave it to me.

HE's one of those guys that said you shouldn't use them with SS strings. (I replace the .011 with a .010 too..)

Well, I did.

More than two years and a dozen sets of GHS SS strings later, there isn't ONE SCRATCH on the bar.

I know it really put a knot in his winkie...



EJL

[Eric West]

Also Gary, your enthusiasm is like what I got from my teacher.

I might have pulled it in a little bit because he loaded me up until I'd have to stay up all night getting things PERFECT.

He knew I was hooked.

If he's a good teacher you want to get the same kick out of it that he does as much as playing the stuff.

Great to hear you can't stop even if you want to..

You're in the right place, as they say..



EJL

[Bill Terry]

Every Saturday I would show up to take my lesson and there would usually be guys like Gary Carpenter or Gary Hogue along with numerous other very good steel players hanging out.

Hey Dick.. I remember those days, I lived in Fort Worth for many years and I made many trips to Steve's shop on Saturday mornings. Was that the original store (the little one) on White Settlement road? or the 'new' one on Cherry Lane? Steve sold me my first steel as well.. he's a great guy.

I liked that old store, wall to wall used steel guitars, no central air/heat, just gas heaters and window units.. it was like hanging out in somebody's living room.. except that on Saturday mornings a 'whos who' of DFW steel players were always hanging around.

[Dick Wood]

Hey Bill,

That was at the old store on White Settlement Road.

The second one was on Cherry Lane and now he's opened another on Hwy 80 and Las Vegas Trail.

I think I met you one night at the Longhorn Saloon around the mid 80's when I was playing with Reggie Brown who I think you know.

[Jeff Coffell]

Les is a great friend and steel player. We've been friends forever. He used to play with my band, Plumb Country back in the 90"s. If he don't make a man wanna play steel, somethings wrong with ya. He is one of the reasons I started playing. Just another all round great guy and plays with taste and heart.

Hang in there and enjoy your playing.

Jeff C