The pedal steel on "Honkytonk Girl".

Dan Meadows · Post by **Dan Meadows** » 28 Mar 2008 8:46 pm

How did Speedy West get such an awesome sound from the pedal steel on Loretta Lynn's original version of "Honky Tonk Girl"? I just listened to it again and you don't hear that sound today on recordings. I hear pedal steel sounds every day on newer recordings but not THAT
sound. Is it the amp? Do only early pedal steels have that sound? To my ear that is the ultimate pedal steel
sound/tone. Am I the only one who misses it?

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 28 Mar 2008 9:42 pm

It comes from pickups with low impedance windings, tube amps, tube and analog recording equipment, and sparse instrumentation with steel up front in the mix. There was a similar discussion of this in a thread a month or so ago.

Paul Redmond · Post by **Paul Redmond** » 29 Mar 2008 8:11 pm

Note also the lack of reverb. Yes, that sound is absolutely awesome. I wonder if he was playing his Bigsby on that recording or if it was recorded during the Fender years.
PRR

Dan Meadows · Post by **Dan Meadows** » 29 Mar 2008 8:51 pm

Thanks David.
I remember hearing that song for the first time when I was probably still in elementary school and it struck me as such a wonderful and awesome sound. It stuck with me and THAT sound of the early pedal steel is still my favorite although I love all pedal steel music.