Why can't our steels look more "cool"?

Bill Moran · Post by **Bill Moran** » 19 Feb 2009 10:30 am

Hoe much COOL do you want ??

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 19 Feb 2009 11:53 am

6-string bass, Junior Blue.

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 19 Feb 2009 11:56 am

While we're at it...

steve takacs · Post by **steve takacs** » 19 Feb 2009 12:02 pm

Chas Smith, who makes the cool guitars you've been adding here? stevet

John McClung · Post by **John McClung** » 19 Feb 2009 1:41 pm

Chas, you're such a futurist! You bringing any of those visions to the Perl Jam this weekend?

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 19 Feb 2009 4:20 pm

Steve, that would be, yours truly.

John, I'm walking backwards into the future and I hadn't planned on bringing them. The Cadillac is set up for "metal", with a couple .090" strings on the bottom. There's nothing like a 12-string power-chord.

The titanium guitar is set up more for studio or concert music and since I had one pedal gig last year, and two the year before, (I'm trying not to take it personally) I thought I'd bring a pedal guitar and try to fit in with the players.

Tony Palmer · Post by **Tony Palmer** » 21 Feb 2009 11:43 am

I originally posted this because of a comment from a younger musician, who is always teasing me about the "old fashioned" image the steel invokes.
I don't need to be reminded how cool all our steel guitar heroes are! They, and their instruments, exactly as they are, do not need any changes or improvements, and I'm not suggesting that.
What I am suggesting is that it wouldn't hurt to have a little style available to the appearance of our instruments, mostly color and graphics, to at least update the look of the instrument.
If I was 20 years old, and looking to play steel, I think I'd want a steel that was really eye catching.
MSA's Millenium seems to have gone this route pretty nicely, but I like a lot of the photos and ideas suggested also.
"Cool!"

Ned McIntosh · Post by **Ned McIntosh** » 22 Feb 2009 10:12 pm

Anyone notice anything about the fretboard on the Titanium 6-string bass posted by Chas Smith above?

Be that as it may, Titanium is not an easy metal to work! I think Chas's engineering skills are most noteworthy. It's also possibly the only musical instrument that could safely exceed Mach 2 without losing structural integrity - although the strings might start to melt!

"Symphony for SR-71 and Titanium 6-String Steel-Guitar" anyone?

Rich Peterson · Post by **Rich Peterson** » 22 Feb 2009 10:17 pm

Ned McIntosh wrote:Anyone notice anything about the fretboard on the Titanium 6-string bass posted by Chas Smith above?

Yes, and a pickup at each end?

Maybe not played with a bar? But then, is it really a "steel?"

Roual Ranes · Post by **Roual Ranes** » 23 Feb 2009 8:07 am

Make you a "modesty board" like the one on Speedy's Bigsby and have someone do a painting on it. You could also paint it white and project pictures on it.

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 23 Feb 2009 10:41 am

Yes, and a pickup at each end?

Maybe not played with a bar? But then, is it really a "steel?"

Ned, Junior Blue isn't titanium, it's aerospace 7075 T-8 aluminum, thank you Lockheed surplus. The reason for the pickups on both ends is, I can play it as a "regular" steel and/or I can also do effects where both sides of the bar are "heard". On the "mathematically friendly frets" 5, 7, 9 and 12, both sides of the bar are in tune and I can get a very full sounding wash, if I "roll" the bar and it's fed into a delay unit.

Rich Peterson · Post by **Rich Peterson** » 23 Feb 2009 1:22 pm

Chas

Thanks for the explanation. I was thinking it was played by touching harmonic nodes. Years ago I knew a bassist (Mitch Triplett) who did some incredible things playing harmonics, so that sent me in that direction on your instrument.

Beer ain't just for breakfast anymore, and steel guitars ain't just for honkytonk. Don't anybody try to tell me that this instrument is on its deathbed.

Sure would like to hear a soundclip.

Rich

Bryant Aycock · Post by **Bryant Aycock** » 23 Feb 2009 1:48 pm

I've seen some guys put their teeth in up-side-down. That's kinda cool. You'll get the ladies attention, anyway.
Bryant

Ned McIntosh · Post by **Ned McIntosh** » 24 Feb 2009 12:02 am

Hi Chas,

I stand corrected about Junior Blue, but it sure is a mighty fine looking machine. Anodized 7075-T8 has a special look all of its own, a thing of beauty to an engineer's eyes.

Guess my "Symphony for SR-71 And Titanium S6-String Steel Guitar" doesn't need to be written anyway, the venerable SR-71 made a music all of its own. No wonder it was knicknamed "The Hammers Of Hell".

Nick Reed · Post by **Nick Reed** » 24 Feb 2009 12:12 am

Emmons & Sho-Bud's to me are the best looking Steel Guitars out there. The looks of them along with there sweet sound attracted me years ago to want to learn to play one.

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 24 Feb 2009 11:29 am

Guess my "Symphony for SR-71 And Titanium S6-String Steel Guitar" doesn't need to be written anyway,

How about a Symphony for SR-71 and Rat Fink. I have a special affinity for the SR-71.

This was taken when I was recording Guitarzilla. When pitched material was needed, I switched to the Super Pro. Playing a 5-neck instrument is an attention getter.

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 24 Feb 2009 12:05 pm

Why can't our steels look more "cool"?

Chas wins.

Rich Peterson · Post by **Rich Peterson** » 24 Feb 2009 1:14 pm

Drew Howard wrote:Chas wins.

Hands down.

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 24 Feb 2009 4:05 pm

EDIT: Posted in wrong thread!

Mike Mantey · Post by **Mike Mantey** » 24 Feb 2009 4:35 pm

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 24 Feb 2009 4:58 pm

This is how cool Chas is. About 20 years ago, John Ely introduces me to Chas at ISGC. He said, "this is my friend Chas Smith. He's way cool and he collects Bigsbys."

I'm not young, or black... but I know cool. Chas is cool. For that matter, Michael Johnstone is also way cool.

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 25 Feb 2009 11:01 am

Thank you, I'm humbled by your generous words.

The point that I want to make is, the steel guitar can "evolve" to fit into a lot of different environments beyond the traditional.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 26 Feb 2009 8:14 am

Tony: when you originally posted this you did refer to the rectangular box, and most of suggestions so far have been rectangular boxes toffed up in different finishes, or with embellishments. The one that Matt posted seems very original.

Unlike a regular solid guitar, which you can make any shape you like, with a pedal steel you're restricted by the fingerboard, the pedals and the mechanism. You wouldn't want to change the position of the fingerboard, and anyone who has played a Harlin MultiKord will appreciate that the don't want the pedals to one side, but there are areas for improvement.

I was impressed by the cast iron sides that have been made for PSG from time to time. Just look at a Singer sewing machine. It wouldn't look the same with plain sides, but it would be just as practical.

The other thing you could change would be the upright seating position. I look at the pedals much in the same light as the pedals on an automobile. They're made to be used in a semi-reclining position. Couldn't a PSG be made with the pedals further out and at an angle, so you would be reclining more ? You might have to build the instrument with a built in seat and frame, like a school desk. Admittedly that could create transportation difficulties, but you wouldn't have to take the machine down and set it up again with every gig.

Looking at the rectangular box, you could make the sides any shape you liked, as long as the mechanism, nut and fingerboard were in the same position.

I think an illuminated fingerboard might be a practical idea. I know it's been done. You could also cover the body in that laser covering material, which would create some unusual results as stage lighting changed. Maybe you could train a strobelight on the surface.

Of course, it would take a lot of extra work to build a PSG with other-than-box shapes, which would push the cost up. I guess this sort of thing will always be for hobbyists. I've built all sorts of shapes in acoustic steel guitars, but I wouldn't dream on producing them commercially ....there's no market, and they wouldn't be a viable proposition.

Tony Palmer · Post by **Tony Palmer** » 26 Feb 2009 10:18 am

First of all, Chas...your instruments are exactly what I was thinking of...fantastic!
Allan, MSA Superslide is in the shape of a guitar, decidedly un-box like. Why couldn't a pedal steel maybe be shaped like the old Melobar slide steel?

Tracy Sheehan · Post by **Tracy Sheehan** » 26 Feb 2009 11:48 am

Want to play a real cool steel?
Take your steel out of the trunk of a car for a job in N.D.in the middle of winter.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Why can't our steels look more "cool"?

Try this.

Pretty Cool

Cool steel.