Is that a Piano you're playing???

Bill Rowlett · Post by **Bill Rowlett** » 6 Feb 2010 8:10 pm

My Mother-in-Law called it a "Whiney Thing". I don't think that I'm her favorite musician.

Bill

Peer Desmense · Post by **Peer Desmense** » 7 Feb 2010 12:36 am

The worst I ever heared:

Whats that? A bicycle rack?

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 7 Feb 2010 7:57 am

Another good one....

Awhile back, our forum pal Mike Johnstone was playing a gig at a club here in LA.
He had broken a string, and when the band took a break he stayed up on the bandstand to replace it.

A short time later a patron at the bar came up to the guitar player and, referring to Mike, still sitting at his D10 up on the stage said, "You guys are good, but the guy up there in the wheelchair is really good."

If I got any of that wrong, maybe Mike will chime in....

Adam Sorber · Post by **Adam Sorber** » 8 Feb 2010 6:58 pm

I had one of my buddies say one night during a show after a nice slow tune... I like the sound of that guitar thing...it sounds lazy.....like you.
What a good friend

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 9 Feb 2010 3:57 pm

Many years ago, I was watching a country band with a PSG player at a fair. After several songs, they cut a break and the steel player went over to me. Apparently he had noticed that I was watching mostly him: "so... you play steel too?" I couldn't resist and with a German accent beating the one of a certain Governator I showed myself puzzled and asked: "a steel whaaat, please? Is that a stringed keyboard you play?".
So, our good steel guitarist explained me that it was like a guitar on a table and that there was a steel bar and the sliding etc. He invited me up to the instrument and even let me sit there. After he was done, I inquired about the pedals, if he could make it play faster, and the "backup" neck... probably in case the other one would break. He again went on to explain to me the intricacies of the instrument while I, clearly confused and amazed at the same time tried the pedals with my feet (both of course) and finally asked stone cold: "so, erm... is that an Emmons or Day setup!?"

For a moment I thought I'd have to leave quickly, but then, we choose to have a beer together instead.

Another one, I approached in a similar way... when he showed me what it was and somehow how it works, I started to "try" to play... within about 5 minutes, from failing miserably making awfull "zzzzing zzziong" sounds I quickly began to "get it" and progress quite spectacularly. And finally got up, seemingly disappointed and bored finding it "a quite simple instrument". The guy completely fell for the act, couldn't seem to get over it. I came back with two beers and after he had them both, I deemed it safe to lift the "veil".

Yeah, we get asked stupid stuff, and then...

... J-D.

Randy Wade · Post by **Randy Wade** » 10 Feb 2010 2:54 pm

One of my guitar students came in today and seen my double neck steel set up and said "Cool, a guitar table!", his mother then asked with a serious look,"Now exactly what is this thing?"

Chuck Hall · Post by **Chuck Hall** » 11 Feb 2010 6:41 pm

Is that a piano? Yep it sure is. Want to hear Last Date?????

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 11 Feb 2010 10:21 pm

From a distance, a lot of people thought it was an "Ironing Board" !

Dave Manion · Post by **Dave Manion** » 12 Feb 2010 1:02 am

JD I don't know how I'd react to your shenanigans. It would probably depend on the day and the mood I'm in. You smart%%s! No, that is hilarious, I don't think I could pull that off....

Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · Post by **Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)** » 12 Feb 2010 7:45 am

I've had my steel called quite a few things: an ironing board with strings, a guitar piano, a slide keyboard, an electric slide steel guitar, a slide dulcimer, etc.

While at Mickey Adams' house when we reworked my Mullen, my best friend stopped by with his 6 year old daughter and she said, "Wow, that looks a lot like mommy's ironing board only it's got wires on it."

The strangest thing that ever happened to me along these lines took place at an old VFW. I'd been invited by the band to sit in with them. They'd never had a steel before and they were ecstatic at having a steel guitar on their stage for the first time. So, I began to set up my rig and prepare for a fun night of playing.

As I had my case open and was beginning to attach the legs, pedal bar and pedal rods, there was this one old gentleman who kept walking up to me and looking down at what I was doing. I thought many times he was going to speak, but he just shook his head and walked away each time. When I lifted my guitar out of the case and set it upright, the old guy made a beeline over to me and took a good look at my guitar (I was playing an MSA back then) and then he smiled and said, "Now that makes a lot more sense! I thought you were going to play the other side!"

That poor old guy actually thought the underside of my guitar was the instrument and he just couldn't figure out how it could be played.

I'm also glad to know that I'm not the only one who's experienced that sort of thing. Comparing notes and swapping stories with other steel players over the years, I've met a few who've had pretty much the same or similar thing happen.

Mack Quinney · Post by **Mack Quinney** » 12 Feb 2010 2:27 pm

I just tell everyone that it’s a ten string cheese slicer. They give me a funny look and walk away.

Paul Honeycutt · Post by **Paul Honeycutt** » 12 Feb 2010 11:50 pm

Years ago I played in a duo with Richard Sinkler. We were playing a house party and during a break the host's girlfriend walked up to him and said, "I just love your cute little organ!"

We're pretty sure she was referring to the PSG...

James Mudge · Post by **James Mudge** » 13 Feb 2010 12:01 am

Waldo Otto of Red Knuckles & The Trail Blazers refers to his Fender non-pedal steel as the "Electric Table".

In real life Waldo is Pete Wernick, banjo player extraordinaire.

tomsteel · Post by **tomsteel** » 13 Feb 2010 4:21 pm

At the gig last night a guy asked me what was that thing I was playing.He said his girlfriend thought it was a harp but he thought it was a steelguitar but wasnt sure.Thomas Malugin

Jim Pitman · Post by **Jim Pitman** » 13 Feb 2010 7:05 pm

I attendoed a Jerry Douglass seminar quite a few years ago. He told the story of a woman who walked up to him and said "Is dat one of dos things you rub?"
A very common one from someone who is somewhat aquainted with the instrument is the dislexic "steel pedal"
I had a wise guy come up to me and ask if he could throw some hot dogs on the strings and slow cook them as they turned.
I like the "country western machine" too.

Marke Burgstahler · Post by **Marke Burgstahler** » 14 Feb 2010 11:56 am

I was setting mine up last night, and a guy asked me, "is that one of those pedal lap things?"

All kidding aside, I remember seeing a guy playing steel when I was a kid and being totally fascinated. I guess it hasn't worn off.

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 14 Feb 2010 8:03 pm

When I was a kid, I was at my aunt's house one day, and I saw a Ricky Skaggs video with Bruce Bouton on steel. I didn't know who Bruce Bouton was or what the instrument was, but I asked my aunt, I said, "What is the instrument sittin' over there that looks like a table"? and she said, "That's a steel guitar", and I was like, 'Wow. A lot of times now, I tell people I play the steel guitar and they think it's played like a standard guitar, and I tell them actually, you pick with three picks and fret with a steel bar. Some people say I play guitar, but I tell them, 'It's called a steel guitar".

Brett

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 14 Feb 2010 11:47 pm

Years ago I played in a duo with Richard Sinkler. We were playing a house party and during a break the host's girlfriend walked up to him and said, "I just love your cute little organ!"

We're pretty sure she was referring to the PSG...

Hi Paul...

I still remember that night. The key word was "little". That makes me think she meant something else.

Friday night I was doing a gig when this couple came up and asked me what my instrument was called. I told them it was a pedal steel guitar. THEN, she turned to him and said "It's exactly like a piano". I just shook my head and headed for the bar.

Curry Coster · Post by **Curry Coster** » 15 Feb 2010 8:24 am

Brett Day wrote:

"Some people say I play guitar, but I tell them, 'It's called a steel guitar"....

I call it "Guitar--Improved"

Curry

Nathan Golub · Post by **Nathan Golub** » 15 Feb 2010 9:15 am

A friend of mine who's an elementary school music teacher had me bring in a pedal steel to show the kids. One of the first graders called it a "silver pedal guitar", which I think is a pretty awesome name.

Allan Munro · Post by **Allan Munro** » 15 Feb 2010 9:33 am

Explaining the PSG to someone in an audience is one thing. I just saw Nathan G's avatar pic - explain that! Air Pedal Steel Guitar! 'Don't care who ye are, that there's funny!'

Nathan Golub · Post by **Nathan Golub** » 15 Feb 2010 9:43 am

Credit where credit's due:

www.toothpastefordinner.com/index.php

Another psg comic:

http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/0917 ... -steel.gif

John Simmons · Post by **John Simmons** » 15 Feb 2010 1:14 pm

Best one I've heard was from Maurice Anderson. He was getting ready to play with the Dallas symphony and was putting the steel together. A couple of old violinists were watching, when he turned it over one of them sighed to the other "oh, it's got strings!".

Richard Park · Post by **Richard Park** » 23 Feb 2010 12:08 pm

My financial advisor calls it "the steel pedal" and after he says it, he makes a motion back and forth with his arms as if he has a bar in each hand and says "woooooo, woooooo!"