Making a non-pedal steel sound like a pedal steel

[Les Anderson]

As a sequel to Ray Montee's thread "PEDAL SOUNDS from a lap steel..." how many of you non-pedalers occasionally attempt to make your non-pedal sound like a pedal steel?

I practiced the above all the time with my D8 and could come close when using a C6th tuning on the 24 1/2" neck; however, once I got my Remington D10 and learned how to use a BJS bar properly, I can now pretty much duplicated the pedal steel tone. A little tweaking of the amp always lends its self to the quest of course.

Why don't I just buy a pedal steel? Nah, this way is more of a challenge. The question is however, do some of you guys do this as well?

[Roman Sonnleitner]

I do - on my Duesenberg Multibender-equipped 6-string, tuned in E6, with the benders acting like the AB-pedals on a PSG.
But even with my 8-string C6 lap steel I sometimes try to make PSG-like sounds, using vol. pedal swells, and moving between slanted and straight bar positions...

[Benjamin Franz]

I suspect I spend TOO much time trying to emulate the sound of a pedal steel. The main thing that stops me getting a pedal steel is the tiny string spacing. Oh, and the years of extra practise...

[Thomas Ludwig]

on my lapsteel I do string bending behind the steel with my left hand on the high E sting. (C6 tuning)

I like this sound more and more and now I have a pedal steel (yeahhhhh !!!!!)

@Benjamin
I get used to the tiny string spacing on the PSG very fast. Now I like it more then the lap steel string spacing.

[Ron Whitfield]

It's become a part of my sound almost by accident, and I can always get it 'acceptable', but getting it really well comes and goes uncontrolably.

[Mike Neer]

I definitely go for that sound sometimes, but more so in the single note approach. I like doing quick little pedal moves with slants for chords, but I really like doing quick bar movements to achieve that sound.

[Martin Huch]

..sometimes I do.....:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLQqrj1SUDg

[Andy Volk]

Here's a little lick in open E I do that goes for the sound:

https://home.comcast.net/~aevolk/music/AVPedalLick.mp3

[Bob Hoffnar]

oops. I misread the thread so I deleted my comment.

[Ray Montee]

The older that you get.......

the more you'll find........

that you're doing it on a more frequent basis.


But, you're among friends!

[Lynn Oliver]

Here's a little lick in open E I do that goes for the sound...

Reminds me a little of Josh Graves on Cuttin' the Grass.