Why do BLACK PSG's sound better?

Norbert Dengler · Post by **Norbert Dengler** » 13 Dec 2010 5:24 am

i got a black one but still sound bad, does it help to paint the legs black too?

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 13 Dec 2010 5:54 am

What about white guitars?

Carl Kilmer · Post by **Carl Kilmer** » 13 Dec 2010 6:48 am

Mike, White is really fantastic too, but I think if it's combined
with Red or light Blue it's better sounding and plays smoother too.
Carl

Roual Ranes · Post by **Roual Ranes** » 13 Dec 2010 7:52 am

I keep waiting for someone to tell us about BLACK picks, bar, strings, etc.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 13 Dec 2010 9:57 am

Roual Ranes wrote:I keep waiting for someone to tell us about BLACK picks, bar, strings, etc.

...you mean like this?

I've only owned one black mica steel and it did have a wonderful sound, but I don't know that it sounded any better than the mahogany mica one I'm playing now.

The solid black is less visually distracting than the busy look of the wood grain sim though.

Of course the 2 or 3 Red ones I had were also great sounding too, so........?

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 13 Dec 2010 10:01 am

...what Herb said...

My white guitar is not as fast as my red one but as a result I play the white one with more accuracy because I have to take my time on it. Mostly, anyway....

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 13 Dec 2010 10:25 am

Bob Tuttle wrote:Jeff Newman used to say that RED guitars played faster notes than all the others.

Quite a few years ago, Big Jim Baron hosted an event in Sacramento with Jeff, Bobby Black, David Wright, and Jay Dee Maness. Jeff brought 2 guitars, a Carter and a Zum, both of which were red. One was solid red, the other had a checkerboard design with red and white squares. I forget which one. I thought the Zum had a little bit more presence in the low end, but they sounded almost indistinguishable from each other.

Bobby Black played a Carter, David used a Sierra, and of course Jay Dee had his Emmons.

All 4 were onstage, Sometimes playing together and trading lines, and sometimes just one of them would play by himself. If I remember correctly, it was the first time Jay Dee had performed as an soloist at a steel guitar event.

It was a wonderful event, well worth driving 400 miles each way to attend.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 13 Dec 2010 11:22 am

and i think that was the same affair that vance terry would wander up by the stage, cracking jokes. tom bradshaw had the million pedal vance sierra on a brad's rack there.

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 13 Dec 2010 11:35 am

Red certainly looks faster.
Although not proven, there is a long standing urban myth
that police seem to pull red cars over more frequently for speeding,
while white and black cars moving just as fast sail by.

Clete

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 13 Dec 2010 11:42 am

chris ivey wrote:and i think that was the same affair that vance terry would wander up by the stage, cracking jokes. tom bradshaw had the million pedal vance sierra on a brad's rack there.

That's right Chris. Since you were there, did you notice any difference in the tone between Jeff's Carter and his Zum?

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 13 Dec 2010 11:57 am

mainly i remember thinking that they were all 'real' steel players and no way would i have played in front of them.

Bob Simons · Post by **Bob Simons** » 14 Dec 2010 6:00 am

Maybe black guitars sound better because the cooler musician's prefer the color black?

Tommy Thompson · Post by **Tommy Thompson** » 14 Dec 2010 11:26 am

The color of the last guitar I bought was based on hearing this saying from many different steel players that I knew. Most of those guys are gone now, but I think black on a steel guitar demands a certain amount of respect, not so much that it sounds better. Crazy I know. tommy t.

John Groover McDuffie · Post by **John Groover McDuffie** » 14 Dec 2010 12:27 pm

Sound only exists in the mind. So if you think black guitars sound better they do sound better - to you.

Rick Collins · Post by **Rick Collins** » 15 Dec 2010 11:52 am

Black PSG's sound best.
I had a gray PSG that sounded good __ I refinished it black and then it sounded great.

Allan Jirik · Post by **Allan Jirik** » 15 Dec 2010 12:15 pm

I could have had black, but I felt my life needed some excitement... so I stepped out and went with Red.

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 15 Dec 2010 12:45 pm

oh, now I know why black keys on piano sound better than white...

Db

Sonny Priddy · Post by **Sonny Priddy** » 15 Dec 2010 12:59 pm

I've had A Lot Of Steels And The Best Sounding One I Ever Had was A S10 White PP Emmons.Wish I Had it Now. SONNY.

Josh Yenne · Post by **Josh Yenne** » 16 Dec 2010 5:23 pm

i'm in the process of buying a black guitar.. I figured I might as well TRY to sound good...

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 16 Dec 2010 5:53 pm

Well, my next steel is going to have this painted on the front apron!

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 16 Dec 2010 6:26 pm

Mike, why does Berkely and Mr. Leary come to mind?

Actually, black is the absorption of most all incident light. Perhaps the electron orbits of the material are more energetic.

GO PHOTONS!!!

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 16 Dec 2010 7:35 pm

Well, my current guitar-a Jackson BlackJack Custom is a black guitar and to me, it's the best steel I've ever played. I still love my GFI-"Redgold Beauty", but the Jackson's got that amazing playability, tone, sound, smooth pedal action, and everything. The Jackson Blackjack Custom is my best steel.

Brett

Don Drummer · Post by **Don Drummer** » 17 Dec 2010 9:34 am

I wear a red shirt that matches thr red fret markers on my Black Mullen G2. The visual impact helps me play better. No, really it does! Don D

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 17 Dec 2010 11:46 am

Mike that picture looks like Walt Disney threw up.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Why do BLACK PSG's sound better?

black sounds better

color