The Thingumajig Called Pedal Steel Guitar

[Bill Hankey]

Bo Legg,

Old fuddy-duddies risk getting bowled over these days. The population is increasing, and the chances of getting bowled over by young blood rushing about making their mark, lends to the credence that change is an unwelcome subject. BLACK FRIDAY type stampedes have become more common in all market places. People have been injured by such behavior. There are no exceptions. How does this relate to the musicically oriented individual? Simple! Just look for the price labels on new pedal steel guitars. Not everyone could afford five or six thousand dollars for a quality instrument. Borrowing isn't the answer, not when you compute the interest on borrowed money.

[Alan Brookes]

...Old fuddy-duddies risk getting bowled over these days...

Yes, but the baby-boomers are becoming quite a political force nowadays, like they did in the 60s, as they start retiring and have more time on their hands. Look for more and more nostalgia everywhere. But look fast, because once they start dying off they won't be such a voting force and the youngsters will start being fed up of fuddy-duddies.

[Bill Hankey]

Alan,

Functionality is the key to deriving the most satisfaction and enjoyment as a pedal steel guitarist. Possessing the realization that good is not good enough, and that there is always better is an acceptable credo. Adapting a habit of accepting second rate performances would be a servitude to flaws in specific levels of self-confidence. I once heard a young man say, "If he can do it, so can I", and he did, much to my surprise. Maturity is a huge advantage by allowing an individual to look back on situations that were less than ideal. One of the most valuable lessons stemming from maturity, came about when someone uttered, "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me." That observation could easily be applied to material things; such as musical studies and a lackadaisical habit of not carrying out purposeful goals. The thought of renaming the pedal steel guitar, is a definite, in this category of unfinished business, or pending agendas.

[Alan Brookes]

My immediate thought is that it's unlikely that something which has been around for so long as the steel guitar is unlikely to ever be known by another name, but, then, earphones became headphones and then personal stereo earsets, sackbutts became trombones, gramaphones became phonographs and then record players, the tape recorder became the personal stereo, etc., so I suppose all it needs to change its name is to become a worldwide-used instrument in the pop idiom. Just as long as it doesn't become the personal guitar.

What is the steel guitar known as in other languages?

[Bill Hankey]

Alan,

Here is the question. Who by name, was the first person to call our instrument the pedal steel guitar? There is a first time for everything, even choosing a newborn's name. So, who is accredited with giving the instrument its name? It shouldn't be that difficult to trace its origin.

[Doug Beaumier]

Who by name, was the first person to call our instrument the pedal steel guitar?

Probably the Harlin Bros. (Multi-Kord) or Alvino Rey when he helped design the early Gibson Electaharp in the 1940s. Or maybe Bud Isaacs?

[Bill Hankey]

Doug,

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try to get in touch with an old-timer with a great musical background or roots in country music. It would be of great interest to learn how and why the instrument was named the pedal steel guitar. "Breaking the ice" by inferring that the instrument is made from steel is misleading to those who know little or nothing about the instrument. Imagine what it would weigh, if in fact it was made from steel.

[Alan Brookes]

Bill, you should consult Basil Henriques. He knows more about the history of the Hawaiian Guitar than anyone I know.

I think the use of the word "pedal" is natural, and the idea of the use of pedals on a string instrument comes from the harp, which has been known as the pedal harp since its inception. Other string instruments, such as the harpsichord and the cymbalom, have used pedals, but to dampen the strings rather than change their pitch. Organs have used pedals for centuries, but just as a means of playing the bass with the feet, leaving the hands free to play the melody.

The question then should just relate to the expression steel guitar, which, as Bill has pointed out, is confusing to the non-guitarist, as it's logical to construe it to be a distinction between steel, gut and nylon-strung instruments.

In our case, the word steel refers to the tone bar, rather than the strings. Hawaiian guitars have often been strung with nylon strings, but if they are played with a tone bar, they are considered to be a steel guitar.

The term tone bar in itself is confusing, since, although tone is affected by the use of the bar, its main purpose is to alter the pitch of the note. Maybe it would be better to refer to it as a pitch bar.

To my mind, confusion is caused by the lap steel being referred to as guitar at all, since a guitar is a definite instrument with a definite shape. The only thing that the lap steel has in common with the guitar is that it has strings which are plucked. That doesn't make it a guitar, any more than it makes it a harp. Its only relationship with the guitar is that, in its pre-electric past, the music was played on upturned guitars, so, because of its historic predecessors, it has been "grandfathered" in to the guitar family.

We look ascance at the people who refer to the instrument as a slide guitar, because we use that term to refer to a regular guitar played with a slide, in the assumption that the slide is something held on one finger, such as the bottleneck, etc. But, in fact, the main attribute of the steel guitar is that you slide from note to note. It would seem logical, therefore, that, as much as we might dislike the idea, if we want to come up with a new name for the steel guitar, the term slide is the most appropriate to be included.

Taking into account all of its attributes, the most logical new name for a pedal steel guitar would seem to be the pedal slide string.

In the past, instruments have been named with reference to Latin. The Latin for slide is lapsus. So the new name would logically be the pedolapsichord.

[Bill Hankey]

Alan,

There are many reasons to believe that our instrument of choice can be a soother of broken hearts. Tammy's tribute to the contrivance is a sad reflection of a broken love affair. The song entitled "CRYING STEEL GUITAR" reminds the listener of the special qualities in relation to our emotions. A symbol of love and dedication, its refreshing tonality is calming and assuring to estranged parties who once had great faith in a love affair. The country song with words indicating that the "steel guitar" is intermingled with ROMANCE are heard by the singer DAVID WILLS, who sings, "Here's a twenty, give me my change in dimes, there's a song on the jukebox, I want to hear a thousand times." Johnny Paycheck recorded that A 11 jukebox song, with words, "If you're gonna play the jukebox, please don't play "A-11". There is very little doubt that the steel is the ultimate icon of expression. Worldly scholars make no bones about such titles as, ROMANCE LANGUAGES. Naming the so-called pedal steel guitar with more forethought in the future would be desirable, and a welcomed change.

[Alan Brookes]

The word dulcimer has been used for several different instrument, on the basis that it refers to sweet sound. Unfortunately, it's been used for so many instruments that it has become confusing. If you name the steel guitar after its characteristics of sound and ability to evoke feelings there are many possibiliies. After all, the pianoforte is not named after its mechanics. Its technical name is the clavier.

[Bill Hankey]

Alan,

I presented Yahoo or Google or whomever, with, "WHAT IS A STEEL GUITAR MADE OF? Talk about sidling around a subject. It turns out the only accurate description of the instrument that I've found ,to date, is that the strings used are made from steel. Other that that, all the confab set to print is merely baloney. Ordinary rock n roll solid body guitars are equipped with steel strings; as well. As for using the sliding bar, I hasten to point out that the instrument can be played without the "bar". I intend to delve into this matter in the future.

[Todd Weger]

Since getting my first one in October (been playing lap for 12 years), I've been referring to it as "that infernal contraption!"

[Bill Hankey]

Todd,

My first impression in response to your comments is one of accord. I couldn't agree more with the terminology you've written. It is indeed a "contraption". Since Alvino Rey, and "Bud" Isaacs utilized pedals for the purpose of raising pitches, builders and musicians alike have climbed on the bandwagon. Never satisfied with simplicity, they've elected in some instances to install as many as 10 knee levers beneath the "contraptions. Paul Franklin has a reputation for going the distance; both with knee levers and leadership as a player. Functionality of such additional knee lever advantages are demonstrated handily by uppermost players; such as Paul Franklin, Randy Beavers, Tommy White, Lloyd Green, Weldon Myrick, and many others, too numerous to mention.

[Bill Hankey]

I remember quite vividly the time a popular Inn and stopover spot in Stockbridge, MA advertised an entertainer who apparently books appearances up and down the east coast of New England. He was booked as one of the best steel guitarists in the region, or something of that nature. Stockbridge, MA is about a 30 minute drive from Pittsfield, MA. I entered the establishment to learn more about this mystery player. When I approached him setting up his equipment, I asked, where is your steel guitar, and he replied, "I don't own one, I play the Dobro." He didn't hesitate to show me the instrument. It was made in the 30's of nickel plated brass! Just an ordinary size guitar with diminutive dimensions, as compared to those of the pedal steel guitar. I can't remember his last name, but his first is Dan.

[Doug Beaumier]

Bill, I think that guy in Stockbridge billed himself as "Master of the Steel Guitar". Yes, he played dobro... which some folks call a steel guitar. It's all very confusing to the public...

[Bill Hankey]

Doug,

Thanks for refreshing my memory. To advertise "Master of the steel guitar", and then show up with an antiquated Dobro is pure brass! Luckily, I was only about 15 miles distant from where he was making his appearance.

[Alan Brookes]

You could advertise yourself as "Master of the Harpsichord" and turn up with a steel guitar. If they asked you where is your harpsichord you could respond, "It's at home. I said I was Master of the Harpsichord. I didn't say I would be playing it..."

[b0b]

Just an ordinary size guitar with diminutive dimentions.

What are diminutive dimentions?

[Bill Hankey]

b0b,

Three guesses... first and second don't count. Thanks for your keen insight.

[Brett Lanier]

A guy came up to me once and said, "oh, you play the sitar". I said, "no, it's a pedal steel, a sitar is different."
Then he said, "well, I own a studio, and I have one of those, and I call it a sitar".

[Bill Hankey]

Brett,

Does misnomer ring a bell when you hear the instrument known for its wide variety of problems called the pedal steel guitar? If you were never introduced by illustrated advertisements to the musical instrument, could you picture in your mind its general appearance? The name chosen belies its true identity. Whomever wheedled its accepted entity must have been someone with much more than an average influential personality.

[Alan Brookes]

A guy came up to me once and said, "oh, you play the sitar". I said, "no, it's a pedal steel, a sitar is different."
Then he said, "well, I own a studio, and I have one of those, and I call it a sitar".

I play the cittern, and when I mention it everyone asks if I learned to play it in India. "No, it's a European instrument," I insist, and they look at me as though I'm completely ignorant.

[Bill Hankey]

Alan,

Thank you for your great support by responding to the idea that the steel guitar with pedals has been named according to the sayers in the midpoint of the 20th century. Apparently, they must have realized that something didn't jibe with its description. Still for 60 years + they and their counterparts associated with the instrument have nonchalantly called the instrument the pedal steel guitar. The power of suggestion can be friendly, but it can also be misleading.

[Brett Lanier]

Like Doug Beaumier (who I think was the first person to say the words "pedal steel guitar" to me when I took lessons from him back when I was 15 - actually, I remember trying to picture it at the time and not really grasping the complexity of it) I refer to the instrument I play as a steel guitar. And since it has two necks of ten strings, I would also call it a REAL steel guitar.



( just kidding )

[Bill Hankey]

Brett,

I know that Doug teaches both pedal steel and Spanish guitar regularly in Northampton, MA. Those who are beginners on either instrument, can get off to a great start by Doug's teaching methods.