6 string pedal steels?

Calvin Walley · Post by **Calvin Walley** » 5 Mar 2016 1:02 pm

Mike

if you say so , then i believe you ....hahaha

Dave Dube · Post by **Dave Dube** » 5 Mar 2016 1:03 pm

Ha Calvin a velcro ring! interesting.

I like this one myself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qBddOD9pJU

Think someone should tell Brian Brewer that he can't do that?

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 5 Mar 2016 1:13 pm

Brian is pretty good. I mean, real good. It's the kind of performance that Jimmie points to as the full capability of the guitar.
Really nice sound, and all of that appears to be with two pedals.

The other guy hadn't gotten to pedals yet.

I do think that a requirement of a six-string is the capability of the hi G# lower to F# (mine does) and the hi E to D#, to get those two key notes
in E9 in suspension, to resolve into E.

Calvin Walley · Post by **Calvin Walley** » 5 Mar 2016 1:17 pm

you have to admit that Velcro ring is pure genius

Mike

i freely admit that i don't have your sophisticated taste in music

oh i forgot to answer your question earlier , yes i still have your music theory book
and the one that applies to pedal steel , thank you very much for it

Dave Dube · Post by **Dave Dube** » 5 Mar 2016 1:21 pm

Charlie That was on a 3x2 the vid shows the copedent but the pic shows a 2x2.

I'm probably going to try that copedent now that I will have a 3x4 for E9.

Hey I saw your posts from 10 years ago on that thread. Glad to see you are so consistent.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 5 Mar 2016 2:54 pm

Dave Dube wrote:Hey I saw your posts from 10 years ago on that thread. Glad to see you are so consistent.

Glad to hear that I am.

Martin Weenick · Post by **Martin Weenick** » 5 Mar 2016 4:30 pm

Here is a six string I built a couple years ago for a friend here in Florida. Has 3 pedals and 2 knees. Had Jerry Wallace build a six string pickup. Martin.

Calvin Walley · Post by **Calvin Walley** » 5 Mar 2016 7:19 pm

thats the 1st six string that i have seen with a pad
i really like that !!!

Don Walworth · Post by **Don Walworth** » 6 Mar 2016 10:09 am

Calvin Walley wrote:thats the 1st six string that i have seen with a pad
i really like that !!!

Jimmie Hudson offers an arm rest/pad for his 6 string. Just bolts on and can be ordered after the fact if desired.

Don

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 6 Mar 2016 11:09 am

If you're going to go for minimalism, why as many as six strings? When I was at school we had an instrument in the Physics laboratory called the Sonometer, which is also called the Monocord. It was invented by Pythagoras, has one string and is used for physics experiments to show the relationship between string length, tension and pitch. I used to use a pen as a tone bar and play all the latest hits on it, much to the chagrin of the teacher.

Tommi Toijonen · Post by **Tommi Toijonen** » 6 Mar 2016 12:34 pm

Alan Brookes wrote:If you're going to go for minimalism, why as many as six strings?

Diddley bow has already been mentioned... so we have defined the absolute minimum and unreasonable maximum in the thread. I'm going for optimum for me, however.

(Actually, I did drop an email to WBS if they are able and willing to make a six stringer with 3 pedals and 4 knees - let's see how it goes).

Calvin Walley · Post by **Calvin Walley** » 6 Mar 2016 1:32 pm

since i think Mr. Hudson makes an absolutely beautiful guitar ,
i am going to be ordering mine in the next month or so ,
plus i really want to try the wider string spacing

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 6 Mar 2016 1:35 pm

nice work on that blue one, martin!

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 6 Mar 2016 2:48 pm

One of the things in my repertoire is a medley of song from "The Sound Of Music," including "Do Re Mi." I play the "sew, a needle pulling thread" part by using the A pedal and F raise, (and raising my 2nd string which I tune to C#, back up to D#, which most of you already have,) and picking strings 5,2,4,1, and 3 in that order for the â€œa needle pulling" part, and moving up 2 frets and releasing the pedal and knee lever and muting strings 1 and 2 for "thread."

This is another example of something that cannot be done on a 6-string steel. You guys who think you can get it all on a 6 stringer are wrong. You canâ€™t. And youâ€™re missing something the rest of us feel is important and necessary

Tommi Toijonen · Post by **Tommi Toijonen** » 7 Mar 2016 3:59 am

Mike Perlowin wrote:This is another example of something that cannot be done on a 6-string steel. You guys who think you can get it all on a 6 stringer are wrong. You canâ€™t. And youâ€™re missing something the rest of us feel is important and necessary

Maybe. The problem for me was that there's more music in 10-stringer than I can handle. Like a sudden low 7th sprong in the middle of the nice home run.

But now I've established a contact with WBS for a 6/3/4 steel. They said they can do it, now we're into price negotiations.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 7 Mar 2016 5:38 am

Mike Perlowin wrote:And youâ€™re missing something the rest of us feel is important and necessary

I'm surprised that the argument is still being made that some of us aren't doing what everybody thinks we should be doing.
I can only add, with great respect to accomplished steelers and professionals, is that happiness, for me, is not having to play Do Re Mi.
Just being able to attempt to get the steel sound in whatever I want to play is a wonderful thing. I may miss the middle F# string,
but maybe I can overdub it or play it on piano or bass. Love not having to tune it, especially hi F#.

That is a beauty, Martin.

Tommi Toijonen · Post by **Tommi Toijonen** » 7 Mar 2016 6:39 am

I think I can find that F# there somehow even if I don't have a dedicated string for it. I may have to press a pedal, use a lever or move the bar - and probably there are licks that could use such a string.

But pedal steel is not a harp or xylophone.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 7 Mar 2016 8:51 am

U-12 players can argue that the middle F# is "necessary", but then they eliminate the middle D because "I can get it with a lever". Their argument doesn't hold water. Once you add a good changer to a guitar, you can get any note you want at any fret. The number of strings affects the range of the guitar and the convenience of certain scale runs. If your music doesn't require an extended range or close intervals, 6 strings are enough.

I used to play a double 12. For the past 6 years I've been playing a single 8. I wouldn't hesitate to use a well-built single 6 on an Americana or blues gig, where expression is valued over fancy pedal tricks. The music is in your mind, not in the instrument.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 7 Mar 2016 11:49 am

b0b wrote:...The music is in your mind, not in the instrument.

Exactly. The audience doesn't care. It's not being played for an audience of steel guitarists, and no-one cares how you produced the sound, or whether you used a steel guitar or some other instrument. Be happy that you're playing a steel guitar at all, no matter what the configuration.

Imagine you've just been listening to a traditional jazz band, and enjoyed the music. Now you read that a traditional jazz purist objects to the particular instruments played. Do you care? Of course not.

The music is more important than the instruments that it's played on. Let's not lose perspective.

Dave Dube · Post by **Dave Dube** » 7 Mar 2016 2:13 pm

"I can only add, with great respect to accomplished steelers and professionals, is that happiness, for me, is not having to play Do Re Mi. " Charlie McDonald

LOL. My sentiments exactly.

"I'm surprised that the argument is still being made that some of us aren't doing what everybody thinks we should be doing. " Charlie McDonald

Well it's just Mike flogging a horse that's so dead it's fossilized.

Tommi started by saying he is considering stepping down to a 6 nd wonders who makes them and if he is crazy to do so. Now despite Mike's recommendation, he is still interested and pursuing a 6.

Mike hijacked the discussion and rebranded it:
"The issue is whether or not a 6 string steel is capable doing the same things a 10 or 12 can. "
Mike P. 28 Feb 7:25pm

Within 15 minutes the point was conceded.
"If that was the issue, nobody would be discussing it. Of course a 6 string steel can't do the same things as a 10 or 12 stringer - nobody would argue with that statement."
Jeff Mead 28 Feb 7:40pm

but Mike will not be deterred...
"This thread is about 6 string steels vs 10 or 12 stringers."
Mike P. 29 Feb 4:41pm

Yet there was another capitulation in the name of getting back to talking about 6 stringers.
"Nobody said that a 6 string is better or equal to a 10 string. It obviously isn't ..."
Dave D 1 Mar 4:54

And yet Mike continues tilting at the windmill.

When I watched Mike playing with that band the only thing that stood out to me, was that crabby Uncle Mike was smiling! That is the point of making music. Happiness. I could care less about the lick.

Mike is correct that his big guitars can play chromatic string licks and lower scales. So what?
I don't give a flying pickled fig about that. I am satisfied to play what I have and reach for the emotion and smooth control that Brian Brewer delivered in the link above.

That is the part that Mike just doesn't want to get. He is still trying to win some imaginary war that only he is fighting.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 9 Mar 2016 10:51 am

We need whatever instrument we're comfortable playing. If some great steel guitar afficionado can play superbly on a 14-string instrument with 20 pedals and 12 knee levers, that's great for him. For me it would just be confusing.

There really is no debate as to whether more strings, more pedals, more knee levers, and more palm pedals, give more versatility. Of course they do. It's all a matter of what you can handle, and whether it's worth the cost and complications of buying an instrument with features that you don't use. How many of us have eight pedals and rarely use more than the first three?

When I bought my first Sho-Bud Crossover with 8 pedals and 1 knee-lever, and a crossover that allowed me to use any of these pedals on either neck, I thought, "Great, that's 16 pedals and two knee levers. Now, let's see if you can remember what they do." $:\$

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 9 Mar 2016 11:21 am

Dave Dube wrote:" ...Mike ...

"Great minds discuss ideas.
Common minds discuss events.
Small minds discuss people" Elanor Roosevelt.

Dave Dube · Post by **Dave Dube** » 9 Mar 2016 12:37 pm

Mike this is to you not about you.

It's a bit late to claim the high ground after mucking about in the valley all this time. LOL!

You are the worst thread Hijacker I have seen in 31 years of Bitnet, Arpanet and Internet combined. You do it with such zeal! The only thing more amazing than the altercation you had with Jim Sliff over 6 string PSG almost 10 years to the day, is that you repeat the same behavior.

Now when someone shines a light on your behavior, you run and hide behind Elanor's skirts. When you behave that way, people will speak of you, and it will be warranted, because you have made a nuisance of yourself.

You have a lot to offer if you can control yourself.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 9 Mar 2016 1:23 pm

I come here to discuss music and steel guitars, not to fight with anybody or to flame anybody.

With that in mind, I stand behind my contention that the 6 string steel is missing some important stuff, and limits the options of those who play it. And that's all I'm going to say.