Anyone playing vintage pedal steels on gigs?

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 16 Jul 2020 5:07 pm

I've been watching videos of country gigs from the '50s and '60s on youtube. There are some pretty amazing pedal steel tones on them. I started thinking: anyone here playing one of the early pedal steels on stage? Finger tips, guitars of that era? They sure do sound great.

Lloyd Green could make anything sound great. But I gotta think his old guitar added a bit on this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJQdR0ciwYg

I think this is an older Marlen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBzE6vb9a9I

Thenthere's this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=troL2Toww24

Here's a ZB. My eyes aren't what they were:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYKVb7T1n2I

Daniel McKee · Post by **Daniel McKee** » 16 Jul 2020 6:58 pm

I have a Miller D-10 that is a cool steel but I'm not dragging that thing out. Its HEAVY

K Maul · Post by **K Maul** » 17 Jul 2020 5:57 am

Until recently I had a '59 Sho-Bud Permanent. I played it on many gigs. Heavy but not as heavy as my Crossover(pictured in my avatar) which I take out less and less lately. Well....not at all right now! I've giggled with Fender 400s and 1000s also over the years. I love those tones but also love my super modern EXCEL keyless.

George Geisser · Post by **George Geisser** » 17 Jul 2020 6:28 am

I'm not sure if a 1981 MSA UNI is considered vintage enough

Matt Sutton · Post by **Matt Sutton** » 17 Jul 2020 9:27 am

When there were gigs, I played a ZB of about the same vintage that Brumley plays in that Buck Owens clip. When gigs come back I'll play it again.
It's heavy, beat up, needs constant attention, and I love it to death.

Bobby Hearn · Post by **Bobby Hearn** » 17 Jul 2020 2:02 pm

I switch between a 72 and a 75 Emmons depending on the gig and string age.

Colin Swinney · Post by **Colin Swinney** » 17 Jul 2020 8:41 pm

Peter Andersson seems to always have a vintage Fingertip or similar. Easily my favorite modern player.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA0Ru_A2Dvg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSjFtccZAbM

Jeff Mead · Post by **Jeff Mead** » 18 Jul 2020 3:17 am

I use a 70's Sho~Bud.

No idea if/when I'll get another gig though

Kenneth Cartright · Post by **Kenneth Cartright** » 18 Jul 2020 9:14 am

I have owned two vintage Marlins, a SD10 and a S10. They sound as good as anything out there on my opinion.
Still have the S10 I gig with. Great guitars, way ahead of their time.

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 18 Jul 2020 9:28 am

Didn't those old guitars tend to have single-coil pickups? That would account for the sound, and there were no thyristor dimmers in those days!

I used to have a great old knock-off Permanent but the one time I risked abdominal injury to gig it I got too much shash from the lights.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 18 Jul 2020 9:44 am

what are you defining as vintage ?

Jeff Mead · Post by **Jeff Mead** » 18 Jul 2020 10:46 am

Ian Rae wrote:I used to have a great old knock-off Permanent but the one time I risked abdominal injury to gig it I got too much shash from the lights.

I've never done a gig on a big stage and a serious lighting rig with my Sho~Bud but I've never had a problem with my Telecasters or my trap pickups on my double and triple 8s so why would a pedal steel be any different?

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 18 Jul 2020 11:31 am

For years I played my '64 Emmons wraparound as my main gigging guitar. Only about 5 years ago did I go with Infinity. And there have been a few hardcore western swing gigs in the past decade or two that I've played my T-8 Bigsby, as it was the most appropriate for the engagement.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 18 Jul 2020 11:47 am

Tony Prior wrote:what are you defining as vintage ?

I think that is a variable age, but for me a guitar built in the 1960's or earlier would be considered "vintage."

But I started playing in the '60s. Someone who started in the 90's or 00's might consider steels built in the 1970s as being "vintage."

YMMV

John Goux · Post by **John Goux** » 18 Jul 2020 8:16 pm

When your steel is older than your kids....
John

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 19 Jul 2020 5:25 am

I like that one!

Erv

Michael Sawyer · Post by **Michael Sawyer** » 19 Jul 2020 11:13 am

I play a '58 Fender 400 on stage
4 pedals and an added homemade knee lever
Out of 1/2" copper tubing.

Johnie King · Post by **Johnie King** » 19 Jul 2020 11:24 am

If could play well enough to gig I would choose a old pedal steel with 8 an 5. Bill

Johnie King · Post by **Johnie King** » 19 Jul 2020 11:29 am

If could play well enough to gig I would choose a old pedal steel c with 8 an 5. Bill

Kevin Fix · Post by **Kevin Fix** » 19 Jul 2020 1:57 pm

1980 Sho Bud Super Pro D10, 8+6.

Rich Sullivan · Post by **Rich Sullivan** » 19 Jul 2020 5:34 pm

1949 Bigsby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOAKxnL ... e=youtu.be

Rich Upright · Post by **Rich Upright** » 19 Jul 2020 11:59 pm

I used to play my '66 bolt-on on gigs, but the bands in my area were not worthy of such tone, so I sold it at tremendous profit.
I do regularly play my '65 Mosrite on the gig, however. No tone greater.

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Anyone playing vintage pedal steels on gigs?

Anyone playing vintage pedal steels on gigs?

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