I need a portable seat for sitting playing dobro

Lap steels, resonators, multi-neck consoles and acoustic steel guitars

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Joe Burke
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Joined: 4 Jun 2012 12:17 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

I need a portable seat for sitting playing dobro

Post by Joe Burke »

Does anyone have a recommendation? I’d like it if the seat (with no arms) folds up and fits in a case that I can put over my shoulder. Like a camping chair with no arms.

I like to go to jams by bicycle, and these days we often meet in a park.

Anyone have one that they can recommend?

Thanks!
L. Bogue Sandberg
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Location: Chassell, Michigan, USA

Post by L. Bogue Sandberg »

I have a stool similar to the one below.

https://www.amazon.com/Trademark-Gamero ... B007V5JKP8

18" is about the right height for me. Soft ground, like in a a park, can be a problem.
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Don Barnhill
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Post by Don Barnhill »

This may work for you. Good luck!

Image
Current Lap Steels: 1953 Supro
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Larry Dering
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Post by Larry Dering »

Keyboard bench. Folds flat and sturdy.
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Jack Hanson
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Post by Jack Hanson »

I have used a couple of different Samsonite card table folding chairs for over 40 years. But then again, I've never needed to pedal to play.
Bill Hatcher
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Post by Bill Hatcher »

Jack Hanson wrote:I have used a couple of different Samsonite card table folding chairs for over 40 years. But then again, I've never needed to pedal to play.
a samsonite card table chair stays in my car 24/7/365 for decades also! i find them at goodwill stores. there is one model i always buy that does not have a rounded upper section. it folds perfectly flat and fits on my small amp hand truck. dont leave home with out it!
Joe Burke
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Post by Joe Burke »

Thanks for the suggestions!
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Bob Blair
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Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Post by Bob Blair »

I use a cheap folding stool from Canadian Tire. You can get them with or without a backrest. Light as a feather.
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Jerry Overstreet
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Post by Jerry Overstreet »

Interested myself. Also like to know what height works best for average size guy. I see amazon sells some folding stools in 18 and 24 in. sizes.

Another suggestion sought is what to use for a foot stool to raise the left leg up about 3 inches to set the guitar level on your lap.

Standard guitar player footstools are too tall and lifting ball of the foot gets tiresome.
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Jim Pitman
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Post by Jim Pitman »

I have the "Trademark Home Folding Stool" which works fine for playing Dobro. Unfortunately, it's too short for pedal steel for my liking. So are any of the other commercial offerings.
A little off topic: Concerning PSG, I've always preferred a seat height a couple inches higher than standard weather it be a folding chair or portable stool. I like to have my lower leg be at a 90 degree angle to my upper. Otherwise it's much more effort moving your legs around if they are at less of an angle.
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Bob Blair
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Post by Bob Blair »

I agree that a typical pedal steel seat which is I think around 22 inches is really too high for dobro although I can manage it when doubling on a small stage. In terms of Jerry's question my view is that 18 inches would be about right. By the way my stools cost about 14 bucks Canadian at Canadian Tire. When I said cheap I wasn't kidding. I learned about them from Sue Decker, a great west coast Canadian blues/roots artist who uses dobros and other lap guitars part of the time.
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Joe Naylor
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Post by Joe Naylor »

I build them for dobro and lap steel players. They tell me the height.

I know of several and the Lite model usually since there is room for a volume pedals, tuner, effects or two and some strings, picks and bar.


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I have heard sever people tell me they are too tall mine are 20" and have made them from 16" up - a chair is usually 18"

Joe Naylor
steelseat.com
Joe Naylor, Avondale, AZ (Phoenix) Announcer/Emcee owner www.steelseat.com *** OFFERING SEATS AND Effects cases with or without legs and other stuff ****** -Desert Rose Guitar S-10, Life Member of the Arizona Carport Pickers Assoc., Southwest Steel Guitar Assoc., Texas Steel Guitar Assoc., GA Steel Guitar Assoc., KS Steel Guitar Assoc. (Asleep at the Steel) tag line willed to me by a close late friend RIP
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Jerry Overstreet
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Post by Jerry Overstreet »

Bob Blair wrote: In terms of Jerry's question my view is that 18 inches would be about right. By the way my stools cost about 14 bucks Canadian at Canadian Tire. When I said cheap I wasn't kidding.


I looked over there Bob, but I didn't see anything like that for that price. Perhaps it's a Canadian thing. I appreciate the info on the height. Something like that might be ideal for taking to a jam with a reso.

No bulky, heavy, high end, high priced steel seat for me for that. I have one of those for steel that I thought I had to have just because everybody else had one. In retrospect, I would have done just as well with a cheap keyboard seat or a folding chair like I used for 5 years when I first started.
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Andrew Frost
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Post by Andrew Frost »

Heya Joe! I really like the folding stools they sell at Fullworth in Parkdale. Perfect height for lap steel, light and portable!
Hope you're doing well.
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