Who has stop playing and started up again psg

[Karen Sarkisian]

I played so much for the first 6 years that I was playing pedal steel. I guess I was somewhat "in demand" here in Boston where there are not a whole lot of steel players. I had a lot of hope and ambition for myself and my steel guitar but things did not turn out as I had hoped they would. I guess I was afraid of stepping out of my comfort and trying to get to the next level. That combined with my age and my need to continue working full time the steel guitar has taken a back seat to everything else in my life. I take the occasional gig but my chops are not great and are not improving due to lack of time and motivation to practice. It makes me sad, I hope one day the desire to play will return but with covid and lack of bands who want a regular steel guitarist I dont feel very hopeful about it.

[Tom Gorr]

After 15 years of on and off hobby level noodling - played steel in a house band for a weekly open mic event for about 5 months in 2017. The forced improvisation was really helping me advance nicely.

Then I got my ears blown out by an irresponsible PA operator and had to pursue acoustic instruments so my tinnitus would settle.

In late 2019 I was invited to record a steel guitar solo on an original song, and that turned out very well - but was the only time I had spent since 2017 really pushing my limits. My skills were waning, and I just continued with my acoustic projects until I went emotionally flat on those.

I started up on steel again about 3 weeks ago. I have lost about half or more of every skill I had ever learned, but, I feel like I'm more dedicated to really unravelling the mysteries of the instrument rather than just noodling around on it. Of course being 5 years older isn't helping my rate of uptake.

This is actually an instrument that should be learned as a teenager when the brain is still a sponge. I'd say this is my most difficult learning curve since I started playing.

[Dick Chapple Sr]

I started in 1947. My folks moved in 1952. They sold my guitar and amp. I was deflated and didn't play again until Santo & Johnny came out with sleepwalk. I went crazy, bought a guitar and amp and started playing again. It waned again from frustration of not being able to make my guitar sound like what I was hearing on the radio. 1976 rolled around, oblivious to changes in steel guitars going on, I sat behind a new Sho-bud III D-10, the store ownder showed me the floor pedals, as soon as I heard the sounds I knew what I was missing. 1978 I bought an S10 DeVou pedal steel and started learning. Frustration set in again and I let it sit for years again. When I discovered the Steel Guitar Forum, I started back on lap steel. Progressed until I tried to play the pedal steel; frustration set in again!!! I do not know what happened but one day I was playing my T8 Fender while the pedal steel guitar just glared at me. So I thought okay....I will switch my steel seat behind the pedal steel, and put the Fender in front of the piano bench I was using. Much to my surprise I could play the pedal steel and actually recognize the song I was playing, so I played for 8 hours that day and night. So much help from this forum, thanks to Bob Lee, Doug Beaumier, Erv Niehaus, and so many many others on here I can play now. I play at church and at home. The main problem I am working on still is timing. I have played solo nearly all the time, so I play the song how I hear it. Unfortunately until I get better at timing, it is difficult for anyone to play along with me. My Pastor is a great musician and he is helping me with the timing issues. I am now almost 81, no intentions of ever stop playing again at least as long as my health will let me play.
I have always loved the sound of steel both non-pedal and pedal steel. Without this site and everyone involved on here I probably would not be playing.
Dick

[Paul Wade]

I started in 1947. My folks moved in 1952. They sold my guitar and amp. I was deflated and didn't play again until Santo & Johnny came out with sleepwalk. I went crazy, bought a guitar and amp and started playing again. It waned again from frustration of not being able to make my guitar sound like what I was hearing on the radio. 1976 rolled around, oblivious to changes in steel guitars going on, I sat behind a new Sho-bud III D-10, the store ownder showed me the floor pedals, as soon as I heard the sounds I knew what I was missing. 1978 I bought an S10 DeVou pedal steel and started learning. Frustration set in again and I let it sit for years again. When I discovered the Steel Guitar Forum, I started back on lap steel. Progressed until I tried to play the pedal steel; frustration set in again!!! I do not know what happened but one day I was playing my T8 Fender while the pedal steel guitar just glared at me. So I thought okay....I will switch my steel seat behind the pedal steel, and put the Fender in front of the piano bench I was using. Much to my surprise I could play the pedal steel and actually recognize the song I was playing, so I played for 8 hours that day and night. So much help from this forum, thanks to Bob Lee, Doug Beaumier, Erv Niehaus, and so many many others on here I can play now. I play at church and at home. The main problem I am working on still is timing. I have played solo nearly all the time, so I play the song how I hear it. Unfortunately until I get better at timing, it is difficult for anyone to play along with me. My Pastor is a great musician and he is helping me with the timing issues. I am now almost 81, no intentions of ever stop playing again at least as long as my health will let me play.
I have always loved the sound of steel both non-pedal and pedal steel. Without this site and everyone involved on here I probably would not be playing.
Dick

Dick very inspiring for ever one and me I am 73 still banging away at his psg. Yes having timing problems and. Old age

[Brint Hannay]

I played the same gig every Friday for 14 years, with a sprinkling of other gigs added. That all ended abruptly as of March 13, 2020--my last gig, obviously due to Covid. I had been having increasing trouble playing steel (my main instrument was guitar) because of arthritis in the base joint of my right thumb, and was wondering if I'd have to quit the instrument. I started hand physical therapy, which helped a lot, and tried to spend at least some time behind the steel, but having no notion of when, or if, I might get to play steel again other than alone at home had a dampening effect on my motivation. Then I made the mistake of listening to recordings and videos of my live playing that audience members had given me, and realized unhappily that even my modest level of self-confidence was misplaced. So all in all, for the better part of two years I have barely touched the instrument.

Then January 3 this year I slipped on black ice and not only sprained my ankle but fractured my right fibula. Didn't need surgery but have been wearing a bulky "walking boot" since then, so couldn't sit at the steel even if I wanted to. ( I Thank my lucky stars it was my right ankle--but no way to work the volume pedal or the right knee levers.) Doc says maybe only a few more weeks till I'm out of the boot and into PT for the ankle.

So I have not started on steel again, but I intend to try, dang it! I hope I, like some other posters, will have a refreshed perspective after my time off!

[Dick Wood]

I started playing in 1979 after only a few months worth of lessons and played 5-6 nights a week until I went to the Police Academy in 1991. I didn't play again until 1995 and it was rough at first getting back into it. I haven't had any down time so far.

[Jim Sliff]

I quit for about 15 years.

My first steel was a black Tolex-covered Fender Student-10 -0 the worst version of the ShoBud Maverick ever made. Played it for about 3 years and hated it so much I went back to just lap steel and Dobro (plus 6 & 12 string guitars, bass, banjo, mandolin, uke, drums and just about every rock and country-rock band instrument)

[Richard Lotspeich]

Played night and day from 15 to 17 (1979),then got with a group a lot older than myself at the time to play. Played for a living 17 to 25. Got fed up, sold most everything, went back to Bluegrass. 27 years later, I decided to see if I could still play. Ive been back in it for about 5 or 6. About to call the dogs again.