Fender, Gibson, Supro, National all made non-pedal steels in the late 50's through the 1960's. This was long after the Hawaiian music craze. Western Swing was also dying out rapidly. Pedal steel had already staked it's claim.
There had to be a market for these things or the companies wouldn't produce them. My question is who bought these and for what style of music?
I've often wondered the same thing. First Elvis then Rock-a-billie then surf then motown. Who was using these then. Of course Valco quit making then in the mid-60's probably due to declining interest from buyers. But there were some sold. My guess is that some of the old guys that weren't into any of the new music and saved up some bucks over the years then finally bought just as they were going out of style.
Anyway I'm glad they did because now I own a bunch of nice examples from the late 40's through the mid-60's.
Makes me happy. And I like to play both swing and Hawaiian.
Since the local GIBSON sales outlet refused to discuss selling me a Gibson Console like Roy Wiggens had.......I was quite elated when I saw my first Fender triple-8.
My reasons for the purchase: It was in the showroom, waiting to be purchased by ME.
I walked out of the store with it.
Any number of the western swing tunes were being performed in different tunings making the triple neck and ideal choice for ME. "Boot Heel Drag" in C#min.; "Playboy Chimes" in A6th; JB's stuff mostly all in C6th at that time.
Never regretted having it and so sorry I sold it to a fellow who shortly thereafter butchered it......... Why O'why. I understand he never learned to play it.....
For me, and I guess for many others, it was a matter of money. Sure, you could have gotten a used pedal steel for $300-$400, but when I started, investing that much into a hobby was unthinkable.
The inexpensive Valcos, Supros, Oahus, Teiscos (ugh!), and Magnatones gave us playable lap steels for around $100.
I wanted to play guitar when I was about 7 (1959) but the teacher said my hands were too small so I got an accoustic lap, then an 8 string Supro. My friend started playing a Fender lap about the same time. Must have been a few hold overs but once the "British Invasion" got under full swing the steel seemed to get hidden except for some special sounds.
Hi. New guy here. Sorry for butting in at the end of the thread, but I've gotta say, Karl - those photos slay me! You have got a beautiful bunch of strings there!
I just bought one. My assumption was that it would be a logical place to start to learn steel. If, by some miracle, I develop some skill at it I can move up to a pedal. But... maybe it doesn't work that way. Am I wrong? Isn't a lap steel a good place to begin learning? Or is it a totally different animal?
i started out w: a gibson br6 round 1969 cause i had the blues.
i prefered it to bottleneck (which i do like)
ended steppin'up to psg
still got the blues too !
Yes the lap steel is a good place to start. You can get many of the basics down without investing a lot of money. It's also a good place to stay.
Don't look at the lap steel as simply a stepping stone or as a starter instrument. The non-pedal steel guitar will give you a lifetime of enjoyment and learning experiences.
Many people in this area of the forum have no desire to "move up " to the pedal steel guitar. In fact many of us have quite a religious fervor about the instrument.
I started playing on a lap-steel in 1948, and have been playing PSG since about ’56. I certainly don't see anything wrong with playing non-pedal steel in these modern-days! Last year I stopped playing PSG and now/again only play Non-Pedal steel and am as excited about it as ever! They are a different instrument although closely related! Both have great possibilities, with different limitations! “Big John”
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“Big John” Bechtel
Franklin PSG D–10 (9 &
Fender ’49–’50 T–8 Custom
Fender ’65 Reissue Twin-Reverb Custom™ 15” click here click here
A lot of non pedal steels (especially single 6's) were purchased by or for students in the 50s & 60s. I remember seeing photos on teaching studio walls of steel guitar classes, with 20 - 30 students all holding their lap steels. In those days you could buy a new Fender or Gibson lap steel for under $100. Now these student models are all "vintage collectibles" Who knew?? I wish I had known - I'm just glad I bought my Fender Champion for $50 and my Fender Dual Pro for $75 over 20 years ago when most people didn't know or care what a lap steel was. I just bought a 61 Stringmaster D8 for about 1K - oh to go back in time to do some steel shopping!!
Quote from G Ross: "Fender, ...all made non-pedal steels ...through the 1960's. Pedal steel had already staked it's claim.
My question is who bought these and for what style of music?"
After I read this my heart sunk because I thought you were asking - What kind of idiot would buy one of these, and I had just ordered one. But in the post below ... Well- now I'm all better. Apparently I misunderstood. Thanks
To Bill Byrd,
Yes the lap steel is a good place to start. You can get many of the basics down without investing a lot of money. It's also a good place to stay.
Bill,
Lap steel is the coolest instrument to play for several reasons -
1. It has the most possibilities - there are as many tunings as there are players, and you can play ANY genre of music on it.
2. It is the most expressive of all instruments. Fact is, you can't hide how you feel when you're playing steel.
3. Chicks dig it.
For many years the "general" concensus was that lap steel was made obsolete by pedal steel. Nothing could be further from the truth. That would be like saying the bicycle was made obsolete by the motorcycle! Bill, trust me - that little Fender biscuit board was the smartest purchase you'll ever make.
Rick
You have a point there, Bill - but there may be a certain onanistic imagery that triggers a sympathetic response. I can't be sure - I'm just guessing here.
When I play steel on stage, I raise it so I can stand up to play. Then I can sing some and jump around a little too. It doesn't help accuracy and intonation, but showboatmanshipwise it works. In the studio however, I just sit and look down at my plank . . .
Bill Byrd: You are definitely NOT an idiot. If you are, then I am also along with my old phart of a friend, George Rout who fits that desciption also. I have NO QUALMS with the pedal guitar whatsoever. I love it when it is played properly. But the fact remains, while I was around and very active on steel when the pedal guitar was in its infancy, it held little appeal to me especially in the Hawaiian idiom. I did a lot of western swing back in the fifties, (sans pedal) but that soon died out.
I wonder if Minnie would have swooned over Mickey Mouse if he were playing pedal instead of lap as pictured ?
Anyway, to each his own. I'm a dyed-in-the- wool "lap" steeler who has always prefered the term "Hawaiian Steel Guitar"....(but let's not go there again!).
In the studio however, I just sit and look down at my plank . . .
