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Topic: How many steel players? |
Melinda Dauley
From:
Tacoma, Washington, USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2003 7:22 pm |
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How many pedal steel and non-pedal steel players do you all believe are in the USA?
I have heard estimates of 12,000. But there are almost 4,000 members here?
Melinda |
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C Dixon
From:
Duluth, GA USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2003 8:09 pm
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I do not know how many steel players in the USA, but it is estimated there are 30,000 worldwide.
A small number indeed when one considers how many guitar players there are worldwide.
carl |
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Bob Blair
From:
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Posted 17 Feb 2003 8:14 pm
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| And also incredible, considering the small number of players, are the numbers who attend the conventions. I don't know what the record attendance at St. Louis has been, but it seems like from time to time we must have had ten per cent of the world steel playing population in one place! |
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Bobby Boggs
From:
Upstate SC.
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Posted 17 Feb 2003 8:35 pm
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30,000 seems way low to me.I would have thought 30,000 in the USA.Does the 30,000 include owners or just active players?  -----bb[This message was edited by Bobby Boggs on 17 February 2003 at 10:05 PM.] |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 17 Feb 2003 8:45 pm
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| (30,000) A small number indeed when one considers how many guitar players there are worldwide. |
I think there are 30,000 guitar players on my street alone.
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| ...and every one of them can play twice as better than I will- John Sebastian |
[This message was edited by Mike Perlowin on 17 February 2003 at 08:47 PM.] |
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Bob Carlson
From:
Surprise AZ.
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Posted 17 Feb 2003 9:20 pm
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I started with standard guitar and seven years ago my Sugar Booger bought me an SD-10 3 and 4 Emmons for Christmas. Red like my Tele.
But if I was to go back to playing out...I'm pretty sure I'd play the Tele. That steel is heavy, have to set it up, and always be wondering when is that three string going to break. I have never in my life broke a string while playing a standard. Because a guy owed me some money and had a volume pedal and no money, I've been using one with my standard for years and that may have made a differance.
But if it was a place where they new what a steel was and liked the sound of one...then it would be the steel for sure.
You have to really be in love with sound of a steel guitar to want to spend that much money to just get started...then there's no place to quit, so it's doesn't surprise me that fewer people choose the steel to start with.
Bob
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Melinda Dauley
From:
Tacoma, Washington, USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2003 9:41 pm
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You said "Sugar booger"!!! I love that!
Melinda |
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Andy Alford
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Posted 18 Feb 2003 3:48 am
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| Are there that many?I think that a smaller number is realistic.You can not go by the num.of guitars sold because a few buy alot.I know a player who has 24 and he is always looking for another.In the current steel world it seems to be a gray world who are in the majority.Many who use to play and go to the clubs are now hanging out in rest homes and playing for the senior clubs after bingo..With the lack of exposure in current country rock most young people never see a steel long enough to want one.I think that the number will continue to slide for many who go to hillbilly heaven are not replaced in the steel world.Fewer are coming in.How many its a guess but 30.000? [This message was edited by Andy Alford on 18 February 2003 at 04:01 AM.] [This message was edited by Andy Alford on 18 February 2003 at 04:03 AM.] |
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Bobby Boggs
From:
Upstate SC.
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Posted 18 Feb 2003 6:58 am
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| I sat down and thought up the names of 40 steel players in my area.Some really good.Some have never left the house with it.Only 2 of the 40 are members here.-----------bb |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 18 Feb 2003 7:33 am
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I also think 30,000 is a high estimate.
But on a slightly different subject, there seems to be a resurgence of interest in the steel among younger people. In the last few years we've seen several teenagers emerge. Johnathan Culpepper, Derik Duplussie, our fellow forumite Abraham, and our newest member, 12 year old Sally Ann.
(Welcome Sally) Melinda herself is only 22.
This has got to be a good thing. Let's face it, the steel is never going to be as popular as the guitar (partly because so many steel players limit themselves to playing country and ignore rock and roll) but the fact that it is being taken up by young people means that it's alive and well, and will continue to survive. |
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clive swindell
From:
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK
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Posted 18 Feb 2003 7:52 am
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Hi Melinda
In a steel seminar a couple of years ago, the figure of 25,000 world wide was given as the estimated number of players. This seems to be the accepted sort of figure from the people that should know. |
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Chuck S. Lettes
From:
Denver, Colorado
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Posted 18 Feb 2003 8:33 am
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I read somewhere that there are more oboe players than steel players. However, we are a small but mighty group.
Chuck |
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Melinda Dauley
From:
Tacoma, Washington, USA
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Posted 18 Feb 2003 5:44 pm
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I think the steel playing community is kind of like the harp community (I mean 40 stringer not mouth harp). Nothing for steel is cheap, if you know steel you are in demand and you know run elbows with all the other steel players eventually so you better be nice to them.
Melinda |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 20 Feb 2003 6:48 pm
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| Quote: |
| I read somewhere that there are more oboe players than steel players. |
Sorry...I find that hard to believe! After all, who ever heard of "Oboe Nashville", "The Oboe Forum", or "The Worldwide Oboeist Directory"?
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Rex Thomas
From:
Thompson's Station, TN
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Bob Blair
From:
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Posted 20 Feb 2003 7:32 pm
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www.idrs.org
I did a small amount of oboe-related surfing. Just enough to satisfy my self that there is indeed a double-reed community out there. There is some sort of forum-like thing on the IDRS's (International Double-reed Society)website, but it looks like you need to be a member to get there. I also had a look at some instrument prices. A quality oboe will easily run you as much as a good psg. And bassoons....boy oh boy are they expensive! |
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Rex Thomas
From:
Thompson's Station, TN
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Posted 20 Feb 2003 7:37 pm
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Yikes! What have I done!? 
Off topic. Sorry![This message was edited by Rex Thomas on 20 February 2003 at 07:38 PM.] |
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Bob Blair
From:
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Posted 20 Feb 2003 8:09 pm
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| Way to go, Rex! Geez, they have tablature and everything!!! |
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Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
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Posted 20 Feb 2003 8:21 pm
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| Bobby, who are the two members? bagwell and Rocket? |
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Bobby Boggs
From:
Upstate SC.
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Posted 20 Feb 2003 9:45 pm
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| Steve, the only two I could think of were you and Mick Bagwell. [This message was edited by Bobby Boggs on 20 February 2003 at 10:43 PM.] |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 21 Feb 2003 2:56 am
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Yes Oboes and bassons are FAR from cheap.
$1,500 too $10,000 without getting into ancient music instruments!
I play with one of each at the moment. The orchaestra must tune to them because they can't adjust pitch easily A-438 in this case.
Every player is a mechanic and wood worker just to keep it running. They must cut and wind every reed they use them selves. If there is a mechanical problem in a symphony, like can't get the piano cover off for the soloist. Everybody looks at the bassoonist for tools.
But imagine all the classical groups around the world and you can extrapolate the number of oboeist / basoonists.
I know of 7 maybe 8 PSG players in France but I know of about 80 oboeists. And I am barely in the classical world here. |
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Tony Davis
From:
Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Posted 21 Feb 2003 2:59 am
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Oh No !!!..who said Oboe???
Someone famous once said..."The Oboe is an ill wind that no-one blows any good!!!"
Try vamping on one like a mouth harp...get your tongue caught in the double reeds...you wont do it again!!!!!!
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 21 Feb 2003 2:59 am
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Sorry off topic there.  |
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Melinda Dauley
From:
Tacoma, Washington, USA
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Posted 21 Feb 2003 12:17 pm
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Geez guys...
Stay on the topic. I don't think that you can get farther from steel than oboe...except maybe bassoon...Oh no...look what I did now!
Melinda |
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Bob Blair
From:
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Posted 21 Feb 2003 1:03 pm
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| Bagpipes? I know a guy who goes to a humongous bagpipe convention in Scotland. |
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