Survey: age of most steel players

John Hughey · Post by **John Hughey** » 24 Jun 2003 7:51 pm

I started playing when I was 16. I am now 69
and hope I can play till I'm a 100. Ha!!

Jeff Bradshaw · Post by **Jeff Bradshaw** » 24 Jun 2003 8:03 pm

I am 42 and I started to learning to play when I was 13 or 14. BTW...Just how long does it take to learn to play steel guitar?

Bobby Boggs · Post by **Bobby Boggs** » 24 Jun 2003 9:41 pm

quote:

AND the chicks dig it

Seems to me the chicks dug it more 20 years ago than they do today.

Robbie Bossert · Post by **Robbie Bossert** » 24 Jun 2003 11:52 pm

I'm 37. I started playing steel when I was around 25. More fun than one man should be allowed to have!
Robbie Bossert

Wayne Baker · Post by **Wayne Baker** » 25 Jun 2003 6:39 am

Well, thanks for all of the replies to my post. I enjoy having this forum to come to and talk steel issues with all of you guys.

Keep pickin'
Wayne Baker

Bob Carlson · Post by **Bob Carlson** » 25 Jun 2003 6:53 am

Started at 65 am now 71. Have been playing six string since around age seven.

Bob

George McLellan · Post by **George McLellan** » 25 Jun 2003 9:15 am

Started playing guitar at 7, bass at 11, steel at 36, bagpipe at 40. I'll be 59 in a couple of months.

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SUAS U' PHIOB
Geo

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 26 Jun 2003 12:19 am

41 years old. Started playing guitar & mandolin at 5 years old, banjo at 10, Dobro at 12 and lap steel at 18. The only reason I started playing steel so late was that my parents wouldn't let me have an electric instrument in their house, so had to wait until I moved out. Then I bought a Tele, a Fender amp and a Fender D8.

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 26 Jun 2003 12:44 am

46 (1956)

Guitar: 10 (1966)

Steel Guitar: 17 (1973) (Although my Dad had a Fender 400 that I putzed around with for a few months in the summer of '68. Dad was trying to learn to play steel, but with him working and me being home after school, I got to learning a few tunes on it. Shortly after that he traded it in on my first Tele.)

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

Pat Jenkins · Post by **Pat Jenkins** » 26 Jun 2003 2:45 am

I first started playing in 1977, that means I have been playing for 26 years. You would think that I would be better at this. I am 49, hitting 50 in August. Enjoy playing more everyday.

Bruce W Heffner · Post by **Bruce W Heffner** » 26 Jun 2003 3:02 am

I started in 1973 at age 23,quit from 1983 to 1993 to pursue other interests (mistake) and resumed my passion in 1993 through present. At 52, I ask where did all the time go?

Bruce

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www.pedalsteel.net

Brandon Housewright · Post by **Brandon Housewright** » 26 Jun 2003 7:32 am

I started guitar at 13, four years of classical guitar at 18, bass at 24, steel at 29. I'm 31 now and am obsessed with this thing. I hope that it doesn't consume me as the old saying goes. John Hughey, you're the greatest!

DJ Sillito · Post by **DJ Sillito** » 26 Jun 2003 2:10 pm

Started around 14 with the steel (MSA student model) and I am now 31. There were a few years in between of little activity while going to chiropractic college. Still learnin!

B. Greg Jones · Post by **B. Greg Jones** » 27 Jun 2003 3:27 am

I got my 1st steel in 1988, age 22. Still trying to learn this darn thing at 37!!!!

Greg

David Rupert · Post by **David Rupert** » 27 Jun 2003 9:38 pm

I'm 45. Started playing pedal steel in 1975 @ age 17.

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David "DJ" Rupert

1995 Mullen D-10
Nashville 400 Amp
Goodrich Volume Pedal (L120).
Boss: Dual Overdrive (SD-2), Digital Delay (DD-5), Super Phaser (PH-2).

"Music. Without it, life itself...would be impossible."

Peace.

Roger Edgington · Post by **Roger Edgington** » 29 Jun 2003 12:14 pm

I'm 57 and started at age 10 on a square neck guitar that my mom taught Hawaiian on in the 40s. Started bass around 12 and soon started jobing out on it. Played around the house on my dads D6 Fender and got my first pedal steel around 16. It was a Fender 400 with 6 pedals.I've never been on the road, but have played a 200 mile radious most of my life 1 to 5 nights a week. I've been with the same western swing/country band 8 years.

John Borchard · Post by **John Borchard** » 9 Jul 2003 1:06 pm

I'm now 53.

Started playing guitar at 13 (after taking piano and violin starting at about age 9).

Started pedal steel at age 19 -- a Fender 1000 in pieces in a box.

Took up nonpedal in earnest at age 41.

Now, if I could figure out how to play them all at once....

John Borchard

Ken Williams · Post by **Ken Williams** » 10 Jul 2003 11:08 pm

I'm 51. I began trying to learn to play steel in my early 20's. I'm still tryin'.

Ken
http://home.ipa.net/~kenwill

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 11 Jul 2003 4:29 am

45 now, started with guitar at 12, hawaiiansteel at 16,pedalsteel at 21.JJ

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Click on the pic!

John De Maille · Post by **John De Maille** » 11 Jul 2003 9:19 am

54 yrs. now. Started playing 6 string guitar in 1957. Started playing pedal steel in 1975. I'm still learning the steel, every time I play it. (I'll get it right, sooner or later, mostly later)

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 12 Jul 2003 5:50 am

Either there are no ladies on the Forum who play steel or, this is a very "touchy" thread for ladies to respond..."never ask a lady her age!"

I started out on an old 6 string guitar in 1942 which my dad bought for himself in 1912....I still have that old beast! I learned by the seat of my pants, (listening to Hawaiian records on 78 rpm's). There were no qualified instructors around these parts except for a chap who knew a few tunes on the Hawaiian guitar but was a violinist. I'm 75. This doesn't translate into being a good steel guitarist, just an old phart with a lot of happy years behind him playing the Hawaiian steel guitar and looking forward to a few more years of equal joy.

Joerg Hennig · Post by **Joerg Hennig** » 12 Jul 2003 1:21 pm

I´m 38 this year, started on guitar at 12, lap steel at 26, pedal steel at 34.

Artur Konwinski · Post by **Artur Konwinski** » 16 Jul 2003 1:18 am

I'm 58, started being 44. Better late than never.

Greely Baggett · Post by **Greely Baggett** » 16 Jul 2003 11:12 pm

I'm 48. Started playing guitar at 4. Played 5-string banjo at 12. Started pedal steel at 20. I started on a Sho-Bud Maverick(1976)!

Now-a-days I play a Mullen D-10 Royal. Played Emmons for about 10 Years.

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Greely Baggett
Mullen D-10 (8X5) Royal
Mullen S-10 (4X5)
"Pick one for Jesus"

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 16 Jul 2003 11:33 pm

So Wayne, who's doing the addition and long division ;
average age of players and average time playing steel?

Chicks, I remember chicks... They used to talk to me occasionally, but I was still 24 then.