Steel Guitar World Magazine

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 28 Nov 2006 5:05 pm

Is anyone interested in having a full set (or even a partial set) of the old Steel Guitar World Magazine issues?

I've been discussing with Russ (the editor) about converting all of the old issues into a digital form like .pdf. I think it would be cool to have them all available for sale on a web site.

But to move forward, I think Russ would like to see that there would be some interest. He still has roughly 31,000 copies of the old magazine issues but doesn't have time to bother with selling them - either as single issues of sets.

So I suggested an automated web site where folks could buy the issues they want. Possibly, there could be discounts for buying complete volumes or even the complete set.

I have a couple of these magazines and there are lots of nice articles, pictures, some instructional tablature, and general information to help you understand and play your steel better.

So who's in? Anybody want to own digital copies of this magazine?

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Gary Shepherd

Carter D-10

www.16tracks.com

Casey Lowmiller · Post by **Casey Lowmiller** » 28 Nov 2006 7:30 pm

I'd be interested!!!

Heck, I'd be interested in buying some old ones right now...especially ones with good tab.

I missed out on them when they first come out...I'd like to have a chance to get some.

Casey

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Known Coast to Coast as
"The Man with The Plan"

Carter-Starter, Fender Pedal 800, Fender Champion, Guyatone Double-neck, a cheap Artisan & a Homemade Double-neck!

Jonathan Shacklock · Post by **Jonathan Shacklock** » 29 Nov 2006 3:40 am

Sounds like an excellent idea. I'd be interested in a digital version on CD-ROM, or as individual downloads.

Mike Wheeler · Post by **Mike Wheeler** » 29 Nov 2006 4:29 am

I'm interested.

Stanford Lane · Post by **Stanford Lane** » 29 Nov 2006 6:17 am

I am interested. I've often wondered why this hasn't happened for many perionicals.

Mylos Sonka · Post by **Mylos Sonka** » 1 Dec 2006 6:38 pm

I bought a complete set of those a few years back from Scotty and they are really a gold mine of info and tab.

I have thought of converting them to searchable PDFs for awhile but the task is daunting because there are so many of them.

I would be willing to scan, say, a tenth of them if we could find others to take on a share of the work.

PDFs are the way to go. I've scanned all my CD jackets and liner notes and keep them all in a file, and the Optical Character Recognition feature of the Adobe Pro lets me find any song, artist, sideman or anything else I am looking for almost instantly, then dial up the song with a remote to a 300-CD carousel. It really saves a lot of rummaging through CDs.

Mylos

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 1 Dec 2006 9:04 pm

Let me be clear on this one point. These magazines are still under copyright and Russ owns the right to the copies.

Any scanning (other than for personal use) would need to be approved by Russ.

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Gary Shepherd

Carter D-10

www.16tracks.com

Don Sulesky · Post by **Don Sulesky** » 2 Dec 2006 4:07 am

I bought all 42 issues from Russ and they are loaded with valuable info.But because I paid ahead for a years subscription and lost my money it has left me with a bad image about anything to do with his future ventures. Don

Casey Lowmiller · Post by **Casey Lowmiller** » 2 Dec 2006 10:20 pm

I wouldn't mind having all 42 issues.

Sounds pretty damn cool & a wealth of info too!!!

Casey

------------------
Known Coast to Coast as
"The Man with The Plan"

Carter-Starter, Fender Pedal 800, Fender Champion, Guyatone Double-neck, a cheap Artisan & a Homemade Double-neck!

Mike Wolfenbarger · Post by **Mike Wolfenbarger** » 3 Dec 2006 3:13 pm

This sounds OK. What kind of price are we talking about, especially if the whole set is purchased?

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Mike
Pro-III (a lot)
Vegas 400
Evans

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 3 Dec 2006 4:34 pm

The subscription rate was $6/issue I think.

And I believe Russ was selling the back issues at $4 each. So I assume the .pdf versions will probably be the same price.

We haven't really discussed a full set price yet.

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Gary Shepherd

Carter D-10

www.16tracks.com

Post by **b0b** » 4 Dec 2006 9:46 am

People would have to print them themselves, after buying them for $4 each?

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 4 Dec 2006 1:14 pm

The idea is that you can have it on your computer. If it's on your laptop, it's easy to find anything you need for practice.

Of course, you always have the option to print it if you like.

------------------
Gary Shepherd

Carter D-10

www.16tracks.com

Billy Wilson · Post by **Billy Wilson** » 4 Dec 2006 2:35 pm

If he's got 31,000 copies wouldn't he rather sell them?

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 4 Dec 2006 2:43 pm

I think he doesn't want to mess with them. Seems like it would take a lot of time to go through each box to pick out one magazine from each issue - just to form a full volume.

Then there's the time it takes to actually box them up into volumes and make a trip to the post office or whatever.

I discussed buying the whole set from Russ but there doesn't seem to be a good way to transport them all from OR to OK. Anyway, I don't have a big enough space for that many magazines. At least, not one that I could protect from mice and such.

So, to answer your question, yeah, I think he'd like to sell them all. But Russ doesn't have the time it would take to do it. He has a full time job at a law firm.

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Gary Shepherd

Carter D-10

www.16tracks.com

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 4 Dec 2006 4:23 pm

PDFs would be cool. Cheaper, easier to distribute.

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 4 Dec 2006 6:06 pm

Not to mention you can SEARCH them electronically.

I think you can also combine several pdf files into one large one. That would make searching even easier.

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Gary Shepherd

Carter D-10

www.16tracks.com

Post by **Joey Ace** » 7 Dec 2006 5:49 am

I bought several years of back issuse from Russ the last time he was at the ISGC, (1999?). They are indeed a treasure chest of info.

I knew he was alway late to subscribers at that time, so I resisted his sales pitch to subscribe. The mag folded shortly after that.

I can't undestand how anyone sitting on 31,000 copies of this valuable product would not have the time to sell them, even if he had to sub-contract the task.

There have been many posts asking for donations for Russ, to help him thru financial hard times.

The whole thing also leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I admit Russ made a great mag, and did a lot for the Steel community.

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 7 Dec 2006 9:35 am

42 issues? I thought I had subscribed at the beginning and I don't remember anything like 42 issues... and the bad taste joey speaks of still remains

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 7 Dec 2006 11:21 am

Dave, I think there did end up being 42 issues. I re-subscribed at issue 41 and that's all I got...
I would think that Russ might consider offering an electronic copy, or discount to those who got shorted in the subscriptions. It might head off some angry folks at the pass.

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 7 Dec 2006 12:21 pm

I'm wishing that all issues of Pedal Steel.us Magazine would be made available in electronic media. I've got a floppy disc sitting here doing nothing.

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 7 Dec 2006 1:17 pm

Mark, I suppose Russ is reading this thread but I'll certainly bring it up with him.

Ultimately, all of this is his decision. I got the first volume in the mail today so I'll start scanning pretty soon. I'd like to do one issue every day but I don't know if I'll have that much free time available.

And I'll need to do a little research to try to get the best quality from the scans. I mean, I expect that when I scan one page, the opposite side of that page will bleed through. I'm sure there are some settings I can change to decrease that problem but I don't know what they are yet.

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Gary Shepherd

Carter D-10

www.16tracks.com

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 8 Dec 2006 10:40 am

Jon, as far as I know there were only two issues of "Pedal Steel.US". The website is still up, but shows availability of just the last issue from 2003. I kind of hope no one is clicking on the "subscribe now" links...
Gary, have you tried scanning with a piece of black construction paper or similar behind the scanned page? Just a thought.

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 8 Dec 2006 12:05 pm

Mark--'twas a joke.

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 8 Dec 2006 1:05 pm

Mark, I'll give that idea a try but I don't think it will work. Still, you never know. Maybe I should try a black piece too. I think that might work better.

Anyway, thanks for the idea.

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Gary Shepherd

Carter D-10

www.16tracks.com