The Steel Guitar Forum

Herb Steiner wrote: when there's only a few instruments in existence, most played by the man that conceived the thing in the first place, to perform with one onstage can only INVITE comparison with the original artist.

Yeah, that'd be like buying and playing a striped EVH guitar, although obviously much cheaper.

The first time I heard Junior Brown was probably right around the time this picture was taken. I'd say it was probably 1988. Ry Cooder had just done a soundtrack to a movie called Trespass, and the very last tune on the record was Party Lights, which, if you know the rest of the music, stuck out like a sore thumb, but in a good way. The version on the soundtrack is different than the one on Guit With It--it features David Lindley on fiddle and the rest of Ry's great cast of musicians.

I was completely hooked on Junior's voice and songs first, and that hasn't changed. I love that dude.

and the other problem is you're not junior brown.

Some few might hold that that's actually the primary problem, not the mere lack of a guit-steel. Though I might rephrase it a little to

"the drive, determination, intelligence, humor & experience - and wife - of jr. brown"

though.

He is supposedly just as hung up on Jimi Hendrix as he is Ernest Tubbs, which has got to be a pretty rare juxtaposition.

unique individuals create unique offerings...and those people aren't nearly as susceptible to comparison.

Larry Lenhart wrote:... The idea of a git-steel is great,,,but 14,500 ??!!! I bet someone could make one with an inexpensive squier tele and some lap steel...wouldnt be a fender tele and steel, but then, as mentioned, no one would be Jr either !!

I play gigs needing to bring both pedal steel and guitar. For ease of moving, I built a guit-steel but did it with a B-Bender guitar. Added a little over 2 pounds to an already heavy axe, but I can wear it, don't need it on a stand. Saves me 100 pounds per move not needing pedal steel and seat.

Jr Brown will be at the Blue Lamp in Sacramento this coming Saturday. Hoping to get to the show and possibly let Jr have a look at mine.

my Guit steel. custom buit for me, and Hi dave! I see your on this too! just got this 3 weeks ago. it's already road dirty. I've worn the top paint off from arm sweat. awesome player. it's violent, have it loaded in the car ready to go!

chris ivey wrote:wow..yeah i checked it out. $14,500....

and the other problem is you're not junior brown.
he plays with such style and verve that you would just look pretentious playing one.

ok...i'm qualifying my statement to say that...if you spent $14,500 on one of these to be cool, that might be a bit pretentious. but those of you who obviously dig these things enough to create one for yourself, or commission someone to create your dream rig for a reasonable sum, may have a cool tool.
i guess it really comes down to the music you create with it.

I actually talked to Michael today. he sold one

Julian Davis wrote: my Guit steel. custom buit for me, and Hi dave! I see your on this too! just got this 3 weeks ago. it's already road dirty. I've worn the top paint off from arm sweat. awesome player. it's violent, have it loaded in the car ready to go!

Julian, who made this? What did you pay?

As John Lennon once said: what we are, is the failure of becoming our hero, that's how we become what we become.

That's a great guitar and Id have no shame playing it on stage if I played that style. Who cares who's judging? It's so nod to the master jr brown in my opinion, pick it son just pick it!

wow....little joke here..ha ha...almost $15,000 and the paint is wearing off in three weeks...wow...ha...ha

i coulda bought 4 or 5 good used cars for that..haha
the truth is i can't even afford one!

yessir..just a little levity here....wow !

I paid a 1947 torpedo back chevy in rough shape. my mother gifted it to me a while back. it is going to a home to get fixed up. so that car runs about 1500 or so in the shape it's in. but my builder and I are planning GS-2, gretsch like. and you think I'd pay 15 grand for a guit steel? I'm 14 years old. I cant afford that!

Julian Davis wrote:I paid a 1947 torpedo back chevy in rough shape. my mother gifted it to me a while back. it is going to a home to get fixed up. so that car runs about 1500 or so in the shape it's in. but my builder and I are planning GS-2, gretsch like. and you think I'd pay 15 grand for a guit steel? I'm 14 years old. I cant afford that!

OK, you paid $1500... who was the builder? Anyone we know? Or can you not tell us?

OK, you paid $1500... who was the builder? Anyone we know? Or can you not tell us?[/quote]

well he is in Joplin Mo, name is Caleb Ramm. I can say, I mean he don't mind. but if your curious of having one made. he is going to charge anyone but me 3-4 grand. it's a lot of work..... and I have a lot of cars.

he's 14 and has lots of cars. ha ha ho ho...i'm 65 and can't even afford one junker...wa wa wa

chris ivey wrote:he's 14 and has lots of cars. ha ha ho ho...i'm 65 and can't even afford one junker...wa wa wa

our family has collected decades of vintage cars. but sadly they couldn't invest in vintage guitars!! I'm a guitar player 99999999999999% of the time.. at one time we had a vintage lap steel, it was junk. but we did the worst of all. my grandparents not knowing sold a vintage fender rhodes in mint condition in case and everything for 50 bucks. rambling... sorry.

That's a really nice looking GS knock-off, Julian. How does it sound compared to one of the originals? Caleb did a really nice job on it, from the looks of it. Do you have a photos or vids of you playing it? One more thing, you wouldn't happen to have any backing tracks for sale, would you?

no backing tracks and I will get you guys a video today. ( be ware that I do not play the lap steel) well I can sort of pick it so your going to get some nice guitar stuff and some less nice steel.. I joined to see if people could give a help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We2TdA_2u5o

sorry for bad steel playing. already said I cant play steel, learning here.. if there is any slopiness. ( there is) its just practice. [/url]

Love it. You go young man. Find a teacher, learn your lessons. Go Cat Go!

Love it. You go young man. Find a teacher, learn your lessons. Go Cat Go!

That was great Julian very good sound...pick it son and don't you worry about anything young man.

Julian, I like your Junior Brown pickin and the guitsteel, keep at her. When me and a couple of my good friends hang out, a Junior Brown CD always seems to make its way to the nearest stereo and is cranked all the way up. Got to love that Junior sound.

thanks a bunch guys, those comments ment a lot to me.
no teachers round here. you guys reccomend anything? a book or video? for specifically 8 string c6. no 6 string stuff. I'm a pretty fast learner, I learnt my guitar chops by listening.