The Steel Guitar Forum

I have gigs where I use the least amount of equipment possible... Steel>VP>Amp.
Then I have gigs where I have more time and room to set up and like to bring/use stuff like a Deley Pedal with Tap-Tempo, an Ebow, An EarthDrive distortion/overdrive pedal, an MXR Dobro Simulator pedal, An EV C9 Organ simulator, etc... I also have the original 70's MuTron trilogy, Mutron III Envelope Filter, MuTron Octave Divider, and MuTron Phaser II, which all work great with Pedal Steel.

I remember how bent out of shape our ol buddy Ray Montee would get when someone wanted to use an effects pedal.
He used to call it a "Gimmick"!
I think he thought it was the Noun definition.
I actually like the Verb definition...
gim·mick
/ˈɡimik/
noun
1...
a trick or device intended to attract attention, publicity, or business.
Similar:
publicity device
stunt
contrivance
eye-catching novelty
scheme
trick
dodge
ploy
shtick

2.
verb
to alter or augment with an extra device or feature.

Jerry Overstreet wrote:
I don't know what these kind of posts are supposed to accomplish. Many players use effects to great advantage.

Some players don't like them. Some players don't know how to use them.

It's a big world and players like all sorts of different things. Your way is not right or wrong. It's just what you prefer at the moment.

The reason I posted these remarks is that sometimes I think other players are deriding those of us that use effects. This is probably not the case with Paul and I have already offered an apology if he was offended.

The scope of players that use steel guitar is a lot wider than just pure old country music application. Many of us are in situations where we might be playing a wide variety of music. Many bands like to appeal to a wider audience. Personally, my interests include just about everything from bluegrass to bach. I might find myself in a situation where I need grit for blues or rock, shimmer and chorus for pop stuff, tremolo and dripping reverb for surf or Duane Eddy style things, slapback echo for say 50s or some 60s. Maybe nothing at all for some jazz or big band stuff sometimes. I like to have tools for any situation rather than just one generic sound all night long that might not fit the mold.

I'm reminded of Tom Bradshaw's editorials in his old Steel Guitarist magazine concerning the pigeonholing of the instrument.

A lot of people don't like to play or listen to anything past the halcyon days of country music. Such as Buck, Price, early Hag etc. and that's just fine if that's what you want to do.

What irritates me is the mindset that steel is only good for pure country and we shouldn't use it for anything else, therefore we don't need any effects.

If you are a purist and making your living playing traditional country, if there is such a market, and want to be stay there great, but please don't offend the rest of us by disparaging our methods of doing things differently.

Maybe I'm just a grumpy old man or I'm mad because I smashed my big toe under a 150# mower deck wheel or that my time is getting shorter with each passing day but that's my rant....and, oh yeah....stay out of my yard! 👨‍🦯👨‍🦯

40 plus years ago there were many country bars and other venues to keep busy around here. Not so today. More doors are open when you can play steel and fit it into a variety of other music with a slight change of style and the push of an effects button. We had a request for a Rolling Stones tune last week, so we did I Can't Get No Satisfaction. I don't care for the song, but I switched on the distortion and played the guitar part on it. It sold well. Versatility can get you wedding and anniversary dances. Competition is Live music vs a DJ. And I'm for running DJ's out of town.

Steve Hinson wrote:I DO use amp reverb...

I DO NOT count it as an effect...

That is all...

SH

Reverb must not “affect” the sound much lol. Is onboard tremolo to be considered as equally ineffectual?

Kelcey ONeil wrote:

Steve Hinson wrote:I DO use amp reverb...

I DO NOT count it as an effect...

That is all...

SH

Reverb must not “affect” the sound much lol. Is onboard tremolo to be considered as equally ineffectual?

My amp doesn't have tremolo on it.

SH

Super Pro to Steel Guitar Black Box, then to Hilton Volume Pedal, then to NV112. I use only the Reverb from the amp.

I don’t even use the amp any more, playing in a little duo, using my little BMI S10 and vp going direct into our little EV Evolve 30M , sounds great live , and pretty good on video

https://youtu.be/C9Asd0A6mEQ


I can fit the whole setup in the trunk of my Honda Accord …

That does sound good,Damir! I often play steel through my Bose L1 P.A. with an acoustic player who sings. It is perfect for the tiny places. I never use any reverb or delay, just straight in.

Been reading some of the comments on here and will say first of all that I think it's up to each person on how they want to play and with what. I myself have found it so much easier in my position to go as bare as I possibly can. I'm playing steel through my volume pedal into my Fender SteelKing amp. I use the amp reverb. No effects at all. I use to have a rack unit that was loaded with Tubeworks preamp modified for steel and a Rocktron Intelliflex for effects and a Mossvalve 500. I'm getting much too old to tote that stuff around anymore so I have down sized. I'm retired now and have my set down job at the Ozark Mountain Hoe Down Music Theater. I am about as plain as I can be with just my Steelking amp but it's perfect for me.

Been reading comments, I use 1973 Emmons p/p, Peavy Nashville 1000 and Goodrich 120 and that works for me and the band I work with. I think all should use what works for them but I dislike those that use different gadgets that make the steel sound like something different than the original steel sound.

Damir Besic wrote:I don’t even use the amp any more, playing in a little duo, using my little BMI S10 and vp going direct into our little EV Evolve 30M , sounds great live , and pretty good on video

https://youtu.be/C9Asd0A6mEQ


I can fit the whole setup in the trunk of my Honda Accord …

I’ve listened to the song. Very nice. No reverb on steel ??? Or is it just the room reverb I hear ? Thanks.

When I was playing a lot many times I play with just a single amp with reverb. It depended on the venue. Sometimes I was just lazy and didn't haul in extra speaker.

John Sluszny wrote:

Damir Besic wrote:I don’t even use the amp any more, playing in a little duo, using my little BMI S10 and vp going direct into our little EV Evolve 30M , sounds great live , and pretty good on video

https://youtu.be/C9Asd0A6mEQ


I can fit the whole setup in the trunk of my Honda Accord …

I’ve listened to the song. Very nice. No reverb on steel ??? Or is it just the room reverb I hear ? Thanks.

thanks John , there is reverb on steel, but I try not to drown my tone into it , and the whole thing is work in progress tho … more than anything, I’m just amazed by that little EV , I’d never thought it would be possible to get such a good sound , and so much power , out of the 10” subwoofer , and few little speakers … it’s just amazing what new , modern electronics are capable of… I need to get out little more often lol

Joe Cook wrote:That does sound good,Damir! I often play steel through my Bose L1 P.A. with an acoustic player who sings. It is perfect for the tiny places. I never use any reverb or delay, just straight in.

thanks Joe, yeah, I don’t think I have patience to deal with band situations any more , this is perfect for me… this EV has 6 channel mixer in it, with tons of effects, and other what nots .. I just use little touch of reverb on my steel , and on the vocals … I’m pretty old fashioned , and have minimalist approach when it comes to effects , so this is gonna be a little challenge for me to figure this outfit out, but it’s lots of fun , and I’m not in a hurry anywhere, and the best thing of all is , I’m too old to worry about impressing anyone anymore , so I’m just taking my time , while having fun at the same time😊

I play my Stage One into a Moyo volume pedal and then into a Silverface Twin. I mostly just play like this but I do have a Keeley Caverns delay pedal I like to mess around with as well for non Country stuff. Speaking of which, I just saw this the other day and it's got to be the coolest thing I've seen for ambient sounds made with the pedal steel. The PSG is such an amazing instrument.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuTcfLwa-JI

I use a pretty moderate setup live, an assortment of Strymon effects and a few vintage pedals. However, these days in the studio, im running straight into a Quilter Steelaire combo with PF400 speaker and Telonics VP. Thats all, I don't even use the onboard reverb. I let the engineer and producer decide what effects to add, if any at all. One of my favorite tones is Lloyd Green into a RV3 and Fender Twin. Simple and sweet!

Josh Moss wrote:I play my Stage One into a Moyo volume pedal and then into a Silverface Twin. I mostly just play like this but I do have a Keeley Caverns delay pedal I like to mess around with as well for non Country stuff. Speaking of which, I just saw this the other day and it's got to be the coolest thing I've seen for ambient sounds made with the pedal steel. The PSG is such an amazing instrument.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuTcfLwa-JI

Whoah! What is that he’s using, do you think?