The Steel Guitar Forum

For me, it's both pedal steel and dobro because I love both instruments, so there's really no one or the other for me.The reason I play dobro is because I wanted to add something acoustic to pedal steel. Although I love plugging the pedal steel into an amplifier, I also love the acoustic sounds of the squareneck dobro and it allows me to play country music acoustically. I play a lot of pedal steel type licks on dobro too, and I play a lot of acoustic jam sessions with the dobro and also play dobro in my church's band. I like to have steel and dobro accessible for me to play

Pedal steel is an anxiety machine for me. Love it deeply,and there's nothing like it, and it's opened a lot of doors- but in terms of pure enjoyment, drums are the antidote- all the limbs, the physicality, the presence, carrying a song. A good dobro is a nice compromise- percussive, with a broad dynamic range based on how hard you hit it.

that confounded contraption has a special place in hell and I will be right there still plugging away.

The worst thing about pedal steel is having to sit down to play it, that and the physical focus it requires. Can't prowl around the stage, interact much with the audience or bandmates, head down, no eye contact. Guitar slinging is a lot more fun. Doesn't sound as good though.

"Is pedal steel the most enjoyable instrument to play"? Sometimes!