What was your first lap steel?

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 11 Dec 2005 7:18 am

Carvin 10 string

Terry VunCannon · Post by **Terry VunCannon** » 11 Dec 2005 7:32 am

I saw David Lindley with Jackson Browne on the Running On Empty tour days, 1979/1980,s, & fell in love with the sound of lap steel & bought a Magnatone black MOTS. I sold it within a year feeling that I would never be able to learn to play in(Too Hard).
Went another 20 years before I tried in again...this time there is no stopping me now...I'm HOOKED!!!

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'49 & '51 National Dynamics, Harmos Model One, Lazy River Weissenborn, Mesa Boogie DC-3, SRV Strat.
http://community.webshots.com/user/keefriff

Dan Peterson · Post by **Dan Peterson** » 11 Dec 2005 7:34 am

First 'lap steel' was a cheapo old Silvertone (blonde) archtop I had that was converted by the Oahu 'teachers' for me in the early 50's. After couple years 'Oahu lessons' I saved up enough for a Sears catalog buy of a 'Silvertone sun-burst beauty & matching amp'. (Wish I still had it!) Here's a link to my current (evolving) 'steel stash'

dan.
http://hometown.aol.com/oceansmirage/Guitarsindex.html

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 11 Dec 2005 10:55 am

I worked for a farmer two summers to pay for it.

Bill, I guess you worked for beans, 'cause you sure weren't raking in the cabbage....

Richard Shatz · Post by **Richard Shatz** » 11 Dec 2005 11:05 am

Bought my first one in an antique/junk store in Williamsport, PA in 1991. It's a Dickerson MOTS with matching amp. This thing sound pretty amazing, considering how cheap it must have been when new. I think I payed $75 for the set. http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/r_shatz/detail?.dir=/7fb8&.dnm=5e44.jpg&.src=ph
These things are like dope. The first one is free (or nearly). Then you're hooked. The addiction has forced me to buy about 80 more since. Is there a 12 step program for this problem?

Dan Peterson · Post by **Dan Peterson** » 11 Dec 2005 11:20 am

Response to this quote: "These things are like dope. The first one is free (or nearly). Then you're hooked. The addiction has forced me to buy about 80 more since. Is there a 12 step program for this problem?"

Breaking news!! Yes, there is a '12 step' program for 'steel addiction' ...Every time you see one you like, take 12 (giant) steps backwards and chant: 'I don't need another steel' I don't need ..

[This message was edited by Dan Peterson on 11 December 2005 at 11:21 AM.]

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 11 Dec 2005 12:25 pm

doesn't work.....

Richard Shatz · Post by **Richard Shatz** » 11 Dec 2005 1:08 pm

Howard's right. I tried that.

Dan Peterson · Post by **Dan Peterson** » 11 Dec 2005 2:44 pm

maybe you're 'chantin' to a slow drumbeat?

Gary Boyett · Post by **Gary Boyett** » 11 Dec 2005 5:25 pm

There is probably a 12 step program for this but no one has ever made it through to finish the list!

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JCFSGC,RMSGC,HSGA member
Do it with "Glass"
Boyett's Glass Bars

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 12 Dec 2005 4:05 am

More of a two-step:
1. Grief
2. The heck with grief!

The first one is free (or nearly).

1. A Fender Kingman rescued from the dumpster at Shields Music in Tulsa, with a riser nut and a baby humbucker.
2. A Dynalap 6. Sweet.

Stanford Lane · Post by **Stanford Lane** » 12 Dec 2005 6:56 pm

Mine was a 6-string Silvertone that I bought for $75 at a cherity garage sale It looked great but it sounded pretty awful. But, it was good enough for me to start lessons. I still wonder how much pain medication my instructor went thru?

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 12 Dec 2005 7:29 pm

My first was about 2 years ago when I bought one of the new Gretch's. Played it for about 10 minutes. Sat in the corner for a year before I pulled it out again. Had no idea what to do with it and everything I tried (all my dobro licks) sounded like crap.

Then got interested again. Bought a George Boards, Fender Custom Triple 8, Harmos, Rick Bakelite, Industrial Steel, before settling on the wonderful MSA Superslides.

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 12 Dec 2005 7:41 pm

This one is identical to my first, bought it in '99 and played it a little more than a year, went back to guitar full time, picked up lap steel again in early '03, been faithful ever since......

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 13 Dec 2005 9:00 am

I have found that the best way of keeping control of the guitar inventory is just giving some away. If I don't play it any more, lose it. Besides,you need a warehouse if you are a collector.
ALOHA ALL YOU GUYS

Jack Knight · Post by **Jack Knight** » 13 Dec 2005 9:44 am

When I was 12 my mother decided it was time to learn how to play the piano we had. She wanted me to take lessons like my sister was doing. I negotiated some guitar lessons instead of piano lessons.

I went downtown on the bus to Thearle’s music and came home with a Kay guitar and a steel. My mother had inadvertently signed me up for steel guitar lessons. I of course objected because I wanted to sing and play like Roy Rodgers.

Had I kept up with the lessons, I now would have been playing the steel for over 45 years. Hell, maybe I could have figured it out by now.

So, 45 years later, my sandbox buddy, Steve Neal, who is a luthier (we have been friends for over 55 years), , sold his business to retire to Idaho. In the process of cleaning out the attic in the shop, he came across several steels. He gave me a Kay lap steel with a lovely shade of sea foam green Zolotone paint, couple of missing knobs, your know the type. He has yet to give me the Triple neck Fender, although I try to get it away from him regularly. The Kay sparked my interest to buy the Artisan (black of course), the Goldtone, the T logo Ricky and the GeorgeBoards CS1.

If I had only listened to my mother, and stuck with the steel lessons. God bless her.

Jack