The Steel Guitar Forum

I was playing some lap guitar today and while trying to figure out some stuff I would take my thumb and press down on a single string a fret or two in front of the bar just to see what combinations of intervals I could find. Of course the note pressed with the thumb was just a muted tone, but I thought to myself--if I had some sort of ring on my thumb with a flat area turned down towards the strings, I might could get a decent pitch to sound.

Surely someone makes a finger slide that looks sort of like a ring that I might be able to use to see if this might work. Anybody here try this? What did you use?

Idea - take a short brass threaded pipe nipple and cut the threads off and cut a piece the length you want. Use 3/4 and it will probably fit. If it doesn't you can cut a tiny slit in one side and expand it. Polish it up nice and pretty and I bet it will give you plenty to experiment with to try your interesting new idea.
And please - let us know how it works!
thanks,
-paul

The closest thing to what you're describing is probably the Will Ray Slide-Ring:
http://www.hipshotproducts.com/acc.htm

I tried that in the early 80s with a metal thumbpick turned upside down on my left thumb and came up with some nice chord extensions,trills etc.I didn't stay with it because the metal pick was too thin for any kind of good tone. I'll say this - the concept is worth exploring - if you had the right implement.

Michael.

I KNEW that someone had tried this!
I think I will look for a cheap brass jewelry ring that has a modest band and as large an area on the top as I can find. Just for passing tones and trills as you say, this might be worth messing with. Also it seems that the best strings to play would be the lower strings as trying to reach up and catch the upper strings and still maintain a good command of the bar is a bit tricky.

Thimble?

I tried that (thimble). A smooth surface is needed.

You might want to check these new slides out at http://www.musserring.com. The manufacturer is a friend of mine (and my guitar instructor). He introduced this new line of slides at the NAMM show in January. I don't think he had considered the application for lap and pedal steel players, but both came by his exhibit at NAMM and were very interested in using them as thumb slides. They will be available in both brass and stainless steel in four widths from 1/2" to 1 1/2" and in a variety of thicknesses. I think the thickest one would be ideal for use as a thumb slide. It's only available in one size now, but other sizes are in production and should be available within a month. I went to Burbank tonight to meet a fellow forumite at a venue where Mike Johnstone was playing. I had some samples with me and gave each a brass slide. I'll be interested in hearing how the MusserRing slide worked for them.

Hmmmmmm....
This could be a whole new or alternate approach to steel guitar.
If we had our left hand thumb and fingers fitted for slide extensions we could throw the bar away?
No more slants!

These rings look VERY interesting!! Have to order a few and see. Thanks Anita!

When I was a rather young-kid back in ’48 or ’49, when I first heard Jerry Byrd, I thought he had a Ring on every finger to get some of that wonderful sound! I even thought hard about how to do that. Come to find out that I was hearing the C-Diatonic Tuning! What a relief! Then one day, I heard Jody Carver!!!

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“Big John” Bechtel
’49-’50 Fender T–8 Custom
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15” Eminence

When I was a rather young-kid back in ’48 or ’49, when I first heard Jerry Byrd, I thought he had a Ring on every finger to get some of that wonderful sound! I even thought hard about how to do that. Come to find out that I was hearing the C-Diatonic Tuning! What a relief! Then one day, I heard Jody Carver!!!

------------------
“Big John” Bechtel
’49-’50 Fender T–8 Custom
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15” Eminence