The Steel Guitar Forum

Through all of my lurking on this forum, I keep reading the name 'Anapeg', and the awe it seems to inspire in steel players.

Then I read somewhere that they were made in Australia, and thought: "That's odd!"

Then I read in a post that they were made in Brisbane (where I live) and thought: "That's very odd!"

Then I looked up the Anapeg address on a map, and bugger me if it isn't on my side of town and about 50 metres from a good friend's house. I've driven past it hundreds of times oblivious to the magic at work inside.

With the pedal steel industry being so USA-centric, this is very strange. It would be like you guys finding out that Steve Irwin grew up in Nashville, or that Vegemite (vile stuff that it is) is made in Wisconsin.

I'm immensely proud of my fellow Brisbane-ite, and I hope one day to be good enough (and patient enough, and rich enough!) to buy one of his guitars.

Matt

Well, go visit him! And bring along a digital camera and send back satellite photos!

Matt go and visit with Noel Anstead ... and enjoy a vegemite sandwich and a chinwag !! His guitars are awesome mate!

I've recently seen in a post by Peter Johanisse from the French Forum a video of Tom Brumley playing one of these famous steel guitars.
Here is the link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv7ZNVNkFPw

Fred

Matt..Yes take some photos and post them..Stu

Because I'm completely new to the instrument, I might wait until I at least know the names of all the parts and have a bit of an idea about how the mechanism works.

I can just picture it:

Me (snapping photos furiously): "Wow, great guitar Noel"
Noel: "Actually, that's my Triton router bench. The guitars are over here..."

Ha ! (nice to hear some Australian-style humour)

I'm gonna try and make the Brisbane convention this year, hope to meet some of you Queenslanders then.

Matt I think since you live so close you are entitled to 25% off.

What is a chinwag, I'm sure it can be fried, fur and all.

No - it ain't possum.

Chinwag is when you have a good talking with someone, and your chin waggles up and down alot.

like a gab-fest

Is that 25% off the waiting time or the price?

Vegemite is awful stuff.....yuk....I had it several years ago on a cracker and thought I would pass out

Matt, go and see Noel, he is top shelf and will make you welcome. I have just had a call from him and my "Peggy" is being shipped to me this next Monday. It has been over 5 years in the making but Noel wouldnt let her go until he was 100 per cent happy. It is an extended E9 tuning with plenty of pulls and the RKL had some leveage issues Noel wasnt happy with, but these have been resolved. I will post pics and tuning info once I have posession of this magnificent instrument. I will be at the Brissy convention this year as will my buddy Paddy Long. Do make the effort to be there as it is a lot of fun to catch up with many good pals who all love Steel Guitar.

I'll definitely make it to the Brisbane convention.

So does Noel have any daughters of marrying age? (That should give me at least another 25% off!)

I tried some of that Vegamite when I was in OZ too, and I agree. YECHHH. Almost as bad, is an Aussie burger with "the lot", which includes beetroot, and a fried egg. I never could get used to that. But, I got hooked on those Cadbury's white chocolate candy bars, I haven't found them anywhere else in the world.

Vegemite is, as you say, pretty nasty stuff...

Marmite, however, is nectar for the Gods!

Vegemite is a poor attempt at recreating Marmite's epicurean perfection. As an Englishman exiled to Florida, I'm constantly pleading with my friends that one pound jars of this vital foodstuff be dispatched to me from the Old Country.

Marmite belongs alongside John Betjeman, Morris Minors, Vincent motorcycles and the 'RT' bus as a landmark in British life and culture!



RR
(Edited to replace 'Routemaster' ('RM') with a TRULY iconic London double-decker - the AEC 'RT'.....)

I guess I should stock up on some; I could sell them out of the boot of my Morris Minor!

From all accounts, Vegemite began life in the early 20th century as the black ooze left over from brewing beer. Humans had been brewing beer for thousands of years before that. I think it says something that none of them decided to eat the stuff.

About the Aussie burger, unfortunately that is real (unlike most other goods labelled 'Aussie' in the US). As a beetroot hater, I still get caught out in roadside cafes. I've had to dissect many burgers to remove beetroot slices and squeeze the pink juice out of the bread.

The secret to Vegemite is not to spread it on too thick !@ Anyone who can stomach peanut butter should love Vegemite...I have it on my toast for breakfast every morning -- I feel it makes my fast licks faster, and my Black Zum sound even smoother!

And as for the Aussie/Kiwi burger -- they are a quantum leap ahead of those piles of paper mache' McDungalds make !! A real burger has got egg, bacon, pineapple, beetroot and lettuce as well as real beef ! :-}

Tell me about "Bay Bugs"...Stu

Roger
As I was reading your post this evening (20.41) I was eating my favourite supper - toast and marmite with lashings of butter and the brown stuff.

If God made anything better he kept it for himself!

Another vote for beetroot here.....it's not a burger without a runny egg and beetroot.
I've been waiting nearly 2 years for my new BMI - but that's nothing on the Anapeg waiting list. Like many players I would one day love to buy an Anapeg. I have heard Graham Griffith from Sydney play his and it has a very smooth rich tone.

y'know, Vegemite was originally branded as Par-will, in competition with Marmite, which preceded it in Australia. The advertising jingle at the time went "Ma might, but Pa will", or something like that.

I'm not sure why they changed it - granted, Parwill is a shockin' name. I think this is right

Real HAMburgers should be made of HAM. . .the meat of the pig. Grill a lean pork patty over coals of river birch or hickory, lightly toast two thick slices of oatmeal bread or better, sourdough bread. 'Nuke' a 1/4" slice of yellow onion in the microwave and put it right away over the patty. Immediately lay on a thin slice of baby Swiss cheese so it will melt down over the onion. Add cross-cut slices of lettuce, coat the top slice of toast with peppercorn ranch dressing. Wash this down with a cold bottle of Heileman's "Special Export" beer or, better yet, "Point" beer (you guys/gals in WI know what I'm talking about). Want 'fries' with that? Of course! Cut a yellow potato into 'slabs' lengthwise (skin still attached), then slice the slabs into 'steak fries'. Grill over the same coals until browned and tender and dip into hot dog chili instead of catsup. Now THAT'S a HAMburger deLuxe!!! Enjoy!!! It's a little more work than going thru the drive-up window, but well worth the wait!!! And, according to ebb, the Anapeg's are well worth the wait also. Sorry for digressing, b0b. I just had to share this secret with the world!!!
PRR

I had a feeling that Ken would be a Marmite lover.....

I consume massive amounts of it - then take blood-pressure pills to counteract all that sodium!

'My Mate, Marmite'!

RR