Perhaps this has been......................

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Perhaps this has been covered before, and if so, I do apologize but........ (I certainly wouldn't want to create a ruckus!)

I detect a number of players....referring to "their lap steel"....as tho' it were an odity. Some carry it to gig as a 'specialty instrument" for playing SLEEPWALK or some other favorite.

What started this phenomenon? The steel guitar (without pedals) was the very basis for steel guitars in whatever mutation they might be found today.

How did the thinking process of so many, manage to get so distorted? Rather than thinking of the pedal steel as a logical EXPANSION of the original and/or basic steel guitar, the reverse has actually evolved. Some sound as tho' they believe that the PSG is the BASIC INSTRUMENT and the 'lap steel' is some kind of deformed or substandard derivative of PSG that is to be hauled out in public as little more than an attention getter.

Was this ever researched? Can it be traced to the tie-dyed, long-haired, T-shirted ROCK & ROLLERS with their guitars hanging down to their knees; or, was it the result of some of those six-string guitar pickers whose excessively LOUD and treble noise, allowed them to constantly walk-on everybody elses' playing in the band, that wanted to play steel guitar also?

A competent steel guitar player, whether lap steel or pedal steel, commands attention and respect where ever he/she might go to play. The steel guitar is the MAGIC in music!

Danny James · From: Summerfield Florida USA

I think you make some good points Ray. Some of us are fortunate enough to have gotten in on the ground floor of the transition from "lap steel" to pedal steel.
Yes some of this has been touched before in several different ways on different threads. I started with Harlin Brothers in Indianapolis taking lessons on an acoustic lap steel guitar in 1948 when I was 10. Then graduated to an electric "lap steel". Then went to a 4 pedal Multi-Kord. I now play a 6 string 6 pedal Multi-Kord. I never did graduate to what most call a "Country Steel".
The Multi-Kord was basically a lapsteel with legs and either 4 or 6 pedals.
Jay Harlin was the inventor of the first patented pedal steel guitar. Idea

I was fortunate to know the Harlins personally. There is controversy whether he or Alvino Rey actually was the first to invent a pedal steel. Idea

I would like to see credit given to those inventors who saw the possibilities of adding pedals to a steel guitar. I believe they belong in the steel guitar hall of fame.
I hope the Country Steel guitar players will be able to appreciate the old Multi-Kords & Electro Harps which were the forerunners of the pedal steel guitars being built & played today. No doubt the modern pedal steel guitars are greatly improved as are the cars of today compared to the Model T.

Tim Carlson · From: Arizona, USA

You said it in your last line. A COMPETENT steel player commands attention. It's just a guess, but I'd figure that most of the people that lug these out as an "oddity" aren't steel players, but regular guitar players that are "experimenting" a bit. It's pretty easy for a beginner to be able to throw down some single line runs on a steel, but to be REALLY competent requires "extensive" chord theory knowledge, and practical, TASTEFUL application of that knowledge. I don't think your "average" regular guitar player is capable of that. I certainly am not.

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

We've been having an up-hill battle on simply keeping the steel from extinction for decades now, not to mention having it on stage and record as it once was when popular.
Ever since it fell out of favor, it has become an oddity/novelty, and we're basically at the point of re-introducing it to the public. As more people play, and play it WELL, interest will grow and they'll then become educated in it's history and varying ways it's used. Some will continue to take it into areas beyond the norm, and break new ground.
But, nothing does the steel a disservice more than somebody playing it other than very well, no matter what style.

Maybe we need to start a ruckus!

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

I was fortunate enough to be given a first chance by an all adult band when I was just 14.

Yet, I've experienced so many situations where the steel player was the weakest link in the group. A good friend that had diddled on steel for several years and never really mastered the picking or bar control that I consider essential. A lot of repetitive and basic beginner type of phrases all night long. Slipping and sliding the bar up and down the neck making weird noises and all.

Everyone just raved at what an outstanding steel player he was and I, was sitting at home week after week with no gigs.

We've all heard the guys that can't tune, can't get in tune, can't stay in tune, and don't realize when they're out of tune......and yet all too often they're playing gigs.

And we're talking music here, not personalities.

Chris Scruggs · From: Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Ray, On the subject of people acting like PSG is the standard and non pedal is sub standard:

I was recently playing "The Waltz You Saved For Me" in the Jerry Byrd E9 tuning on a steel guitar WITHOUT pedals, but practically note for note as Bud Isaacs recorded it.

I overheard a steel player in the audience say to a friend,"Wow, that sounds just like a steel the way he's playing that!"

I just smiled to myself and didn't say anything because I was PLAYING a steel, just not a pedal steel. It seemed strange to me that, whether this guy realized it or not, he didn't view a steel as being a steel because it had no pedals.

WHat really annoys me though, is when people call a steel with no pedals a "pedal steel". Very often people make reference to my "pedal steel" or introduce me as playing a "pedal steel".

I don't like to be pedantic, but I ALWAYS (but kindly)correct people when they say I play a "pedal steel" or a "slide guitar" and say,"Actually, it is called a steel guitar". Usually they get it and say,Oh, OK. I'll call it that from now on". Seldom does anybody act like it's not important.

CS

Charley Wilder · From: Dover, New Hampshire, USA

The thing that bugs me as a non pedal player is the assumption by too many people that's it's a step below pedal steel musically. Like a beginner starts on dobro progresses to non pedal...........well you all see where I'm going with this!

Danny James · From: Summerfield Florida USA

I used the word graduate in an earlier post and I'm glad Charley Wilder pointed out that it could be offensive to lap steel players.

What I was referring to was a technique the Harlin Brothers using the Oahu method used to get students to buy their guitars and further their interest in steel guitars. They had a lot of students taking lessons every week in their studio back in the 40's & 50's.--- In that era their system worked pretty well.

No offense was meant on my part as I have great respect for all steel players and love to hear them played well, whether it be a resonator lapsteel or a 12 string pedal steel with knee levers and all.

I have both a dobro style and a lapsteel with a 4 tuning changer that I built and play often as well as 4 Multi-Kords. One of these days I may even get to be pretty good on them. Very Happy

Charley Wilder · From: Dover, New Hampshire, USA

Danny, it wasn't your post that inspired my grumbling. You know the attitude I'm talking about. It's actually as much non players as players that bug me. Most steel and dobro players have respect for each of the three instruments because they know what it takes. It's the guy who comes out of the audience and wonders when your going to "step up" to a pedal. Or thinks playing a dobro is easier than either of the other two. Very Happy

Mark Mansueto · From: Michigan, USA

As steel players we know the history of the steel guitar and that it IS a serious instument. But in fainess to the general public the glory days of the lap steel was long ago and most have never seen one of these strange little guitars. Even if they did they may have not paid attention if the player was sitting in the background.

To confuse things even more there was the late Jeff Healy who played standard guitar lap style, and considering that he was a major artist he may have been the only person that many people remember that played with a guitar on his lap.
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Rich Hlaves · From: Wildomar, California, USA

Jon Nygren · From: Wisconsin, USA

Jon Nygren · From: Wisconsin, USA

Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

I liked the part Ray said about "guitars hanging down around their Knees" Very Happy

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

Well, that's pretty much where you play a lap steel!

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

What happened, of course, is that as soon as pedal guitars began to become widely available, everybody started playing them. It's predecessor was abandoned by both players and music producers. The pedal phenomenon lasted long enough so that people were born into the world and grew up without knowing about the original steel guitars and where they came from. I read somewhere that at one time there were many Hawaiians who thought the steel guitar had come from Nashville. But we're turning things around. Everything is going to be just fine.
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Don Kona Woods · From: Hawaiian Kama'aina

Danny says,

Danny James · From: Summerfield Florida USA

Hi Don,

I have been thinking about giving Winchester a try sometime. Thanks for asking. Smile

We had a great time listening to everyone play while we were there this year.

It was good to see and talk to old friends again such as yourself. Cool

Danny

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