| Author |
Topic: Intro and questions from a returning player |
Dennis Peterson
From:
Washington, USA
|
Posted 11 Sep 2010 10:21 am |
|
Checking in from the Seattle area - I've lurked here for several months and learned quite a bit from you all. I'm a returning player - grew up in Hawaii (1950s, Aiea) and took steel guitar lessons for several years in my very early teens but moved on to other things.
I recently had some nerve damage following a crash of my Harley and can no longer fret my guitars to my satisfaction, so I've decided to give lap steel a try again. Out of the blue my brother gave me an old GuyaTone 6-string lap steel - no model numbers, but it's a pretty basic unit, mahogany body and one pickup - 60's styling. Looks like it might be a beginner's/student's first guitar (he also gave me an electric violin which needed a quick trip to Dusty Strings in Seattle for repairs). It came with a nice John Hughey 15/16" tone bar for a 10-string, and I had purchased a tapered bar made by fellow hobby machinist and amazing luthier Frank Ford at Gryphon Music.
Edit: Should have mentioned the Hughey is a Sitar bar. I prefer playing off the flat but I may develop a taste for buzzing strings.
So having cleaned up the guitar I'd like to restring it and that is my first question. Returning player, old 6-string, interests go to Feet Rogers, Gabby Pahinui, Iz, Dennis Pavao, Ledward, can go on and on  (I have a huge all-Hawaiian music collection), what string sets would be worth exploring for this combination? Tunings?
I expect that if this becomes a new interest I'll quickly outgrow this little guy, so suspect I may build my own from scratch.
A bit more intro stuff: Other interests are Harleys, machining, wood working, music. I'm an IT professional working for a large dot com, and run my own hosting business. Here's some of my personal sites:
http://TheVirtualBarAndGrill.com/ (Harley, photo gallery, blog, auction)
http://MetalWorkingAtHome.com/ (hobby machinist blog)
http://LakeWashingtonSingers.org/ (My wife is one of the singers in the group)
Last edited by Dennis Peterson on 11 Sep 2010 9:15 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
|
Posted 11 Sep 2010 3:19 pm
|
|
Welcome, Dennis! I'd suggest the C6th tuning (strings available on this forum by clicking the Strings link at the top of the page). It seems to be the most versatile six string tuning.
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
|
|
|
Alexa Gomez
From:
San Francisco
|
Posted 12 Sep 2010 3:41 am Welcome!
|
|
Hello Dennis and Welcome! 
Those are some truly spectacular shots of your scooter against the mountainous back-drop. Simply gorgeous.
Anyhoo, so happy you're taking a stab at the lap steel despite your injury. I admire that.
_________________
Sister Alexa>SX Lap Pro>Rocktron Surf Tremolo>Pignose 7-100.
www.youtube.com/sisteralexa |
|
|
|
Morgan Scoggins
From:
Georgia, USA
|
Posted 12 Sep 2010 3:57 am
|
|
Hi Dennis,
Like Brad said, C6 tuning is a great all around tuning for all kinds of music, including Hawaiian.
The string gages are Hi to low,.14,.18,.21,.24,.30,34. You can also use these same strings for other tunings e.g. A6, B11, C#m9 and E13.
My favorite tuning is B11 because it sounds so "Hawaiian". You might want to learn several tunings if you like Hawaiian music. Also consider buying Jerry Byrd's book, "Steel Guitar Instruction for the Serious Student".It is sold by Scottys Music in St Louis. The price is a bit high, but well worth the investment, if you have the time and patience to devote to it
Best of luck and welcome to the SGF.
_________________
"Shoot low boys, the're ridin' Shetlands" |
|
|
|
Dennis Peterson
From:
Washington, USA
|
Posted 12 Sep 2010 11:46 am
|
|
| Thanks all for the info - I'm familiar with the ki ho`alu (slack key) tunings (http://www.taropatch.net/tunings.htm) so this is starting to fall together. I'll peruse the Instruction link here and see what turns up. The Jerry Byrd book looks to be available on line. |
|
|
|
