The Steel Guitar Forum

Not only is he a living legend, but he has to be the nicest, most generous man I have ever had the pleasure to have contact with. Live on, Tom.

Truer words hath ne'r been spaketh,
Honest to a fault, if possible.
He is impossible to top in the field of steel guitar.


Bobbe

Yes Tom is just a superb person.
He has probably lost more money in the Steel Guitar industry than anyone I ever heard of but yet he continues to keep trusting folks - and even strangers.
What a great person - they just don't make them like him anymore!
Ron

Here, here... (raising my glass in a toast to Tom). One of the best things to ever happen to the steel guitar.

Agreed! I bought a piece of $#!t Emmons student 8 string model off of e-bay years ago. He spent hours making it playable, shared his knowledge of steel guitars and then barely charged me a time for all his time and energy. Class act.

Ian

Tom rebuilt a late an MSA semi classic as a lefty for me which really opened up a new world for me.

Many years ago I used to purchase 33 1/3 recordings from Tom. The packaging was always the same, the recoding inside a thick Cardboard box cover that completely protected the album. I was always amazed how how well the album was packaged. I'm sure that he didn't make any profit on those sales, simply because the packaging must have cost him a fortune. I've kept all those cardboard boxes as the keep precious albums straight and orderly. He was also so kind to mark the item as a present (cadeau in French) so I would not have to pay any duty. The price I paid was the price it cost me.

Around 20 years ago, I sort of abandoned the PSG and got back into my first guitar hero, Lenny Breau, and I also started to build my own guitars, both 7 and even an 11 string guitar.

Here's a link if your interested in viewing them

http://www.angelfire.com/az2/jazzcorps/Ronsguitars.html

In order to play like Lenny you need right hand nails that are over an inch long. I got fed up of growing my nails, them breaking, me crazy glueing them back, and even creating false nails out of soft paper and crazy glue. Picks do not work, because you need your flesh of your index finger to create the harmonics.

Never-the-less it brought me back o the PSG and I purchased an old Sho-Bud Pro III custom and realized that my old copies of Steel Guitarist were looking a little tough and aged.

I decided to purchase the entire set again (sorry Bob) from Tom and I decided to send him a Canadian postal order for double the amount he was asking for the 6 issues.

I received the 6 issues and also an CD of Buddy Emmons Steel Guitar Jazz in four wheel drive as a bonus. 26 tunes of perfection. He simply wrote, "you over sent me money for the magazines, I included a DVD of Buddy Emmons that you might enjoy to make up the difference in price".

Now my initial intent was to just let Tom take a double profit on the sale, but I have to tell you that I lost my breathe and cried a tear. This gentleman is so good, honest, and dedicated to excellent customer service that I wish I could have this man as my best friend.

This man is a gentleman (a word that is rarely used in the correct context) and I am glad to have been able to connect to him over the years.

Every Pedal Steel Guitar player should kneel at the Tom Bradshaw alter and give this "gentleman" a big thank you. He is the BEST!


RC

Tom is also one of the best repairmen around. You can eat off an undercarriage when he's done working on it.

It is 389 miles from my front door to his, but I've driven up there several times to have him do something to my guitars.

Six or seven years ago Tom's wife asked if I could find somebody closer to L.A, to do the work. I answered that I might be able to find somebody who was closer, but I couldn't find anybody who was better.

agreed on all points... As mentioned, decades back Tom published those really kool Steel Guitar CD's and a Newsletter, he was all in and his PUSH was a very important part of bringing the Steel forward. I still have those Steel Guitar LP's which is a really classy collection. Thanks Tom...

t

Tom has made multi millions of dollars out of steel guitar . I jest - most of the ventures that he has been involved in have cost him money. But he loves the instrument so much that he doesn't seem to worry too much about it. He is just so straight when you deal with him that you never have a doubt that the transaction will work out well. The main thing I love about Tom is his hairstyle - just like mine.

I'm going to get back to work now, being full convinced that my lunchtime reading can get no better than this. Enjoyed it all...

By accident I discovered this post. Aaron Wayne's anointment of me as a "legend" was humbling. Few mortals are legends before kicking the bucket. As I read on, my ego swelled as I reveled in the tributes from the 10 additional posters. I wallowed in euphoria and bathed in self-exaltation for about a minute, then reality reared its ugly head. I realized that there are currently 10,662 official Forum members. That meant that 10,652, or less than one percent of the total membership, agree that I'm a legend. That means that over 99% don't give a rat's @$$ if I'm legendary or not!

I then noticed that the topic had been viewed a total of 765 times. I suspected that all the posters and many of the viewers, had returned to the topic several times to read what each additional poster had added to Aaron's initial statement. The repeat viewers had to be at least 40 out of the 765. That meant that only 725 actual people cared enough about the topic to read it. Thus, 9,937 Forum members (93.2%) also didn't give a cat's meow if I'm a legend or not.

Thus, the initial ego-boost and chest-swelling I experienced when reading the accolades that Aaron bestowed on me, turned into a near clinical depression. I then realized that with only 11 people feeling I'm a legend, there are 10,651 Forumites who surely feel I'm the world’s biggest jerk, if not a complete idiot for my involvement with the steel guitar. But on second thought, at least they have feelings for me, and I'm grateful for that. ...Tom

Tom, You are a legend.

Tom is a legend - a top notch AAA guy and has a great sense of humor

Tom,
I'm in!!..12 people now!!! and growing every day...I've known Tom damm near all my life, Not many have the love for Steel Guitar as he does...and has done as much to promote steel as anyone out there...I do believe I got my sense of humor from him, , it goes back to my "Fire" days as a youngster...in which Tom saved me from Looooong prison terms!

Tom, I want to thank you for that chart you placed in the back of the little book on steel guitars. The chart depicted about 40 different chord patterns that occur in typical country music songs.

I thought "Oh goody, that's all I need to know".

Then you added that these chord patterns were only for the key of C (meaning that now there would be an equivalent set of patterns for each key).

My head exploded.

But really... Thanks for all you have done. Your material has helped me a lot in my adventures with this thing.

A legend (Latin, legenda, "things to be read") is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude. Legend, for its active and passive participants includes no happenings that are outside the realm of "possibility", defined by a highly flexible set of parameters, which may include miracles that are perceived as actually having happened, within the specific tradition of indoctrination where the legend arises, and within which it may be transformed over time, in order to keep it fresh and vital, and realistic.

leg·end   /ˈlɛdʒənd/ Show Spelled
[lej-uhnd] Show IPA

–noun
1. a nonhistorical or unverifiable story handed down by tradition from earlier times and popularly accepted as historical.
2. the body of stories of this kind, especially as they relate to a particular people, group, or clan: the winning of the West in American legend.
3. an inscription, especially on a coat of arms, on a monument, under a picture, or the like.
4. a table on a map, chart, or the like, listing and explaining the symbols used. Compare key1 ( def. 8 ) .
5. Numismatics . inscription ( def. 8 ) .
6. a collection of stories about an admirable person.
7. a person who is the center of such stories: He became a legend in his own lifetime.
8. Archaic . a story of the life of a saint, especially one stressing the miraculous or unrecorded deeds of the saint.
9. Obsolete . a collection of such stories or stories like them.

So Tom - it looks as though you are number 7 !! By the way - I'm on the lookout for a nice lady for you over here in the UK, but all I can come up with is one of Benny Hill's Angels that I know, but she is now in an old folks home.

Tom Bradshaw-at least 13 people now appreciate you!

My one brief contact involved the purchase of perhaps the last Webb 614e and extension cabinet. He was exceptional gracious, prompt, and extremely helpful when I ran into a minor problem. It was clear that the quality of his work and the satisfaction of his customers was an very important matter to him! Refreshing!

I should note that the same experience was had with every one of the "greats" I've dealt with...Bruce Zumsteg, Reece Anderson, Johnny Cox, and David Wright, to name a few. It is clear that steel players are dedicated, helpful, nice guys! (Unless you play rock and roll!)

Many years ago I bought a used lapsteel in a pawnshop. I knew nothing, nada, about steel guitar, and had a lot to learn. A fellow told me about PSG products and Tom Bradshaw. I got the catalog, and it was a doorway into a whole new life of steel guitar. I practically memorized his yellow catalog as I purchased vinyl albums, magazines and instructional material as I could afford. Tom was always honest and trusting, one time sending me an album before I had even paid for it. I appreciated then, as I do now, that way of doing business. Now, over 30 years later, I still get so much pleasure from all things steel gutiar, that Tom sent to my doorstep.

Back before internet, I was a 20 year old kid writing books about steel guitar. Tom didn't even know me but he put my first book in his catalog and gave me an awesome review. I've never met him personally but have the utmost respect for him not just because of his support in me but n all young steelers and the industry as well.... Never got to say it but I'll say it now...
Thanks Tom...

The other day Tom and I had a shipping mix up, and I sent him back some ball joints in the mail, no big deal at all. Lo and behold, a couple days later I get a letter in the mail from him with two dollars in it to cover the cost of me shipping these ball joints back to him! I never would of thought to do that!

IT's not about the money, it's that he took the time and effort to be the most straight up guy he could be. Not many people left like that. My hat is off to you Tom!
Dave

Look up 'integrity' in the dictionary. You will see Tom's picture.

Count me among Tom's fans. Back in the day, I bought all those Steel Guitar Club records, collected all of his newsletters, and attended a couple of Jeff Newman seminars arranged by Tom. Didn't he invent the word "copedent?" Thanks for your contributions to the world of steel guitar.

Steve

I know the first time I ordered things from Tom , I was surprised that he just said “ when you get it the product just send a check “ at the time I tho’t he was to trusting -- UNTILL
I found out he knows people from San Quentin prison -- if you think about it , He now knows where you live -- I believe the receipt / Bill said in small print “ if not paid in 30 days Quedo will be there to see you

Are we talking about the same Tom Bradshaw who lives in Concord, CA?

I had been planning to write a "dirty laundry" book about Tom but now it looks like I'd only sell about 15 copies. Maybe I'll scrap the idea.

Honestly, there's probably no one who has taken more advantage of Tom's kindness and gererousity than me. If it wasn't for Tom I don't know who I'd be taking advantage of.

Love ya Tom, Don