The Steel Guitar Forum

I am halfway through my instructional DVDs for "how to play pedal steel" and the first two strings are barely mentioned. I'm thinking it may be better, (and easier) to just purchase an 8 string PSG instead of a 10 when I upgrade (which will be soon) I am learning to play for my own enjoyment and to add the PSG to tunes I write in my mini-studio. In fact, Scott, in the first instructional video says to just ignore the first 2 strings for now, and I'm thinking, maybe forever? Any opines on this?
I am looking at an 8 string Pedalmaster to buy, and your comments can help me decide.

If you're going to cop chops ala Nashville, it might be limited around those scale like lick's, but if you are doing your own thing, i believe it's a 'free for all' when it comes to Tunings and Co-ped's. Those two strings are mighty powerful.

Would the teacher on the video be Scott Grove, the self-proclaimed 'best teacher in the world'

If so, I suggest doing the exact opposite of whatever he recommends, so if he says to ignore the top two strings, don't.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uQiJVAj3f8

Yep, that be him. He seems a pleasant enough person, but I was a little dubious when he claims at the beginning of his tape that "he will have me playing good enough to be in a band - in a week!" ha ha more like 2 years.

Dale, as stated above - do the opposite of whatever that idiot (Scott Grove) is telling you.

He is nothing more than a rip off artist and should be trashed for ripping so many people off.

DO NOT get rid of your top 2 strings, they will become invaluable to you in the near future.

I too had hopes of playing within 6 months on stage and figured if I worked really hard I would get there.

After (like you said) 2 years I finally hit the stage with the pedal steel - I don't play anything fancy but I can play in tune and be proficient with what I play.

Get a quality instructor and some DVD's from reputable pros - not people like Grove

Take your time enjoy the ride and keep the 2 strings.

Dale. Not gonna comment on the Scott Grove vid.

I will say this, though. I started out on six-string and I'm gonna be so bold as to say probably most members of this forum did as well.

There are a ton of books and vids out there that will teach you how to play the pedal steel.

Here's a great guy from right here on the forum (whom I believe started out on six strings) who's willing to do it for free: http://www.richardsinkler.net/mickey_ad ... menus.html

(Actually two guys helping there, Mickey with all the vids and Richard providing menus and links to them.)

There are an absolute ton of folks here on the forum who do this for us.

Don't intend to slight anyone at all, it's just I had been reading Mickey's thread about Sweden so he was close to mind.

I play a D-8 pedal steel, so here's my take on it.

If you are not already really way-into 8 string non-pedal steel (like me), I would recommend going with a 10 string E9th single neck to learn on. Best to learn how to use those top 2 strings. There is a reason why they are there. For my E9th neck, I removed my D# string and the low B to get to an 8-string tuning, but I miss those strings.

Beside all of that, you are limiting yourself in what steels you can buy. That gets expensive.

If you are playing a 6th tuning (only), like C6th or A9th, then maybe the 2 extra strings are not as needed. My back neck is an A9th and I don't miss the extra 2 strings, but I am playing this neck mostly like a non-pedal steel with some chord variations done with pedals and KLs. I don't recommend this to a beginner, however. Best to start with 10-string E9th.

thread on the D-8:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... t=williams

Wow tom, smoking guitar!

If you wanna play pedal steel, do not, I repeat, do not buy an 8 string. I remember when I started, I wandered what in the world those top two strings did. Now, I would be lost without them.
Can't believe that guys video

Bill Ladd wrote:Dale. Not gonna comment on the Scott Grove vid.

I will. I think it's a joke.

As far as what to get?

Get an all-pull S10 3+4 and be done with it. That will keep you busy for many years.

Amen brother Donnie!

The 1st 2 strings...most versatile on the guitar because they "cascade" in the major, and the 4th scales...They have SO many uses...Now, no doubt I am the best "FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR" in the world...and I say whatever you do...DONT EVERY FLY A MULTIENGINE airplane...Because when 1 engine quits, the second one will surely take you to the crash site?....Quite a motivating piece of info there huh?...
I hope you all share my warped sense of humor...

I recommend you throw away the Scott Grove DVD. It belongs in the garbage. Don't you dare try to sell it on this forum!!

PS: Buy a ten string!

I'd played my four neck, 8 string, six pedal BIGSBY steel guitar for more than a decade (April 1956) before I purchased my P/P Emmons Dbl-10, in 1972.

I was reasonably proficient on the BIGSBY but when I got the Emmons all set up in my living room, I could not figure out HOW to visualize those two TOP chromatic strings. WOW! What a problem they presented.

I had two HIGH STRING Chromatic strings on the bottom of my C#min Speedy West neck but they are played differently than those two on the E9th neck.

It wasn't until I managed to get ahold of Winnie Winstons' book with the square record......that I finally discovered the WHAT, WHERE and HOW of those
two top E9th strings. They are an essential part of the E9th Tuning altho' YOU might not see it today. TRUST ME!

I'd discourage you from attempting to think or work your way around them. I'm confident you'll be defeating yourself and will ultimately be sorry you did this. There are no short-cuts to learning how to play the steel guitar. Either set your mind to doing it correctly, from A-Z or, drop it completely and look toward the Zither or Auto-Harp.

Did I mention the 8 string I am looking at is a Pedalmaster - the general? 5/4. Isn't that considered a quality psg? For $1000. Gotta say, after all of these comments, I am going back to a 10. Thank you guys for all of your helpful comments.

That's funny Ray, a zither or Autoharp! Actually those instruments could add some color to my recordings! But truthfully, I will be trying to play the pedal steel for the rest of my days. That's how much of a kick I get out of this instrument. It will always be there, right in the middle of my music room.

Not to mention the whole argument for U-12!