Lowering the 7th string from F# to and E is the same as lowering the 5th string (C6) to an F. Which some players have had for years.
It's like any other pedal or knee lever change that comes about; not as a result of novelty or frivolity. Rather, it comes about because THAT is the way music works.
The moving tones in music dictate what the song or composition does. Whether they be subtle moving tones or it "hits you in the stomach" type extravaganza.
I believe it was Buddy Emmons that said when he first came on the forum,
"Jimmy Crawford has raised (and lowered) every string on his steel to the string's mechanical limit.
I believe this. And it is also why incredible players like Paul Franklin and Buddy have come up with ever more (oft unusual sounding) changes.
What it does in essence is to totally refute the oft' and trite expression,
"Ya gotta G# on the 3rd string! Why ya wanna pull the 1st string to the same note?"
And the person saying this never realized he had a D# on the 2nd string, yet lowered the 4th string to a D# ever since he bought his axe!!
AND uses it all the time.
Why not just reach up and hit that note like ole Lloyd Bridges does?
oops I mean Greensleeve, ooops. Oh whatever his name is. We love him jes the same.
Lowering of the 7th string F# to an E is a common musical change IF one is using that 7th string in certain chordal progressions. Sure one could change grips and get that E on the 8th string. But it is NOT the same under certain conditions.
Look at it this way. From the intant the steel guitar was created by Joseph Kekuku (or whoever invented it), our beloved instrument had a built in aggravation and limitation that our bretheren (the spanish guitar players) did not have.
And that is a straight bar! The fingers "could do the walking" and they could move ANY Note to their finger's mechanical limitation. Same for a piano player!
Sadly we could not do this. So, slanting was first. Then pedals. Then knee, elbow and wrist levers, etc.
WHY?
Because players with inate and talented ears, hear a sound in their mind and want that sound to come out of their amps. Such is the case with a PF, BE, RM, or LG. So they added that change.
And even though some resisted (at first) and tried to hold on to the "horse and buggy", in time we fall in line, saying,
"I gotta have that change"
My question is, Will there come a time when the standard PSG will have every string raised AND lowered to its mechanical limit?
I don't know. But in all likelyhood, Yes!
Time will tell.
May our precious Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all,
carl
