The Steel Guitar Forum

...just chopping the stinkin' thing in half with a chain saw???

Lengthwise or Widthwise?

Often....but instead of the chain saw I just walk out of the room, close the door and don't go back for a month or two. (Once I did that and didn't go back for 14 years) www.genejones.com

Every time I try and play after listening to a "REAL STEEL GUITAR PLAYER" Bennie

Spend a few weeks with the other neck.

I'm with Bennie on this one.

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Lee, from South Texas
Down On The Rio Grande

Yep, every time I came home from Dallas or St Louis...I'd sit down to my steel after listening to all the greats play for 3 days and wonder what the hell had happened to my playing...

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GFI S-12 extended E9

More like dousing it with lighter fluid and setting it off with the butt of what was once a good cigar. Go out with a flourish! Naw, Greg you hang in there, I only heard you play once, but you play much too well to hack it up. Next time I come to LA me and Chas will be the Steel Police and hunt you down and make sure you are still with it. If not, it's thirty years in the electric chair for you, pal...

Thanks guys --nice to know I'm not alone in feeling that way sometimes...

Patrick I was thinking widthwise

Tommy thanks for the encouragement --guess I better get back in the saddle. I don't want you & Chas to come lock me up!

You guys rule.

-GV

I have never thought of chopping it in two with a chain saw. However,...my wife has made that suggestion on many occasions.

Tony

Just before I shipped out to Korea, Paul Bigsby helped me "chop" a wood lap steel in half at the 12th fret and put a hinge in it, so it would fit in the bottom of my sea bag. So, don't think it has never actually happened.

<SMALL> However,...my wife has made that suggestion on many occasions.</SMALL>

My last ex told me where I could stick mine....but it wouldn't fit....

Greg,
Fret not ( a little pun intended )...Things could be worse...Just remember, there will always be someone who sounds worse than you, and there will always be someone who sounds better...If there was nobody that sounded better, you would have nothing to strive for..
If you sound all that bad, you can only get better !!!...Don't give up !!....You'ld feel a lot better about your playing if you listened to me !!...and I'm still pluggin along !!..

Put all new strings on the guitar and spend all the remainder of your practice time that day tuning, as perfectly as you can. Before going to bed, set all of your amp settings back to zero; but leave the volume set at the same place.

The next day, at your practice time, place all of your amp controls (except the volume) as near half open as you can. If you use an EQ, set these on zero.

Pick your favorite practice tune or song and play only that selection that day. Move your amp controls in small increments, adjusting the trebel and bass first. Then set the mid-range until your playing sounds decent. Fine tune the EQ last.

Rick

Did something specific happen, Greg? Or is that a general comment?

Thanks for that pep-talk, James. Sometimes I need one.

Rick, that's an interesting approach. But does that mean I have to practice two days IN A ROW???

Rich: Naw, nothing specific happened. I'm just super-rusty after the holidays and it almost feels like I have to train my right hand all over again. It's so aggravating!!!

-Plus I just like to whine.

-GV<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Greg Vincent on 07 January 2003 at 04:29 PM.]</p></FONT>

Gotta tell ya what I did the last time I thought of quitting, I was so frustrated that I could scream...
I had some new finger picks, brass ones. Softer than the steel, for sure..
Wondering how my acoustic would sound using metal picks, I tried it. Fumbling a bit at first, I started picking out some bluegrass stuff. Started feeling and sounding better, so I learned a few songs off an Alison Krauss CD(Forget About It).. then without thinking too much about it, I sat down to the steel.. WOW, what a difference, my picking was so smooth.. must be like a batter swinging a heavier bat before getting in the box...I tell ya, if you have an acoustic, try it with the picks on if you haven't already, sounds great, not only that but it's fun.. do other steelers play their acoustics with their picks on? hmmmm... and my brother says my flattop picking sounds great and my steel playing has improved dramatically, more fun for sure.
As that one cat says, 'your mileage may vary'
My $.02
Rick Summers