Pic of me with my first good steel.

Rich Upright · Post by **Rich Upright** » 9 Nov 2015 8:34 pm

Like most of us, I started out on a Maverick with coat hangers for pedal rods. Paid $10 for it. Then moved on to an Emmons student model. My first pro steel was a GES D-10.It was built like a tank & weighed as much as a car! Here is a pic of one of the first steel gigs I ever did; march of '85. The band was a cult band in Jersey called "3 Fingers Whiskey". Great band, but they were famous on the circuit for being the sickest, rowdiest, & funniest band on the circuit. Nothing was sacred with these guys. They would goof on anyone & anything. (Farting into the microphone over the PA was one of their pastimes!)I showed up first at the gig, set up, and sat there reading the Winnie Winston "Pedal Steel Guitar" book when they walked in. They asked if I knew how to play; terror in their eyes. I said "I will when I finish this book"! This began my association with one of the best, funniest, & generally nicest bunch of guys I ever played with. This pic was taken at Lee's Lounge, Union City, New Jersey.

Anyone else got any "Memory Lane" pics?

Roy Heap · Post by **Roy Heap** » 10 Nov 2015 1:31 am

Good pic Rich, great story, have you finished reading that book yet?

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 10 Nov 2015 1:37 am

This is probably 1980 , I sold the Maverick in '74 or so and acquired the Pro III from Sam Ash Music in White Plains NY. 8+4 , two hole puller system. Played this Steel for over 20 years then sold it like a fool. Make that moron...

But I did just recently acquire another Pro III, same axe, same vintage , wood grain...

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 10 Nov 2015 5:45 am

Rich Upright wrote:(Farting into the microphone over the PA was one of their pastimes!)

Great pic and good story, but I wouldn't want to sing into those microphones

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 10 Nov 2015 7:44 am

Chances are, it's all been sniffed up by now.

Paul Wade · Post by **Paul Wade** » 10 Nov 2015 8:18 am

here is me 1986 with a emmons d-10 SKH. bought it
up in Kenosha,wi Ralph hanzel music for $1300.00

whis i had that guitar now.!!

p.w

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 10 Nov 2015 8:24 am

You're all just a bunch of kids.
Here's your's truly with my 1st good steel.
You guess the year:

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 10 Nov 2015 8:40 am

You guess the year:

I'll take a stab it it - Mesozoic Era?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesozoic

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 10 Nov 2015 8:43 am

Close!
That amp still ran on steam power!

John De Maille · Post by **John De Maille** » 10 Nov 2015 9:17 am

Her are two shots of me playing my first pedal steel, about 1975.
It served me well for a year, until I bought my RusLer S-11 with 5+4
I played the RusLer regularly until 2003 when I bought my U-12 ZumSteel with 7+5

Jerry Berger · Post by **Jerry Berger** » 10 Nov 2015 9:22 am

Here's me back in 1958. My brother is in the background. He didn't like playing steel. Notice the
left handed mots lap steel(s).

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 10 Nov 2015 9:43 am

Jerry,
Did you play left handed or is the picture reversed?

Jerry Berger · Post by **Jerry Berger** » 10 Nov 2015 10:44 am

Erv,
I played left handed but don't remember when I switched to right hand playing. This pic is not reversed.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 10 Nov 2015 11:04 am

Are you left handed?

Jerry Berger · Post by **Jerry Berger** » 10 Nov 2015 11:18 am

Yes Erv, I am left handed.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 10 Nov 2015 11:39 am

Sho-Bud 6139, picture taken in 1975.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 10 Nov 2015 11:44 am

1971, with the Dewey Reed band, at Eldersburg, MD. I had just got the new 71 Emmons PP D-10 and a Fender Twin Reverb with D-120F speakers.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 10 Nov 2015 6:15 pm

Bob, in that picture of you behind that Sho~Bud, you bear a striking resemblance to a certain Hollywood and Broadway actor, the late Woodrow Parfrey!

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 11 Nov 2015 9:22 am

My first 'pro' ZB - I recall it had five pedals but I have no idea now what the extra two might have done! I was still struggling with A, B and C along with lowering the Es....

(Note: That's Billy Bremner on my left - a great singer and player who was part of Dave Edmunds' Rockpile shortly after this was taken.)

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 11 Nov 2015 9:30 am

Roger, did that dangling mic cord ever trip you up later that night?

John Peay · Post by **John Peay** » 12 Nov 2015 12:41 pm

Erv Niehaus wrote:You're all just a bunch of kids.
Here's your's truly with my 1st good steel.
You guess the year:]

1959

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 12 Nov 2015 1:26 pm

John,
Drop 5 years off that and you'll be pretty close!

John Peay · Post by **John Peay** » 12 Nov 2015 1:29 pm

Erv Niehaus wrote:John,
Drop 5 years off that and you'll be pretty close!

You look young for your age, Erv. And yeah, I'm a kid, too, that's before I was born (but not tooo far)...

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 12 Nov 2015 2:39 pm

Erv, I was thinking you somewhat resembled David McCallum, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 12 Nov 2015 2:47 pm

Not anymore.
Now I look more like Gabby Hays!!

The Steel Guitar Forum

Pic of me with my first good steel.

Pic of me with my first good steel.

Re: Pic of me with my first good steel.

Pic