The Steel Guitar Forum

I realized the other night that I have an association between pedal steel guitars and slot machines especially old ones with fancy woods and fancy metal work. Maybe it's that I used to see and hear PSG's in casinos when my parents would stop in Lake Tahoe or Carson City on the way to Colorado on vacations. And then there's the spade, hearts, clubs and diamond inlays on a lot of guitars.

Does anyone else have this kind of connection?

To my mind, gaming symols imply a "strategy" --to gain or achieve a position or dominanate the game--e.g. the chess pieces on MSA, or Domino figures I've seen on fretboards--my feeling is: here are the symbols, now what's your approach?--Not an all-consuming battle, just tactics. I bet the builders of guitars like these examples had their favorite 'pastimes' too.

I;ve heard some steels that sound like a Royal Flush!

I have that association too, Paul!

When I first started on pedal steel in 1995 I bought a Mel Bay book and on the cover was a sparkling Sierra Crown gearless PSG all done up in birdseye maple and gold hardware. I spent a lot of time "ooh"-ing and "ah"-ing over that picture. Something about it reminded me of the bright lights of Vegas and the fancy metal & wood work of slot machines.

Only years later did I learn that the guitar in that picture had an aluminum body!

-GV

Slot machines make more money.

A good PSG could take a lot of coins...
Maby a three pedal bandit?

Wonder what a steel would sound like when you hit the jackpot?

<SMALL>Wonder what a steel would sound like when you hit the jackpot?</SMALL>

Buy a Robert Randolph CD and find out.

Good one, Earnest!

I've heard that slot machine sounds are tuned to the key of C. Curly Chalker played a lot C6th in Las Vegas. Coincedence?

Hmmm...I thought they were tuned to "G", the "happy" chord. Ever heard that Expedia commercial?

EXPEDIA...dot com!