The Steel Guitar Forum

I bought a pedal from Tom two years ago and sent it to him for fixing. It’s on its way back and Tom refused to charge anything. He just said “ use the money to take your wife out to eat. What a gentleman!

I will second that!

Had the very same experience with Tom this past year.

Tom is the best out there

P.w

Tom's a class act. He's treated me great anytime I dealt with him. God Bless Tom Bradshaw.

I've done business with Tom since the early 70's. I can't tell you how many times the product was already in the mail, with a comment, just send me a check when it arrives. STRAIGHT SHOOTER, straight as an ARROW. Thanks TOM Happy Holidays!!!!!

Tom has sent me items on approval.
If I liked it, I sent him a check, if I didn't I just returned it.
What a guy!
Erv

I agree with all the previous posts. Tom is a great guy to deal with and a true asset to the steel guitar community.

I would not hesitate to do business with Tom and look forward to doing so sometime in the future.

Don

Tom was my connection to the steel guitar world when I started in the 70's. I got all my albums and teaching aids from him and never had a problem. I got to meet him at a Jeff Newman seminar and learned that he was also hilarious. Thanks Tom for everything.thanks to Paul Sutherland for telling me about him

I agree with everything that everyone has said. Tom is a class act. He stands behind everything he sells. And he give us players a lot of advice pro bono. Thank you, Tom!

I first met Tom Bradshaw in about 1968, at what may have been his first steel guitar show. Seems like it was a large dance hall a ways out in the country. He was a talented gentleman then, and still is. We have helped each other for all these years. Thanks Tom...

I've bought a few items from Tommy Bradshaw. He's the most straight up, honest guy you could wish to deal with. He is a credit to the steel guitar community. Plus he has a great hairstyle!

absolutely! a real class act!
bought a volume pedal once and he gave me a nice belt buckle as present.

I first met Tom Bradshaw in about 1968, at what may have been his first steel guitar show. Seems like it was a large dance hall a ways out in the country.

I'm gonna guess it was the Dream Bowl in Vallejo, Ca. Tom might want to weigh in on this one....

Just received my new Tab Rack from Tommy B. It is perfect for its intended use! Great service. Great product. Thanks, Mr. Bradshaw

I love dealing with Tom - he's the most honest and polite guy around. And he can speak a bit of 'Strine' too!

Reading the old editions of Steel Guitarist magazine is a regular hobby of mine.

Hard to believe it’s been 40 years since joining Tom’s steel guitar record club! I echo all that has been said!

Tom is the man. I'm another very happy customer!

Have shared this before...in the 70's bought the 4 book and Cassette course from Tom. A few years later one cassette went missing and I asked Tom if I could buy that individual tape....he sent one along and told me to keep it no payment needed. He was virtually my only view into the world of steel at the time. I practically wore out his magazines when they came.

I had a similar experience with Tom. In the early 80's I bought Doug Jernigan's Nashville E9 course. Years later my cassette player ate the tape and Tom's was the only store I could find that still carried that course. I called Tom and asked if I could buy just the cassette. He had me send the him book as proof that I actually owned the course and sent me a copy of the tape free of charge along with my copy the book.

This was prior to ubiquitous internet and research and communication was much more difficult than now. Tom's dedication to the steel guitar community is and has been unmatched. Many thanks.

All positive things to say about Tom. Have known him since the early 80's.

I wanted to try a certain brand of foot volume control.
I contacted Tom.
He said: "I'll send you one, if you like it, you can pay me or, if you don't, just send it back".
It don't get much better than that.
Erv

I had the honor and privilege to work for Bradshaw as his Art & Advertising Director for Steel Guitarist Magazine, published in 1980-81, just 5 issues, but top quality zine all the way. Tom was a dream to work with and for.

He's made virtually innumerable contributions to our culture:

• AKAIK, he was the instigator behind the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame and the plaques that were given to recipients every year at DeWitt Scott's International Steel Guitar Convention.

• He was one of the first resellers for MSA's second phase of the 1970's, when they were the only precision manufactured steel on the planet, light years ahead of every other garage-built steel then available.

• He created the Pedal Steel Guitar Products Record Club, releasing dozens of fantastic vinyl discs of prominent players.

• He was one of the first dealers of the Heet Sound eBow for steel guitar, and I suspect had a hand in getting that developed.

I'm sure there are many accomplishments I'm leaving out, but you get the idea!

And like many others have mentioned, he is extremely generous and trusting, and would rather absorb costs and losses rather than have any customer be the least bit unsatisfied.

I appreciate the kind remarks from so many of you. I'm sure your "Steel Guitar Widows" don't view me as they do. I'm just who I am; nothing to get excited about. John McClung was a huge asset to the 7 (not 5 issues) of the magazine. His input and direction for the style of the mag is most likely why it remains relevant to this day.

Beyond that, I would like to clarify a few of the accolades that John bestowed on me.
1. The idea of the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame was not mine. It was by a prominent Nashville steel player whose name I cannot now recall. He was never inducted into the Hall. Scotty was the mover and shaker of that effort. My job from the beginning and until 2006 was to create the text on the plaques, hire the artist for the relief renderings and have the plaques forged (out of bronze). Scotty and I split the cost of all of this for about the first 10 years of the Hall's existence. I was just one voting member on the "Steel Guitar Convention Board" whose job it was to advise Scotty on Convention business and to nominate and vote on potential inductees into the Hall.
2. My only contribution to MSA guitars other than being one of the dealers when MSA associated itself with the Micro machine shop firm, was to give the the new model its name: the "Classic."
3. I wasn't involved in the the design of the eBow. I only sold them.

None of the above is a big deal. I just wanted to make sure the record was accurate. ...Tom

Prior to Jim Palenscar opening his shop (89 miles from my house,) I would occupationally drive the 400 miles to Tom's house to get my steels worked on. One day his wife asked me if I could find somebody closer to Los Angeles who could do the work. I told her I could find somebody closer, but not anybody who was better.

Tom, I believe the steel guitar player from Nashville that you can't recall his name, was Cope McDaniel.
Cope was a dear friend of mine.
What I do know is, Cope started a little steel guitar club and was having small mini shows from time to time.
I never attended any of these as I lived in Indiana.

Cope told me in later years, "Scotty stole my little show and moved it to St. Louis"
Now, what happened I can't say, cause I wasn't there, and I didn't form an opinion either way. That's all I know about it.