The Steel Guitar Forum

Anyone who has ever listened to the Hinsons gospel records from the 80's knows that great chorus effect on the steel guitar. Does anyone know what chorus pedal or setup that they used?

well not knowing for certain but it's highly possible it was added AFTER the Steel was recorded at the board, in studio.

A lot of the Hinson’s stuff was done by Sonny Garrish. I understand that he liked to double track everything, which resulted in that sound . He has always sounded very unique to me.

one of the steel guys that played with the hinsons lives in my area and now plays every Wed night at the American legion with a country band. I'll ask him next time I see him.

thank you for the great responses. Does anyone remember what steel Sonny Garrish mainly played? I'm guessing it was an Emmons Legrande?

Joel Rose wrote:thank you for the great responses. Does anyone remember what steel Sonny Garrish mainly played? I'm guessing it was an Emmons Legrande?

Joel-I've been seeing Sonny around town in the studios,on TV,etc.for about 40 years and except for a short period when he played a JCH steel,I've never seen him with anything but Emmons push-pull guitars.

I played with the Hinsons in the 80s, and got to watch Sonny play on their albums during that time. I've seen pictures of him with a JCH, but I never personally saw him use anything except an Emmons P/P. He had a rosewood guitar with black wooden necks at one point, then a newer all-black one with the newer LeGrande style (black) pedals. Every time I saw him use an amp, it was a silver knob Session 400. He ran direct later on using a Furman parametric EQ among other stuff I can't remember (maybe a Quadraverb?). But the whole time he always had the Boss CE-1 unit, which he would use in several very distinct ways. Sometimes a chrous, but sometimes a "fixed" flanger-type sound (i. e. not sweeping) that you'd never think was a flanger when you heard in the mix. He also used an MXR Envelope Filter. I was just a kid trying to duplicate all his sounds out on the road, and he gave me enormous help with that. I have never met anyone, musician or not, more gracious. Sonny is one of the finest human beings I've ever known.

Hinsons -- Old Time Preacher Man (Envelope Filter)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCnNvJFD4BU

I heard Daryll several times with the hinsons back in the day, and he nailed sonny's tone and licks!!! Very talented steel guitarist and lead also. Huge influence on me to pick up the steel guitar!

Thanks Darryl for your insight on Sonny Garrish in the studio. Kevin McManus who was an engineer told me when I asked "I promise you Paul it is just him". I had heard he had a great memory and would double tracks.

Jeff Wamble wrote:I heard Daryll several times with the hinsons back in the day, and he nailed sonny's tone and licks!!! Very talented steel guitarist and lead also. Huge influence on me to pick up the steel guitar!

Jeff, thank you for the kind words. I'm not worthy, but I'm glad you took up steel!!!

Paul King wrote:Thanks Darryl for your insight on Sonny Garrish in the studio. Kevin McManus who was an engineer told me when I asked "I promise you Paul it is just him". I had heard he had a great memory and would double tracks.

Paul, I was around McManus a lot back then. He's exactly right, it was just Sonny. Same with all the other players. They just sounded amazing all by themselves. Incredible to watch in person. They'd cut a track, and then Sonny would stay out in the live room and do a 2nd pass while all the other players were in the control room listening to the playback. Some straight stacks, some inversions and some harmonies, obviously the great stuff you hear on all the recordings he's on.