The Steel Guitar Forum

I've been watching videos of country gigs from the '50s and '60s on youtube. There are some pretty amazing pedal steel tones on them. I started thinking: anyone here playing one of the early pedal steels on stage? Finger tips, guitars of that era? They sure do sound great.

Lloyd Green could make anything sound great. But I gotta think his old guitar added a bit on this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJQdR0ciwYg

I think this is an older Marlen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBzE6vb9a9I

Thenthere's this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=troL2Toww24


Here's a ZB. My eyes aren't what they were:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYKVb7T1n2I

I have a Miller D-10 that is a cool steel but I'm not dragging that thing out. Its HEAVY

Until recently I had a '59 Sho-Bud Permanent. I played it on many gigs. Heavy but not as heavy as my Crossover(pictured in my avatar) which I take out less and less lately. Well....not at all right now! I've giggled with Fender 400s and 1000s also over the years. I love those tones but also love my super modern EXCEL keyless.

I'm not sure if a 1981 MSA UNI is considered vintage enough

When there were gigs, I played a ZB of about the same vintage that Brumley plays in that Buck Owens clip. When gigs come back I'll play it again.
It's heavy, beat up, needs constant attention, and I love it to death.

I switch between a 72 and a 75 Emmons depending on the gig and string age.

Peter Andersson seems to always have a vintage Fingertip or similar. Easily my favorite modern player.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA0Ru_A2Dvg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSjFtccZAbM

I use a 70's Sho~Bud.

No idea if/when I'll get another gig though

I have owned two vintage Marlins, a SD10 and a S10. They sound as good as anything out there on my opinion.
Still have the S10 I gig with. Great guitars, way ahead of their time.

Didn't those old guitars tend to have single-coil pickups? That would account for the sound, and there were no thyristor dimmers in those days!

I used to have a great old knock-off Permanent but the one time I risked abdominal injury to gig it I got too much shash from the lights.

what are you defining as vintage ?

Ian Rae wrote:I used to have a great old knock-off Permanent but the one time I risked abdominal injury to gig it I got too much shash from the lights.

I've never done a gig on a big stage and a serious lighting rig with my Sho~Bud but I've never had a problem with my Telecasters or my trap pickups on my double and triple 8s so why would a pedal steel be any different?

For years I played my '64 Emmons wraparound as my main gigging guitar. Only about 5 years ago did I go with Infinity. And there have been a few hardcore western swing gigs in the past decade or two that I've played my T-8 Bigsby, as it was the most appropriate for the engagement.

Tony Prior wrote:what are you defining as vintage ?

I think that is a variable age, but for me a guitar built in the 1960's or earlier would be considered "vintage."

But I started playing in the '60s. Someone who started in the 90's or 00's might consider steels built in the 1970s as being "vintage."

YMMV

When your steel is older than your kids....
John

I like that one!
Erv

I play a '58 Fender 400 on stage
4 pedals and an added homemade knee lever
Out of 1/2" copper tubing.

If could play well enough to gig I would choose a old pedal steel with 8 an 5. Bill

If could play well enough to gig I would choose a old pedal steel c with 8 an 5. Bill

1980 Sho Bud Super Pro D10, 8+6.

1949 Bigsby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOAKxnL ... e=youtu.be

I used to play my '66 bolt-on on gigs, but the bands in my area were not worthy of such tone, so I sold it at tremendous profit.
I do regularly play my '65 Mosrite on the gig, however. No tone greater.