The Steel Guitar Forum

Hello,

At about the 7-second point in the intro to 1978's "The Dream" by Merle Haggard the steel plays about 3 seconds of some of the most "bell-like" notes I've ever heard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22RBeA5yeoQ Do any of you know who the steel player was on that recording and what kind of steel, pickup, and other equipment he was using? I've got a 1978 "MSA Classic" single 12 wood body steel that I'd like to get that sound from but I haven't been able to do so yet.

I've tried both the stock MSA Supersustain and the Telonics 128 pickups with and without the Telonics volume pedal using both a Peavy session 500 amp and a Carvin amp with two 12" JBLs. I'm aware of and have tried all the precise and painstaking adjustments Telonics recommends for their 128 pickup. I'm wondering if the resonances or lack thereof of some steels may simply not lend themselves to getting the bell sound regardless of the pickup used. I posted about this on this forum back in 2012 but I thought I'd update it here just to see if anyone had any new ideas

I've recently talked to Dave Beaty about trying their X-12 pickup and I'm hoping that might get me closer to that sound.

Thanks,
Ray

Sounds like the hands of Buddy Emmons to me

I could be wrong and often am, but even though Norm Hamlet played with Merle and recorded with him as well, this sure sounds like Buddy to me.

Yes, Buddy Emmons. That song is on Merle’s album “I’m Always on a Mountain When I Fall”, on which Buddy played steel.

I've achieved that sound, although accidentally, at the 12 fret without touching the strings with my left hand. Just the bar touching the strings. its a harmonic point where the overtones ring in sympathy. You have to be precise with bar placement t though.
However, I dont know if Buddy's doing that or what key the songs in.
So, my thinking may be a moot point.

I think you get a lot more bell like sound by recording with a condenser mic instead of a dynamic mic.

I tested five of each type of mic in a studio and all of the condenser mics sounded more bell like to me ranging from low cost to expensive condenser mics.

Based on my tests I bought a Lewitt condenser mic for recording or coupling to a PA system

All I'm hearing are double-stops...done gently. The 7th string (which is the 9th of the NP chord) left to "ring", along with the 6th and 8th string, and the on/off "B" pedal move, was obviously one of Buddy's favorites.

Lifting the fingers behind the bar may also help for a "bell-like" sound.

He could be picking closer to the 12th fret, which gives a mellower tone for effect.