Hi - new member looking for some advice!

[James Crowbear]

Ken, it was'nt like this on the upper Zambezi until,
The missionaries came along
before that, the Colonel ,or the Major would take a few of his boys & visit the natives - they'd get the rundown, make sure that everyone was happy , offer a few trinkets & advice & be gone
most everybody got along
once the missionaries came in & started telling the natives that they were heathens & deserved conversion & salvation, why the natives would light a nice fire to cook them penguins up
of course the Colonel or the Major had to rush back in to save them critters, shoot a few shots & bring back the peace
my best souvenirs of the Colonies were the early times
so who's for Gin & Tonic ?


Paul, the Carter Starter is good enough to get started on, learn the ropes, the grips, the scales, riffs & get your right hand initiated
take lessons from a pro or a real steeler
good luck

[Dave Nutt]

Hi guys - this is my first post. I'm just starting to learn steel, and have had a lesson with Gerry Hogan which was great. I'm learning on a Carter Starter which I bought in the US, but to be honest it's already starting to frustrate me and I think I would get more enjoyment out of the learning process if I had a quality instrument. I'd like to buy something better which will last me for years to come. Could anybody give me some advice on what to look for? If anyones has or knows of a quality steel which would suit me for sale in the UK that would be even better!

Thanks in advance!

Paul

Paul, sorry if you feel you have walked into a war zone the site is not really like that.
Well you did the right thing by going to Gerry for a lesson and initial advice,Im sure you have found that helpfull.
I guess lots of pickers on here can go back to their first steel and remember times when it seemed to limit them from sounding like Buddy (Emmons) or Lloyd (Green) I know I did, days spent struggling, thinking- if I only had-just another pedal,or just another knee lever or if this was here and that was there etc etc, but honestly, best advice given so far is from Richard (Zebedee)-'what you have got there should keep you busy for a long time' with respect- hell of a long time.
Carter Starter is exactly that, a starter instrument, and by self admission (with respect) your a starter give it some time (of course you may have already) then go for a biggie more pro model, loads of them out there, so will be no prob when the time comes.
Paul I hope you stay with the forum, some great helpfull advice to be gleened from here.
Dave.

[STEDDIE EDDIE]

good advice from Richard and Dave, the Starter Carter is an excellent student steel guitar, as Richard points out, a 3 x 4 that plays and stays in tune pretty well, the hardware is where savings are made during construction, but is perfectly adequet [did i spell that right] i suspect your frustrations may well be the 'brick wall' all newbies come up against, but its a learning thing and not neccesarily the fault of the guitar, my advice, stick with the carter starter for now, its fine, i never had the benefit of a steel guitar teacher, but you have that option, a good teacher will get you over them brick walls much quicker,

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

Dave, what a well thought out and considered response from you, while I agree with you 100% on all of it, it is Donny I am feeling sorry for at the moment as I am as guilty as anyone for putting my mouth in gear before switching my brain on!! It could just as easy been me Tis never my intention to cause offence to anyone but I am sure good at it without even trying! The forum is such an unnatural form of communication it is not easy to judge people’s sensitivities and that is why I cover a lot of my posts with smilies.
My respect for Ken ,he is a class player and I hope he will come back as this forum surely does need him.
My advice to all would be…. Read it back to yourself..as if you were receiving it… think twice and use the smilie’s…. (We don`t want to lose any more !! )

[Donny Johnston]

Thank you, Ed & John, for your support, but I did not put my mouth in gear before engaging my brain. On my first post I suggested Paul go to Gerry because of my personal experience with him, when I was having my own health issues and was unable to carry the Blanton, it was Gerry I approached first at Ireland 2010, I also spoke to Uncle Roy about it. I did not criticise Ken in anyway, I have no reason to do that, almost every post Ken has put up here has offered advice to anyone who asked. As to my second post, which was written after Ken had posted his leaving note you will see I have written I hope it wasn't me, because I believed I hadn't done anything wrong and I still don't. As for the comment about Ken throwing the dummy out the pram, it would appear this is exactly what he's done, perhaps it was an over reaction on his part. It's a sad loss for the forum, but his decision.

[STEDDIE EDDIE]

hmmm we can all look at ourselves in retrospect sometimes, i love a good stooshie [thats a kinda heated debate Donny, just in case you didnt know] but thats not Ken's approach, same as my humour would not be everybodys cup of tea, but hey ! i am me, he is he, they is they, we are all different, im not asking anyone to change, same as i wont change, NOT A CHANCE, there actually ARE people in my life who really love me exactly as i am, and theres not only you jd that can put your foot in it, im a past master, i actually suspect that i am one of those that has pee'd Ken off, irritated him, Ken is very measured and serious in his well thought out responses, where as i do sometimes shoot from the hip, or respond with my own brand of humour, [not as weird as crowbears though]???//? oh s**t i just done it again ! i wont say too much, as obviously Ken wont be answering, so that wouldnt be fair, and im definately not knocking him, cos he is all the good things others have said about him, i just know Donny said nothing wrong, he's one of the good guys, in fact we are ALL good guys, and all you have to do is 'not read the posts of anyone that irritates you' or you certainly dont have to respond to them, selective responses,
ps. i would personally like it very much if Ken did come back to the forum

[bob adams]

I was not at home when this valve blew, however my phone rang in short order! Ironically I had actually had a long phone call with Paul regarding all things steel and talking a possible meet in London in the not too distant future, prior to this all going off! He sounded a really nice chap and I look forward to getting together with him. Little did the poor fellow know this would be the outcome! Dear help us all!! This saddens me like you wouldn’t believe! There are times in life when the tiniest spark seems to accidentally cause such devastation when no malice was is the intent! I am rather fond of all the guys here, some I have gotten to know in recent years and some I have known for forty years; Our bond! Is ‘Our Passion’ some are on their steels at 6.00am! While other clowns like me more likely to be on it at 3.00am! But that way I get to talk to Basil with whom I have enjoyed much banter in the ‘wee small hours’ he is such a star, like Ken he is such another deep well to be tapped! ..

The one and only Nutter, JD, Richard B, Richard S, Donny, Billy M, Billy Mck, James C, Spencer, Eddie and oh so many more, I am honoured to consider you all as friends!

When our Uncle Roy was experiencing much frustration with the forum and seriously considering its demise I said, please don’t Roy! I can’t do it at the minute, but give me time and I’ll try to give it a new platform. I am sure he will remember this conversation in Tesco Bournemouth’s coffee shop with his dearly beloved!! I couldn’t do it alone but knew there was a way! With the help of my buddy Marc (aka Arcada) there could be a way! He said that would it be such a burden lifted and give me time to concentrate on the newsletter! (That’s a lot of work btw!) He does such a great job!

Ken has emailed me as follows!

Bob, I won't be using the BSS forum and will concentrate on the USA forums when I do go on the internet which will be a lot less as I spend more time playing and practicing. I am afraid my exile will be a permanent one.

Sad but respected!……………………Time heals all things!

I have boxed this off now with a Zane King rendition which is the essence of us all, his expression is us! is it not? ! I am a tad vexed it has to be said! But this is us! Enjoy and reflect!