The British Steelies Society

Posted: **Thu Nov 18, 2010 7:22 pm**

About 40 years ago I was in a little club in Hatfield or St.Albans Helping Gordon pack his gear away after a night with the Alabama Hayriders, I have never forgotten the sound of his steel that night was the best I had ever heard. At that time I had not a clue what made it sound so good, I fully realised a lot of it was in the skill of his hands but, after 40 years ( your never too old to learn!) I think I am on to something...............
Yes the ZB was tone to the bone but there was something else......
I recall trying to pick his amp up...... old Fender twin with not a scrap of tolex left on it, and I honestly thought it was screwed to the floor.....but it was just the enormous weight of the speakers which at the time he told me were Altec Lansings So, I am now here to fess up that I have spent the rest of my playing life looking for a pair of them there speakers......... never found any!!!!!!! Tried lots of those stock Orangy red ones they used to put in Fender twins N.B.G.
Until now!!!! I have found what IMHO is the holy grail of steel sound....WHOOP - DE - Doo!!! Of course I will never have tone machines like Gordon`s hands But , at least I have found one more peice of the jigsaw.....

Posted: **Thu Dec 09, 2010 8:49 pm**

Cannot believe 62 people looked at this and nobody asked what I have found that sound so kin good....>>>> and they do!! Not gigged`em yet but will next week

Posted: **Thu Dec 09, 2010 10:27 pm**

OK, I give up ! I thought all Gordon had was a ZB steel,a volume pedal and a Fender twin, did'nt think he
used any effects other than a Lesley cabinet on the odd recording.

All the best,John
Frank. Corfu

Posted: **Thu Dec 09, 2010 10:51 pm**

would it be a pair of 12" altec lansings? i remember back in the 70's Altec speakers were sought after, particulary 15" ones by bass players, not sure what the link up was between Altec and Lansing, [james b. lansing= JBL] also another really understated speaker from that era and later was FANE, session amps used them, the 12's were very rounded in sound, ideal for psg,
John, did you not change your two 12's for a JBL 15" a while back ? ? ?
i must admit, i much prefer 12's to a 15" i think much quicker in response, although they do lack the depth of a 15

Posted: **Thu Dec 09, 2010 10:59 pm**

Frank, i think there is a bit of a myth that has grown re Gordon and use of a lesley cabinet, but i am prepared to be corrected, and im only going by my collection of Matthews Southern Comfort recordings, it was the lead guitarist who sometimes used a lesley cabinet, one song that springs to mind is 'SCION', dual lead and steel going on in there, but definately lead through the lesley, the steel just a beautiful pure sound, i have never heard Gordon play his steel through a lesley,

Posted: **Thu Dec 09, 2010 11:19 pm**

Cannot beleive it! I just spent 10 minutes typing a reply ....pressed the button and it dissappeard!!! SOD IT!!! and I hate Typing!! :evil:

Posted: **Fri Dec 10, 2010 7:33 am**

Hallo Eddie !
The recording that made me think Gordon used a Lesley cabinet was "Wedding Song (There is Love ) " on the
"Stir Don't Shake " album, I might be wrong,would'nt be the first time mind you !

If it ain't one it's a bloody good imitation of one !
I suppose John will eventually put us out of our misery and let us into this piece of vital information eh ?
All the best from a sunny but nippy Corfu
Frank. Corfu

Posted: **Fri Dec 10, 2010 12:52 pm**

Hi Frank, He wont put us out of our misery if he keeps losing it like he does!.......... the text i mean!
ok, "wedding song [there is love]" i haven't got or heard that one, so your probably right, just going by the recordings i have, and it is the lead guitar that uses the lesley on them, in these days of great little stomp boxes, i cant imagine anyone wanting to lug around a lesley cabinet, although im sure they dont create the same vibe as the lesley,

Posted: **Fri Dec 10, 2010 2:22 pm**

OK I will try again, Was I the only one that noticed that Gordons sound loss something when he copied the Americans and went over to the Peavey Session?? That old Fender had a sweet warm sound and I loved it. Gordon told me at the time they were Alltec Lansings and thats what I thought I needed but could never find any..... Anyway, a couple of weeks ago a friend let me borrow a couple of JBL E 120`s 300watts !!! And I plugged them into my old twin.....Booootiful !!! I was amazed! so I ended up giving him an obcene amount of money to let me keep`em .....I phones Dunny to tell him what I had found and his response was...... "I already know"...... So then my question was Why did`ent you tell me!!! anyway, his :twisted:

plan was for us to buy up all the E120`s we could find and not tell anyone about it until we had got`em.....but I never been able to keep things like that to myself.....hence my post......
These things are quite old now and hard to come by but IMHO well worth the search...I now am useing a Fender head and have the two JBL`s in seperate 12" cabs......can`t wait for my next gig to try `em out>>>>>> :guitar:

The British Steelies Society

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