The British Steelies Society

by **mick hearn** » Fri Aug 26, 2022 7:30 pm

Its been a while since I have put anything in this thread so here is another from the NESGF

by **Tony Russell Davis** » Sat Aug 27, 2022 7:38 am

Great stuff Mick - I loved hearing this live the other week.
What about telling us the tuning and a bit about your guitar? There will be interest, I'm sure.

by **mick hearn** » Sat Aug 27, 2022 10:43 pm

OK Tony but first let me apologise for my performances this year. Not to my usual standard I must say.

Anyway the guitar - It is a double neck, 8 string, non pedal steel guitar built by the great Herb Remington in the USA. It is a 24 1/4" scale length and built of North American Ash with Stainless Steel fittings and has terrific sustain even past the 12th fret. I cannot find any markings inside so I am unable to say what year it was made although I believe it to be about 1991. I base this on the fact that the "Remington Steel" logo on the front is in the centre and is a decal, whereas on his later models it was etched on a brass plate and placed at the bridge end. (I dont know if John Davis can enlighten us or it;s previous owner). I believe it to be the only one in the UK. The pickups are George L E66's and are set quite a way forward of the bridge compared to a lot of steel guitars which makes the sound a bit more mellow than I would really like. However I do not want to move them as this means cutting in to the guitar and I dont want to fit other pickeps either. I just play about with the amp settings.

As for tunings - well the rear neck and the main one for me is standard C6. GECAGECA top to bottom, and the front neck has Leon McAuliffe's E13 I keep the same tuning and work around it with bar slants which I think is governed by my guitar playing since I was 15 therefore I am thinking like a guitarist, although I had been playing pedal steel since 1975. I think there has only been one occasion where I detuned one string for a recording but I don't really want to make this a habit. I am trying to milk this tuning for as much as I can get out of it.

I love all styles of steel guitar but like a lot of others I gigged on steel in the boom British Country scene years, so for me 1975 onwards, and got out when the arguments started between old country and new, and line dance and traditional dance. And what did Indians have to do with country music???

Things started to change for me when I aquired an 8 string lap steel and saw Bobbe Seymour on YouTube saying that stuff was easier to play in C6 and immediately went in to a jazz version of "Secret Love". I thought to myself "I'm gonna have some of that" and followed with vids of Billy Robinson emulating pedal steel. Then I followed watching Steelpickers vids and copying the pedal players and the rest is history. I have had criticism for trying to do this asking why I would want to make my lap steel sound like a pedal steel. If one person who said that was in front of me I would have shown him how a lap steel can be used for relieving constipation. To me it is my preferred way to play steel and I don't think it sounds like a pedal steel - Its just different - it's me.

by **sabatica** » Mon Sep 19, 2022 8:36 pm

really nice Job Mick

Didn't know the history you had.

Love the double neck C6 and E13

I live in E13 and would love to catchup sometime and compare some pedal steel voicings you are able to emulate on C6.

Tips, tricks or any cool ideas on tackling some progressions like how the legends did before. Like Buddy used to swap ideas with fellow players regularly.

Like you I decided to say screw it I'm going to learn my E13 and emulate some pedal sounds when I want. So I'm all for it.

Would be nice to chat to another lap steel player that gets that idea.

Also having someone who played pedal steel inform me of common ways to tackle changes would be helpful. Anyway if you're interested Mick just message me. Love what you do.