Hello from a new member
Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:07 pm
Hi
I have finally got round to joining the British Steelies Soc. I have played guitar for a number of years now and about 2 months ago decided to try lap steel guitar having always enjoyed playing slide on a conventional guitar.
I am now the proud owner of a David Porthouse 6 string lap steel guitar with humbucker pickup.
I have been picking up a few songs started with Amazing Grace (who doesn't) then Led Zeppelin's "In my time of dying".
More recently I have tried my hand at Ry Cooder's "Paris Texas" theme to the film as well as the original version "Dark was the Night" by Blind Willie Johnson. Yes I know they are really tunes for Dobro guitar but they work well on lap steel. Plus I have found a few more traditional Lap Steel tunes.
The most confusing part for me was the different string gauges for different tunings.
Any way that is a brief of my Lap Steel playing so far.
Looking forward to playing lap steel for a long time to come and maybe good enough to post on YouTube or similar one day.
Thanks for reading
Andy
I have finally got round to joining the British Steelies Soc. I have played guitar for a number of years now and about 2 months ago decided to try lap steel guitar having always enjoyed playing slide on a conventional guitar.
I am now the proud owner of a David Porthouse 6 string lap steel guitar with humbucker pickup.
I have been picking up a few songs started with Amazing Grace (who doesn't) then Led Zeppelin's "In my time of dying".
More recently I have tried my hand at Ry Cooder's "Paris Texas" theme to the film as well as the original version "Dark was the Night" by Blind Willie Johnson. Yes I know they are really tunes for Dobro guitar but they work well on lap steel. Plus I have found a few more traditional Lap Steel tunes.
The most confusing part for me was the different string gauges for different tunings.
Any way that is a brief of my Lap Steel playing so far.
Looking forward to playing lap steel for a long time to come and maybe good enough to post on YouTube or similar one day.
Thanks for reading
Andy
Re: Hello from a new member
Fri Oct 25, 2013 8:29 am
Hi Andy, welcome to the forum, we have a few "plank" players on here..... I prefer the pedals 
Re: Hello from a new member
Fri Oct 25, 2013 8:48 am
Welcome Andy, look forward to the first youtube vid.
JD does also play a plank but he has pedals and knee levers on his.
JD does also play a plank but he has pedals and knee levers on his.
Re: Hello from a new member
Tue Oct 29, 2013 11:08 pm
Hi bro' from a fellow planker 
I started on a six now moved on to a George-boards S8 consul co's I love the old western swing sound of C6 tuning with the extra high G and the bottom A . I am lucky to have picked up 1950 double 8 National
Grande Consul which is undergoing refurb and will have E9 front with C6 back tunings, Pedals are great but not if you double lead and sing so the lap does gig duty for me and covers most of my needs.I built my own Pomona' with the palm levers
but had too good an offer for it.
I started on a six now moved on to a George-boards S8 consul co's I love the old western swing sound of C6 tuning with the extra high G and the bottom A . I am lucky to have picked up 1950 double 8 NationalGrande Consul which is undergoing refurb and will have E9 front with C6 back tunings, Pedals are great but not if you double lead and sing so the lap does gig duty for me and covers most of my needs.I built my own Pomona' with the palm levers
but had too good an offer for it.
Re: Hello from a new member
Wed Oct 30, 2013 8:29 am
Hi Andy and welcome. Whereabouts are you? I know David Porthouse (makes good guitars) and so wondered if you are up here in the far north?
Tony.
PS - I never thought of John D being a plank - too unkind!!
Tony.
PS - I never thought of John D being a plank - too unkind!!
Re: Hello from a new member
Wed Oct 30, 2013 12:23 pm
Hi there, welcome to the forum, nice lap steels these. I'm a fledgling lap steeler myself.
Here is a link to John Ely's string guage chart, which is invaluable IMO.
http://www.hawaiiansteel.com/graphics/p ... _chart.pdf
Here is a link to John Ely's string guage chart, which is invaluable IMO.
http://www.hawaiiansteel.com/graphics/p ... _chart.pdf