The British Steelies Society

Hi Everyone,

I just brought back a beautiful Carter Starter from the U.S.A! It was the steel I could afford on my budget and what I could find in the short time I was there, and honestly I'm very happy with it so far!

Some info on me, English girl from London, lived in the Netherlands many years. After years dabbling in banjo, guitar and fiddle, i wasn't truly satisfied because I only really wanted to play the pedal steel since I was 13. Took me another 13 to finally get the chance to buy one. I'm overjoyed and can't wait to make up for this lost time. I wanna learn fast(ish) It's truly the most beautiful, heart breaking, warm, atmospheric, hair on neck standing sound I have ever heard. (Apart from a distant train whining of course)

Does anybody perhaps know anyone who teaches in the Netherlands? Or perhaps just is up for some steel chat/jam etc.

muchas gracias!

Eden

On a totally different note, are there any female players on here? I have to wear big platform heels in order to reach the knee levers! Would be fun to talk about pedal steel attire. Like how to wear a dress and preserve modesty! hahah

Welcome Eden,
You have come to the right place I am sure you can get the info and help you require from many of our players here.

Hello and welcome Eden,
How great it is to see a female member on the forum. And, in terms of a late-ish start, you are a mere child compared to most of us on here I wish I had come to this beguiling instrument at a younger age.
I started on the same Carter model about 5 years ago and quickly found myself well and truly hooked.
There's a ton of great resources on the web, Sierra Guitars have hours of lessons by Joe Wright, Mickey Adams on YouTube and on here, John Davis has put up a lot of helpful clips.
Your instinct to meet up with other player's is bang on. It was the best motivator for me. There are a couple of great, very promising, young players who post fairly regularly on here. They're Netherlands based, and hopefully within striking distance to you. Mathew Jut is the most prolific of the two.
As for your concerns re dress code; up here in kilted Scotland we don't give a hoot mon, should there be a moose loose aboot the hoose
Good luck with your adventures in Steel Land

Hi Eden, welcome to the forum, great to see more female players, as Sara Jory and other ladies demonstrate, it's not only guys who can make this remarkable instrument sing. I think it is initially the shivers up the spine sound that gets most people, certainly was the case with me

I have a son who stays in Den Hague and have visited many times, very nice city, unfortunately he doesn't play pedal steel, perhaps Guitar Mathew can guide you to a teacher in the Netherlands, I believe he is based in Amsterdam.

As to attire, I've never found wearing a dress hampered my playing, although I had to give up on the high heals

Don't know if you've come across Melinda, a fine female player, here is a Youtube clip of her playing Hallelujah. Good luck with learning and hope to listen to you playing sometime in the future.

Welcome to the forum Eden, I'm sure you will find as much help as you want here.