The British Steelies Society

Hi All

I'm Baz

Guitarist for the past 30 years and I've recently had a growing interest in Lap Steel

I've just bought a used Bennett 6 String, which is currently tuned to Dobro tuning and I'm running it through an Komet CODA overdrive pedal into a 12" powered floor monitor - bizarrely, the combination is doing a very reasonable impression of a tweed Champ on the verge of meltdown..go figure?

I'm teaching myself by ear with a bit of Youtube for guidance - hopefully you'll be kind enough to give me the odd steer as I start out on this new journey

I look forward to speaking to you all

Baz

Hi Baz, let's know what you want to do with the steel guitar and we'll try to give you the right help.
You sound like you're into Gilmour/Lindley: and there's a lot more different musical genres available (besides country) that you can get your teeth into. Hawaiian, jazz, western swing, "standards" (i.e. the "Great American Songbook") etc. etc.
Tunings? C6th (lo - hi, C-E-G-A-C-E) is a good place to go after a straight high bass (like your current dobro high G) and, as John says, if your interest continues - an 8 string guitar (even 7st.) will give you more scope than you can wish for.
If you don't already, try to get to grips with a bullet nose bar, rather than a Stevens; and finger picks right from the start, they're awkward after a lifetime finger-pickng guitar (don't I know!!!) but they help to get your picking "attack" on the strings at the best angle for tone so don't give up too easily. I know that some superb players don't use 'em, but they are the minority. And there are certain "slants" that you can't do without a bullet bar. Shaped bars are great for dobro where picking it up for hammers and pull-offs is standard technique, but on lap steel the ability for slants is more useful.
Keep the questions coming

Many thanks Gents - appreciate the welcome and the tips!

I’m currently using a GS2 bar and I picked up a Dunlop one with the steel, but I’ll give a bullet a go too

Finger picks - yet to find any big enough for my pudgey digits and I’m a little terrified of scratches too, but it’s all part of the learning experience, I guess ?

Baz

For lap steel I like this size or thereabouts - 22.23 mm; 82.55 mm (7/8" x 3-1/4"). Any thinner and it's tricky to manage, plus your hand can ache fairly soon from holding it to tightly. Bigger bars, within reason, can be "guided" using the weight rather than muscle power for tone and control. Bars are an expensive item, so see if you can try a few before buying? It's the machining of the semi-spherical bullet end without a "break point" that puts the costs up.
When you have found the right size and played for a while you can think about doing what so many of us have done - and get Basil to make you a polymer bar (Ezzee~slide)