The British Steelies Society

Hi everyone.
Been dabbling for a few years now. Found the instrument by accident about 20 years ago when I lucked out and bought a pearloid blue 1950s Magnatone lap steel out of curiosity for £30.... you wouldn't get one for that price now! I bought it to make whale noises on for an ambient techno project and one thing led to another. Then a rusty pile of Shobud Maverick bits followed ...80 quid well spent... though some would say that was about the right price.

Anyway I still play that old Maverick an awful lot with various bands and for sessions. It has a mostly standard E9 tuning/set up but with a GeorgeL pick up. You could actually shout into the original microphonic shobud pick up and be heard through the PA!

I guess I should upgrade to a more pro instrument but it sounds so sweet and sustains so well that I guess I can live with just the one knee lever... or maybe not. It earns me money whereas it would take me a long time to recoup the cost of a decent instrument.

I guess that's the main reason for my joining this forum. I don't know any other Steel players, but I'm interested to find out who can do modifications to make my very basic steel slightly more useful or show me how to install at least one more lever...and if so what strings to raise/lower. I think I know what I want but I will be seeking advice from you all.

And of course it's about time I learned to play at least one or two Country licks properly and this forum looks like a good place to get help with that.

Anyway I thought I ought to join as I am, I suppose, a "British steelie", albeit a slightly odd one. I'm London based by the way.
Best
Jack Hayter

Hello Jack,
You've definitely come to the right place. Your first port of call should be the bi monthly meeting of steelers, held in a Clapham boozer. You'll find the details in the forum.
It was attending the equivalent meeting up here in Scotland that got me started/sorted.
As for any technical queries you might have, there are guys on here who actually know how these beasts work! Inconceivable.
Good luck.

If your steel is a standard Maverick, some strings can be raised, some strings can be lowered, but none of the strings can be raised and lowered, without modification.

The steel has what's known as a 'pull release' changer, eg when a pedal is pressed it pulls a finger up to a stop, and the string is tuned to its highest note at the keyhead. When the pedal is released string tension pulls the finger backwards until it is stopped by a tuning screw, which is where the open note is tuned.

To get a string to both raise and lower, the finger must be held in a central position.

This is shown in the first animation on this topic

http://steelguitarbuilder.com/forum/vie ... ?f=4&t=508

Or an even simpler way is shown in this animation

http://steelguitarbuilder.com/forum/vie ... 8&start=10

Hi Jack, Danny is quite right, you should come and join us at the Bread and Roses in Clapham, next one is October 18th. Good times, non-threatening jamming and a bit of learning thrown in. £10 each for the room (or less). PM me your email and I'll put you on the list if you're interested. Jon.

South London Steelies Meeting 18th October

Hi there
Thank you for the kind welcome and the info re the way the changer system works...those animated gifs are great. I had sort of figured out that the ounly way I was ever going to raise AND lower a string would be through some sort of tension balanced spring centring mechanism...and i guess a different kind of changer would be necessary.Hey-ho might have sell some six strings and the dog to buy a grown up steel after all.

I will try to get along on the 18th it sounds great... though my diary tells me I'm in a studio near Bracknell most of that day. If not the hopefully I'll make the one after.
Thanks
Jack.

PS How heavy are modern PSGs. I'd be looking for a single neck 10 or possibly 12. I'm assuming a lot heavier than the maple bodied Maverick...but how much heavier?