The British Steelies Society

Hi, everybody. After 47 years of guitar playing I have decided to dip my toe into the heady realms of the lap steel. I am looking forward to getting involved on here.

Welcome. Maybe you could let us know a bit more about you (like whereabouts you live) and your ambitions and progress on steel guitar?
Ask as many questions as you like and there's sure to be answers.

Thank you, Tony. I live in Dorset and have had my lap steel a week (requested Christmas present). My ambition(s)?: I want to get good!

It's all rather new to me, playing a guitar in the horizontal position, but I have a good quality tone bar; amplifiers aplenty, and the willingness to learn.

Good start, there are quite a few players on the South Coast in general, some more of us will be in touch before to long, I'm sure
Hope you are using picks and a bullet nose bar (my foible)! Do you play 6 or 8 strings and what tunings have you tried?
All best, Tony.

Tony Russell Davis wrote:...Hope you are using picks and a bullet nose bar (my foible)! Do you play 6 or 8 strings and what tunings have you tried?...

Ken Byng wrote:[b]There are a number of pedal steel players in the Bournemouth area, some of these can play plank (lap) steel. Every Tuesday there is a club in Longham called the Bluebird Club and quite a few of them seem to congregate there....

I am using picks, and a Shubb SP1 bar. The guitar is a six string model and I have tried Open G, Gm, D and E. I should add that I have dabbled in bottleneck playing over the years, and bought a resonator guitar last March. However, the lap steel it a different approach for me, if only because of the angles involved.

I know the whereabouts of the Bluebird Club you mention, Ken, as I live in the Bournemouth area. Tuesday evenings are often busy for me, but maybe I'll find the time come the summer to drop in.

Hi & welcome,
Good to see someone from my neck of the woods , I'm in Wimborne and a member at the 'Bluebirds' club. As Ken mentioned, there are quite a few of us (local steel players), who get together on a Tuesday evening. I'm there every week.

It would be good to meet you, when convenient, for a chat & meet some of the other guys.
If you find yourself at a loss one afternoon or evening, give me a shout.
PM me here or on F/book. jim.pritchard.9400 Hope to see you soon.