RIP Ron Mawn

[Dave Nutt]

Ken, thanks for keeping us informed.
Dave.

[Ken Byng]

No problem Dave. Players of our generation would know Ron very well, and many will have spent time in the old Sho~Bud shop in London. Ron has worked on so many of my guitars over the years that I have lost count.

[RonMc]

Sorry to hear of your friends death Ken, please accept our sympathies.

[LittlePickins]

R.I.P Ron.
I only knew Ron a short while, he worked on my GFI for me and I recently brought his Fessenden D10.
Great guy, knowledge of steels was second to none and was great to talk to him about the steel players he knew.
Ron changed both steel over to Day set up and was a pleasure to see him work and set up the steel.
God Bless you Ron, you will be missed

[Nick Bidmade]

I'm saddened to hear this news. I met Ron only twice - although a first meeting, as a raw music student, was at the Sho-Bud shop when it was in Norbury, south London. I went in there to gawp at the Sho-Buds on display and became completely tongue-tied when I saw Ron was talking to 'Manly Footwear' himself - BJ Cole. Ron asked me if he could help and I left the shop,too embarrassed to explain I was a complete novice who just wanted to drool over the guitars on show. I had less than no idea what a pedal steel was, but I know I loved the sound even then. I guess this would have been around 1971?
I next met Ron 40+ years later when I had been given his contact details from Ken. I took my Curnow Sho-Bud to him for a set-up prior to moving up north. Ron was a delight to meet. He was welcoming. took lots of time to tell me his life story, show me the photos - especially of him with Lloyd Green - and start to show me the stupendous collection of instruments he had. I was particularly taken with his Fessenden D10 and I'm gad it is now in good hands.
I left my guitar with Ron and was amazed when he rang me next day to say it was ready! So, it was back to Hampshire to collect it. It played beautifully - I think I had given it too many 'tweaks' in my novice days, and Ron had it all set up, smooth, balanced and sounding great. He had also put a 'feel stop' om RKL which gave me a G and G# on string 1 as well as a whole tone lower on string 6. More chat, more tea, and a friendship struck which we kept up via email. Ron spent a lot of time in Germany and our email correspondence faltered, which was a shame. There wasn't much Ron didn't know about pedal steels.
When Ken posted that Ron was ill in hospital, I asked Ken to remember me to Ron and to pass on my best wishes to him, although I told Ken it was unlikely Ron would remember me. I was touched beyond measure when Ken told me Ron had indeed remembered me.
It is a great shame we have lost such a leading light in our little world, but Ron did as much to establish pedal steel in the UK as any player and he deserves our acknowledgement. His life was also touched with sadness, and I hope Ron is at peace.
Thank you Ken for being a good friend to Ron.

[LittlePickins]

WELL SAID
You summed Ron up well. His knowledge and experience will be greatly missed.
Ken always said that Ron should have written a book.

[Ken Byng]

I have just got in from a gig this afternoon, and Ron's son Robert has just rung me to ask me to say thanks for all of the wonderful comments on here about his Dad. It has shown just how much people thought of him.

Ron's funeral is on the 22nd November at 3.15 at the Wessex Vale Crematorium, Bubb Lane, West End, Southampton, SO30 2HL. Donations to the Countess Mountbatten Hospice.