The British Steelies Society

Hello all!

It's been a long time since I posted on here but after some early attempts at wrestling with pedal steel, finding it in possible and leaving it in a corner to gather dust, I've just started back up practicing again - not quite ready to give up on the becoming a pedal steel player dream yet!
The main struggle I have with playing it is that I find the knee lever very difficult to move. Should it move easily or do I just need to toughen up? The instrument I have is old and could definitely do with a set up, but I can put up with it being a bit clunky and out of tune so long as I know it's not making it much harder work to learn than it should be, if that makes any sense! I've never had the chance to have a go on anything other than my own so I don't really know how it should feel.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!
Laura

Hi Laura, can I ask what brand of steel is it you currently play, when you play the stiff lever is it raising the string or lowering it.
On all pull guitars the lowers tend to be a bit harder to push, hence the use of flags or paddles
Uncle Roy has a monthly steel meeting in Siston which I don't imagine is very far from you.
You will tend to find that this fraternity of ours is a very helpful one, where you are not left in the dark for very long, there is an unfathomable depth of knowledge ready to be tapped on this forum.
I wish you every success with your steel guitar journey, it is a fantastic ride

Asleep at the steel

Ooh, I'm in Bradford-on-Avon so Siston's not too far at all! When's the next meeting? The lever lowers the 4th and 8th strings on the E9 neck and just the 2nd string on the C6. I'm showing my ignorance here, but what do you mean by flags and paddles? It is an Ormston (the same one I last posted about on here when I was trying to sell it to raise money to buy something more modern), so yes, essentially an old Denley. It's far from ideal but it does look and sound great, although it's so big and heavy I can hardly move it!

Here, here.

Want a phone number?

Hi Laura,
Our next meeting is Saturday August 1st. you are most welcome to come to the meeting as you said you not far away at all.
pm sent.

Hi Laura

Bob Dixon asks me to tell you that he would be happy to help and adds "Also please tell her not to get rid of anything until I've seen it first, many good tunes played on old fiddles as they say".

If you email me at [email protected] I can send on his contact details.

If you need some elementary help with how to think psg then please get in touch by email. I'm only a beginner - 15 years or so!!!!!!!! Swap you some tips for a few on Dobro. I'm based near Chard, just off the A303.

Regards

Bob Vaughan

Hello Laura, I do apologise for the inordinate delay in replying to your question "What are paddles and flags"

They are both one and the same, they tend to be fitted to levers which operate lowers, if you think back to school when you were taught about spreading the load, which in my day was demonstrated by the stilletto heel on a linoleum floor, the weight on a stilletto heel left an indentation in the lino, whereas a broad heel does not, because the load is spread.
The same principal is used with a paddle or flag, it spreads the load and while it does not make the lower any lighter to push, it certainly makes it easier on your leg because the load is spread.

I hope this makes some sense

Asleep at the steel

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=272507&highlight=flags

Have a look at this. You could scroll down through some rubbbish and start where you find Michael Hummel's post. Later there is a photo too. Regards, Tony.