Tone

[Donny Johnston]

Stop looking for a good reason why you don't sound great. The problem is you and your hands. You don't need another guitar, this one will do. You don't need another amp, this one will do. You certainly don't need effects units, Jimmy Day has proven that.

When you have discarded all these lame excuses you will be left with your ears and your hands. Gee, you had those all this time. Each pedal steel guitar player is issued two of each, twice as many as you really need. What a deal!

Just found this qote on the Jeff Newman site, anyone like to add anything.

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

If Your guitar is in tune and Your intonation is correct You will sound good.
The phrase "Tone is in the hands " is true.I think Jeff meant that You cannot purchase equipment which will instantly make You sound good if You cannot play properly.
I think that quality equipment is also necessary,perhaps not at the start of Your learning the instrument.
I have been lucky enough to meet and observe many world class players who have superb tone,they all have superb gear,Paul Franklin uses a $4000 amp and a $2000 effect rack and alters the set up regularly.Perhaps no one told Him He could get the same sound from a $500 amp.

[James Crowbear]

back when i worked in a musik store, i was often surprised by guys that came round who were always buying/changing amps, axes & pedals cause they did'nt have "that" sound or tone
even though, i tried all kinds of gear, i contented myself w: the basics
to this day, i have had good tools, but i do the work
never went in for effects pedals either - i have a effects unit in a rack - like my cell fone & computer, i only use 20% of it's capacities
much too much gear nowadays & imo useless gadgets that take us farther away from the basic essentials
that goes for most of the domains of our everyday life
keep it simple & right
now us "old school" jokers have known this for a while now huh ?

[Donny Johnston]

Well said Crowbear, I agree 100%
I'm sure Paul Franklin could get a great tone out of any amp. Does anyone know if his 4000 dollar amp is sponsored, maybe that's why he's got one.

[SHAKEY]

Over the years I have had several guitars, Sho-Buds, Emmons, Mci, ZB, MSA, loads of 'em, always thinking I could get a better sound, amplifiers from Vox, Fender, Music man Ampeg and God knows how many different Peavey amps, but it really never seems to matter what equipment you use or how much it costs, I like others believe it is all in your hands and I firmly believe it is heart felt.
I once went down to one of Uncle Roys meetings and on the way I picked up a Peavey "Basic 40" bass amp which I used on the night with a steel that I had built myself a few weeks earlier and Roy said it was the best sound he had ever heard from me.
At the moment I don't have a steel but I am borrowing one that I built in 1985 which is a pull relaese with 3 pedals and 3 knee levers and the only change I have made is the true tone pickup I got from David Hartley. For years I have used a Digitech RP 150. Every number I have done on Youtube ha been through the RP150, the only difference has been the computers I have used, sometimes useing onboard sound (AC97) sometimes Soundblaster sound cards, and other types. I recently got a RP155 which is brilliant but I still use the RP150.
Richard Burton in my opinion is a prime example, give him an Emmons, a ZB a Marlen or a chopping board with 10 elastic bands and 180 springs (just jokin' Richard) and he can make them all sound good no matter what amp he uses.
Quite honestly I think a lot of todays steel players are so obsessed with speed picking on E9 they don't have the feel for what E9 was intended for. If you want to pick fast and fancy go C6, I wish I could. That's my bit, Cheers.

[Jason Lynch]

I think we all suffer from a case of "Equipmentitis", particulaly when we start out. Maybe because we want to sound like someone we admire. A pro player, or just a friend. Takes a while to realise you just need to sound like you.

[Zebedee]

It's a funny instrument, the pedal steel.

It looks so simple, just a plank of wood with some strings on it, huh, anybody can play it

Most pedal steel players start out playing regular 6 string guitar, and get an acceptable tone as soon as they plug into their amp.

Big shock when they buy a pedal steel, plug it into their amp, and it sounds like a cat being dragged by its tail under a door.

This is when they learn that accurate tuning of the instrument, accuracy of bar placement, the finesse of picking the strings , blocking, picking relative to the bar position, and having complete control of the volume pedal is essential to good tone.

I have found that I can't get a good tone if I pick aggressively, no matter what the gurus preach.

Be yourself when you play, it doesn't matter if your elbow sticks out, or if you're picking the strings with the wrong finger, as long as it sounds good, it is good

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

I second everything Shaky said about RB !! the guy is a tone monster .... He should have his pedals (and springs) removed

[Uncle Roy]

You could be right JD, but wouldn't that be painful but Shaky and yourself are right with the statement that Mr B's tone is just so right! Monster Tone .

[slimbo]

I will agree with all thats been said regarding instruments and gear, and at last I've stopped chasing the sound, it's right here in my hand's, and to prove it, I played throu a cube the other night, great sound, well, to me anyway, obveousley not loud enough for stage work, but great for studio, but I will say that there are times when you wont get what your looking for, and I think it depends on how comfortable you are with the steel you are sitting behind.
I just had a Carter, fine steel in tuning and action, but for the life of me, I could not get compfortable sitting at it, it just did not feel right, and I think this can detract from your playing when having to deal with this type of thing, so I'm back on my Sho-Bud, and the effect was immediat, felt compfy, and at home sitting there with nothing to worry about except my playing, Ahhh, the releif, so you do need to be at one with your unit, then get your head down and go for it.