My own history with playing slide/steel guitar goes back a long way; in fact, all the way back to when I first started playing guitar (self taught at the age of around 11). For some odd reason, I purchased a set of finger/thumb picks and a metal slide - I also made a 'bottleneck' slide by breaking off the neck of a wine bottle. However, the edge was...jagged as I didn't have the tools to smoothen it. Oh well, that was a start. Frankly, I didn't have a clue and there were no local Bluesmeisters to help me out - no guys sitting on porches who could offer wisdom and instruction. My ignorance in these matters was demonstrated by the fact that I would put the finger picks on the wrong way and then wonder how the hell anyone could play with them on - it never occured to me that they went on the other way round. Ah well - pre internet days! So, for a few years, I put any notions of slide and or using picks to one side.
But the appeal did not go away. Funnily enough, for some odd reason (yes another odd reason), I had a kind of fascination for those middle aged to elderly Blues players that hailed from the deep South and beyond: looking at photographs of them and hearing that music when it presented itself; not that I avidly pursued it...but it lingered in the conscious mind. I guess it was the soulful aspects of their music and the words - the expression. Again, for some odd reason, I have always been more interested in the artistic expression of those whose lives are troubled, or are a struggle in some way - far more than that of the Bourgeouise or 'elite'. 'Peasant Music'? Perhaps! Or just the expression of ordinary souls. Hmm....
Anyway, I next revisited slide when I chanced upon the music of Pink Floyd and The Doors a la David Gilmour and Robbie Krieger respectively. Both dabbled with slide; and in the case of Gilmour, lap steel. It might be fair to say that David Gilmour was influenced in his use of slide/steel by Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett whose experimentation with running a cigarette lighter down the fingerboard of his guitar added to the early Floyd sound. Gilmour famously used slide/steel in conjunction with a Binson echo unit - Italian made job! Robbie Krieger played the slide a lot on the Doors recordings; for example, 'Moonlight Drive' or 'Who Do You Love' courtesy of Bo Diddly.
So, picked up that slide again; feeling once more inspired. But frankly, I still didn't have a clue - guitars need to be set up for slide guitar: high action and heavier strings. I have recordings I made years ago where I am playing slide and you can hear a lot of fret buzz. On the other hand, I was not prepared to dedicate a guitar to the art of slide; because I did not have that many guitars at the time to make that kind of sacrifice. Mostly I was interested in the experimental approach to slide at that time - a la David Gilmour - rather than anything 'authentic' - and used a 1980's Aria Digital Delay pedal to enhance the sound.
Time passes...
In 2016, I was requested to teach steel guitar; not something I had ever done. Indeed, I had never owned a steel guitar. But I should say that my interest in steel guitar went back to my childhood years, growing up with the sound of Country and Western in my ears and hearing pedal steel guitar. I do believe I wanted one back then; but then I also wanted a banjo because I loved the idea of playing Bluegrass. Childhood fantasies!
Anyway, my thinking was that I should be able to teach steel guitar by adapting my knowledge of slide. To that end, I converted a cheap flat top steel stringed acoustic into a 'steel' - initially tuned to open G...the Dobro G and finally settling on C6 tuning for that Hawaiian/Western Swing sound. I used heavier gauge strings and a Gretsch nut extension which lifted those strings about half a foot from the fingerboard. So that guitar was undeniably committed to the art of steel. And I acquired a sort of home made 'steel' that I used until ending up with a proper -and seriously heavy - tone bar. I was good to go! And I used that set up for several years...until I noticed the bridge was being torn off the top of the guitar - under all that tension and strain. Oops - time to think again.
Next, I settled for converting a normal electric guitar to a steely; using the same nut extension and tuned to C6. No chance of the bridge flying off with this instrument: it is bolted down!
Now that works fine as a six stringed steel guitar. Mind, over the last few years, I have been hankering after a proper lapsteel guitar (dual console on a frame) or even a pedal steel. One day, I will most certainly commit to these instruments. It has been a gradual progression; and I view the pedal steel - complete with volume pedal, compressor and delay unit - as the final destination in all of this.
I recently bought a metal resonator guitar with a view to playing slide on it; perhaps even steel. With it being a round neck, I can toggle betweent the two approaches. Resonators certainly have that authentic Blues/Bluegrass/Country sound - it reeks of Americana!
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that little story about my association with slide/steel. I will finish by advertising my lessons in these instruments alongside everything else. You know how to contact me!
