posted 21 March 2005 03:48 AM
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Good question. Actually each has its use, except for the D60 Dobro which never gets used since I got the Beard MA. The Regal has an old timey sound which is completey different than the Beard which has a very modern sound. On the GeorgeBoards I have Derrick Campbells Sacred Steel tuning. Just got the Bakelite and its in pieces with the magnets being sent today to Rick.The triple neck has C6, A6 and whatever tuning I'm experimenting with at the time.
The gretsch will probably get sold now that I have the Rick. The national almost never gets played and I was going to sell it but my son picked it up, so I keep it around for him.
The baritone weiss is my latest and I do a lot of D tuning (actually tuned down to an A) stuff on that when I want to sing. The lazy river is the same but actually tuned to D tuning. The Marting is there because I've always had it and when I feel like playing straight guitar its there.
On the other hand for the first 50 years of my life I struggled and had only one guitar. In my 40's I bought a few more. In my 50's I could afford to buy the ones I wanted and they weren't really all that expensive. I just figured I owed myself a few things: it be worse if I got into fancy cars - this is a much cheaper hobby.
Instruments that have come and gone include a Johnson resonator, a Baby Taylor, a Hamer Electric, a Beltone resonator, and a set of Uilleann pipes.
My son has gotten into the game early and at 14 has a cello, a Pomeroy mandolin, a johnson resonator mandolin. Also around the house is an electric bass, a couple of keyboards, a flute, a shakuhachi, and assorted tin whistles. Plus drums and various other percussion instruments.
On the other hand, everyone in my family is musical. My son is a prodigy on the mandoln, my wife was a former professional singer, my daughter sings and plays the piano. My brother in law is principle bass with the New York city ballet. His ex wife is first chair second violins with the metropolitan Opera, my children's grandfather was a professional jazz and club date drummer and their grandmother is a singer songwriter, still going strong writing - now writing protest songs. She called me last night because she finally got to meet and have a long conversation with Pete Seeger, a hero of hers. I've played all my life, in Boston, Pennslyvania and Austin texas back in the 8o's. Gave it up while I was trying to raise a family, and seven years ago, got back into playing.
The Steel Guitar Forum
posted 20 March 2005 05:15 PM
