Albert Svenddal, how to get the best tone for pedal steel guitar

How to get great tone from your steel guitar

[@Melvvynfirmager]

It seems to me that if you are going to produce a video about tone, then demonstrating it as you go, to show examples and differences is vital. I see Albert that you have answered a similar point by saying go to your recordings. Maybe that would be useful, but not as good as actually demonstrating on the spot. I thank you for your thoughts never the less. For me it was all pretty obvious, but clearly others got a lot out of the session, so good on you for being helpful to them. I hope you don't mind my comments, just trying to be helpful. kind regards, Melvyn. PS Oh, just to say I built my own pedal steel some 48 years ago, no money, left handed, so it was the way to go for me. Had no idea of what one did to design the pedal mechanism, so worked on logic and experimenting, and some how got lucky. There weren't so many pedal steels around in the UK back then, to look at for ideas. Found a guy to make me my pickups and been using them ever since - I had no knowledge of pickups, so again got lucky. Playing with amp pots seems to give me a wide range of tonal changes. Tend towards a warmer tone, don't like too much clang, but really like the Emmons tone too.. Emmons forever!!!

[@Docsjeff]

I just ordered 2 sets of E9 strings.Looking forward to trying them out at a gig this Saturday. I learned a lot from this video.Thank You.

[@mikedennis6979]

Excellent discussion, looking forward to your tuning discussion

[@Jason-bg7jc]

Would definitely like to see you talk more about tuning. You've got a lot of PSG wisdom!

[@Aldenosteel]

Can you do that video on tuning? Awesome video and info! I’ve been playing for less than year, and I had never thought about almost everything you said, so thanks!!

[@rickpatton3231]

Great stuff Albert , waiting to hear about the new strings

[@Junior-jw1bb]

Very informative. Thanks for posting

[@MrPatdeeee]

Well I can not believe it. I stumbled on this channel and lo and behold a young man that I know is on the video. Wow I cant believe it. The last time I saw you was when you came to my Steel Convention to play in Atlanta. That was 1997 and 1978. 22 yrs ago. Wow. Hope you are doing fine dear friend Albert. carl dixon

[@ryanolson4855]

Thank you for doing this!

[@BlindTom61]

I have a bolton D10. Play it through a TR. Old strings. Sounds beyond great...

[@JFLAHERTY100]

Great video by the way

[@mrtriffid]

AMAZING! I've played steel guitar off and on since 1970 on several makes of steel including Sho-Bud and Emmons. I've owned and played my Emmons P-P since 1977. Here's the fascinating point: I would describe the tonal characteristics of the Sho-Bud vs. the Emmons in EXACTLY the OPPOSITE way. Just compare the tone of LLoyd Green's Sho-Bud 'finger-tip' on something like "Mr. Nashville Sound (Chart Records) vs. Emmons' p-p on 'The Black Album.' Hence, the futility of discussions that try to pin down 'tone.'

[@edwardwelborn4698]

I totally agree with you

[@picker63028]

And every amp and steel combination has a different flavor. I own 7 various pedal steels and a basement full of amps that were all the rage for tone. I'm not convinced I could recommend any as a best choice, but some are definitely better than others. I have my favorite tone from a Derby SD10 3X5 with an E66 George L pickup and a Fender tube twin reverb from the 70s. The ToneMaster Twin is getting some use but it takes a EQ pedal and decent reverb/delay pedal to suit my tastes.

[@larrydering1598]

Good talk. Was hoping you would go into amp settings and what works best. Years of experience really matters.

[@chrismillett]

Love Stringjoy! Had Scott on my podcast!

[@nqbraun]

A WONDERFUL VIDEO. MUCH COVERED THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF. NEED MORE VIDEOS LIKE THIS TO HELP US .

[@stevenhickenjr]

Great video!

[@gosteelman]

Steven Hicken Jr Pedal Steel Guitar thanks

[@regdenis913]

thanks for the tips

[@bearthalamas9241]

The one item I attribute a lot of my tone to is a powder coated bar. It not only reduced string noise, but give it a fuller rounder tone too.

[@Melvvynfirmager]

That sounds interesting. I would appreciate knowing more please, A maker for example would be helpful. And have you found the powder coating wears ok, and what about sustain? And does it slide as smoothly and a chrome bar? Thank you in advance. Guess others might like to know too.

[@bearthalamas9241]

@@Melvvynfirmager I bought mine back in 2017 from Kyle Scott I think. It's called a color tone bar. He makes them. Pretty cheap too. At the time I paid $40+sh. I haven't picked up any of my chrome bars since. It sticks to your hand really good right from the start. It's not slippery in your fingers at all. I dropped it one time and it caught the leg adjustment nut on the way down and put a permanent scratch on it but I keep that part on top and it's really not bad at all. It slides better too. The only thing some ppl might not like is it changes your tone, quite a bit. I like it. It's got a slight growl to it and takes a lot of the annoying high frequencies out and smooths the rest of the highs. Like I said, all my chrome bars got relegated to lapsteel after I got it. Lol. I've never liked the sound or feel of them since I got the powder coated one. And if anything ever happens to it, I'll give polymer bars a try, and look for another powder coated one.

[@slicksnewonenow]

A suggestion - Try an old BAKELITE or DELRIN plastic bar! Incredible.

[@bearthalamas9241]

@@slicksnewonenow I'm sure they have their own character. I'd try it. I've used pvc couplings on my finger with acoustic guitars. I heard of ppl using wood slides to get different sounds.

[@rainerwaansinn]

I've been listening to him for four minutes now. I'm not quite sure ... is he talking about Tone?

[@LD-qg6pr]

Albert - Simply Excellent! I'm a newbie - just picked up a Sho-Bud 6140 - I guess i'm in the Sho-Bud camp by default???? Thank you!

[@gosteelman]

Not totally true. Your taste may be one sound but you play a different guitar. Example , I gravitate to an Emmons tone but I play a Williams which is more of a Sho-Bud tone. The best way to determine which camp you are in is to identify which player is your most favorite. If Buddy Emmons or John Huey (Conway Twitter ) then Emmons tone. If Lloyd Green then Sho-Bud.

[@LD-qg6pr]

gosteelman - Ben Keith who we all know was a Nashville staple sessions man - until Neil Young saw his wonderful talents and the rest is history! I’d love to try and play of few of his locks down the road - simple steps first. Thanks for the replay and look forward to more of your vids! - Les

[@jamesmay6820]

Well as for me I like the tenpenny sound of a double neck fender like speedy West but you're still guitar sounds good as well

[@jonathanfrieze8497]

i know speedy west at one point played a marlen they were built in reidsville nc by leonard statler and an assitant out of a garage or back of a pharmacy is the story i heard cant verify that but they sound amazing ive owned 2 of them a single and now a double neck its 73 black marlen D-10 i love it finally found a local expert who worked in the emmonns factory to help me understand how to set up and tune a pull release he called the 2nd generation of pedal steel tech

[@regdenis913]

what camp does the MSA XL Legend fall into? Emmons tone or Sho Bud tone? thx..love ur vids!

[@jonathanfrieze8497]

i have to shoutout to marlen since ive lived and grown up in nc and ive owned 2 both were amazing but i really like the one i have now thats a D-10 funny both i bought becuse of the low price but both were black the d-10s a 1973 pull release and im crazy about its tone

[@johnjp5883]

It seems like the amp would have more of an influence over the tone more than the particular guitar being used?

[@1deadmanshand]

I hear to get Stringjoy Strings, can you exactly tell me which ones, I have a MSA SuperSlide 12 lap steel guitar. Which ones do you suggest ?

[@petepete8556]

Albert, this may be a noob question, but does the Nashville 112 lean more toward an Emmons or Sho-Bud tone? I am definitely in the Sho-Bud camp, but right now I am using a GFI guitar direct into an audio interface with EQ/reverb in my DAW. If not the Nashville 112, is there other gear you would recommend?

[@cprattpedalsteel]

If I may, the Nashville 112 is extremely neutral. It works fine with Emmons or Sho Bud. The Nashville 112 is not for me but a lot of high level players like them.

[@dannymuhammad8321]

Amplifiers are not that important if you're starting out. As you get more into it you'll find what you like.. Personally I like smaller Fender tube amplifiers. But I also like pv session 400 any Evans. But almost anything will work if it's relatively clean. And you don't need tons and tons of volume. Anything over 50 W is usually too much.. But more is better than less..

[@slicksnewonenow]

A vintage Peavey Session 400 with reverb AND tremolo is hard to beat! Both literally and figuratively.

[@jonathanfrieze8497]

i dont know if you said this but for instance after listening to paul franklin interview i got some daddarios and it sounding great for a couple days but then things went out of tune and after taking mine to a pedal steel tech/teacher he told me that i have to buy the exact same strings idk if thats because its a 73 pull release but im not expiermenting with strings ever again

[@Steelplayer59]

One more item I would add, though I guess it’s somewhat obvious, is the actual tone control on the guitar. My guitar has a bypass switch, which I keep in the “bypass” position because I think the tone pot robs too much of the guitar’s tone, even when turned to the minimal effect if it’s enabled.

[@GrantConklin]

Hey Albert- Very interesting. I challenge you however, to a double blind cable test. Quality does matter, but I don't believe there is any difference between 2 different brands of quality cable.

[@gosteelman]

I have done several tests and yes cables make a big difference. I could do a video on that alone.

[@lancemartin8465]

If the capacitance of the two cables are different, then the sound will be different as well

[@GrantConklin]

@@lancemartin8465 I looked this up, and you're correct! My comment could have been more clear about what "2 different brands of quality cable" even means. I found 3 articles on the subject that were enlightening. Here's a good one: zerocapcable.com/?page_id=209

[@tomkindle7822]

Hard to say what the original p/p or sho-bud tone really was. No telling how much the recording process affected the sound. Tone is in the player.

[@coldsteelprogressive]

Interesting take on what affects tone. However the power of your amplifier, including your speaker configuration, either trumps all other acoustic aspects of the ability to produce a consistent tone or limits your ability to do so... Not sure I completely agree with the disparity between Sho~Bud and Emmons tone camps... Using a Telonics Pre 1000 amplifier you can switch from a Tom Brumley style to tone to a very heavy, much less trebly tone in a split second with a twist of the Blend knob. Both sound superb, depending on your needs at the moment. But I'll continue to watch because the video expresses interesting ideas. P.S: There are cables that are enormously higher fidelity compared to the more common ones you mention.

[@78tag]

I understand the "3 elements of tone" that you describe here but isn't "push/pull" a description of the Emmons mehanics more than the tone? I have dabbled in the PS world off and on for a long time. I took lessons back in the 80's - ended up selling my Emmons after letting life get in the way - had a change of heart some years latter - got back into it with a ShoBud and still haven't gone down the rabbit hole far enough to understand the whole PP thing.

[@cincinnatipedalsteel4347]

Do you wish you hadn't got a Williams, since you said you prefer the Emmons sound, but you said Williams has a Shobud tone?

[@gosteelman]

I do not regret having the Williams at all. Actually , my two dream guitars I now actually have. The Williams has the best tone (Sho-bud like ) for playing rhythm stuff and has a warm rich full sound for all the solo stuff I do. It is also the best playing guitar for me. However since I have always like the push pull tone for country sounds, I now own one. Love it for recording and playing classic country. I see many guitar players have two or more guitars when they play concerts , a Tele for one sound, a Strat for another sound and a Les Paul for another. Why can’t steel players do the same? I can and I do but the extra EQ and weight is a factor.

[@daleramsey6000]

What about bmi 10 4 pedal 4knee with Nashville 400

[@picker63028]

BMI is a fine guitar and the Nashville 400 is great. You should have no problem getting a great tone from that. I own 2 BMIs and used on several amps.

[@JFLAHERTY100]

Don't clean all the wax out of your ears. Earwax has several important jobs. First, it protects and moisturizes the skin of ear canal, preventing dry, itchy ears. Second, it contains special chemicals that fight off infections that could hurt the skin inside the ear canal. Finally, it acts as a shield between the outside world and the eardrum.

[@gosteelman]

Good info to know.

[@chrismillett]

Also, the true bypass is kind of a myth. The boss style buffer actually does the same thing that your buffer pedal does - which you said it good. It’s not a black / white thing.

[@coldsteelprogressive]

P.P.S. Tuning makes a huge difference in how your sound is presented. The further you depart from Just Intonation, the murkier and less iconic your sound will be.

[@bradygandy1031]

Albert, there’s no way I could agree with how you describe your “two camps” of tone. When I think of Sho-Bud, I think of a permanent and fingertip. Almost always SIGNIFICANTLY thinner and usually brighter sounding than any Emmons, whether you’re talking about a wraparound, bolt on or cut tail… the later generations of guitars like an all-pull Emmons or Sho-Bud pro 1, 2, or 3, are vastly different than just “two camps” of tone.

[@dannymuhammad8321]

I have to update and say that we didn't hear You play anything. It's hard to know if you know anything about tone when we haven't heard you play. If you're gonna do this again play something and then talk about it. Just sitting They're and going on and on about everything Is great if we have an example. I was really wanting to hear that guitar

[@gosteelman]

Look my name up and listen to my videos. There are several.

[@frankiedaymodels8529]

The Tone Is In your Hands

[@jerryhubbard4461]

Listen to David Hartley and you will find the master of steel playing and tone. Rains guitar and Telonics pickup. Top of the line and best sound bar NONE.

[@GrantConklin]

In a future video, could you give examples of the Shobud vs Emmons schools of tone? And where does Robert Randolph fall on that continuum? kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZi6iGebo9KkpLM

[@mrtriffid]

Randolph falls squarely in the "Jimi Hendrix" range of the "continuum!"

[@slicksnewonenow]

Robert Randolph AIN'T a steel player... He's good at what he does, but PLAYING a pedal guitar AIN'T IT.

[@bobbarone7327]

I can save all of you 30 minutes of your life in one sentence. Try everything that’s manufactured for steel guitar and if you like the way it sounds, use it!!

[@mickkollins]

talk talk no hearing the tone......come on!

[@badhandtim1]

All that talking, and you don’t play a damn note…