Rig Rundown - Luke Schneider

While growing up in Ohio, Luke Schneider was raised on California country-rock (Neil Young, Crosby Stills & Nash, Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles) before discovering early-’90s grunge. Those two influences (helped by the fact that Neil Young had a foot in both camps) were a big reason that 11-year-old Luke Schneider scored his first guitar so he could start rockin’ in the free world. Even at that pre-teen point, he knew that the six strings on “Old Black” weren’t his true calling. He wanted to cry and moan like Neil Young’s pedal-steel guitarist Ben Keith, but it would take over 10 years before he landed his first ride-a mid-’70s MSA doubleneck pedal-steel. (He paid for it from his bellhop tips he got during the 2001 Summer NAMM show.)
Luke Schneider has played alongside Margo Price, Orville Peck, Caitlin Rose, William Tyler, and others. He recently made the transition to solo artist and recorded an instrumental album (Altar of Harmony via Third Man Records) that exclusively uses his 1967 Emmons “push-pull” pedal-steel guitar. The music created by the doubleneck steel combines familiar cries of Floyd, Eno, Lanois, Parsons, Byrds, and, of course, Ben Keith. The result is a seamless wander through meditative moods and celestial calmness creating the perfect contemplative soundtrack.
Schneider welcomes PG’s Chris Kies into his jam space for an enlightening conversation that covers his 20-year arc behind the pedal-steel desk, the musical journey that led him to combining ’70s outlaw country with ambient shoegaze on pedal steel, and details his use of digital synth pedals through the traditional country instrument.
[Facing a mandatory shelter-in ordinance to limit the spread of COVID-19, PG enacted a hybrid approach to filming and producing Rig Rundowns. This is the seventh video in that format, and we stand behind the final product.]
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Don't Miss a Rundown: bit.ly/RIgRundownENL
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00:00 - Wong Notes Podcast
00:47 - Intro
09:20 - Guitars
21:29 - Amps
30:54 - Pedals
#pedalsteel #rigrundown #premierguitar

[@premierguitar]

Get His Gear: bit.ly/LukeSchneiderRR Don't Miss a Rundown: bit.ly/RIgRundownENL Subscribe to PG's Channel: bit.ly/SubscribePGKZbin

[@Docsjeff]

First EBow I saw and heard was Sara Jory at the Dallas PSG Convention.She did Hank’s “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

[@bldallas]

Fascinating! I love the sound of a well played, well positioned (within the song) peddle steel. The tech descriptions are so far over my head, but it’s cool to hear them described. Being a good pedal steel player seems comparable to being a good massive church organ player. So complicated. Can’t imagine learning all that, with any level of proficiency, but God bless the few like Luke who have mastered their craft.

[@Barry101er]

I think this may be the best one ever!

[@MrSh8ky]

That was a fantastic interview thanks Premier Guitar and Luke. I saw Luke playing with Margo in Melbourne at the Thornbury Theatre a couple of years ago, it was a brilliant show and I was blown away by his steel playing, very inspiring. I never knew that much about him so it was wonderful to hear his story and get a few tips. Keep up the great work Luke and PG. Cheers Marty from Melbourne 🇦🇺

[@Docsjeff]

I use a Tone Master Twin and LOVE IT! Mainly because it’s 33#’s.& not 78#’s. His 15 prob isn’t ferociously heavy. I also play thru a Evans 500 w/15” JBL 130,& it’ll HONK!!!

[@c.s.mcleod7383]

Ambient sounds from a pedal steel isn't actually a showcase for vetsatility as a player. John Call from Pure Prairie Leagues 1972-1979 albums is a monster player and the best I've heard. 'Aren't You Mine' is a fine example of his immense talent.

[@billyhellmaker]

This video had made me veer off into ambient slide...which has cost quite a bit in the last week! I need more info on that seat!

[@Docsjeff]

Steeler’s Choice makes a GREAT SEAT in many configurations,& get the sidecar on whichever you buy.You can carry all your gear in the seat.

[@koyl]

Thanks for this. As a lapsteel (not pedal steel) player doing ambient and experimental music, it's a very inspiring one... It has joined my Rig Rundown pantheon witch the Daniel Lanois is a part of, of course. :)

[@Barry101er]

I am a lap steel player too-after seeing this I am going to push the boat out for a EQD Arpanoid.

[@Docsjeff]

That Wompler sounds like a slide guitar.

[@Docsjeff]

IMHO I like the Phaser on Waylon’s Tele but Moon playing clean instead of them both on phaser.

[@MrGotem-gw2pv]

CORY WONG THE MAN THE MYTH THE LEGEND

[@Docsjeff]

And yes,I’ve had built-in Reverb fail at gigs,& you can NOT have that happen.Reverb is your paycheck.

[@clixicool]

i wanna know about this ambient setup (around 55:00) :D does someone has an idea how to create this kind of orchestral sound?

[@Grant_Ferstat]

The Timmy would be working well for the steel because of the really wide EQ and gain range.

[@jipes]

The Lollar models are the "Imperials" a great ressucitation of Wide Range pickups

[@premierguitar]

Hate to be 'that' guy, but Imperials are lower-output P.A.F.s while Lollar's "wide range" pickups are called Regals. (www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-humbucker-pickups/regal-humbucker)

[@DarinCates]

WHY do the mics and audio ALWAYS suck on videos about audio gear?

[@joepro182]

Do one with Blink-182, please

[@SwirlyWhirlyXYZ]

Pedal bench

[@78tag]

Where is John? This is a no brainer for him to have done this one. I just love that adolescent poster on the wall in the background. What 12-year-old did you steal that from? Luke sounds like a monster on the pedal steel. He even sounds a bit like Derek Trucks on one of those demos. I love it. He does seem a little conflicted though - all he talked about was the dirt he could get from his effects yet a Blackface breaks up too soon for his taste? You have to push a twin pretty hard to get break up. All-in-all it was great to hear his take on the pedal steel. I wish he hadn't dodged the KEY-9 pedal demo - that would have been interesting to hear.

[@joehobbit8857]

Fun fact on breakup: pedal steel guitars have super high output pickups that don't push a tube amp the same way that a guitar does. They get this godawful fizzy sound when you play them through a low wattage amp. There are definitely some exceptions, like older Fender steels which have a much lower output pickup. That's why he talks about drive pedals so much as opposed to the drive from the amp. You can get a much more usable drive sounds from a pedal than from an amp when you're playing pedal steel.

[@HexxHenderson]

Joe Hobbit You’ve obviously never heard me play I don’t use any pedals and my guitar doesn’t sound fizzy at all.

[@BubbaBellin]

Modern pedal steel pickups push amps and effects in ways that guitars just don't. My pedal steel fries most pedals, makes a phase 90 clip in a terrible way, most delay pedals it clips the repeats.

[@larrydering1598]

​@@BubbaBellin So true on our pickups. Mine are 17k ohms compared to most guitars that are 7 to 9k. Steel pickups ned to be buffered to dial out the level for some amps.