How about a slide summit with guys like Johnny Winter, Ry Cooder, Sonny Landreth, Derek Trucks, etc., discussing tunings, technique, equipment, all the usual stuff. THAT would make a cover and a half!

And it would be cool to see some stuff about lap steel players, like Ben Harper, David Lindley, Sammy Hagar, Robert Randolph, etc. I'd like to see some continuing lessons on playing steel in different tunings, articles about 6, 8 and ten string non-pedal steel axes, different slide bars and how to use them. There is a lot rock & blues potential in those instruments, and not enough people taking advantage of it.

There has been at least one slide guitar issue before, but I agree: it's such a vibrant style that it calls for another one.

+1 here. i'd like to see some kind of basic intro to C6 tuning, which (iirc) is the 'common' tuning for lap steel.

Hmmm....I JUST checked my alternate tunings book and found a G6 tuning but no C6 tuning....there IS an open C tuning that I may start giving a try....I like REALLY low bass strings on my acoustic guitar and I generally have my little lap steel in either open D or open G tuning....this is for the weird psyche-country blues thing I like to do on occasion....I generally just leave my guitars (acoustic and electric) in open D as I am sort of lazy and it keeps me inspired.....Now I am intrigued...if there is a "proper" lap steel tuning then I would love to hear about it. I saw Robert Randolph on the Crossroads GitFest DVD and that guy is a real screamer....I think I would just get confused having to tune that many strings.....

In all honesty, an old friend told me about the C6 tuning. Essentially the point is to have a major triad on three strings and a minor triad on the others. Here's a few links I found on the subject if you're interested:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C6_tuning

http://www.planetgaa.com/C6/index.html

http://www.well.com/~wellvis/tuning.html

As much as I like finding info online, it's always a pleasure to see features in GP on the subject.

Thanks amigo!...I am gonna start fooling around a little with my lapsteel on a couple of new tunes....it's a crappy little Artisan that I picked up for like, 50 bucks but seems to do the job (I may invest)....this may come in handy! Never mind that I am a sucker for just about any open tuning (particularly the ones where your bass strings get dropped a step or two). It's a wonderful lazyman's way to get some great sounds!

http://www.myspace.com/mortal_engines

no problem. hope you like the sites. As for investing, check this out:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Nuts,_saddles/Resonator_nuts,_saddles/Slide_Guitar_Extension_Nut.html

for less than $5 you can (basically) convert any guitar to a lap steel. i bought an epi les paul jr for about $80 a couple of years ago. it's a pretty crap guitar but i put one of those extender nuts and turned it into a lap steel. now i'm looking to drop a decent humbucker in it. i'm figuring for about $150 total it's a decent investment. i'll never sell it cause i'd never get what it's worth to me, ya know?

oh.. and if you don't pick this up on the stew-mac site, all you do is loosen the strings on the guitar, put the nut over the existing one, put the strings back over the nut and tune. instant lap steel.

That's pretty tricky, yo......Thanks!

In the meantime, the motherload can be found at Bobby Lee's Steel Guitar Forum:
http://www.steelguitarforum.com/
I've been playing pedal steel for a decade now (37 years guitar), and this site has been of immeasurable help. There's a non-pedal division too, among many. Maybe it's because it's such a rare instrument, but I've never found a similar guitar site with the same quality of responses. If you want to ask Paul Franklin or Buddy Emmons a question, they ANSWER IT THEMSELVES.

I think a steel issue would be really cool. I've been struggling with learning the E9 pedal steel for the last couple of years and there are a lot of players and a lot of music which I think would be of interest to other guitarists. Many of the instruments' most influential players have passed on or are in their twilight years. It would be great to see some of them featured.

A steel guitar (lap, non-pedal or pedal) is still a GUITAR!

I gotta give the editorial staff props. Lately, I've been seeing a lot more coverage on slide and steel players. It's really great to know you guys listen and take suggestions, at least sometimes. Thanks Editor Boy, I've been digging it.

I would love to see a slide/lap-steel issue. You guys did a great cover story with Warren Haynes (Gov't Mule) a year or so ago, and it totally got me into slide. I revisited stories with Derek Trucks and even George Thorogood (try the "copper pipe" approach he uses...totally easy and totally cool!). Now if I could only SOUND like those dudes! I'm in for a slide/steel issue!

Cheers!

Check out my Post today 12/27/08 about alternate tuning tutorial. I think this would go hand in hand with the Slide playing. It lends to an understanding of the Pedal Steel as well. What Jerry Garcia (New Riders Of the Purple Sage) deemed "The Contraption"..

Hello everybody. I've been lurking here for quite some time. I've had a subscription to GP since the early 80's (yeah, another old fart). I am currently trying to improve my very rudimentary slide skills. I know GP has done several columns on slide playing over the years and was hoping that there was a way to search a database of back issues so I could find them? I couldn't find anything on the GP site.

Sorry to possibly hijack the thread but I figure this is a good thread to ask this question since it is slide related.

David Tronzo is a great slide player in a unique jazz style - he did a great soundpage in Guitar Player that was to be played on a TURNTABLE - a tune called "Spin".
He did an open seminar in a guitar store in Manhattan that I had the privilege to attend - he played well and was very knowledegeable.
He's still out there playing and should be interviewed again!

Robert Randolph was on the cover a while back...

Didn't Jimmy Page have a steel guitar and a theremin as part of his stage set-up? Anyone know for sure?

Theremin yes, steel guitar no. He played all his stage slide stuff on an old Danelectro double cut.

He did however use a pedal steel in the studio a couple times.

That's odd....I seem to remember seeing a steel guitar on stage (back near the amp line, I think) for the 1977 Zep tour. Maybe his guitar tech from those days knows? Anyone know how to find him? Also, Page played "White Summer" on that Danelectro during the set. I'm not so sure about the slide stuff.

I have no experience with slide. I think it'd be interesting. +1.