Hello fellow players,
Now Im going to harp about this at least one more time and put the facts right out on the table. If you are a steel guitarist that works for money and you only own one guitar, youre still a hardcore amateur. You have to have several guitars for several reasons. If youre recording, you need several for the different tones they provide. Its hard to play like Ralph Mooney on an Emmons guitar and sell it authentically.
Different guitars for different styles. Lapsteels for that Hawaiian sound. Jerry Byrd Rickenbacker for that big, fat, wonderful tone that he had. Fenders will give you a different tone than any steel you could think about replacing it with. Then theres the fact that if anything happens to one guitar that youre using, you are going to need to grab something else quick to take to the job to make money with.
If youre a carpenter, you own more than one hammer. If youre a pipefitter, you own more than one pipe wrench. If you are a professional auto mechanic, youll have hundreds of wrenches and tools.
You think steel guitars are too expensive? Why worry? Youll get all your money back plus when you sell it or trade it in. Steel guitars are tools. They are beautiful, they go up in value and played correctly with a smile, will make you money.
Think about this. If you had an extra couple thousand dollars to put into your gear and the people that hired you knew that you had a lot of this gear, your phone will most likely ring a lot more no matter where you live in the world.
I have steel players come into my store all the time wanting to borrow a steel guitar or an amplifier or even rent one and I do rent them at times, but I think its very foolish for them not have an extra guitar or amp at home because if they dont, it will cost them money they dont need to be spending on rental fees.
Maybe you are that auto mechanic that works all week on folks automobiles, but only play in church on weekends. With the investment that you get back on a steel guitar, theres no reason why you shouldnt have other guitars and watch them go up in value.
Buy the right guitars of course. Dont buy the wrong guitars. Guitars that dont seem to go up in value. Ill be glad to help you stay away from. There are many guitars that continue to keep going up, several of which I wish I had more of myself. There are even two or three brands of amplifiers that are collectible, but be very careful collecting these. Parts availability and condition mean everything on these amplifiers just like steel guitars.
How many guitar players do you know that only have one guitar? In Nashville, when you hire a guitar player, hell show up with about eight guitars in his car and have a cartage service show up with about fifteen more for just one session. He may only use one, but then again, he may use five or six different ones, shake his head and say, Darn. I wish I had brought my DAngelico.
But all guitar players have many different kinds of guitars to cover the job. How many times have you seen rock bands with guitar and bass players that switch guitars between every song and sometimes in the middle of a song?
All us steel players lay back and wonder why were not getting any work. It may be something as simple as not having enough tools to do the job right. Chad Udeen is one of those players who comes to a country job loaded for bear. He is working with Gary Allan and earns every bit of his money. He is a brilliant young player that can play hard rock, hard country and is continuing to expand his limits. I see him and wonder why other steel players dont apply themselves so willingly and diligently.
If you are a steel player thats trying to fill out your working collection of equipment, if you buy more than one thing at a time, pro or not, I will give you a tremendous discount on your second instrument.
We still have free shipping within the lower 48 on any steel guitar you buy between now and the end of the month.
Check out our monthly specials at http://www.steelguitar.net/monthlyspecials.html and well try to save you a lot of money.
Your buddy,
Bobbe
www.steelguitar.net
sales@steelguitar.net
www.youtube.com/bobbeseymour
Steel Guitar Nashville
123 Mid Town Court
Hendersonville, TN. 37075
(615) 822-5555
Open 9AM 4PM Monday Friday
Closed Saturday and Sunday