Steel players who gave up "armpit" guitar for the steel?

[Dave Hopping]

Vulgarity.... Not that there's anything wrong with it, but in this context, a little goes a long way, sometimes a longer way than intended. Pros don't go around dissing other pros.

[Tim Toberer]

I was curious how people use this term, so I tried to search "armpit guitar" with the search function for this site. I cannot get results for any search using this function. We are getting away from the purpose of this thread, but this definitely deserves its own.
I don't believe people generally use this term with intentional malice. However, I think there may be an underlying Freudian type malice that has to do with steel players in general having a bit of secret hatred for guitar players because they get all the attention. Or I could be wrong .

Armpit guitar sounds very ignorant, and some of the stereotypes associated with steel guitar and country music reinforce ignorance. I agree with trying to push away from this. It is a gross term, but it gives me more of a chuckle than anything. I completely understand peoples concern with language and I appreciate this conversation very much.
Toe Cheese guitar! I love it!

[Mike Neer]

I may be wrong but I think one of the pet peeves of steel players is having a guitarist in a group who is emulating steel guitar licks with a steel player on the bandstand—I have heard that. In that case it might be okay to call it “armpit steel”.

[Roger Rettig]

I'll concede that, Mike!

[Dave Mudgett]

If you look back, you will see plenty of hostility, aimed at guitar players, exhibited by steel players here. There are even entire threads dedicated to complaining about guitar players - too loud, musically ignorant, out of tune, play over everything, distorted sound - every sterotype you can think of.

And, of course, there are some guitar players out there who fit these stereotypes. I have played with some, LOL. But I think it's a very exaggerated stereotype, and a lot of this wrath is unjustified.

I think some of this hostility feeds expressions like the one being discussed here. Yeah, I know it's a self-deprecating joke for some of us, who are guitar players themselves. And if it was just an occasional instance, that would be one thing. But when people start saying that this is, and should be, the default term for guitar, I have a problem.

I may be wrong but I think one of the pet peeves of steel players is having a guitarist in a group who is emulating steel guitar licks with a steel player on the bandstand—I have heard that.

No, you're not wrong. I have felt that way myself occasionally, especially if done poorly. I sometimes do steel-inspired licks on a Telecaster, with or without a bender. But if I ever got to play with other steel players (rarely happens), I would generally defer that to them. But on a Telecaster especially, bending strings is part of the thing - pretty tough to chicken pick and not bend strings in a way reminiscent of steel somewhat.

I'll also say that plenty of chicken pickin' licks on pedal steel come from emulating a Telecaster. With guys like Ralph Mooney, sometimes I find it hard to distinguish where the chicken pickin' guitar leaves off and the chicken pickin' steel comes in. When it's someone like James Burton yankin' the strings, I can't imagine anybody complaining.

[Guy Cundell]

Well, I have gradually made the transition and no longer identify as a regular guitar player.

[Carl Mesrobian]

I may be wrong but I think one of the pet peeves of steel players is having a guitarist in a group who is emulating steel guitar licks with a steel player on the bandstand—I have heard that. In that case it might be okay to call it “armpit steel”.

Or simply a guitarist who needs to play his/her part...I wave goodbye and go to Hugheyland, or do some of those combined notes going up and down at the same time - that usually settles the situation

I started on guitar in the early 60's, with Armenian music, didn't start pedal steel until 2010 or so (Yes, wet behind the ears rookie), along with mandolin. Now in a band doing lots of Waylon and Willie, and loving trying to get remotely close to Mooney's style. I currently play mostly pedal steel, with dribs and drabs of mandolin and guitar, and recently started to do jazz comping on the mando with many rootless chord voicings - really fun! I can play straight ahead jazz on guitar, and got bored one day and decided to start trying bebop on the mandolin - an aha! moment for me.

[James P Mitchell]

I kind of wish I could give up pedal steel to be honest, but a lot of my work ends up being playing pedal steel since there are so many guitarists. I love it but I play so many other things - Spanish guitar, slide, dobro, lap steel, bass, banjo, mandolin - that I do feel like my pedal steel playing suffers sometimes. One of the main problems I run into is if I'm doing double duty, I'll play an instrument on the stuff that feels like it lays right for it, and you can sort of be training yourself to not tackle the harder tunes on steel that I would be forced to if I was playing only steel. It also happens where I'm out on the road for a couple weeks just playing guitar and then I come home right to a session or gig with pedal steel and that can be a bit stressful - not that I sound bad but I find when my chops aren't up to date I'm just very limited in my ideas and vocabulary.

Been playing a 4 hour set downtown Wednesdays and Sundays and that has helped keep my chops together on steel.
Somehow I'm looking to add oud to my arsenal as well! Who knows what will get rusty then.
I pretty much always hate my playing (though I don't let it bother me!), but I figure if I get hired I'm doing something right so I just keep at it.

[Fred Thompson]

My $.02 worth.. I played acoustic and electric guitar most of my life. When arthritis found its way to my left (chording) hand around 1992 and it became painful to play, I decided to try to learn the pedal steel. I devoted most of my spare time to listening to Brumley, Hughey, Emmons, Day and others that I admired. Bought a copy of "Pedal Steel Guitar" and borrowed an MSA Red Baron from a friend. I pretty much put the 6 string away, as I spent most of my spare time practicing what I was reading, and getting used to those finger picks.. My thumb was ok, as I played guitar 'finger style'.. In a couple months, I outgrew the single knee lever Baron and bought a used 3x5 ShoBud. Many pedal steels, new and used have suffered my learning bumps and bruises since then, but it has been a wonderful 32 year ride. I'm still learning and loving this beautiful instrument and I thank all the bands that allowed me play with them and learn.. I still have my guitars and try to regain what I lost by not playing them, but the pain is still there.. Fortunately, not so much playing my steel..
Keep On Steeling!

[Paul Wade]

My $.02 worth.. I played acoustic and electric guitar most of my life. When arthritis found its way to my left (chording) hand around 1992 and it became painful to play, I decided to try to learn the pedal steel. I devoted most of my spare time to listening to Brumley, Hughey, Emmons, Day and others that I admired. Bought a copy of "Pedal Steel Guitar" and borrowed an MSA Red Baron from a friend. I pretty much put the 6 string away, as I spent most of my spare time practicing what I was reading, and getting used to those finger picks.. My thumb was ok, as I played guitar 'finger style'.. In a couple months, I outgrew the single knee lever Baron and bought a used 3x5 ShoBud. Many pedal steels, new and used have suffered my learning bumps and bruises since then, but it has been a wonderful 32 year ride. I'm still learning and loving this beautiful instrument and I thank all the bands that allowed me play with them and learn.. I still have my guitars and try to regain what I lost by not playing them, but the pain is still there.. Fortunately, not so much playing my steel..
Keep On Steeling!

Fred right with you have the same problem too. Went back to playing six string rusty but rewarding 34 years playing steel

[Ben Lawson]

I started as a rhythm player/singer in my teens. Took up bass in my early 20's. Bought a new D10 P/P Emmons in 1970 at 25 years old. Had a new D10 P/P built by Jimmie Crawford in 1976 and I still have it. Quit playing about three months ago to do some non-musical traveling. We have two new great-grandchildren and a new daughter-in-law that we haven't met yet.

[Tony Prior]

not me either . I began my musical journey on a student Accordion, but that was not my thing at all. I took over my brothers acoustic guitar at age 11 or 12. Never stopped. Began playing Pedal Steel at around age 23 or so, but still my primary instrument was the 6 string'er.

Fast forward , played double duty Steel/Guitar for my entire journey. Today, I'm not playing Steel out on any regular basis, ( my choice ) but am still on guitar duty . I guess I'm a guitar player who also plays Pedal Steel and Dobro.

I actually don't think anyone gives up one or the other, we stay with the one which keeps us busy or "employed" . I've been hired tons of times over my journey to play Steel only, the bands didn't need a guitar player, they wanted a Steel player. So I sat down all night ! I've also been hired a kazillion times to play guitar and NOT Steel as the bands already had a Steel player.

The band I have been part of for well over 20 years, while I was always primary Guitar/Steel, there were times we were down a Bass player , so we brought in a Guitar/Steel player and I played Bass. I did whatever so we could play the gigs. Its just part of the journey.

[Bob Sykes]

I started on electric (my first) guitar in 1968, playing in a band within a year. Always dabbled in slide but started carrying a dedicated slide guitar (open E, high action, heavy strings) to gigs in the '90s. Got a lap steel (gateway drug) around the turn of the century and quickly realized I wanted more chordal options. Always loved the sound of pedal steel. I took the plunge when a used Carter Starter became available locally and never looked back.

These days my gigs are Double Duty 90% pedal steel, 10% electric guitar. I still feel like a real guitar player but a pedal steel hack. My guitar playing and callouses are not as good as they once were but I never gave up da 6-strang. In the past month I've started playing lap steel for the first time in years. The band leader wants to learn some Jackson Browne tunes.

I may be wrong but I think one of the pet peeves of steel players is having a guitarist in a group who is emulating steel guitar licks with a steel player on the bandstand—I have heard that. In that case it might be okay to call it “armpit steel”.

This used to bother me but the (too loud of course) lead guitar player I am currently working with is tastefully soaking up my pedal steel licks and we do some call and response with the same note bends. I'm learning how to play my pedal steel riffs on 6 string by watching him translate. Fun stuff. He's young and I think he's hankering for a real pedal steel geetar.