Weissenborn lap steel -- a place in Old Time Music??

[scgc.om]

Most of my jamming time is spent playing Old Time and Bluegrass music.

Recently, I located a Weissenborn (copy) guitar for sale -- I've actually got a hold on it for a few days. Buying this lap steel instrument would represent a major departure for me -- up to now, I've only taken on guitar and mandolin.

My question: If I were to buy this Weissenborn and try to learn to play it, would I find no use for it at the jams I now frequent? Or is there a place for a Weissenborn in OT &/or BG music?

I suppose I either need to be dissuaded from making a dumb "GAS purchase" . . . or I need to be pushed into a new area of the Muse that is music . . . .

Thanks for your thoughts.

[delsbrother]

Just like in the '20s, volume will probably be an issue. But stylistically, you can play anything a Dobro can play.

[Gutbucket]

It would sound great on gospel tunes.

[allenhopkins]

Lots of the old-time duets, like Darby & Tarlton, (http://www.nme.com/video/id/QzIwRMUFYlY/search) Dixon Brothers, (http://www.nme.com/video/id/TBTVjdS40vM/search) and others, used guitar and "Hawaiian guitar" to accompany vocals. The "steel" parts were usually played on standard guitars in open tuning, with "nut extenders" to raise the strings for playing with a steel bar. A Weissenborn would be well-suited for such use.

If your old-timey jam is all fiddle/banjo tunes at dance tempos, you may find that the Weissenborn gets a bit lost in the mix. But if old-timey vocals are included, you can carve out a niche that's not only authentic to the tradition, but musically interesting. Listen to the "steel" parts on Jimmie Rodgers songs, for example, as the guitarist mimics JR's yodel.

The "golden age" of recorded old-time hillbilly music, coincided with a craze for Hawaiian music, as Hawaiian musicians like Sol Hoopii and others became recording stars. Many old-time mountain musicians took up the Hawaiian style guitar to cash in on its popularity. The Weissenborn instruments were produced during this period, as were the National resonator instruments also designed for Hawaiian playing. No reason not to introduce your Weissenborn clone to the folks at your jam, and see what happens.

[Jon Hall]

Maybelle Carter played slide "hawaiian style" on her Gibson by loosening the strings and putting a nut riser over the nut. I would have to peruse my Carter Family collection to name some of the songs but I think she played slide on at least one recording of Lil' Darlin' Pal of Mine.

[foldedpath]

I'll echo the comments that it can work very well on vocal songs, and slower tunes like waltzes. I play in a jam group where I use a Dobro played bottleneck-style for songs like Wayfaring Stranger and Troublin' Mind (the gospel tune, not the blues one).

Ideally you'll want to be proficient in different keys, and learn things like bar slants and "implied" chords so you could easily switch between major and minor modes. That's something I've noticed many lap and bottleneck style players aren't always that familiar with, especially if they've cut their teeth on blues guitar or bluegrass, where major key sounds are more common. I didn't get into playing things like Wayfaring Stranger bottleneck-style until I had figured out some tricks for dealing with the minor modes.

For the more uptempo OldTime instrumental fiddle tunes you'll have a choice of playing chord backup, or picking the melody line. The backup role there is fairly easy, but playing a fast melody on these instruments is a challenge. You'll have to get good at pull-offs and hammer-ons, and it takes time to get up to that skill level. I avoid the faster tunes myself because I'm just not that quick, and bottleneck style isn't as good as lap style (IMO) for that sort of thing.

For inspiration (although a bit more Celtic/Bluegrass style than OldTime), check out these clips from the Transatlantic Sessions with Jerry Douglas and assorted players:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=h0wCwBXfMx4

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BDQRt-OdzVk

One other thing: if you're going to jam in larger OldTime sessions, you might want to consider a squareneck Dobro instead of the Weissenborn for the increase in volume. A Weissenborn sounds warm and sweet. It's great for solo playing or a small ensemble, but it may get lost in a larger jam. A Dobro can get lost too in a room full of exuberant fiddlers, but you'll stand a better chance of hearing yourself, and being able to contribute something to the mix.