names for the pedal steel

[George Biner]

there aren't that many I've heard to be truthful

steel guitar
pedal steel guitar
nine piece cheese slicer
electric table
spongebob theme guitar
steel pedal guitar
"that whiny instrument"


what are other names for the pedal steel guitar?

[Brett Day]

During my high school years, after I started playing the steel guitar, a group of girls thought it was a piano with strings after I told them I play the steel guitar, and that there are pedals underneath, and you sit behind it to play it-after I explained it, one of the girls says, "you play it like a piano"? and I looked at her, said no, and had to explain it again, this time, telling them about the picks, bar, and pedals, and the same group of girls thought it's strummed like a guitar. I've seen it called pedal guitar, steel pedal guitar, Boxcar Willie once called it a Hawaiian pedal electric steel guitar while introducing his steel player Harland Powell-Harland was playing a twelve string Mullen at a show with Boxcar Willie in Branson, Missouri.

[Dave Grafe]

Electric cheese slicer

[Joe A. Roberts]

“slide guitar like Ritchie Valens used on Sleepwalk”

[Steve Hitsman]

Horizontal Pitch Approximator

[Bill C. Buntin]

I’ve had bar patrons come up and say “oh we are so glad to finally have a band with an “electric guitar “….they thought it plugged into an electrical outlet.

And I would add “electric Hawaiian “ to the list.

Reece Anderson told a story about a symphony violinist who saw Reece s guitar turned over in the case and actually thought he was going to play the underneath side…until Reece flipped the guitar over and the guy said “oh I’m so relieved to find out it has strings””.

Another name I’ve heard is “emmison guitar”

[Tucker Jackson]

"Keyboard"

[Dave O'Brien]

"upright table slide"

[Dennis Detweiler]

What-E-Call-It-thing that you play.

[Daniel Morris]

Seems there was a previous thread like this.
Playing a gig years ago, a guy (likely feeling no pain) said to me, 'you play a great sitar,dude'.
Who was I to argue?

[Bobby Martin]

Years ago at a steel show in Gettysburg Pa we heard Curry Coster a great player, refer to his as a "DIVORCE MACHINE" at the start of his set... Ha!...I can relate to that!!

[john buffington]

A "lady" asked me once, "is that a Zither?" I said yes, and it has pedals on it, she replied "how nice"!

[Bill C. Buntin]

I like the ones who say, “why do you step on those two pedals all time, the ones on the left?” Are they your favorites?”

Or “the big pedal on the right, is that gas?”

Or “what’s those hangydown thingies”?

[Andrew Frost]

Horizontal Pitch Approximator

[Jon Irsik]

This is a great video from a few years ago:

https://youtu.be/ZpjXb7-osWE?si=9ywH1QqQk5OSjYfU

[Lee Rider]

Musical Bicycle.....

[Dave Mudgett]

Some people actually know it's a pedal steel. But otherwise (and frequently), in descending order - slide, slide guitar, steel pedal, and keyboard.

The most common phrase is, "Cool slide, man."

[Bobby D. Jones]

Laugh every time a post like this comes up.
I had my steel set up near the kitchen and stage steps. Warming up to temperature after ride to gig.

2 little white haired ladies was looking at my guitar and discussing, Was it an adjustable cheese slicer, Or a pedal adjustable noodle cutter. HaHa.

[Tony Glassman]

Okie Organ

[Donny Hinson]

The best one I ever heard was…

"A double-decker table slide"

[Dan Beller-McKenna]

Don't forget "petal" steel. I get that a lot when it's in writing. I guess it sounds flower-y.

[Detlef Webert]

I like the one from Steve:
Horizontal Pitch Approximator

great !

[Mark S. Miller]

A lady asked me once is that thing you are playing anything like a piano and without missing a beat the bass player lean over my shoulder and said yes, they both have strings the look on that lady's face was priceless

[Doug Beaumier]

A guy came up to me in a club and said “I really like the Iron Guitar”.

And another time a guy told me he liked my keyboard, and his buddy said “You idiot, that’s a Synthesizer!”

Some other names I’ve heard:

Hawaiian cheese slicer
string guitar
table guitar
slide

[Andrew Frost]

Tennessee Ironing Board...