April 9, 1996, Volume 13, No.4, Pg. 22
"It was one of those days when I had had it with everything I encountered, concerning the current state of popular music. I was up to my eyeballs with digital boxes and all manner of syntho-induced bleep and blip sample crazy gadgetry and the antiseptic pop music landscape it helped foster. Everything I hit on the radio dial was so damn "perfect" sounding, quantitized and utterly soulless. I then turned on MTV, in hopes of finding music played with real guitars and drums, only to realize that if I had to endure one more self-absorbed, pretentious, shoe-gazing "band" who could hardly tune an instrument (much less sing in key), I would throw myself off a college music radio tower. I ranted and raved all afternoon to any friend dropping by my office who would patiently listen. When no one was around, I called people and badgered them. Sheesh! The MI Spy was about to seriously go underground. I'm not sure just what I was looking for, but a call from headquarters offered me an assignment that I couldn't refuse. It was an assignment that could potentially get me back in touch with the basics."
"Nashville," I waxed, as I hung up the phone. My assignment was to find the best place to procure a pedal steel guitar in Music City, the home of country and roots music. I had never been there before, but the idea of being around sweet homespun harmonies and economical supportive musicianship seemed like just what the doctor ordered. I dug up an old friend in my Spy file, who had moved there and assumed the name Tone Chaperone. Tone, who is quite connected with the scene, offered me the chance to conduct operations and urban camping at his crib, in exchange for learning various spy techniques. The next morning, I began calling around and scouring Music City for good instrument retail spots. The town is loaded with them, many very well outfitted. Nevertheless, you would think that Nashville would be loaded with places to get a decent pedal steel. I learned otherwise."
"In the heart of the old downtown, near a glitzy Frederick's-of-Hollywood-type of Western clothing store (that could possibly serve as a natural shopping place for Porter Wagoner wanna-bes and transvestites), Gruhn Guitars is known around the world for its vast assortment of classic vintage instruments. The moment you walk into Gruhn, you can sense the atmosphere of care and pride for great instruments. The store is very spacious with plenty of places to sit down and check out instruments. The sales people are laid back and extremely knowledgeable. Not one of them was pushy."
"In spite of the fact that the walls were graced with hundreds of guitars (acoustic and electric) and basses, the selection of lap and pedal steels was essentially lumped near a back wall with each instrument still encased. All of them were used and most were Fender. A couple of Gibsons could be found, however. Concerning the Fenders, it was pointed out that they weren't generally regarded by the pros as incredibly desirous or accurate units. They did say that they sold more Fenders than anything else in the lap and pedal steel department."
"The sales person told me that they moved more lap steels than pedal steels, but that the total amount of instruments sold was "a percent of a percent." One of the sales people said that I should go to Bobbe Seymour's place in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. Even though I walked out of Gruhn feeling that I wouldn't have found what I was looking for, I was incredibly impressed with the quality of Gruhn's overall presentation, from staff to general selection and presentation."
"Corner Music is a long-time favorite Nashville music instrument retailer, located in a rather well-worn, but nice old neighborhood. The shop has a rather cluttery lived-in feel that, while tight, isn't overbearing. However, I got the feeling that space was so much at a premium that many instruments and devices weren't really given their best shot at a proper display. Corner is well set up for the project studio market, providing a strong department equipped with hard disc recorders and all manner of software."
"I hung around for a few minutes until I finally approached one of the many busy salespeople, concerning pedal steel and lap guitars. The salesman, who was obviously quite occupied, stopped what he was doing and escorted me to the store's resident steel and lap guy. The steel and lap specialist was crammed into a walk-in closet sized work space, working on a pedal steel guitar. Beside him were two old pedal steels that he was hoping to sell. One was re-conditioned and the other was waiting on an overhaul. The used, double-neck pedal steel that he was going to refurbish was an MSA D-10. He was thinking about selling the re-conditioned single neck version for around $1,300 or $1,400. It would come with a case for that price. Most of what the store sells is used. The re-conditioned pedal steel on display was an Emmons that he was offering for around $2,400."
"When I asked him if he carried any new lines of pedal steel, he said that he currently didn't, but was planning on trying to bring in Emmons, Derby or Sho-Bud. He did have Melobar lap guitars. He was quick to point out that the selection was almost non-existent, but he was extremely cordial and helpful, pointing out the features of the two steels that he had on display and offering to sell the unfinished on "as is." I asked him why the home of country music was so devoid of pedal steel representation in shops, and he said, "during the 60s and 70s, there were steel guitar shops all over the place. Now you can't find them. There just isn't the demand." He added that he was one of the only people who really worked the instruments in town. His last suggestion for me was to check out Bobbe Seymour's place in Goodlettsville."
"Several people said that I needed to check out Rock Block Guitars, located about a mile from the Vanderbilt University/Music Row area. A large, extensively outfitted retail operation, Rock Block's lay out strikes the balance between Corner's clutter and Gruhn's inviting spaciousness. When I walked into the store, there were several sales people visiting amongst themselves. I walked through the store, which is fairly large, a couple of times before someone asked if I needed any help. I mentioned that I was looking for pedal steel guitars, at which point the sales person said, "We've got dobros." He was nice, but that is a little bit like me asking for something rather specific like a 12-string electric and being told that I should consider a 6-string acoustic."
"The store carries just about every brand of guitar, amp and accessory for those playing guitar and bass. Rock Block's prices are very competitive and rival most mail order operations. Then one of the of the sales people at the front desk finally broke free to ask me if I needed some help. I again mentioned that I was looking for pedal steel guitars, at which point he and several other guys all said that I needed to "go to Bobbe Seymour's old place in Goodlettsville", so that is just what I did."
"Every place and person I encountered, concerning finding the best place for steel guitars, mentioned that the place to go was located in a nearby town called Goodlettsville. Some didn't know the name and some called it Steel Guitar Warehouse. When I looked up the number in the Yellow Pages, the number had been changed. I called the new number and reached a person named Bobbe Seymour, who identified himself as the owner of the establishment. When I said that I had been told that his shop was the way to go in Nashville for anyone who wanted to purchase a pedal steel guitar, he laughed and said, "Well, it isn't a museum." Located in a rather non-descript strip shopping center, Bobbe Seymour's Steel Guitar Nashville is a total target market experience, featuring only steel guitars -- no drums, keyboards, electric or acoustic guitars, outboard gear, anything. Besides the array of pedal steels, there were a couple of nice lap steels by Rickenbacker and Fender."
"When I walked in, I was greeted by Bobbe, who was the only salesperson in the shop. He offered me coffee from the Dairy Queen next door and engaged in the kind of easy-going talk that made you feel like you weren't being approached by a salesperson, but rather a fellow enthusiast. The shop was rather small and it displayed about twenty new and used pedal steel guitars by manufacturers like Sho-Bud, EMCI, Emmons, Deckley, MSA, GFI, MCI and others, displayed on either side of a center aisle. One of the lines of steels carried by Steel Guitar Nashville was MSA. Seymour is the "S" of that brand of instrument. Aside from imparting that fact, Seymour never once pushed that brand on me."
"He pointed out the GFI line as a good, no-frills, smartly designed make of pedal steel guitar. I tried out the GFI Student model, which Seymour said that he could sell me for "just under a $1,000." He said that the only difference between the GFI Student model and the next model up concerned the number of pedals and knee levers. He said that he could add more knee levers to the Student model for $85 apiece and said that I would be all set up for less. In fact, I would've saved hundreds of dollars taking him up on his suggestion. He pointed out that all the mechanics were the same with both models. In other words, Bobbe was very cool about helping me get something of value."
"Seymour hooked up the GFI Student model for me and left me to noodle around for almost 25 minutes. I felt no pressure and the environment didn't make me feel like my playing skills were under scrutiny. Seymour seemed to be happy to see that I was into the instrument. Steel Guitar Nashville has a well organized mail order and special sales mailing list set-up. If you are out of state, they will send photographs of the instruments in question. All guitars are sold with cases included. Steel Guitar Nashville also has a complete repair and custom work shop set-up. Steel Guitar Nashville is so market specific that it seemed understood that, if you walked into the shop, you were very possibly a member of the High Church of Pedal Steel. After checking things out, I came out a convert."
"Choosing the best place in Nashville to get a pedal steel guitar is a no-brainer. Steel Guitar Nashville has everything you could want, whether you are a novice or a seasoned pro. As far as the other shops were concerned, Gruhn would be a worthwhile stop, thanks to their excellent staff of sales people and vintage stock. Corner Music, while limited in their offerings, is also worth checking out, but chances are, you will be directed to Bobbe Seymour's shop."
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Steel Guitar Nashville 123 Midtown Court Hendersonville, TN. 37075 Bobbe Seymour's Steel Guitar Nashville is the world's largest steel-only guitar store! We carry the finest steel guitars and accessories available. Shop where the pros shop ... at Steel Guitar Nashville! Call (615) 822-5555 or Email Bobbe |
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