11 STEEL GUITARS
Steel Guitar refers to the steel bar held in the left hand and which is slid up and down the strings to get the desired note and create other effects. Other substances besides steel are used. Varieties of steel guitars were invented and developed from the late 18th century into the early 20th century and development has continued until the present.
DOBRO STEEL GUITAR The Dobro or resonator guitar has a metal resonator plate built into the top of the guitar. Some can be tuned and played like an ordinary guitar, but are most often tuned and played as a steel guitar. It can be played on the lap or slung from the shoulders with straps. Amplifiers are most often microphones placed near the guitar.
LAP STEEL GUITAR The lap steel guitar is small enough to be played on the lap, but a stand will make it sturdier. It may have more than six strings. It must have a built in sound pickup for amplification.
CONSOLE STEEL GUITAR The console steel guitar is too cumbersome to play on the lap so sits on a stand. It may have several necks with various strings on each neck tuned differently. There are pedals and knee controls also. Therefore this guitar is the most versatile of the steel guitars. It must have sound pickups for amplification since the strings are on a solid small board which produces no amplification as the wooden box and resonator of the dobro does.