Steel String Guitars and Culture

[Davis Webb]

I was playing some mixed blues/country kind of riffs today and watching a history of our Grand River here in Canada and reflecting.

The steel string guitar, to me, is an embodiment of American and Canadian culture, it is a way of freedom of expression, of breaking rules, of blue notes. I realized that the classical guitar is European culture, controlled, precise and traditional. I know there is Flamenco and other related styles and these to me, are outside the mainstream box. More of a culturally, very geographically restricted style, that of Spain. To me the bigger division is between steel string and nylon string.

I think that steel string guitars, featuring the grand daddy of them all, Martin, reflect our values, that of freedom and expansiveness. It would hardly make sense to do a documentary on the Grand Canyon, the Tetons, the Coast mountains of BC, the deserts of Arizona, the badlands of Texas or Alberta, with nylon string guitar. In fact, there is no other instrument that so boldly captures the ideals of North America. Of course, people all over the world play steel string acoustic now, but that is an export and of course, it is being adapted to each nation's style.

I think that acoustic guitars, the wound string types, reflect a way of life and a way of thinking where individuality is praised. It is a simple instrument, the frets allow even a beginner to express themselves. Whereas the cello or viola, are not so user friendly and demand more, are less approachable.

I celebrate both ways of the world. But to me, there is nothing that speaks of the North American landscape and traditions like the acoustic steel string. It is the messenger of individual freedom, escape from feudalism and serfdom, and the cry of the spirit of the new world. When we pick up a steel string guitar, we enter that metaphor, no matter what we choose to play. When we strum that G chord and hit a G run or hammer off some bluegrass riff, we are a part of that culture and there is great comfort there, at least for me.