How much do guitar and pedal steel lessons cost?

$65 for a 45-minute Zoom lesson. No package commitments required. A free short intro call is available before starting.

Jason Kuykendall | Steel Guitar & Dobro Lessons

Q: Do I need prior experience to take pedal steel lessons?

No. Most pedal steel students come in with a guitar background but no steel experience.

Q: Do you offer online Zoom lessons for pedal steel and dobro?

Yes. Zoom lessons work well for most students. I teach weekly 45-minute Zoom lessons for dobro, lap steel, pedal steel, and guitar. Students across Washington State and beyond study this way.

Q: What is the difference between pedal steel, lap steel, and dobro?

Pedal steel has foot pedals and knee levers that shift string pitches — the defining sound of classic country. Lap steel is played flat across the lap with a metal bar, no pedals. Dobro has a metal resonator cone inside the body giving a woody, ringing tone common in bluegrass. All three are taught.

Q: Where are in-person lessons held?

In a private music studio on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

About

Jason Kuykendall is a Berklee-trained pedal steel, lap steel, dobro, mandolin, and guitar player. Based on Bainbridge Island, Washington, he keeps busy across a few different bands — honky-tonk, hillbilly jazz, bluegrass, rock and soul. He started on guitar, got pulled toward the steel, and picked up mandolin and dobro on the way. The common thread across all of it is the same: play for the song.

Advanced Professional Certificate in Music Theory, Ear Training & Harmony 2023

Professional Certificate in Jazz Guitar 2022

2025 Finalist — Favorite Other Instrumentalist

Northwest Country Music & Americana Association

Shows

Upcoming Shows

Recent and upcoming appearances with country, Americana, bluegrass, and steel-guitar projects around Western Washington.

Date	Event	Where
Fri May 15 6:00pm	Wildwood Angels Trio	Finn River Cidery Port Townsend, WA
Sun May 17 1:30pm	Morgan Smith and Co.	Viking Fest Poulsbo, WA
Fri May 22 6:30pm	The Grifting Cowboys	Olalla Winery Olalla, WA
Fri May 29 7:00pm	Cowboy Genius	Kangaroo and Kiwi Ballard, Seattle
Wed Jun 10 6:00pm	Morgan Smith and Co.	The Sip Poulsbo, WA
Sat Jun 20 6:00–8:00pm	Eric Auckerman	Bainbridge Pavilion Bainbridge Island, WA
Sun Jun 21 7:00pm	The Grifting Cowboys	Oysterhouse Olympia, WA
Sat Jun 27 7:00pm	Liquidhorse	Bremerton Bridge Blast Bremerton, WA
Sat Jul 4 1:00pm	Morgan Smith and Co.	4th of July Concert Poulsbo, WA
Fri Jul 10 7:00pm	Casey Freedom	Haystack Festival North Bend, WA
Sat Jul 11 7:00pm	Western Arrow	Treehouse Bainbridge Island, WA
Sun Jul 19 5–7pm	Cowboy Genius	Little Red Hen Seattle, WA
Tue Jul 21 1:00pm	The South Seas	Private Event Poulsbo, WA
Sat Jul 25 7:00pm	Casey Freedom	Private Event Seattle, WA
Sat Aug 1	Cowboy Genius	Broadmoor Golf Club Seattle, WA
Thu Aug 6 4:00pm	The South Seas	Private Event Bainbridge Island, WA
Fri Aug 7 6:30pm	Wildwood Angels	Olalla Winery Olalla, WA
Fri Aug 14 1:15–2:15pm	The South Seas	Poulsbo Arts Festival Poulsbo Waterfront — Poulsbo, WA
Sun Aug 16 2–3pm	The South Seas	Art on the Green Bainbridge Island, WA
Sat Aug 22 5:00pm	Wildwood Angels Trio	Meadowmeer Golf Course Bainbridge Island, WA
Sun Sep 6 7:00pm	Liquidhorse	Blackberry Festival Bremerton, WA
Fri Sep 18 7–9pm	The Grifting Cowboys	Olalla Winery Olalla, WA
Sat Sep 19 3:00pm	Western Arrow	Punch Firehouse Thorpe, WA
Sat Sep 20 2–5pm	The South Seas	Eleven Winery Bainbridge Island, WA
Fri Oct 23 3:00pm	Eric Auckerman	Long Shadows Vintners Woodinville, WA

Past Shows

Date	Event	Where
Fri Jan 2, 2026 6:30pm	Wildwood Angels	Olalla Winery Olalla, WA
Sat Sep 27, 2025 4:00pm	Wildwood Angels	Port Townsend Winery Port Townsend, WA
Fri Aug 29, 2025 7:00pm	Wildwood Angels	Olalla Winery Olalla, WA
Sat Aug 9, 2025 5:00pm	Wildwood Angels	Marrowstone Vineyards Nordland, WA
Sun Jul 20, 2025 12:00pm	Wildwood Angels	Sehmel Homestead Park Gig Harbor, WA
Sun Jun 8, 2025 11:00am	Wildwood Angels	Kingston Public Market Kingston, WA
Fri Jun 6, 2025 6:00pm	Wildwood Angels	Winslow Green Summer Concerts Bainbridge Island, WA
Thu May 9, 2025 7:00pm	Wildwood Angels	Fraternal Order of Eagles Belfair, WA
Fri Apr 18, 2025 6:00pm	Wildwood Angels	Bainbridge Brewing Alehouse Bainbridge Island, WA
Sat Apr 12, 2025 6:00pm	Wildwood Angels	Rainy Daze Brewing Poulsbo, WA
Fri Mar 21, 2025 5:00pm	Wildwood Angels	Alderbrook Golf & Yacht Club Union, WA
Sat Mar 8, 2025 7:00pm	Wildwood Angels	The Spar Tacoma, WA
Sat Jan 18, 2025 6:00pm	Wildwood Angels	Private Event Bainbridge Island, WA
Fri Jan 10, 2025 6:00pm	Wildwood Angels	Bainbridge Brewing Alehouse Bainbridge Island, WA
Sat Nov 9, 2024 7:00pm	Wildwood Angels	Gobblefest Bainbridge Island, WA
Sat Oct 19, 2024 6:00pm	Wildwood Angels	The Pavilion Bainbridge Island, WA
Thu Aug 29, 2024 3:30pm	Wildwood Angels	Waterfront Farmers Market Gig Harbor, WA
Sun Jun 22, 2024 4:30pm	Wildwood Angels	Make Music Day Bremerton, WA

Lessons

Pedal Steel, Dobro & Guitar Lessons — Bainbridge Island & Online

Jason Kuykendall playing pedal steel guitar live with Cowboy Genius at the Kangaroo & Kiwi in Seattle — On pedal steel with Cowboy Genius — Kangaroo & Kiwi, Seattle

I teach guitar, pedal steel, lap steel, and dobro from my home studio on Bainbridge Island — working with students at all levels, from people picking up a guitar for the first time to players who want to push deeper into jazz voicings, slide technique, or the mechanics of the steel.

Lessons are focused and practical. You'll leave each session with something you can actually use — not just theory. In-person sessions take place in my private music studio. Zoom works well for most of what we cover.

Guitar

All levels welcome. Rock, blues, country, jazz, and Americana. Technique, theory, and the specific vocabulary of each style.

Pedal Steel

One of the most expressive instruments in music. All levels.

Lap Steel

Hawaiian, country, and western swing styles. Great entry point for players curious about steel guitar.

Dobro

Squareneck resonator guitar played in lap position — bluegrass, country, blues, and Americana styles. Not bottleneck slide.

$65 45 minutes

Especially useful for adult beginners, returning players, and guitarists curious about steel or dobro.

No preparation needed for the first lesson — we'll figure out where to start, play a little, and make a simple plan from there.

Available in person at my home studio on Bainbridge Island, or via Zoom — whichever works best for you.

Book a Lesson

From the Blog

Music

Projects & Bands

Western Arrow

Indie Rock · Americana

Jason plays pedal steel and guitar as a live member.

The sound of tumbleweeds, pedal steel, yearning, and the Beatles.

Cut Your Hair

Western Arrow — Way Out West (live), Jason Kuykendall on pedal steel

More at westernarrow.wordpress.com →

The South Seas

Jazz · Western Swing · Hawaiian Instrumentals

Jason leads this group, playing lap steel and guitar.

Jazz standards, Hawaiian classics, and Western swing played with a mid-century sensibility. A 1958 Fender Stringmaster, a vintage Fender Rhodes, archtop guitar, and bass.

South Sea Moon

Don't Fence Me In

Beyond the Reef

The South Seas — Sleep Walk on a 1958 Fender Stringmaster lap steel

More at southseasmusic.com →

Zachariah Smith

Country · Americana

Jason played pedal steel as a session sideman.

American Idol finalist known for his powerful vocals, heartfelt storytelling, and blend of modern country, southern rock, and gospel influences.

Love I Once Knew

Save Me

Wildwood Angels

Honky-Tonk Country

Jason plays pedal steel as a live member.

Straightforward honky-tonk. Buck, Merle, Cash, Willie, along with a little Neil Young and Emmylou Harris.

Harvest Moon

Two More Bottles of Wine

More at wildwoodangels.com →

Honey Moon

Hillbilly Jazz · Film Noir · Space Age Swing

Jason plays pedal steel and guitar as a live member.

Big band, bop, hardcore twang, French café, film noir, and sounds from the space age.

Alley Cat

Baby's Comin' Home

Eric Auckerman

Americana

Jason plays pedal steel and dobro as a session sideman.

Original Americana in the tradition of Eric Bibb, Kelly Joe Phelps, and Ruthie Foster — blues-rooted songwriting that gets to the heart of the genre.

Back to Houston

Back to Houston (Acoustic)

Mississippi John

Session Work

Need steel on a track?

I do remote and in-studio overdubs — pedal steel, lap steel, dobro, and guitar. Send me a rough mix, tell me what you're hearing, and I'll send back a part that fits the song. I've recorded with artists across country, Americana, rock, and folk. Remote sessions turn around quickly. In-studio work available on Bainbridge Island and in the greater Seattle area.

Home studio with a Universal Audio interface, professional mics, and direct-input recording — clean, mix-ready tracks. For remote sessions, send a rough mix, tempo, key, and any reference tracks you have in mind.

$100 per song

Get in Touch

FAQ

Common questions

Do I need prior experience to take pedal steel lessons?

No. Most of my pedal steel students come in with a guitar background but no steel experience at all.

Do you offer online Zoom lessons?

Yes. Zoom lessons work well for most students — technique, theory, repertoire, and style all translate fine over video. I teach weekly 45-minute Zoom lessons for dobro, lap steel, pedal steel, and guitar. Students across Washington State and beyond study this way. All you need is a decent internet connection and your instrument.

What is the difference between pedal steel, lap steel, and dobro?

Pedal steel is a large multi-string instrument with foot pedals and knee levers that shift the pitch of individual strings — the defining sound of classic country and Americana. Lap steel is simpler: played flat across your lap with a metal bar, no pedals. Dobro (squareneck resonator guitar) is also played lap-style but has a metal resonator cone inside the body that gives it a woody, ringing tone common in bluegrass and old-time country. I teach all three, along with guitar and mandolin.

How much do lessons cost?

Weekly Zoom lessons are $65 for 45 minutes. In-person lesson rates are available on request. There is also a free short intro call before we start, so we can make sure it is a good fit.

Where are in-person lessons held?

In my private music studio on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

What styles do you teach?

Pedal steel: country, Americana, Western swing, country-jazz. Dobro: bluegrass, country, old-time, blues. Lap steel: Hawaiian, Western swing, country. Guitar and mandolin: rock, blues, country, jazz, and Americana. Lessons are built around your goals, not a fixed curriculum.

Contact

Get in touch

For show bookings, lesson inquiries, session work, or anything else — email is the best way to reach me.

jasonkuykendall@gmail.com

Based on Bainbridge Island — available throughout Kitsap County, Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, and the greater Puget Sound region.

For show bookings: include date, location, event type, and budget.

For recording: send a rough mix, tempo, key, and a reference track.

For lessons: share your instrument, experience level, and musical goals.

I'll See You In My Dreams