People with relative pitch can also discern < 10 cent differences. 10 cents is pretty obvious in the right context. People with perfect pitch don't need a reference; people with relative pitch do.
I play pedal steel, and string 6/G# drops a whacking 10 ten cents when press my A pedal and boy howdy can I hear it - and I don't have perfect pitch, just reasonably good relative pitch.
I don't play pedal steel, but I live in the city, and I've got a Martin 6-string and a fondness for bluegrass and acoustic music. I'd be interested in having a listen at a jam session, or sitting in if I'm at a level where I can contribute. I'm twitter.com/baddox.
I would actually think that to be untrue - NorCal has lots of pickers of many instruments. The process of finding musicians is just one of those hard problems.
It might be worth joining the (web-based) Steel Guitar Forum. Membership is $5.00 per year. There may also be a local steel guitar association. If you play another instrument, you may be able to volunteer to sit in backing other players at meetings. Also, find The Guy in the area who does steel guitar repair.
Oh no doubt the Bay Area has a ton of pickers, but pedal steel players are in short supply.
The main scenes tend to be related to the Grateful Dead and other jam bands. There's been a big rise in bluegrass and country inspired jam bands as of late although they're mostly living in the foothills or Tahoe.
Sweetwater in Mill Valley, Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, and Ashkenaz in Berkeley have a healthy amount of traditional American string players but I'm telling you, almost no one plays pedal steel. There's a few guys like Dan Lebowitz who are just phenomenal but they've all got their plates full.
San Francisco's got Amnesia and Veracocha and a few other smaller venues but I'd gotta say that Phil Lesh's Terrapin Crossroads is what the scene revolves around in the Bay Area.
I have no problem finding fiddle, banjo, or mandolin players! Just pedal steel!
Here's a second vote for the steel guitar forum-- they are quite helpful. Greets from Fredericksburg :D
If it is any consolation to your williamcotton, I'm also having trouble finding a band, but I haven't been at it so long so I usually end up playing bass....
I play pedal steel, and string 6/G# drops a whacking 10 ten cents when press my A pedal and boy howdy can I hear it - and I don't have perfect pitch, just reasonably good relative pitch.