Newbies, talk to us older guys before you buy anything

[Mike Perlowin]

I just got a call from a guy who lives near me. He's an experienced guitar and keyboard player, and decided to get into steel, so he went out and bought one. A Maverick, that had been messed with and was not working. By the time it's repaired, he will have $800 tied up in it.

The only good thing is that whoever messed with it added 3 more knee levers, so at least he'll be able to learn on it.

Still, if he had called me before he bought it, I'd have steered him to something better,

Anybody who is just about to get started and doesn't yet have a guitar, for your own sake, talk to one of us more experienced players before you buy anything.

[Brick Spieth]

You know, I can relate to this. Not knowing anyone who plays PSG, it is real hard to decide what to do. Jumping into the lower end of the pro market is just something I wasn't prepared to do with the limited knowledge I had. I didn't want to buy a Carter Starter either, although the one I'm borrowing is fine to start with. I decided to order a Stage One in the hopes it would be a somewhat better guitar than the Carter, and by the time I was ready to move on I would have a little better understanding of what to look for.

I hope I can develop some contacts in the area and even buy a steel from one of the local players in the area when I'm ready to move up. This forum has been invaluable to me in sorting all this out. All this is easier, I believe, because I live in a large urban area. If I didn't, I'd be inclined to buy a used guitar from a respected dealer and pay a bit more for the service.

Although not the best situation, ending up with a playable student guitar for that kind of money is not too bad, IMHO.

[Charles Davidson]

Any of you new guys LISTEN to what Mike said,DYKBC.

[Brandon Ordoyne]

I have to agree as well. I started out with a Carter-Starter, I do have to admit, it did get me started, and worked fine, I outgrew it quickly (3 months). But a friend of mine that I work with, who has been playing since the early 70's, advised me to buy a used pro-model. I wish that had listened to him, could have saved me some money. The next steel I bought was an SD-10 Pedalmaster, then I jumped in and bought my 74 Emmons D10 P/P, both of which I bought from another good friend of mine and steel teacher. Yes, I do agree, new steelers should advise an experienced picker, will save you some time and money, and reduce your risk of getting shafted, because there are some crooks out there!

Brandon

[Charles Davidson]

I know guys that wanted to learn to play steel,they made the mistake of buying brand XXX,I won't name it but in my opinion it's a piece of crap,Just because it had a famous name on it[knowing absolutely NOTHING about a steel]they just assumed it was a good guitar.Yes it's true someone like Mr.Seymore or one of his peers could hot rod it with a different parts and make it play,BUT what you would pay to have this done,you could buy a REAL guitar,The guys I was talking about spent more time trying to get the damn thing to stay in tune,than learning to play it,both gave up.I hang around a friends music store a lot,I see people come in that may have an eight or ten year old kid that want's to learn to play guitar,They will buy the cheapest piece they can,with such bad action that even Mr. Atkins could'nt have played a tune on it then they wonder why that kid gives up,A steel is hard enough for a newbie to start with,so just a word of caution,get some advice and THINK before you buy your first steel,or you WILL be sorry.DYKBC.

[Lem Smith]

Good advice, Mike. This forum is a wealth of knowledge that wasn't available when many of us started playing pedal steel. Of course many of the folks here started before I did, but even back when I began in 1979, information on the steel was quite hard to come by, especially in rural areas like where I grew up.

I figured out a good bit on my own, before I finally happened upon a used copy of Winnie Winston's book, from which the little record had already been lost, and then later I found a Mel Bay pedal steel guitar chord chart in a music store.

Some of the things that I learned on my own weren't exactly right, and I had to re-learn them the correct way, which is MUCH hard than learning it right the first time. Also, the things that I did correctly learn and figure out on my own would have been so much easier, plus saved me a lot of time if there had been something like this forum available.

While this forum is indeed a great thing for those of us who have been playing a while, the benefits that it provides to someone new in pedal steel are so great that it's practically immeasurable.

Personally I think it's just about the best thing to happen to steel guitar since the addition of pedals!

[Stu Schulman]

Mike,good advice.There's a guy here in town who just bought a used D-10 with nine pedals,and eight knees as his first guitar,doesn't have a clue and now wants to disconnect the parts that he's not using,pretty soon he's gonna have a six string.A good friend of his hooked him up with this?I would have told him different.

[Steve Hotra]

Mike and others;
This is a great post.
I joined this forum about 4 months before
I bought my first pedal steel.
There is so much information, experiences and
stories/history here.
Props to b0b and the mods for keeping it running.
Upon advice from a forum member, I bought my 1st pedal steel here from the forum. It was a little more than what I wanted to spend, but the Rittenberry has proved to be worth it. I am able to learn scales, bends, etc easier. As a beginner, you can get discouraged if you can't coax any decent sounds from your pedal.
But I would like to bring up one point:
as a newbie, we will have a lot of beginner questions:
please be patient with us.
We need to benefit from your experiences, good and bad.
Sooner or later we'll start to figure things out.
I've been fortunate to have developed a few great relationships here at the forum.
It has saved me time and money!
Steve

[Tamara James]

I agree with Steve. This is a great source for new players.

I was very fortunate to receive some great input about a guitar I was considering. I found things to look for I sure didn't know about. From the advice here, I was able to ask better questions and work with the dealer about how he intended to solve future problems, if there were any.

I also would like to 2d his "But I would like to bring up one point: as a newbie, we will have a lot of beginner questions: please be patient with us. "

We really don't mean to be annoying.

Thanks, guys! You really are appreciated.

[Mike Perlowin]

We really don't mean to be annoying.

The reverse of that is also true. We old guys don't mean to appear condescending. We were once newbies ourselves, and understand what it's like.

What happens though is that different people at different times ask the same questions, (the same ones we asked back when we were starting) and sometimes we get tired of answering them over and over again.

So please bear with is if we appear mean spirited or impatient. We really do all want to help, but we're only human.

[Brick Spieth]

I think it is a universal truth pertaining to any instrument that you will be better off buying the best instrument you can. Better instruments are easier to play. Period.

That said, I am really glad the Starter exists. The one I have right now works. Anyone should be able to tell if they want to play PSG by spending some time with one.

And what would all you guys do if us noobies didn't come along all the time wanting to buy your 3x4 guitars because you are jonesing for a D10 with a gazillion pedals and levers? Even if you think the Starter is junk, I'll bet it has done more to sell pro guitars than anything else out there.

By the way, is part of this madness cruising the Instruments for Sale forum on a daily basis before you have even received the guitar you have already bought?

[Jim Mathis]

I spent a lot of hours reading the Forum before I bought my Emmons D-10 about 8 years ago. It was my first PSG and may be my last, I love it SO much.

I don't know what I would tell a newbie who didn't want to spend 2-3 grand to find out if they wanted to sacrifice their life to this thing or not.

I started with a lap steel and then a dobro before I new for certain that I couldn't live without a PSG. Then I bought the best I could find.

[Stephen Gambrell]

Good idea. Since there's so few places to go look at a real pedal steel guitar, and have it's workings explained, AND, since gas is so expensive, a phone call, or email, could help tremendously. Everybody's got their favorite brand of steel, that's not the point. But a newbie doesn't need a D-10 with 10 and 12---Not many of us do! So a steer in the right direction would be a big help.
Now, go tell somebody who's thinking about learning steel, to join the Forum, ask about a brand of guitar, single or double, 12-string, number of pedals, number of knees, which knee to lower the "E's" with, how to tune the doggone thing, and he'll never get around to learning .

[Stu Schulman]

The guy that I mentioned who's first steel is a D-10 9+8 just listed it on my local Craig's List for two grand or trade for an S-12 or S-10...that's what he should have started with,Oh Well.

[Charlie McDonald]

We really don't mean to be annoying.

Yes we do.
It's our job.

[Rick Winfield]

In Winstons book he says to buy the best guitar you can
afford. It should offer all you need, (pedals and levers)and will have resale value when all else fails.
I think most guys want to "move up" rather than "move out", so your initial investment is very important.
Rick

[Dick Sexton]

Rentals, Rent to buy, Lease--Renter pays shipping and insurance and or any damages. There are a few that are built like a tank, also student models.

Probably nuts, right? And a pain for whomever was doing it, right? And no money in it, right? Hummmm!

Then again, that substancial investment, probably is a motivater in itself.

[Bob Hunter]

Asking for any kind of directions takes me out of the Macho Man's Club, but this is important. I play a Remington D8 non pedal steel E 13th and A6 tunings mostly, through a Mesa Boogie DC 5 amp with a Goodrich pedal.

I want to move into pedal steel and have narrowed down my choices to GFI Ultra S-10, Carter S-10, or a Fessend D-10. Is there a "best choice"?

Also, I was considering a Peavey Nashville 112 amp. The dealers here do not stock the amps (not many steel players) so I would have to buy it and hope for the best. Any comments?

rdh

[Mike Perlowin]

I want to move into pedal steel and have narrowed down my choices to GFI Ultra S-10, Carter S-10, or a Fessend D-10. Is there a "best choice"?

What you need are 3 pedals and at least 3 knee levers, preferably 4 or 5. Assuming each of these guitars, have 4 knee levers, they will all serve you well for many years.

All 3, (assuming this is a Carter pro and not a starter) are fine instruments, and you can't go wrong with any of them. Try them out and see which feels best to you. Then pick the one you like most.

[Jim Kennedy]

Brick,

Tom Bradshaw, a member of the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame, Lives in Concord. Just Google him and you will find his web site. He is a wealth of knowledge, does repairs and restoratoins, and always has several guitars for sale. He also bought the rights for and is now producing Webb amps. Just call or email him with any questions. He told me what to look for and offered to check out my ShoBud Pro 1 before I bought it.

[Brick Spieth]

You know, I'm still not quite up on how helpful the steel community seems to be. I'm going to try and attend the Alameda jam this Sunday and do my best to be a pest with all kinds of newbie questions and check out some serious machines. My Stage On is built and shipping right now, and I have no doubt it will serve me well for a year or so and maybe longer.

[Mark van Allen]

I'm in total agreement with Mike, with the caveat that I'd ask potential "advisors" to carefully consider a newcomer's taste, direction, and financial requirements when possible... I've seen some surely good-intentioned advice from supposed experts here that was very biased and sometimes misleading. We need to set our own agendas aside when helping folks get started on this crazy instrument.

[Twayn Williams]

Asking for any kind of directions takes me out of the Macho Man's Club, but this is important. I play a Remington D8 non pedal steel E 13th and A6 tunings mostly, through a Mesa Boogie DC 5 amp with a Goodrich pedal.

I want to move into pedal steel and have narrowed down my choices to GFI Ultra S-10, Carter S-10, or a Fessend D-10. Is there a "best choice"?

Also, I was considering a Peavey Nashville 112 amp. The dealers here do not stock the amps (not many steel players) so I would have to buy it and hope for the best. Any comments?

rdh

Since you already are used to 2 necks with the Remington, I'd recommend (if you have the money) to go with a D-10 as opposed to an S-10. You seriously don't need a new amp.

[Jim Kennedy]

Seriously consider talking to tom Bradshaw. Pedal Steel is his life. Folks here on the forum will tell you this. Folks at the Alameda Jam will tell you this. Most any pro player in the Bay area has had some dealings with him at one time or another, and he is about as local as you will get for a seasoned pro who sells, repairs, and gives good advice. I am not trying to beat you over the head with this, but he will not steer you wrong, or sell you more or less than you need. He steered me away from a Carter Starter
and recommended I get a really good pro 3 and 4. He was right. I got a " really, really good deal" on my Bud 3 & 2 and I need to add the other 2 knee levers. That alone should last me most of my life, and I thank Tom for the good advice.

[Matti Viitala]

We newbies are more than thankfull to You ”older”/wiser guys are willing to help us!

Trouble is (for me anyway) that sometimes instead of English You speak Yargon.
And when You speak Yargon it’s hard to find the right words for search-engine in forum search.
(And it don’t help that I’m finnish.. . I mean finn)

I’d love to see a new topic in “STEEL GUITAR TOPICS” for us newbies. Call it “Beginners corner” or something like that, where is all these: “ Tonebar newbie question ”,
“How the heck do I use fingerpicks? ” “Why Touch pad deleded my writing”, “Whats c-pedal for”, “Pro vs student/economy” “Can I use my guitar amp”, “ How can I get C7 on 3:th fret?”, “ I wan’t some bass sounds, shall I buy U12 or D10?”….