what to buy?

Michelle Durham · Post by **Michelle Durham** » 28 Jul 2010 12:16 pm

Hey there guys! We are looking to buy a steel guitar to "grow in to." Currently, my hubby (Joey) is playing on a 1957 Fender 1000.(double 8) He bought it for kicks and taught himself to play. (He's a very seasoned six string player.) He's getting good at some Mooney style licks and has been forced to master the volume pedal and play some of the other Tammy Wynette or Anne Murray stuff in order to play some gigs locally... He is looking for something with a little more versatility (currently has no knee levers) and a little more finesse. What should we get? Also, what should we amp through?- currently playing on a Marshall Amp on the clean channel able to switch to the fuzzy channel for six string when needed...
Any input would be very appreciated!
Joey and Chel

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 28 Jul 2010 12:47 pm

Hi Michelle,
It sounds like Joey is an experienced musician seeing how he has already picked up on a lot of issues on pedal steel, on the old Fender. First: Don't rush out to sell the Fender, like trade on a newer guitar unless money dictates otherwise.

I recommend you get a 10 string E9th on a double frame ie an SD 10. The minimum would be 3 pedals and 4 knee levers. If you go for used, get a well known make and not one that has been discontinued. Look for Zumsteel, Rains, and a slew of other well known names.

As to an amp, get yourself a Peavey Nashville 112. A small, light amp accepted by the pros.
Good luck in your quest!

Mark Carlisle · Post by **Mark Carlisle** » 28 Jul 2010 12:54 pm

Chel, you will probably get a ton of excellent advice from forum members more qualified than me. However,I'll break the ice here-what kind of budget are we talking about? You can find some excellent "pre-owned" pro level instruments on the forum in the $1500-2K range. There will be many replies from fans of different builders, it's not like years ago when you only had a few choices of brand/builder. You might want to consider a road trip to a store that has a selection of steels and have your hubby try different ones. I'm not a East Coaster right now,the only place I can think of from having lived back there is Billy Cooper's store in VA. Maybe some NY members can help you there.
Just MHO but I found it easier in the long run to carry a dedicated steel amp (in my case a Peavey Session 500). That way you can dial in the best settings for PSG and not have to compromise your guitar tone. Again, plenty of qualified opinions on brand of amp however the Peavey Nashville line seems to be a standard for steel amps for a reasonable price.

Michelle Durham · Post by **Michelle Durham** » 28 Jul 2010 1:35 pm

Thanks, Bent and Mark, for the quick responses!
Okay Bent, first things first (sorry for the dumb question) what is an SD 10?
Other than that, it sounds like you guys agree on the amp issue. Peavey seems too good to be true! Is that the best or is there actually something better for more money?
Bent- Don't worry about the Fender- She won't be leaving!
Mark- Price? Really not an issue (not that we have a pile of money, but...) we will spend whatever we need to get into the steel that will take us where we want to go. We don't plan on buying too soon, just trying to do the research now.
3 pedals and 4 levers? is that really enough? Currently, we are set up to 6 pedals on the E9 (not using the C6 at all)
Also, what do you guys think about the Desert Rose?
Joey and Chel

Larry Baker · Post by **Larry Baker** » 28 Jul 2010 2:05 pm

Hi guys, an SD10 is a single 10 (E9th) on a double frame with a pad. That is what I play, but I am not a seasoned player. I went thru 3 other steels before settling on the one I have now, and I really like it. It is a SD10 Mullen 3 & 5, which I feel will take anyone a long way. I plan on keeping mine.
You can find lots of info at their web site under
Mullen Steel Guitars. Also, I use the Peavy 112 as
do many other Forumites. That's my 2 cents worth.
Welcome to this wacky world of Steelin, and good luck
with your search. Larry

Michelle Durham · Post by **Michelle Durham** » 28 Jul 2010 2:33 pm

Thanks Larry! I think that is what he needs. He hasn't used the C6 for anything... He has even played some of that Patsy Cline stuff on the E9. Do you think he will ever need to go to the C6? or do you think that you can get a fairly decent feel to those songs with E9 if that is what you like?

Doug Earnest · Post by **Doug Earnest** » 28 Jul 2010 3:02 pm

Chel,
There is a lot of C6 sounding stuff available on the E9th neck, as much as most people will ever need.
Peavey amps are very serviceable and reliable...and for a lot more money you can get a selection of amps that many people think sound better. It all depends on the sound you want and it can be a painful and very expensive propositon to find it. Most of the audience probably doesn't care.
Good luck, and welcome!

David Ball · Post by **David Ball** » 28 Jul 2010 4:54 pm

If he likes the Fender sound, a GFI comes about as close as any new guitar to my ears (Mr. Mooney plays one last I saw). The GFI plays great, sounds great and you can buy them without getting on a waiting list. They tend to be pretty inexpensive used too.

As for amps, It's really hard to go wrong with a Fender Twin Reverb or Vibrosonic Reverb if you need power--a Deluxe Reverb is great if you aren't playing big places. At any rate, I'll put in a big vote for older Fender amps.

Dave

ebb · Post by **ebb** » 28 Jul 2010 5:22 pm

here is sneaky showing how to do it with half of your 1000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzgDzTme ... ture=email

Michelle Durham · Post by **Michelle Durham** » 29 Jul 2010 3:02 am

What do you guys think about the Peavey Nashville 1000? I know its larger, but it looks like there's a used one out there for less than the 500 or the 112.
Dave, definitely going to check out the GFI!

Larry Jamieson · Post by **Larry Jamieson** » 29 Jul 2010 4:10 am

Michelle,
The Nashville 1000 is a killer amp, as long as you have a good back. I have used one for several years and it will handle any playing situation. At over 60 pounds, it is not as light as the 112...
I don't know where you folks are located. I am in Walton, NY, east of Binghamton, south of Oneonta. I am in my shop 6 days a week and have a Zum SD10 and a Williams single 10 set up that you are welcome to come in and play with to see what they are like. They are personal guitars and not for sale, but you are welcome to look them over and try them out to see what modern steels are all about.
Larry J.

Michelle Durham · Post by **Michelle Durham** » 29 Jul 2010 6:35 am

Thanks, Larry, for the generous offer! We are located in the Adirondack Region, in a town named Fine... We don't get out your way too much, but would love to pay you a visit if ever get a chance!
Joey and Chel

Mark Carlisle · Post by **Mark Carlisle** » 29 Jul 2010 8:59 am

+1 on the GFI. Still in production, great playing guitars and factory support. Also lightweight. You also have a choice of a keyed (traditional tuning keys/head) or keyless setup for tuning. Some guys have gone to a keyless guitar and love them, never looked back. There is a gentleman in Riverside, CA named Blackie Taylor that was helpful to Gene Fields starting GFI and he can tell you chapter and verse about the GFI product-just google Blackie Tayor music and give him a call. He is also a stocking dealer. I tend to agree with the other forumites, your husband would be able to cover most C6 tonalities with a SD-10 3&4 set-up.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 29 Jul 2010 9:46 am

Michelle,My Desert Rose is a great guitar,Plays like butter sounds way too good for a knucklehead like me.

Joseph Meditz · Post by **Joseph Meditz** » 29 Jul 2010 9:58 am

Hi Michelle,

My dos centavos is that you call Jim Palenscar at Steel Guitars of North County. He's an expert on these mechanical contraptions and a great guy to deal with both before and after the purchase.

http://www.steelguitars.me/

Steel Guitars of North County
3375 Mission Ave. Suite D
Oceanside, California 92058
760-754-2120

As for an amp, a Marshall is an excellent amp. A lot of people on this forum love them. So, in my opinion there is no need to buy an amp at this time.

Good luck and best regards,
Joe

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 29 Jul 2010 12:46 pm

Hey Michelle, I play a Jackson BlackJack Custom SD-10-3 pedals, 4 knees.

Brett

Larry Jamieson · Post by **Larry Jamieson** » 29 Jul 2010 6:33 pm

Michelle,
My band leader just told me he had booked a gig at a club in Lake George on Friday August 6th. I don't have any details yet, club name or hours but I will post them under announcements as they become available.
I don't know if that is close to Fine or not...
Larry J.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 30 Jul 2010 12:04 am

Michelle, everybody is partial to one brand or another, and thinks the one they play is the best. The fact is, ALL the builders today are making great guitars. They are all somewhat different, but you're going to get a fine instrument no matter what brand you buy.

You will need a minimum of 10 strings, but 12 are better if you want to play rock because you can get power chords with the extra strings.

You want a minimum of 3 pedals and 4 knee levers. Some people have a 4th and even a 5th pedal, and 5 or even 6 knee levers, but 3 and 4 is more than enough to keep you going for the next 5 or 10 years, and you can always add more pedals and knee levers later on.

A lot of things about this instrument are purely subjective. The choice of a single or double width body is purely a matter of personal preference. It's not a question of what's better, it's a question of what do you like.

Weight is often an issue. Some people don't mind a heavier instrument, and others, myself included, want our steels to weigh as little as possible.

I suggest that you attend the convention in St Louis over the Labor Day Weekend, where all the different manufacturers have their instruments on display and you can check them all out and see which one(s) appeal to you.

Michelle Durham · Post by **Michelle Durham** » 30 Jul 2010 4:23 am

Lake George is about two and a half hours away, but we would love to get there to meet you! Thanks for the heads up!
Not sure about attending the Steelers Convention. We had heard about the convention every year and have toyed with the idea of going, but have never made it out there.
Thanks everyone for all of the input! There is so much to learn about the steel... We are definitely getting an education! Glad we found the Forum.

Bill Ford · Post by **Bill Ford** » 30 Jul 2010 5:39 am

Michelle,
By all means go to a steel show/convention the first chance you get, you will meet some of the most helpful folks on the planet(as are here)there you can look at listen to, and sometime get to play at least one. or more different guitars.You can also get opinions on different amps, and hear what they sound like before investing. The best amp is like the best anything,the eye,ear of the beholder, personally, I like peavey for a single unit amp, I have a PV,Nashville 400 for practice, and side trips, but have a rack with two 15" Black Widow cabinets I leave at church. Stu's Desert Rose is a 3/4 size SD10, the full SD10 is a double neck with a pad on the bottom in place of the second string set. All the above advise is good, just don't get in a rush and get something you may have second thoughts later on.One good point on buying used equipment is the fact that you can usually sell and get most, if not all your money back if you find (and you most likely will) something you like better.

Bill

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 30 Jul 2010 2:08 pm

I agree with Mike. 12 strings! I love my ShoBuds, but my giggin' guitar is my Kline Uni 12 string. Gotta have those low strings if you're in a small band. If the guitar player takes a lead, that low rhythm just disappears with a 10 string guitar. It's really nice to have that low root!

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 30 Jul 2010 2:30 pm

By all means go to a steel show/convention the first chance you get, you will meet some of the most helpful folks on the planet(as are here)there you can look at listen to, and sometime get to play at least one. or more different guitars.You can also get opinions on different amps, and hear what they sound like before investing.

I want to second what Bill said. It might be too late to reserve a room, so I suggest that you call Scotty TODAY as soon as you read this. Scotty's number is (314) 427-7794.

Larry Baker · Post by **Larry Baker** » 30 Jul 2010 2:48 pm

Chele, I know that St. Louis is a long way from
New York, but it would definitely be worth your
trip out here for that. You will meet a lot of
Forum Members (I'll be there), along with a lot of
venders with lots of Steel's on Display. Good
place to try them all. There is also a used room
usually with 12 or more guitars for sale. COME ON DOWN. Larry B.

Ryan Barwin · Post by **Ryan Barwin** » 30 Jul 2010 5:02 pm

Most of the new steel guitars being built are great instruments, and you can't go wrong with any of them. It's just personal preference. It's probably best to get a new guitar, to avoid the mechanical problems that used and older guitars can have.

I think you're just a few hours' drive from Al Brisco's shop in Colborne, Ontario. If you've got a passport, I'd recommend driving there and trying out the steels he's got there. He's got about 30 of them set up, with all different brands. Al is a great guy to deal with, and very helpful.
www.steelguitarcanada.com

Rick Winfield · Post by **Rick Winfield** » 31 Jul 2010 12:39 am

IMHO: a 12 stringer is where PSG is heading towards.
At least 3 pedals and 5 levers.
To mis-quote Winnie Winston: get the best guitar you can afford
A guitar player is gonna want that low E note !
Rick