Euro Steels

Joseph Meditz · Post by **Joseph Meditz** » 22 Mar 2012 6:37 pm

A couple of Euro steelers said Schild was their favorite steel. After reading about them on the Schild site I can understand why. It would be nice if some folks who play one of these jewels could post some pictures of various features with closeups of the undercarriage and write about them a bit. Same for WBS or any other Euro steel.

Thanks,
Joe

Norbert Dengler · Post by **Norbert Dengler** » 24 Mar 2012 9:18 am

hi joseph,

i work with a guy occasionally that plays 2 different schilds, a single neck and a double neck.
thats the only picture i have , the guy on guitar is me.
schild guitars ar one step higher in mechanic perfection than anything else i`ve seen incl franklin and zum.
unbelievably workmanship.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 24 Mar 2012 9:36 am

i'll mention 2 brands of steels that belong in the innovative category same as Jackson, Infinity, MSA, Williams, & ZumSteel ?

Schild & Wiesner !
Hanz Holzherr is the only Fo'bro' i know here that has one so i hope he'll testify
Schild & Wiesner are basically the same brands - both Made in Switzerland
Mr Wiesner (RIP) took up production under his name, of the Schild steel, in the 80s
at the time Schild had'nt really privileged steel production
since then Schild has reintroduced itself on the market
http://www.schildsteel.com
by American standards, it's quite an expensive steel
S10 : 4400 € = 5830 $
S12 : 5050 € = 6690 $
D10 : 7000 € = 9270 $

Courtesy of Hanz Holzherr:

1985 Schild : courtesy of Reinhard Gafner from Switzerland

imo, the best " Feel Stop or Half stop " ever made
originally conceived by Alain Valandon (RIP), Jean Yves Lozach had Mr Wiesner include these on his models - Schild has taken it a bit further, but all in all it remains close to it's original concept

Most of France's top steelers played on Wiesners : Jean Yves Lozach on his Schild/Wiesner hybrid model :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIS_bLlj ... ature=plcp

Here's my buddy, Yoyo Duhaupas & his Wiesner that he bought from Jean Yves
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc6hKSTA ... ature=plcp
i've played this one -it's such a comfortable steel, that all you have to do is concentrate on your playing - pedals & levers just fall into place w: ease & in tune !

the Feel or Half stop

forgive me if i don't get involved promoting or discussing other European made steels
i'll leave that to those who know & like them

Hans Holzherr · Post by **Hans Holzherr** » 24 Mar 2012 10:10 am

Pictured above is my 1993 Schild and a view of the undercarriage, but then, that doesn't tell you much in terms of new developments since 2005 when Peter Schild decided to take up steel guitar building again where he left off almost a decade earlier. He has been completely redesigning his steel from the ground up. I don't think he's finished yet, as he always has new ideas, but since he does it in his sparetime, he only advances slowly.

Rare picture of Peter Schild working on a prototype in 2006.

Hans Holzherr · Post by **Hans Holzherr** » 24 Mar 2012 10:30 am

Crowbear - thanks for retouching the lacquer chip on the picture

if you did it, at all...

The mechanical design of the Wiesners is pretty much identical to my 1993 Schild, functional, but far from the striking engineering esthetics embodied in the new models, of which the picture from 2006 may give you a hint. BTW, this is a packed S-12 Universal.

i've played this one -it's such a comfortable steel, that all you have to do is concentrate your playing - pedals & levers just fall into place w: ease & in tune !

100% true.

Joseph Meditz · Post by **Joseph Meditz** » 24 Mar 2012 10:51 am

Thank you so much gentlemen. It was much more than I expected and very satisfying.

Either Jean Yves is very strong or that Wiesner is very light. Not too many people run up the stairs with their steel!

Loved the detail in that video. Admittedly it's a small thing, but I like that little knob on the Wiesner used to hold the pedal bar to the legs, so much nicer than cheesy wing nuts. That guitar looks very easy to set up.

In Yoyo's piece he was hardly moving the bar and doing a lot of fast pedal work which bespeaks of a smooth mechanism.

And Crowbear, it was a bonus and pleasure to hear you sing and play all those changes on the 6 string for accompaniment.

Getting back to the Schild. Since their site starts with a CAD drawing, this is obviously a top down design. Those guitars are expensive as compared to a first rate American guitar like MSA. However, there is a chance that the price may come down. Since they have the CAD drawing as well as the instructions to program the CNC machine it is possible to outsource this. Well, one can wish.

Joe

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 24 Mar 2012 11:36 am

Either Jean Yves is very strong or that Wiesner is very light.

that big smile is cause the case is empty
his Wiesner is not that heavy either

Viel Danke for poppin' in Hanz

(no retouching)
Wiesners have been the known ones in France Joseph
we have'nt had any Schilds -
Jean Yves managed to get the parts that were left when Mr Wiesner passed on
he told me he made up a steel from both a Schild & Wiesner
(could be that red one in the vid)
you'll notice that both Wiesner & Schild have alloy frames - not wood cabinets

Zumsteg originally seems to come from Switzerland too

Hans Holzherr · Post by **Hans Holzherr** » 24 Mar 2012 11:44 am

Yeah, Zumsteg is a common name here, no kiddin'.

Hans Holzherr · Post by **Hans Holzherr** » 24 Mar 2012 11:52 am

Schild does in fact outsource some parts. He is currently trying to make the manufacturing process less expensive. For instance, the red guitar in the first post had changer fingers that could not be milled because of their special shape. They had to be waterjet-cut. So now he has made it simpler in the meantime.

Blaz Patty · Post by **Blaz Patty** » 3 Apr 2012 3:50 pm

Hi guys,...

For those who may not now:
There is one PSG manufacturer from Europe located in Novi Sad in Serbia.
It is a family business where thay have love and passion for building fine instruments.
Mr. Papic and his Son are building great sounding pedal steel guitars. For now, as far as i know, PROMAT guitars are only pedal steel guitars with PUSH PULL mechanism made in Europe!

Check out this web site:
http://www.promat-steel-guitars.com/

P.s: I have one and it is great!!!
all the best to all you
Blaz Patty
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Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 3 Apr 2012 4:36 pm

Deleted

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 3 Apr 2012 5:31 pm

Question: Are all these instruments made with parts that use the metric system?

That would present a problem if any of them were exported to America. Do any of these builders use the American system? Or even offer it as an option?

Tucker Jackson · Post by **Tucker Jackson** » 3 Apr 2012 8:37 pm

Mike Perlowin wrote:Question: Are all these instruments made with parts that use the metric system?

That would present a problem if any of them were exported to America. Do any of these builders use the American system? Or even offer it as an option?

I'm confused why metric would be a problem? For example, I have a Toyota -- as do several other people in America.

And metric tools. It presents zero problem. Any oddball part that exists on planet Earth can be found on the internet and shipped anywhere in the world fairly quickly.

Of course, I'm probably missing something here... in which case, nevermind.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 3 Apr 2012 9:04 pm

I don't get the metric issue either. I had a Pontiac Transport that had several metric components. Isn't Pontiac supposed to be an American car (well, not any more I guess).

To the point, those Schild guitars makes me drool. Very pretty and evidently, expertly crafted. Love that half stop assembly. Trying to figure out how to put one (actually 2 of them) on my Carter.

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 3 Apr 2012 10:06 pm

Peter Schild is an engineer par excellence. Swiss precision at its best.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 3 Apr 2012 10:39 pm

Mike P, us poor Europeans have had to deal w: NON metric steels that we get from the USA for decades
we have managed to live w: that
(one reason i always insist on having the proper wrenches & tools included w: the steel dig ?)
metric tools are not hard to find
did'nt the USA try to go metric 40 years ago ?
me thinks Canada fared better

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 4 Apr 2012 12:24 am

I should have framed my comment as a question: would the use of the metric system cause a problem here?

Sorry if I ruffled any feathers.

Blaz Patty · Post by **Blaz Patty** » 4 Apr 2012 1:32 am

Here are some pictures of my PROMAT guitars,...

http://www.promat-steel-guitars.com/

P.s: I have one and it is great!!!
all the best to all you
Blaz Patty

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 4 Apr 2012 7:45 am

Mike, the only time feathers get ruffled is when there are NO wrenches w: the steels !
have mercy

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 4 Apr 2012 8:18 am

Crowbear, the American disdain for authority explains it. In almost every other country, the gummint said "Okay, in three years, everyone will convert to metric." and the population said "okay."
In America, the gummint said "y'all are going metric" and the people said "Naah I don't think so."
At least we don't have Whitworth...

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 4 Apr 2012 9:48 am

I wouldn't mind if that Schild D10 "crashed" at my house for a while.

Bud Angelotti · Post by **Bud Angelotti** » 4 Apr 2012 9:55 am

Goodness Those Swiss steels look like mercedes

Come a long way since clothes hanger Mavericks! Like a swiss timepiece! Looks like a goodrich pot pedal & George L pick-up.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 4 Apr 2012 2:12 pm

Just looking at the pictures, the Schild is very reminiscent of the BSG steel guitar made in this country.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 4 Apr 2012 3:34 pm

Just looking at the pictures, the Schild is very reminiscent of the BSG steel guitar made in this country.

I don't think so.

Ignoring the fact that this Schild is keyless, the differences I see are:

1. The trim on the front apron on the BSG is flush to the top of the guitar, whereas the Schild is a little bit below that.
2. The pedals are different
3. Brass roller nut on the BSG and aluminum (?) on the Schild.

I would like to compare the undercarriages, but can not find a picture of a BSG undercarriage (a big mistake, in my opinion, not to include pics of the undercarriage on the BSG site).

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