Best Sounding Basic Steel for the Money?

Gary Rosner · Post by **Gary Rosner** » 14 Jun 2002 5:10 pm

I am a beginner who is practicing on 8-string lap steel for the moment in E9 tuning. I would like to start checking into pedal steels while I save my money and try to learn as much as I can. I know I will be still at this ten years from now. What do you think is the best-sounding pedal steel I can get (new or used) that will not be overkill for a beginner, can be had for under $1000 and sounds so good that I won't need to ever buy another? I suppose 3 pedals and 4 knee levers is fine. Thanks.

Wayne Brown · Post by **Wayne Brown** » 14 Jun 2002 6:20 pm

try a carter starter there 's a lot of bang for your buck...three pedals and 4 levers and they sound great and play very well

wayne
carter sd-10 nashville 1000

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 14 Jun 2002 7:05 pm

Hi, Gary
Always good to see a new Michigan steeler!
I would recommend you seek out a Fessenden guitar. I'm not sure what Jerry's price for a single-10 is, but I will assure you of two things: price will be competitive with anything out there and they are superior sounding and playing guitars. A used one should be in the $1000 range, I'm sure, and a new one shouldn't be much more. Give him a call at (802) 229-4782 (he's in Vermont).

Just my opinion.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 14 June 2002 at 08:08 PM.]

Jeff Lampert · Post by **Jeff Lampert** » 14 Jun 2002 7:08 pm

I won't need to ever buy another?

Try to found a used Sho-Bud LDG. It is named for and played by Lloyd Green, considered by many to be the best E9 player ever to play. It might take a little while, but you ought to be able to locate one for near $1000. The standard configuration is 3p/4k. Also, it won't lose any value over time and is certainly a pro model. Assuming you don't get into C6, and assuming you like the sound, you may find that you will never need another guitar.

Tony Rankin · Post by **Tony Rankin** » 15 Jun 2002 5:58 am

What Jeff says is correct. They sound great too!

Bill Moore · Post by **Bill Moore** » 15 Jun 2002 7:12 am

Gary, There's good advice above, but if cost is a major consideration, I'd suggest being patient and look for a nice used guitar. One that is sometimes overlooked is the BMI. I've noticed that some have sold on Ebay recently for 500 to 600, not bad for an S-10 with 3 or 4 levers. I bought one like that in the mid 80's that wish I would have kept. One thing, though, you probably will want another guitar at some time, not because you really need a new one, but maybe it's human nature to want to try new things. Good luck.

Post by **Joey Ace** » 15 Jun 2002 7:24 am

"sounds so good that I won't need to ever buy another"

I doubt it, no matter how much you spend.
You'll see...

In your situation my vote is for a Carter Starter. New it fits your budget, Used you'll save a few hundred.

Do a search for Carter Starter on this forum for more info.

You might be able to find an older Pro Level S10, such as an MSA Classic within your budget.

Be careful, some older lower priced instruments are a problem.
[This message was edited by Joey Ace on 15 June 2002 at 06:52 PM.]

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 15 Jun 2002 7:25 am

I would triple Dog agree with Jeff. A Sho-Bud LDG 3+4 at around a grand or so would most likely never be worth less than that as long as it is in fine shpe to begin with and you keep it like that. And ,it may take you the rest of your life to conquer all it has to offer with great tone to boot ! But I also agree that somewhere down the road I see a Double Ten in your future...but if you do acquire an LDG, don't part with it, it's kinda like an old classic 'vette.

Good Luck
tp

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 15 Jun 2002 11:26 am

Can`t go wrong with good ole` LDG.Sounds great and looks beautiful.My vote goes to that classic oldtimer.

Damir

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http://hometown.aol.com/damirzanne/damirzanne1.html

Joerg Hennig · Post by **Joerg Hennig** » 15 Jun 2002 3:06 pm

Nothing wrong with the Carter Starter, but you should also consider the fact that you can´t change the pedal/knee lever setup, at least that´s what I´ve heard. If I wanted to play only E9, my choice would be the LDG, too, for the reasons Damir mentioned, even ol´Lloyd finally came back to it

.[This message was edited by Joe Henry on 15 June 2002 at 04:11 PM.]

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 15 Jun 2002 3:32 pm

I think that your qualifier, "won't ever need to buy another," pretty much eliminates the Carter Starter, which was designed to get someone into learning the steel and eventually trade up to a professional level guitar.

If you save a couple-three hundred more and got into the $12-1300 range, you could find a much larger selection of used lifetime quality guitars, including Emmons Originals (PP's), as well as LDG's, Pro I's, MSA's, etc.

Another thing you might consider. Currently, Sho-Bud Crossover guitars, made in the late 60's and distributed by Baldwin, are plentiful on eBay and are undervalued by the marketplace IMHO. They have non-traditional pedal placement and less knee levers than modern day instruments, but can be converted to real nice LDG-style guitars. The thing about them is that some were made with rosewood and maple and are thus very beautiful, and they're built like tanks (and weigh slightly less than a stripped-down Abrams

) and sound like God. But again, doing that project would cost a few bucks above the price of the guitar.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Post by **Joey Ace** » 15 Jun 2002 5:50 pm

All the above advice is good advice, IMO.

Let me add some advice you didn't ask for.
I don't think a beginner should be thinking about buying a guitar to last a lifetime.

IMO, a beginner should look for a playable guitar, (with at least 3p, 4KL).

Resale price should be a small, but necessary, consideration.

As you learn and develop you'll find what's the best guitar for you. Then you'll trade up.

Just MHO.

Roy Thomson · Post by **Roy Thomson** » 15 Jun 2002 6:27 pm

In my part of the country a Sho-Bud LDG 3+4
is somewhat of a collectors guitar and would
sell for a pretty sum. Not too many around here either and where they exist they are definitely not for sale.
The Carter Starter would be my choice or the GFI beginners model.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 15 Jun 2002 11:17 pm

I like the Carter Starter for a student guitar. The 4 knee levers are enough to keep you busy for years (unlike some other student guitars that only have 1 knee lever.)

The choice is a new Carter Starter or a used pro guitar. The thing about buying a used pro guitar is that you might get a real winner. But you also might get something that's obsolete, or in very poor mechanical condition. With a new Carter Starter, there's no gamble. You are assured of getting an instrument that's fine for learning purposes, amd good enough to use on a gig, if necessary.

Del Rangel · Post by **Del Rangel** » 16 Jun 2002 5:55 am

Besides the Carter--which is indeed a good guitar, you might want to look at GFIs. Like Carter they have a student model that is sweet. As Mr. Steiner has said, however, maybe you could save a bit more and buy a pro-guitar if possible as otherwise you may find yourself quickly outgrowing your first depending what your learning curve is like.[This message was edited by Del Rangel on 16 June 2002 at 06:55 AM.]

Alan Michael · Post by **Alan Michael** » 16 Jun 2002 8:17 am

Gary, I started playing about two years ago and found an LDG for a $1000 bucks. I have since purchased a Pro II and a Carter D-10 because I became interested in bringing along the C6 neck as I learn to play E9. I sold the LDG for exactly what I paid for it. I kinda wish I'd kept that guitar because as Jeff and Tony mentioned, they are a "classic". Best of luck to you. Alan

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 16 Jun 2002 8:25 am

Overall I would suggest a Carter Starter.
It takes a good deal of playing the steel before you can have even a vague understanding of what is actually involved with the instrument enough to make an intelligent decision about what is right for you.

If you have a bit more money on hand than $1000 and a steel set up/repair guy handy I would go with a used pro model.

I was surprised at first at how good the Carter Starter sounds. You can pick them up for about $700 new. After playing a bit it will be a very easy resell without losing very much money when you have an understanding of what you like in a pro model.

One of the biggest problems I face with new players that want lessons or help is that they mostly seem to think they know everything already so they waste piles of money and time. There is some great advice on this thread. The only thing I would like to add is to STAY AWAY FROM EBAY! I must have had 20 guys that I offered to help check out a steel. Then they got excited and spent way to much money on some nailed together hunk of unplayable crap that they thought was a vintage whatever.

Bob

Also last I heard Joe Wright was living in Mi someplace. If you really want to be a steel player find him and do whatever he says ![This message was edited by Bob Hoffnar on 16 June 2002 at 10:01 AM.]

Doug Earnest · Post by **Doug Earnest** » 16 Jun 2002 10:35 am

The ZumSteel Stage One is a killer sounding student guitar, and may be the most overlooked guitar on the planet. Quite a bit under $1000 with 3 pedals, 4 knee levers and a hard case, reasonable delivery time on the student model. You might eventually want a more "pro" type guitar, though.

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Doug Earnest
The only Zum Keyless U12, Fender Cyber Twin

Gary Rosner · Post by **Gary Rosner** » 18 Jun 2002 5:05 pm

Thanks to all of you for your great advice. I am certainly not going to jump the gun and make a purchase before I have a clue what I'm doing, but your collective advice will be very helpful indeed when I am ready to pull the trigger.

To Bob Hoffnar, I recently saw Joe Wright at the steel show in Grand Rapids, and he completely blew me away! Absolutely amazing. Plus, he was quite the comedian. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand. That performance really inspired me to want to learn to play pedal steel.

Michael Wilson · Post by **Michael Wilson** » 19 Jun 2002 9:51 am

I agree with just about everyone in here there are alot of good guitars out there in your price range. Check the buy and sell part of the forum, E-bay many times has some good steel deals.