What Makes you want to Sell A Steel?

John Gould · Post by **John Gould** » 4 May 2013 4:57 pm

I've only own a total of 5 in my steel playing life.
Other than needing to sell one to afford another what makes you want to sell one. I see people going from this brand to that brand and back again.

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 4 May 2013 5:38 pm

I've been fortunate that each of the steel guitars that I have purchased has been a first choice g'tar and I've been happy with it for years, having no desire whatsoever to part with them.

This includes my quad BIGSBY, My #2 Trot=Mor, My multiple Rickenbachers and also an Excel twin and a Shot=Jackson Fry-Pan. My prize is my Volu-Tone amp.

Hopefully I'll not live long enough to witness the sale of my musical equipment.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 4 May 2013 6:17 pm

I sold my first steel, a Marlen S-10, to buy my second, an Emmons D-10.
It was burgled.
My 3rd, a Zum ordered after the burglary, I still have..
My 4th, an MSA D-10, got converted to an SD, saving the parts to throw a bunch more parts under my 5th guitar, another MSA, a U-12. I sold the SD to buy the rest of the parts (my MSA addiction is keeping folks like M. Yahl busy) to make that 12 ludicrous. I shall NOT sell it, and I'm preparing to commission my next guitar.
I've owned 5 guitars: sold two, lost one, and have two. Within a year and a half, I expect to have a third, my 6th in my life.

Scott Duckworth · Post by **Scott Duckworth** » 4 May 2013 8:00 pm

"What Makes you want to Sell A Steel?"

Greed, lust, desire... for another BETTER steel!

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 4 May 2013 11:15 pm

The green MSA shown in my avatar is the first one I ever bought, and I played it along with a white one I bought 2 years later, for 25 years. (I like having a spare.) When I got my first Millennium, I was not sure what I'd do with three, but I did not plan to sell the older ones.

As I said before, another Millennium U-12 turned up on E-bay. By sheer coincidence, this one was also white, I used my credit card to buy it, and sold the older white one and one of my mandolins to cover the cost.

That still left me with 3, and I eventually decided to let the green one go, partly to cover some other expenses, and partly because I was no longer using it.

I plan to play these 2 Millies for the rest of my life.

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 5 May 2013 12:43 am

Seems Mike has forgotten about selling me a Fessenden U12, though I dont think he played it, from what I can recall. Im pretty sure it helped to finance his second Milly by selling it anyways.

It came to me as a 5X1 C6 and lots of extra parts. I got quite an education in steel mechanics by completely disassembling, cleaning and reassembling it several times in different configurations, starting with its original U12 E9/B6 8X5 setup. I really enjoyed testing out various changes I didnt have on my other guitars. Its now an Ext. E9 5X5.

I havent played it much lately, and Im hoping Mickey Adams can help me put it back to a U12 8X5 again. It wouldnt take him long (an afternoon compared to weeks I'd spent), and I know it would be done right!

Its my fourth steel, but I have no intention of selling it. I may eventually sell my Starter and replace it with the Fessenden for rehearsals.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 5 May 2013 3:24 am

Clete is correct. I got the Fessy to learn the C6, but the 2nd Millie turned up on E-bay almost immediately after I got it. I sold the older MSA, the mandolin and the Fessy to pay for it.

I never had a chance to play it, even once. I also still haven't learned the C6.

Ron Scott · Post by **Ron Scott** » 5 May 2013 4:32 am

After starting out with a 3 neck fender I bought in a garage sale I went to a Fender 1000 with pedals then to a Sho-Bud Professional but just was inspired or had a feeling for a Franklin D10 so after lots of thought and research went to St Louis looking for Mr Franklin Sr that had them on display and played it on the floor and knew this was my guitar of choice and ordered it and have had it ever since (early 80's). I had a Sho-Bud LDG for a while as a second guitar but never liked it. I've never been one for changing guitars. I don't play out anymore so 1 is plenty for me.Ron

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 5 May 2013 4:57 am

Ron, if you have a stereo guitar, why only one amp?

Brandon Schafer · Post by **Brandon Schafer** » 5 May 2013 6:47 am

I wanted a nice, old Emmons. That's where I'm at. I can't wait to pick it up on Friday!

Ron Scott · Post by **Ron Scott** » 5 May 2013 7:32 am

Zane I don't play out anymore so at home in my music room I just don't need the second one.I used to have 2 Nashville 400's.Ron

John Swain · Post by **John Swain** » 5 May 2013 7:52 am

As our Forum-mate, Dave Mudgett put it" you can't down to a dealership a try a Franklin,ZB,Emmons etc so for alot of us owning one for awhile or longer is the only option to find out what you like or don't like about a particular make or model steel guitar..At least until Consumer's Reports starts testing them! JS

Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · Post by **Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)** » 5 May 2013 8:34 am

I've had a total of 10 steels and I'm down to only 1 guitar now. All but the one I still have went away for a myriad of reasons:

1. Year acquired = 1976 ... 1975 MSA Red Baron (my first guitar). I eventually sold that one in 1979 to a fellow who wanted a simple student guitar instead of a pro model.

2. Year acquired = 1976 ... 1976 MSA Classic (red birdseye maple D-10 with 8&4). Had this guitar until 1979 when a fellow named Wayne Kaiser just fell in love with it and wanted to buy it. I've seen that star struck look at a steel before, so I went ahead and sold it to him.

3. Year acquired = 1977 ... 1977 MSA Classic XL (emerald green D-10/12 with 10&7). Had this guitar until 1987 when I sold it to Jerry Newberry to cover the expense of major front end replacement on my car.

4. Year acquired = 1986 ... 1986 Boen/LinArc D-10 with 10&7 (black mica). This was my first guitar to build when I was working with Jim Boen (about the time he sold the name "Pedalmaster"). I had this guitar until 1989 when a fellow in Canada just had to have it. Not thinking anyone would carry so much cash in his pocket, I offered it to him for $3,000 USD and he opened his billfold and shelled out the money right then and there ... well, he bought it and I've regretted selling it ever since.

5. Year acquired = 1988 ... 1987 Mullen D-10 HWP (red mica with 8&6). My first Mullen, I really loved this guitar and was content with it until, in 1991, Gary Hogue offered me his first Emmons, a 1976 black mica push/pull with 8&5. I sold my red Mullen to Steve Lamb in order to buy Gary's old Emmons.

6. Year acquired = 1990 ... 1990 Mullen D-10 lacquer black top, blond front with 8&9. This guitar was made to be a "twin" of Gary Hogue's 1986 Mullen and was a wonderful guitar. I eventually sold this guitar in 1995 in order to buy Gary's 1986 Mullen. This 1990 Mullen eventually found its way into Mickey Adams' hands and he has it now ... and loves it!

7. Year acquired = 1990 ... 1969 Emmons D-10 black mica with 8&4. My first Emmons, I bought this in 1990 (a year before I bought Gary's 76 Emmons) ... cleaned it up and took it to Gary's house to show him. He played it for two hours and wanted to buy it ... never having been able to ever say "no" to Gary, I sold it to him right then (I never got to play that 69 Emmons a single time).

8. Year acquired = 1991 ... 1976 Emmons D-10 black mica with 8&5 (Gary Hogue's first Emmons). I no longer have this guitar, but never sold it. The loss of this guitar was the result of a tragic mistake. In 1998 Gary asked me if he could play "the old guitar" for awhile because he was in a musical rut and he felt playing the old guitar would help him get fired up again. I took my 76 Emmons to him and told him to play it as long as he liked (I was happy to lend it to him and I knew it'd be in good hands as Gary was extremely meticulous with all guitars). I let him know he was welcomed to hang onto it as long as he liked and to just let me know when he was done with it and I'd come get it. Well, Gary held onto that guitar for quite awhile (playing it off-and-on and it was still in his possession when he passed away. At the funeral I didn't mention anything about coming to get my guitar (I thought it'd be inappropriate to bring up a subject like that at the funeral). Shortly after the funeral I learned that Gary's wife had divided Gary's guitars out to other family members and, being unaware that Gary had only borrowed the old 76 Emmons, she'd ended up keeping that one guitar for Gary's son, Elliott. It was an unfortunate misunderstanding. I know that if she'd realized it was my guitar and that Gary had only borrowed it, she'd have contacted me to come and get it, but she just thought it was one of the many guitars that Gary had around the house (she did know, though, that it was the old 76 Emmons because of the distinctive "cut out" in the end plate that Gary Carpenter made when he performed some modifications to the lowering tuners of the guitar). To be frankly honest, I miss my old 76 Emmons more than words can ever say and I still grieve a lot over the loss of that guitar, but I never had the heart to contact her and ask for my guitar back since that was the only one she'd kept back for Elliott after Gary's funeral.

9. Year acquired = 1995 ... 1986 Mullen D-10 lacquer black top, blond front with 8&7 (Gary Hogue's first Mullen). This was the guitar that I sold my 1990 Mullen to get and I still have it and will never part with it.

10. Year acquired = 1998 ... 1997 Mullen D-10 Bombay mahogany mica with 8&7. When I took Gary my 76 Emmons to play, he had this Mullen for sale at a great deal ($1800) so he could finish out the studio he was putting together. So, the day I let him borrow my 76 Emmons, I bought this guitar (I had $1700 in my bank account and borrowed $100 from my wife to buy it) and it became my full-time road guitar while I was with Ty Herndon. When I left Ty's band in 2000, my wife (who is now my ex) badgered me endlessly to sell one of the two remaining guitars: either the 1986 Mullen or the 1997 Mullen. After months of endless nagging she got her way and I sold the 1997 Mullen to Bobbe Seymour who, if I recall correctly, sold it to Bruce Bouton (at least, that's who I was told by another steel player ended up buying that guitar).

That's how, and why, I went from 10 steel guitars down to only 1 guitar. Truth be told, with the exception possibly of the Red Baron, I wish I had every one of them back again ... but the one that I no longer have that I miss the most is the old 1976 Emmons.

Ron Scott · Post by **Ron Scott** » 5 May 2013 8:37 am

John That is unfortuate but I did look around quite a bit before deciding on what my instincts told me to do. A feeling from inside myself I guess.The Guitar lot to shop at is a great idea too.Steel Shows have some of that.I know there are lots of great guitars out their today but I do like mine quite well and it works for me.Some guys are never satisfied and seem to look and buy lots of different ones I guess.I think since Paul was someone who I thought had a great sound might have helped me too.I always went to St Louis every year anyway so I knew when I was going to the show what I had in mind to do.Ron

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 5 May 2013 8:52 am

For me it is usually because life takes a crap on me and I need to sell for money to pay bills. I am very very close to having to sell out the rest of my equipment now to survive another month or two.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 5 May 2013 9:02 am

this was #3..sold too cheaply to help pay for #4

admin · Post by **b0b** » 5 May 2013 9:25 am

Usually I sell a steel guitar because there's another one that I want more than the one I have. Sometimes it's just because I need the money.

Joseph Meditz · Post by **Joseph Meditz** » 5 May 2013 9:39 am

I bought my very first PSG, a brand new Fessy about seven years ago from Jim Pali at which time I knew absolutely nothing about PSGs. I learned that Fessy was a decent brand and that some pros used them. I reasoned that since it was brand new it would be trouble free. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and I spent a lot of time under the hood. I did learn a lot and did manage to conquer the issues. Then finally, after I got it just right, I realized that I didn't really like that box after all. (Btw, the very first guitar Jim showed me was an old Dekley which I imagine really would've been trouble free and not susceptible to cracking.)

So, about 4 years ago Jim took the Fessy in trade for a used, pristine, blue Excel, an exquisite instrument. However, when I moved to AZ with its single digit humidity the case shrank, cracked and warped. It could not be repaired. So I built a new case of ash and now have a guitar that sounds, plays and looks better than it ever did, and I know every single part of this guitar inside and out. Now, since this guitar is exactly what I want I am perfectly satisfied and have no reason to sell it.

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 5 May 2013 12:34 pm

I don't sell my steels, but here's how I looked for new steels-in 1999, I got my first steel-a 1974 beginners' Emmons with three pedals and one knee. I played that steel until December of '04, when I went to Steel Guitar Nashville and bought my next steel, a GFI Ultra D-10-it was my main guitar from December of '04 until April of 2010, when I bought my best steel that I play now-a Jackson BlackJack Custom. I got interested in the Jackson Steel in June of '09 when I met David and Harry Jackson of the Jackson Steel Guitar Co. They built my best and favorite steel. I'm staying with the Jackson Steel.

Howard Steinberg · Post by **Howard Steinberg** » 6 May 2013 4:27 am

I've had 5 steels since 1976. The first was a Market-Rite student model. Sold that in 1978 as it was a pretty limited instrument. I then bought a nearly new MSA Classic. Sold that in 1986 as I wanted to add 3 knee levers and there were no parts to be found at that time. I sold that guitar to Tom Bradshaw. Tom was restoring MSA's at that point and told me that it was going to be converted to an SD-10. Maybe someone on the forum now has that guitar. In 1986 I ordered a new Mullen that I still have. I almost sold it last summer with plans to order a Justice D-10. That never came to fruition.

Robert Harper · Post by **Robert Harper** » 6 May 2013 8:48 am

I have three. I have a Fender Steel, and a S12 MSA. I played or I should say picked the Fender over 20 years. I don't have the heart to sell the guitar. I have the MSA 12. I bought it because I thought it would be more mechanically conduvive to playing better and because I love the low strings. I haven't sold it yet, for a variety of reason. The biggest being the horror stories I have seen on the forum of shipping. The next reason I havent sold the guitar is I always feel like I have been taken after I sell anything. I have a recently purchased D10, Black PP that currently love I can never see me selling the Emmons. Haven said that, I'm not sure I can resist the temptation for the next guitar,car or woman I see that I like. Hey its capitalism Lavis consumtion after a lifetime of work, being married, raising kids, going to college while raising children and workin, working my way through HS and tech school. No woman wants to spoil me so I am spoiling my self in close proximity to advanced age. I make no apology. However if anyone hears of a woman that wants to spoil me I am available. I am easy, but not cheap

Bob Simons · Post by **Bob Simons** » 6 May 2013 7:23 pm

1) Heart attack
2) Quintuple bypass

and consequently...

3) No income!

Cost me one of my two identical Zum U12's ....but I'm still here to play the other one!

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 7 May 2013 2:36 am

Some of my guitars are keepers - my Emmons push pull, Show Pro and Sho~Bud will be with me until I turn my toes up.

The rest are for teaching purposes, and I may be tempted out of them by the right offer. I sold an MCI and Emmons LG2 in the last year, to fund a keeper guitar. If the right guitar comes along I might still be tempted to add to my herd. Much to wifey's concern.

John Russell · Post by **John Russell** » 8 May 2013 8:13 am

So all you guys can get new guitars!

I guess by reading the above posts, there are really no un-replaceable guitars. I have a couple of nice Strats that are actually made from kits using some Fender parts. I'd hate to lose either one but I know I'd get over it as soon as I got another one.

Pedal steel guitars are a little different in that there are fewer of them and (in my case anyway) it takes lots of tinkering to get one just right for me. I have two such guitars and lots of hours invested in setup, buying parts, etc. That's what is hard to replace. But by reading this Forum, I realize there are thousands of instruments out there, many of which I could love. (Lust?)

Enough philosophy. My two (current) guitars are a 1990 Zum S12U and a 1978 Sierra S12U. Both are set up identically, and both play and feel about the same. The setup wasn't easy to do and that's why I'm not considering selling either one. That said, I have had some medical expenses this past year and can understand the need to part with one--I only need one.

I'm currently negotiating the sale of a 30-year-old Martin that I thought I'd never sell. I found a newer Martin that I love more and don't need the older one. The mojo ain't there, folks, the newer one is superior. I feel the same re pedal steels. Newer is better IMHO.

My first PSG was a Fender 400, good starter guitar; next was a Sho~Bud Pro 1--played for about 20 years; next came the Zum 12 I still have. One I did sell and wish I'd kept was a GFI S12U--it found a good home and I'm over the loss. The Sierra is my new (30+ yr. old) sweetheart but she's heavy and my back has had a rough year medically speaking. If I had to choose between the Zum and the Sierra, I don't know what I'd do, they're both great guitars.

Carl Mesrobian · Post by **Carl Mesrobian** » 8 May 2013 11:46 am

Bob Simons wrote:1) Heart attack
2) Quintuple bypass

and consequently...

3) No income!

Cost me one of my two identical Zum U12's ....but I'm still here to play the other one!

I just had open heart surgery 2 weeks ago and I love the guitars even more (no, my hearts not "bigger", just "better"), and can't lift them to sell them. When they threaten to hold me for ransom, my wife refuses to pay them, so we all stay

The Steel Guitar Forum

What Makes you want to Sell A Steel?

What Makes you want to Sell A Steel?

I can't really debate this point..............

I have three