Whats the worst steel you have ever played ?

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 6 Aug 2014 4:41 pm

I have had a few Mavericks through here over the decades, including my first steel.. my "learner" that my bride of 41 years gave me for my 22nd birthday
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I disagree with many of you guys... yes they are not a "good" steel guitar, but they can be made to play very smoothly, mine always stayed in tune, and they sounded good.. Under that contact paper, you might be shocked at some NICE birdseye as well!.. If they had a little better changer, and 3 more levers, they would have been good little pedal steels!..
Tell you what, I have had better luck keeping Mavericks in tune than I had with several ProI steels that I have had..... bob

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 6 Aug 2014 5:15 pm

Herb Steiner wrote:My first pedal steel was a Gibson Electraharp, S-8 with 4 pedals on the left. It was pretty bad... I sold it to Rodney Dillard for $75, but Pete Grant got it going and used it on Wheatstraw Suite.

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That would be Little Pete off that album.

As a Pro 1 owner and a noob on psg, (see how that runs together) I searched for something that sounded good to my ears figuring if I ever learn to play at all it'd better sound good, to entice me to stick with it when I falter.

After hearing some on the Sho Bud like D. Hartley, among others, who has a large discog on U2b switching back and forth on his steel du jour (did you get your Franklin yet Dave?), I decided I liked the sound, harkening my recollection of listening to old country songs that featured steel.

The Pro 1, an 80's model, has been upgraded and tweaked by a good tech with good parts to a 3x5. Letting someone, known members of this community who have been around the block take a gander, before I get my mitts on it.

I play sitar, the original from India, not the Coral 6 string Danelectro version used on 60's R&B albums, Stevie Wonder's I Was Made To Love Her BJ Thomas' Hooked On A Feelling notably to some, Denny Dias' electric sitar solo on Steely Dan's Do It Again so keeping something in tune is something I take in stride.

I still have yet to get my hands on the Bud. It spent some time in Oceanside so my brother could fiddle a bit with it before shipping it.

Here's his son, Miles, playing it "with" Yoakam:

Will update if my attempts at keeping the thing in tune turns out to be a general consensus. And it might be more me than the Bud.

Studio use is the plan. As Harry Nilsson told a friend of mine in the studio long ago during those wild and crazy Nilsson-Moon days, you have to stop and tune your guitar for each section you track on the fretboard.

Perhaps this is still the case.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 6 Aug 2014 6:44 pm

Herb Steiner wrote:My first pedal steel was a Gibson Electraharp, S-8 with 4 pedals on the left. It was pretty bad... I sold it to Rodney Dillard for $75, but Pete Grant got it going and used it on Wheatstraw Suite.

Other than that, the Multi-Cord is the worst I've ever played, though I've looked at, but never played, guitars that must be similar to the Market-Rite.

oddly enough, my first steel was an interesting little no-name junker that i bought from pete grant... for $75..! but it had 10 strings and got me hooked on steel guitar.

Charley Hill · Post by **Charley Hill** » 6 Aug 2014 8:02 pm

Come on Mr. Tipple.....you gotta let us all know the brand of guitar you are referring to. $:\$

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 6 Aug 2014 10:41 pm

Another Carter Starter-a friend bought one and asked me to get it playable.The KLs were so flimsy I began to think somebody took the real ones and replaced them.The pedals were tunable,sort of.I wouldn't have recommended it for anyone.Set up a couple of beginner steels,either Mavericks or Red Barons for Wedgle's Pawn awhile back.Not much better,but a little.My first steel was a Fender S10 3X1 I bought new '77-'78.Wasn't too bad,but I upgraded as soon as I knew I'd be playing steel for the long term.

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 6 Aug 2014 11:54 pm

Speaking as a relative beginner, I'd say it's absolutely essential that the first steel you try stays in tune for a reasonable length of time. Otherwise if notes don't return, or disappear from where they were a moment ago, how are you to know whether you're doing anything right? And you won't capture any of those sounds that drew you to it.

My first steel was cheap. I thought it was a cheap guitar, but it turned out to be a good abused one and it responded to mechanical TLC. So now I know the off sounds are my fault, and I can progress.

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 7 Aug 2014 5:50 am

The worst steel I ever owned and played was a 2002 model popular D-10 model steel that is still being made. What made it the worst is that it had no tone what so ever. I tried different pickups, amps, picks, you name it but the guitar was still dead. The guitar felt so good playing that something had to make it sound good but to no avail. I would have really like to have known the problem with it because most of the others I've heard sound good.

Tom Gorr · Post by **Tom Gorr** » 7 Aug 2014 7:13 am

Lot of complaints about the older shobuds...my 1974 D10 holds its tuning really well, after the strings settle in from new. I noted that the prior owner had the strings perfectly straight across the nut rollers, which should improve problems with hysteresis from that area of the guitar, keeping the roller nut axle appropriate lubed, and possible replaced if it's worn is probably a further place to investigate if problems continue..the only other issue is my kids playing with the tuners...

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 7 Aug 2014 8:57 am

I have actually played both styles of Maverick. The shelf paper one's sucked. But, the lacquered one played and sounded OK for a starter guitar. I have a (now former) friend who bought a Lacquer Maverick (against my advice) from eBay (paid about $250 too much). I have heard some home studio recordings he did on some original songs. The playing was typical first year playing. Nothing complex, sloppy blocking, questionable intonation. In fact, at a gig, I let him sit behind my guitar and try it out. He had the finger picks on upside down. But the tone of the guitar was really good.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 7 Aug 2014 9:06 am

Tom... I don't understand the negative opinions of older Bud's either. Mavericks aside, the only one I would think would be a problem would be the Crossover. And that is only a mechanical thing. Some have one that works great, others have been able to modify theirs to work better. I have owned both a Professional and a Super Pro. I absolutely hated the Super Pro. And, that was only because of the pot metal knee lever brackets that would break. It's tone was to die for. Loved the Professional (blue lacquer), but couldn't really get my copedent on it without adding a bunch of parts or sending it off to rebuild.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 7 Aug 2014 2:51 pm

The worst one I ever played was a Gibson Multi-Harp, Electraharp, the one with 3 necks, and w/side mounted pedals working only the center neck. When I stepped on A&B, the whole center of the guitar sunk about a quarter of an inch?!?! Cabinet drop was about a quarter-tone, and it sounded awful. The guy who owned it, though, made it sound decent. I guess the moral of the story is that you can get used to just about anything, given enoughj time.

That said, I've played many good guitars that the owners had screwed up by trying to make "adjustments and modifications".

Tom Sosbe · Post by **Tom Sosbe** » 7 Aug 2014 4:45 pm

little buddy! worst steel ever made. pot metal end plates, plywood body, plastic key head. nothing good about it!

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 7 Aug 2014 4:48 pm

Donny Hinson wrote:The worst one I ever played was a Gibson Multi-Harp Electraharp...

Fortunately production of the Electraharp quickly stopped when they were sued by Harlin for patent infringement. Their mechanism was a very poor copy of Harlin's. But I'm surprised that you had to push on two pedals. The way the Electrharp worked you could set up any pedal on any combination of strings in a few seconds. Those who play E tuning on the MultiKord usually put the A and B pedals onto one pedal.

Mickey Adams · Post by **Mickey Adams** » 7 Aug 2014 6:48 pm

I eventually learned how to keep the CS in tune.....First you sit down, tune it...then get up and walk away from it...PRESTO!...ok that was uncalled for, I know...

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 7 Aug 2014 8:29 pm

Now, that there is funny, Mickey. But I think after a while, it will go out of tune by itself.

Ronnie Boettcher · Post by **Ronnie Boettcher** » 7 Aug 2014 9:55 pm

I only had 2 steels, but my first one was a used fender 400. Very limited on what you can do on 8 strings, and no knee levers. I did tune it like the E9, and omitted the 9th, and 10th strings. Then thanks to LLoyd Green, he sold me on a LDG. That will last me forever. Made a few changes, to fit my style. Moved the left knees, left, changed the LKL to a very short throw. Sounds good for a 77, and stays in tune.

Frederic Mabrut · Post by **Frederic Mabrut** » 8 Aug 2014 3:33 am

Tom Sosbe wrote:little buddy! worst steel ever made. pot metal end plates, plywood body, plastic key head. nothing good about it!

What Tom said !!!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 8 Aug 2014 3:42 am

Alan Brookes wrote:...I'm surprised that you had to push on two pedals. The way the Electrharp worked you could set up any pedal on any combination of strings in a few seconds. Those who play E tuning on the MultiKord usually put the A and B pedals onto one pedal.

Alan, by the late '50s, only a very few (those who copied Bud Isaacs) still did that. As soon as players got that "split-pedal" sound in their head, practically every player who could split the pedals did split the pedals.

Robert Parent · Post by **Robert Parent** » 8 Aug 2014 12:38 pm

I'll second that kit built model Doug mentioned earlier in this post. I never owned it but did play one painted John Deere green at a jam in SD. That thing was awful!

Robert

Will Cowell · Post by **Will Cowell** » 8 Aug 2014 1:37 pm

I remember my first steel, it was a Carter Starter, sure it was a compromise with corners cut all over, but the grin I got from sitting at that guitar made my face ache. It set me on the road to becoming a player.

I don't remember bad action or tuning problems, although of course I knew squat about steels then. But it did its job, got me hooked - so I'm with Herb Steiner!

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 8 Aug 2014 3:08 pm

Donny Hinson wrote:Alan, by the late '50s, only a very few (those who copied Bud Isaacs) still did that. As soon as players got that "split-pedal" sound in their head, practically every player who could split the pedals did split the pedals.

I know, but the Electraharp preceded that split by many years. In fact the Electraharp was not designed to use the pedals whilst playing. It was intended to be used to change tunings; the idea being that you kept your foot on one of the pedals for the whole tune. That being so I'm surprised they never designed locking pedals for it.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 8 Aug 2014 7:31 pm

Now that someone brought it up, a Fender PSG was the worst I have ever played. The one I played was a loaner from the music store that I bought my first ZB (S10) from. It was a single 10 or maybe an 8. Don't remember. It had no rollers at the nut. And, despite going to a .008, and using some lube at the nut, I had trouble even getting the high G# up to pitch, and certainly never able to get it to go to A without breaking immediately. I had to play it as a non-pedal guitar for the time I had to wait for my ZB. A real piece of junk. Probably would have like one after they started putting rollers at the nut.

mike nolan · Post by **mike nolan** » 9 Aug 2014 6:22 am

MSA Red Baron... insane cabinet drop and poor tuning machines/stops. I had a Lone Star lite 10 string that wasn't so hot either.... odd that some of the parts and assembly were very good, but other areas were totally ragged. Some of those problem spots negatively affected the tuning/playability of the guitar.

Terry Winter · Post by **Terry Winter** » 9 Aug 2014 11:35 am

My first guitar was a MSA Sidekick....tuning kept drifting but the sound wasn't too bad. Got me hooked on steel though and I quickly moved on.

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 9 Aug 2014 12:48 pm

My first PSG was also a MSA student model; can't remember if it was a Sidekick or a Red Baron. I do remember it was covered with a cheesy black plastic similar to the material pickup bedliners are manufactured from. (Did MSA make black Red Barons?)

It was what it was -- an entry level student model that was purchased new for a relatively modest price.

The reason I previously opined that the Sho-Bud Pro I was the worst in my experience is because, like the MSA, it also was purchased new. It was definitely not inexpensive, and it was supposedly a "Pro" model, but it did not stay in tune any better than the MSA. It sounded better, it looked a lot better, and it had one more knee lever.

The best tech in town (who's name would be recognizable to many Forum members) went through it completely, added two additional knee levers, and agreed it was basically untunable.

I expected much more from a "Pro" model instrument with the famous Sho-Bud moniker.