ETS steel guitars

[Charlie McDonald]

Jana, I'd love to see it too; very interested in ETS, been following their story for a while.
If you want to include me in the email, I'd use Microsoft Picture Manager to compress them appropriately for the forum and post them
(altho b0b's instructions will do it except for reducing the file size).

[chris ivey]

the forum upload has an option for changing file size.

[b0b]

It resizes the image, but only if the image will fit uncompressed in the processing RAM. 4 mega-pixel images won't work.

[Charlie McDonald]

I've been given to understand by Curtis Hogue that the Carpsteel is indeed a 'cast metal' body; it was the flocking inside that had me fooled.
This description is of an earlier "Lacquer Carpsteel/ETS 3x5" that sold a year or so ago:

It is an all wood cabinet with ETS undercarriage parts. I am not sure if this charger is ETS or something Gary designed. If you compare these photos to those of an ETS you will see that the bell cranks, cross shafts, entire fretboard, and key head are identical. The differences are in the (adjustable) return springs, and this guitar has a set of Rains legs.... It is drilled for split screws.

And a photo of mine:


So there is similarity in that and ETS, and I'm proud to have a northeast Texas steel that's part of Bud Carter's heritage.

[chris ivey]

i got the impression that the ets and the carpsteel are very similar.

In what way?

ok. i've waited long enough. evidently no one is going to give me credit so i'd just like to say:
toot toot toot
honk honk
told ya so!!

[John Boogerd]

My philosophy is "If you can't out play 'em.....out dress 'em

That's a thought

[Jon Light]

Interesting to me is the fact that ETS had my attention from the get go because of the cast metal shell body (not just a frame). It seemed like a radical, cool idea. It is why I know ETS. It seems like Carpsteel never did anything to make anyone aware of this feature. Odd.

[chris ivey]

i think sierra did it before either one.

[David Slute]

Hey Charles. I have an ETS, looks identical to yours. Love it, butI have found the tuning is affected by temperature change. In particular if you are playing outside on a hot day directly in the sun. I now usually use my Carter D10 for outside gigs.

[Raymond Eicher]

I play both a red and a black ETS 3x5.
The black one has a slightly different changer mechanism. The springs are all on an angle. All of the moving parts are attached with a "star" wrench device then filled over so that they are not adjustable. The black one is not as glossy either. Bud told me that he was not part of early production of these guitars
The red one has a Carter fret board and a straight spring load and all adjustable parts and a Very glossy finish.
I sent Bud both guitars after I purchased them and he went over them from top to bottom.
The black one was completely re-rodded by Bud because the rods were cut too short and would eject the hex ends when you hit a knee lever.
Both guitars still play like a dream and play and travel with both regularly. Both around 40 lbs in case. Bud also sent me extra rods, parts and fingers for underneath (sorry, I can't remember the term for them). He sent me pictures of him playing and some home made CD's of his playing.
I was totally in awe of this man and his kindness to me for a few brief moments of his wonderful life. I was extremely saddened by his passing.

[Bob Carlucci]

I now have an ETS guitar.. Straight across trade for a VERY nice, exc condition Dekley S10 that was for lack of a better term, a "tough sell", for reasons that elude me. My ETS is a shiny "black sparkle".. Nice enough guitar that plays ok, a little stiffer than most, like some Carters were. Seems tuning stable, and sounds pretty good. Nothing exceptional.
VERY light weight.. I dunno, its a good little gigging guitar, but just seems to lack any real character.. Generic, functional, practical,utilitarian, common sense... all words that pop into my head in describing it... It does not have the soft, smooth action of a good vintage guitar. My Buds, MSA's, Dekley, Fender 800, Marlen, all play softer on the pedals and knees, albeit with somewhat longer and slightly sloppier pulls on the knee levers.. The ETS is more precise in its feel, but stiffer all around.. Maybe because its new...

The ETS is a nice guitar, but for this old school relic from decades past, it just seems to lack a soul.. If that makes any sense. But damn, it is EASY to move around!. Here's the bottom line.
My trade partner was delighted with the Dekley, I am moderately satisfied with the ETS. The new owner of the Dekley told me the Dekley's old school sound
[ very Bud like], is exactly the sound he was looking for that he could not get from the ETS. I told him the ETS was a nice light gigging steel. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. I had NO need to keep the dekley, and was looking for something different. I guess its just that I have had so many guitars with Bud Carters name underneath, and so many of them inspired me, and did anything I could ever ask them to do... Buds designs and workmanship has kept me as a "follower" for decades. This ETS guitar is nice enough, but I don't feel Bud's "soul" the way I did in his MSA and Carter guitars.. Not sure that makes any sense to anyone. My ETS will be satisfactory I am sure. I have yet to do any adjustments, set up, lubrication, etc. However, I just can't use the word "inspiring", not yet anyway.. "Practical" keeps popping up in my head..bob

[Raymond Eicher]

Bob, I totally understand your feelings and comments about your recent acquisition of an ETS guitar. The purpose of the ETS however was to make a good looking, decent light weight steel that was accurate, reliable and functional enough for most any situation. i really believe that goal was achieved ten-fold.
I sit down with my students Mullins and Zum guitars and I just feel like I'm in a Rolls Royce of great sound, comfort and design, BUT, in my world of gigging, recording and teaching my two ETS's have given me peace of mind, easy hauling, great sound (especially with a vintage "Lil' Izzy") as well. I hope to have a stay at home steel one day soon but until then, these guitars are just what the doctor ordered.
I think an add-on pad might be a nice addition too.

[b0b]

My blue ETS is the only pedal steel I regret selling. Ergonomically, it felt perfect to me. The pedal action was light and the stops were solid. The tone was right. The size and weight were right. And it looked great.

I'm glad that it found a good home in South Africa, and I like the Carter D-10 I sold the ETS to buy, but that little blue guitar was a perfect fit for me.

[Bob Carlucci]

My blue ETS is the only pedal steel I regret selling. Ergonomically, it felt perfect to me. The pedal action was light and the stops were solid. The tone was right. The size and weight were right. And it looked great.

I'm glad that it found a good home in South Africa, and I like the Carter D-10 I sold the ETS to buy, but that little blue guitar was a perfect fit for me.

Ergonomically, my ETS is ok... Yes the stops are solid, but I don't like the lever pivots,, Can't be tightened, and I do NOT like "swingy' levers... Pedal action is fair, kind of stiff for my taste, but I can adapt, and once I re rod it to my copedent, I can lighten it up a little, We'll see.. Right now, its ok, but needs some tweaking.. the pickup is a GeorgeL that has a sound unlike most other GeorgeL pickups i have heard.. Most are too dark sounding for me, but this is lighter and brighter sounding.. Not a single coil sound exactly, but closer than most Georgel pickups I have had.. Any ideas as to what pickup I might have?

[b0b]

The stock pickup was a 10-1, I think.

[Jimmy Gibson]

i think sierra did it before either one.

ZB Students had a metal frame and the same changer as the pro models,imho the best student steel you could get, and I still have one.

JG

[Brad Sarno]

My brief experience with an ETS in Dallas a couple years ago was enough to put it at the top of my wish list. It's not just utilitarian, light, easy, affordable, but man it really had good playability and a sweet tone, really sweet. Maybe not as sexy as a wood guitar or a classic looking steel, but just sheer genius how they packed all that tone and function into such a little, portable, ultralight form like that. So impressed and so saddened by the tragedy (tragedies) that ended the production. An ETS is still on my wish list.

B

[Asa Brosius]

I played an ETS nightly for nearly two months straight on a tour last spring- that meant international flights and rattling around a van for most of the day, set-up and breakdown each night, and vastly different climates. I bought it for the size and weight, and in that regard it was always a delight to pick up, vs the d10 emmons I also use. The tuning stability, all things considered, was fantastic, and it played effortlessly. I think two strings broke during that time-impressive for the amount of playing and road conditions. I missed my emmons, but that's not really a fair comparison.
During some days off in Nashville I tried out and bought a next-to-new Zum encore (built with the same intention to fill a similar niche), and spent the next month playing it. I liked the pedal and lever action more- firmer than looser- and it felt more stable, but it required more involved tuning more often. At this point, I truly couldnt say which guitar I liked better. Cosmetically, that sparkle black was pretty cool...
I've played two other ETS guitars, and each one had unique features relative to the others-different parts, different feel, but I've always liked how they sound.