Maverick 6152

Bob Thomason · Post by **Bob Thomason** » 14 Nov 2015 4:06 pm

I can get a Maverick guitar for around 500.00 , I can't do a grand for a stage one or anything else for an experiment. Advice ?

Dana Blodgett · Post by **Dana Blodgett** » 14 Nov 2015 4:32 pm

The older ones from the early 70's that were bird's eye maple were good sounding but had an "iffy" pull/release system that left ya' wanting something more, I started with an early Maverick that just had 3 floor pedals and no knee levers and a non roller neck and broke a few strings...I later fabricated a knee lever to lower the 2nd and 8th string 1/2 step (E9)...If I had to do it all over again with that old Maverick I'd set it up as C6 tuning with no pedals.
I'd say, make sure it has at least a roller nut and 3 floor pedals and at least 1 knee lever in the $500 range, I paid &350 for mine in '74

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 14 Nov 2015 4:33 pm

Be prepared to not get far beyond the material in the Winston Keith book, as you need 4 knees to play most of what you hear from about 1970 on.
It's an exercise in frustration as soon as you learn how to move the bar, press a pedal and add a knee at the same time.

Bob Thomason · Post by **Bob Thomason** » 14 Nov 2015 5:16 pm

Thanks ,
I think I will stick to my laps for a while .

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 14 Nov 2015 5:25 pm

Dana, pull-release is limited only by the clever of the person setting it up. Jim Loessberg plays a Perm with 8 & 8.
BUT although a Maverick can be made to have a full set of knees, that takes some work.
On second thought, how many knees are on that Maverick, Bob?

Dana Blodgett · Post by **Dana Blodgett** » 14 Nov 2015 5:45 pm

Lane, I agree that you need a minimum of 3 floors and 4 knees or you're gonna get frustrated easily. I have seen some early Mavericks that have 3&4 but why would you invest that heavily on a Maverick unless you do the work yourself? At the very least they sound decent but for a budget of $500 how many options do ya' have? My current set up is a converted S10 6140(6139) to a 3&4 early Show Bud pro. I Love it it's from '73, Emmons set up and a fairly modern copedant...something like that is gonna cost way more than $500.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 14 Nov 2015 6:22 pm

try to find a $300 maverick and learn what you can with it.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 14 Nov 2015 7:19 pm

If you're from western Georgia, you could call Bob Simmons and ask about adding knees as you want them. He still makes pull-release guitars, and should be able to fit them as you want them.

Allan Kirby · Post by **Allan Kirby** » 15 Nov 2015 4:40 am

Bob,

Don't get discouraged regarding the Maverick. I respectfully disagree with Lane. I do agree with him that 3x4 is the best set-up, however, I also feel a lot can be done with a Maverick and the 3x1 arrangement. On occasion, when space and weight are an issue, I will play a gig with my Emmons GS-10, which is a student model. It only has three pedals and one knee lever but I don't really feel constrained, I just need to be creative. I think $500 is a good price for a Maverick and I believe with patience and practice, you will be able to play many of the familiar sweet sounds that a steel guitar provides.

I learned to play in the 1970s with a Sho-Bud model 6139, which came with only three pedals and one knee. I did a lot of gigs and sessions with that 3x1 guitar and can email you some sound clips from that time. The Sho-Bud 6139 has since been upgraded to a 3X3, but only after I determined what I really wanted to add.

Regards, Al

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 15 Nov 2015 7:21 am

Bob,

I say jump all over that Mavrick. If your just geting into pedals, there is a ton of good music that can be played on just 2 pedals and 1 knee. Then start saving for something with a 3X3 setup. See if you can find the course Jeff newman had out a few years ago. I don't remember the name, but it was something like, "The 2 Pedal 1 Knee lever Country, Gospel course." If you can learn the songs in that course, you may just find a 3X1 setup is all you want. Get that Mavrick and start peddeling.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 15 Nov 2015 7:34 am

If it's one of the <strike>walnut</strike> maple mavericks rather than the shelf paper Mavericks, I'd get it and get it expanded later.
Them things have TONE.

Dana Blodgett · Post by **Dana Blodgett** » 15 Nov 2015 11:27 am

My experience with the early Mavericks, were made out of beautiful Birdseye Maple,I've never seen one made out of walnut yet,but of course my opinion seems to matter very little on this forum..

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 15 Nov 2015 11:28 am

Dana, I meant maple, but wrote walnut. Oops.

Drew Pierce · Post by **Drew Pierce** » 17 Nov 2015 6:20 am

My first PSG was a maple Maverick with the non-roller nut. I added a RKR (can't remember now what it actually did.) But I started gigging with that guitar before moving up to 3x4 BMI S10. Those are cool little guitars if you can buy them worth the money. They're super light and sound very good for what they are. And Lane is (as usual) quite right about the later shelf paper/particle board version, which was landfill-ready junk.

Bruce Derr · Post by **Bruce Derr** » 17 Nov 2015 6:55 am

As far as I know, the"shelf paper" Mavs were solid maple as well, but without the raised neck. I've seen many photos of examples with the coating removed and natural finish applied, and some even have nicely figured wood. I can't comment on how they sound because I've never tried one.

If all you want to do is test the pedal steel waters, I'm siding with those who are telling you to go for the Maverick. They are limited, but they're fun little steels. They are easy to carry and set up, sound good, look good (talking about the raised neck ones here), and hold their value.

I admit I have a soft spot for the old Mavs.

Bob Thomason · Post by **Bob Thomason** » 18 Nov 2015 8:46 am

Thanks to all, I will see if it is available still . If it is the shelf paper I have the ability to make veneers to dress it up .

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 18 Nov 2015 12:12 pm

II wouldn't cover it,I'd strip it and lacquer it.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 18 Nov 2015 12:27 pm

Aren't the pickups the same as on all other Shobuds of that era?

Drew Pierce · Post by **Drew Pierce** » 18 Nov 2015 1:21 pm

Personally, I would hold out for better guitar. Those things are just plain funky. They don't even have an actual neck -- just the plastic Sho-Bud fretboard glued onto the box. At least the older maple models have a neck with a nice cast peghead, etc. Plus, I could never get any real tone out of any shelf paper model I ever tried to play.

Bob Thomason · Post by **Bob Thomason** » 18 Nov 2015 1:51 pm

Got away