I'm the "steel player of 42 years" Scott mentioned.
This steel guitar is a true gem. If I could have moved all the pedals to the left a couple of inches for ideal positioning of a zero pedal, and easily added 2 staggered knee levers, I would have bought it, but that was going to involve a lot of re-engineering with custom machined parts, and it was more project than I can take on right now.
Chances are your copedent needs aren't as extravagant as mine; if so, this guitar will suit you fine.
I had it for a couple of weeks and really got to know it, and I was in constant touch with its maker, Roy Thomas in Louisiana. Here are more things that make this a special guitar:
• It's a solid aluminum frame (similar to MCI's and EMCI's) with a die-board top. Die board is much harder than any other wood and far more expensive, Roy tells me, so the body has amazing stability, and almost no cabinet drop anywhere. GFI and Pedalmaster were the only builders willing to spend the money to use die-board. Gene Fields and Roy Thomas were partners for 12 years, so there are very smart people behind this wonderful but often overlooked brand.
• It's a 25-inch scale neck, and sustains much longer than either my Carter SD-10 or Mullen pre-RP D-12. Beautiful high end. Perfect strong harmonics.
• Gauged roller nut rollers.
• Dual mono output jacks, one for your amp, one for a tuner, or for dual mono signal chains, (wet-dry, etc.).
• With that Danny Shields custom humbucker pickup with a 3-way tap switch (full tone-brighter-brighter still) and dual adjustable pole pieces, the tone and string volume can be exactly how you want it. Easy to get a bright, Bakersfield-style tone on this baby.
• The 13th changer finger provides for 5 half-stops on any pedal or knee lever you want, without add-on mechanical devices. My Carter has this feature, and I love it! Almost eliminates the need for splits using screws or rods.
• Every part of it is heavy duty, not a shortcut or flimsy part anywhere, yet the guitar alone weighs just 40 lbs. (65 in its case).
• Mechanically it's flawless and pedal and lever action is very easy, but not TOO easy. Just right, I'd say. It was built in 1995, so it's not even that old.
• It's named "Old Maude". Roy tells the charming story behind the name.
There is one very minor issue: the right rear leg's tightening collar isn't holding perfectly solid, there's no full-stop when you tighten the collar. A couple of minor interior parts for the leg will remedy that.
This is a lot of guitar and wonderfulness for the price being asked. Highly recommended!! I was very reluctant to pass on it, and may regret that decision eventually.
If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest!