Magnum Pedal Steel

Instruments, mechanical issues, copedents, techniques, etc.

Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn

Post Reply
Jack Mansfield
Posts: 234
Joined: 23 Feb 2000 1:01 am
Location: Reno, NV

Magnum Pedal Steel

Post by Jack Mansfield »

Does anybody have any information on the magnum D10 pedal steel that musicians friend has in stock and for sale.
johnopsg
Posts: 41
Joined: 25 Apr 2000 12:01 am
Location: Tracy, Calif., U.S.A.

Post by johnopsg »

The Magnum is produced by WorldClass Steels
(Carer Steel Guitars). The Magnum is their
professional grade D-10 distributed through their dealer network, where they first introduced the CarterStarter steel. I suggest that you contact John or Ann Fabian at Carter Steels for more info.
User avatar
J D Sauser
Moderator
Posts: 2808
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Wellington, Florida
Contact:

Post by J D Sauser »

Tom Olson
Posts: 1605
Joined: 21 Feb 2000 1:01 am
Location: Spokane, WA

Post by Tom Olson »

Why would an established company (Carter) start making steels under another brand name (Magnum)?
User avatar
Jon Light
Posts: 13745
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Saugerties, NY
Contact:

Post by Jon Light »

I wouldn't venture to say (to speak for Carter) but some observations---it's a difficult business model to sell factory direct and through dealers. You are always at risk of alienating a dealer by making a direct sale. But factory direct sales are self-limiting---you are restricting your sales to "insiders"---players who are plugged into the word-of-mouth thing or are online or otherwise well informed. How to expand your market? Go beyond factory sales and even beyond steel dealerships. Hit the retail chains (with whom you have already established business relationships with your Carter-Starter).
I haven't compared guitars or prices (Carter vs. Magnum) but presumably you have a standardized guitar--no custom setups--with the marketing and manufacturing advantages and benefits this provides.
Carter steel guitars, excellent axes and a successful company---there is a formula here that you can't tamper with. So you leave well enough alone (well, you offer Custom Shop products to expand the line) and start another entity--a similar but different guitar that is offered to an untapped market of relative outsiders---maybe including some people you have hooked on steel with the C-S. An ambitious venture. And let me repeat--I do not speak for Carter and my thoughts here are just that--my thoughts.
User avatar
John Fabian
Posts: 1228
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Mesquite, Texas USA * R.I.P.
Contact:

Post by John Fabian »

Jon pretty well sums it up. The Magnum ProSelect Steel Guitar is our response to our dealers' requests for a professional level steel guitar.
User avatar
Tony Prior
Posts: 14522
Joined: 17 Oct 2001 12:01 am
Location: Charlotte NC
Contact:

Post by Tony Prior »

What Jon states is true for MANY types of businesses..that do want to grow beyond the markets that they can only touch with their fingers...

We as Steelers sometimes get pidgeon holed into our own little society...we get all wraped up into whats only right in front of us..


When they asked Ray Crock what business he was in..he did not say

" I make Hamburgers"..

he said..

"I am in real estate"

I'm sure if you ask John what business he is in he would not say..
"I make Carter Steel Guitars for the Steel Guitar community"...

He may say something like..

" I manufacture musical Instruments for worldwide distribution with an established global audience and network"....

TWO Instruments for two different markets...and not competing with each other...

I don't think John, Anne and Bud are in Kansas anymore...

t<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 07 July 2005 at 05:08 AM.]</p></FONT>
User avatar
John Fabian
Posts: 1228
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Mesquite, Texas USA * R.I.P.
Contact:

Post by John Fabian »

<SMALL>I manufacture musical Instruments for worldwide distribution with an established global audience and network"....</SMALL>
Actually, I would say, "I'm in the business of making peoples' dreams come true with regard to pedal steel guitars". Image<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by John Fabian on 07 July 2005 at 06:47 AM.]</p></FONT>
John Macy
Posts: 4264
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Rockport TX/Denver CO
Contact:

Post by John Macy »

Or nightmare if you read the tuning threads... Image Image
Billy Carr
Restricted
Posts: 4839
Joined: 4 Apr 2005 12:01 am
Location: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

Post by Billy Carr »

Folks at CARTER make a fine guitar with the Carters. I hadn't had a chance to play one of the MAGNUMS yet. But I'm sure it's got to be nice or they wouldn't sell them. I've never been more pleased with a guitar than the CARTER. I've bought three in the last two years. Still playing two of them!
User avatar
Bobby Lee
Site Admin
Posts: 14863
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Cloverdale, California, USA
Contact:

Post by Bobby Lee »

It looks like a fine instrument.

Remember that Fender left the steel guitar marget because they couldn't deal with all of the custom orders. Everyone wanted a different copedent.

Carter's solution to this is create a standardized instrument for beginners (the Carter-Starter), followed by a standardized professional instrument (the Magnum). They still build custom guitars with the Carter name for people who need custom features, but the Starter and Magnum are poised to be the pedal steels of choice for "buy it now" retail distribution.

------------------
<font size="1"><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee (a.k.a. b0b) - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Williams D-12 E9, C6add9, Sierra Olympic S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop S-8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, C6 or A6)</font>
User avatar
Tony Prior
Posts: 14522
Joined: 17 Oct 2001 12:01 am
Location: Charlotte NC
Contact:

Post by Tony Prior »

John, that could be a dangerous vision..

--------------------------------------------
Actually, I would say, "I'm in the business of making peoples' dreams come true with regard to pedal steel guitars".
--------------------------------------------

we all want our dreams to come true..mine is for a brand new FREE Steel Guitar every month or two !

t Image

User avatar
Joey Ace
Posts: 9792
Joined: 11 Feb 2001 1:01 am
Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Post by Joey Ace »

Another factor is Retailers can offer more services like financing and trade-ins.

Suppose someone want to trade in a Marshall Amp, or piano, towards the purchase of a Steel?
User avatar
Willis Vanderberg
Posts: 2389
Joined: 13 Mar 2002 1:01 am
Location: Petoskey Mi

Post by Willis Vanderberg »

Joey:
If they own a piano and a Marshell amp they shouldn't be allowed to touch a pedal steel guitar...just kidding of course...

Bud
Roger Shackelton
Posts: 3911
Joined: 18 Mar 1999 1:01 am
Location: MINNESOTA (deceased)

Post by Roger Shackelton »

Will the MAGNUM be available in a S-12U,
7 X 5 configuration?

Roger
User avatar
Bobby Lee
Site Admin
Posts: 14863
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Cloverdale, California, USA
Contact:

Post by Bobby Lee »

I think that 12 string steel guitars will always be custom made instruments. The market for them is too small for music stores to be bothered.
Post Reply