How do you choose?

[Karl Paulsen]

Really enjoying reading you guys' perspectives. My Encore was chosen based largely on good reviews on this site. 6 years later I'm still over the moon for it and I simply have no financial chance off purchasing a second anytime soon but it's fun to live vicariously through those who are able to play and own several.

[J D Sauser]

JD, people are getting top dollar for second hand particle board and 95 civic's right now- the entire western world is dealing with inflation- friendly reminder to keep your unique political theories to yourself on this forum.
This is a great question- it takes a lot of effort to try before you buy, and is often impossible. Early on I looked at what the players I liked played and started there. There's availability and price to contend with, and the reality that anything used may be far from a good example of what the builder intended. Fundamentally, I'm looking for a reliable machine with tuning stability and good playability. Good sound is most important, and hardest to quantify/tremendously subjective- the tonal options available with amps/speakers/pedals alone is vast- but it's helpful to start with a guitar somewhere in the range of 'good sounding'.

Right.
I know it's not available to everybody, but I always suggest to people to attend shows. First, shows now NEED everybody, but besides that, it gives everyone a better chance to find what THEY really mean. There's always a lot of buzz and chatter around brands, models, changer systems and other aspect.
You just said it, you "JUST" need a "machine" which is dependable, sounds good (to YOU). All the different brands exist, not because some stubbornly insist on having bad guitars, but because different taste, needs and budget.

I just rediscovered here on the Forum a gentleman that bought my last Carter S12U over 20 years ago and apparently still plays it and is happy with it. It was a good guitar, and I am glad someone is that happy with her. I was happy with her but I was looking for something which at that time was beyond reach.
So, I guess that tells it all.

Try'em, it's not price alone that will get one closer to what one was dreaming.

... J-D.

[Ken Metcalf]

I have newer MSAs and I like the quick and easy to adjust pedals and levers.
Any rod goes in any pedal. Quick change pick ups and the lighted frets are the best.
I never thought I needed Fretlights but after having them I love it.
Custom features available. Road case and polished belly underneath standard. Snap in pedal bar.
Very smooth and easy playing action.

[John Larson]

I've only ever owned one, the Jackson Maverick HD seen in my profile pic.

I chose it primarily due to the Jackson family's history in steel guitars.
I wanted an affordable "student" model that was basic and didn't have too many bells and whistles and the pull release enticed me.

Now I'm kind of in the market for my "dream steel" and I've been making a list of the things I want.

Color: Black with silver trim (I love that classic Emmons type look, and alpine white PSG are hard to come by).
Strings: 12, leaning towards Extended E9 as I like playing very nontraditional steel and the lower range is enticing.
Tuning: Keyless, I want faster string changes, reduced cabinet drop from the shorter body, as well as less sympathetic pings and rings.
Pickup: probably a lace alumitone or a telonics. I want that "high fi" blank canvas type of pickup tone that I can EQ however I want. Humbucking is a must.
Weight: light and portable.
Manufacture: Keyless really limits things but I've been leaning towards Williams or Excel. GFI is also a contender. My two favorite modern players (Greg Leisz and Eric Heywood) play Williams so that's also affecting my choice.

I've probably overthought this but PSGs are expensive and I'd like to get one more and be done.

[J D Sauser]

I have newer MSAs and I like the quick and easy to adjust pedals and levers.
Any rod goes in any pedal. Quick change pick ups and the lighted frets are the best.
I never thought I needed Fretlights but after having them I love it.
Custom features available. Road case and polished belly underneath standard. Snap in pedal bar.
Very smooth and easy playing action.

I think the biggest "thing(s)" MSA has going for them is TONE and drop dead beauty... still, paired with high quality mechanics. They are "up there" in price, but for the quality, it's a difficult to beat offering.


I just acquired a number of Bolt-On and a Wrap Around Emmons PP's.
They have their "attractiveness" and quirks too. It's a lot of money, but then they are beyond "old" and actually the most desirable of that vintage.

I got two Excel Superbs of different vintage and I like them a lot too.

But I must say, that I have poured "water into my vine", meaning that IF life has taught me any lessons, I have learned to accept compromises... and then maybe not, because I still think of building a better PSG, since nobody seems willing to do it for me.

... J-D.
... J-D.

[Samuel Phillippe]

Well guys and girls, there may be something wrong with me.
I had always wanted a psg but never could afford the $1000+ price range.
Was playing guitar with a guy one night and he said he knew a person with one that might want to sell it.
Told him if it was under a grand I would look at it.

Not knowing anything about a psg, except I love the sound, I bit the bullet and bought my first one and only froom an attic collection of guitars for $500.

Remember, I didn't know anything about them BUT quickly learned a lot thanks to this forum.

My long story is meant to say, if you are like me (non pro) and want one, GET WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD and work with it until you are ready for a pro choice. I may not have the best BUT I have one and am enjoying the learning curve of both playing and mechanics of this great instrument. If you are going pro then find the one that fits you and your pocketbook.

Sam

PS thanks forumites for all your instructions.

[Karl Paulsen]

Well guys and girls, there may be something wrong with me.
I had always wanted a psg but never could afford the $1000+ price range.
Was playing guitar with a guy one night and he said he knew a person with one that might want to sell it.
Told him if it was under a grand I would look at it.

Not knowing anything about a psg, except I love the sound, I bit the bullet and bought my first one and only froom an attic collection of guitars for $500.

Remember, I didn't know anything about them BUT quickly learned a lot thanks to this forum.

My long story is meant to say, if you are like me (non pro) and want one, GET WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD and work with it until you are ready for a pro choice. I may not have the best BUT I have one and am enjoying the learning curve of both playing and mechanics of this great instrument. If you are going pro then find the one that fits you and your pocketbook.

Sam

PS thanks forumites for all your instructions.

Don't leave us hanging buddy!
What guitar did you get?

[Samuel Phillippe]

Karl
My find was an older BMI. Don't know the year. unaware it needed some rod adjustments and new peddle tuner nuts as well as a lot of cleaning and other minor adjustments. Still looking at the need for some pedal stop adjustments. Like I said, I knew nothing BUT am quickly becoming a master mechanic thanks to all the forumites that have answered my questions and giving me advise. Now to conquer the other reason for buying it....PLAYING IT

Sam

[Larry Thomas]

I don’t post much, but I want to share my experience with my Sierra (Ross Shaffer) built E9 extended 12 stg guitar. I have owned a few pedal steels over the years, my last being a Sierra 12 st universally built in the Oregon factory. When I decided to take the plunge for a new guitar, I was first drawn to the beautiful woods on Ross’s guitars. It took about a year to get my current guitar and here are the differences. First, it’s lightweight, about 25 lbs or so. It packs easily, the pedal height is adjustable from my sitting position, so if I’m on carpet, or wood stage or concrete, it’s easy to get the guitar comfortable. Unlike my old Emmons and even my Sierra artist, the guitar seems to always stay in tune after moving it. The most impressive thing to me is the precision of the knee levers and pedals. The travel is adjusted for short movement and precise raise or lower. This makes playing it, so much more fulfilling, as I can concentrate on the music and not worry about the tuning. It’s a beautiful guitar, and every time I sit down to it, it’s like “love” all over again. They’re expensive, yes, but considering what things cost today, and the pleasure the guitar brings, it was well worth the price and experience of working with such an artistic creative genius. Can’t say enough about my Sierra!

[Jim Sliff]

I went through 9 or 10 10-strings before finally getting a GFI Ultra from Bobbe Seymour that was wonderful - but I ended up also playing Fender 8-strings and found Sneaky's B6 to be the most logical, easy-to-learn setup ever (and Pete provided a ton of advice) - so Bobbe and the guys at GFI helped me convert it to a crazy B6 with all but one of the changes in Pete's 9+2 setup.

I ended up trading the GFI to someone who gave me WAY to much vintage gear for it; I ended up in a band whose frontman owned a D-10 ZB and played my 10 E9 licks for a few years - then stuck with 8-string Fenders for many years -

- until I got a 1970 Emmons SD10 cuttail Push-Pull Kelcey O'Neill at ReSound rigged up (on a D10 frame) for me. For me it's even better than the new Ultra was - mechanical action that's smooth as butter and tone like a Fender with more sustain.

So now I play a 1959 Fender 400 9+2 in B6 and a 1970 Push-Pull 3+4 in E9 (I'm up to 11 licks! )

- and a Fender SD10 800 (also on a D10 frame - a Fender 2000) that I restored - it's a 3+3+2 - ABC pedals, a D lever and F lever (the E's), an E lever - and I'm using pedal 9 to Raise 5 and lower 6 they, it works for me!) and pedal 10 is the "G" lever. I don't use a volume pedal much - I play country rock and alternative rock with ton of effects - no straight country - so I've never needed it, especially with most of my playing having been on the "Sneakycaster".

[Eugene Cole]

My MSA Classic is the only PSG I've ever owned. Bought it new as local music store….

Bit I know a lot of you have owned and still own many steels, and I wonder what makes you choose to buy a particular one. What's most important?

I have been through several PSG’s and I still have my first (MSA), a Sierra, and an Emmons. The Sierra U14 remains my go-to guitar; however I would no longer choose to buy a Sierra U14 at this point in time. More about this later.

The Emmons is very primitive (it is circa 1967) and I keep thinking I might put a nicer changer on it and using it again but it is probably not worth the effort to me.

The MSA D-10 (circa 1972) I started out on in the 1980’s is a fine guitar and I have no issues with its quality or stability. A great guitar which lacks some of the features which the Sierra has like coil-taps on the pickups and being easy to adjust and make changes to.

I had a Remington U12 which instilled in me a fondness for extended tunings.

Before long I took the plunge and purchased a Sierra U14. The U14 has a bottom end which none of the others have. My low-E is typically a .100 gauge. And that gives me the tonal range which none of the others can offer.

I later got a second Sierra U14 so I could have a PSG in both of the locations I alternated between and was calling home.

However since the purchase of my second Sierra; Sierra discontinued manufacturing PSG’s and focused only on their non-pedal 6/8/10 string lap/table Steels. When I last checked they also seemed to be exiting the building of their non-pedal Steels. Their non-pedal guitar was a nifty design which could be increased from as few as 6 strings to a maximum of 10 strings. They were fine non-pedal guitars. Anyhow the lack of support from the builder became an issue for me. Available turn-key parts from Sierra and the ability to get quick answers to questions diminished over time.

The other Issue which I ran up against is that some changer components (the spring between the changer finger and the end-plate As I recall) were understandably not able to cope with the loads which the low-E string applied; so I was unable to configure the changer on this string. This issue only applies to string-14 of the U14 model. However this is the tuning I came to prefer.

By 2010 I had sold my second Sierra U14 and finding myself at my second home once again and purchased an early all-pull Sierra D8 9+2 which proved to be a great deal of fun. I do not know when the Sierra name replaced the Wright name on these instruments; as I recall this guitar had a double-digit serial number in either the 60’s or 80’s range stamped on a plate so it was quite aged. It none-the-less worked well and was a source of joy. I flew back to the east coast in August; less that a month later this guitar became a casualty of the Fourmile Fire on September 6th.







How I chose this D8 was a collection of factors. I was looking for a Steel pedal or non-pedal to keep at the second house to have some fun with. A post on the SGF led to my purchasing this guitar. Sometimes what is available and will meet the basic needs is how we choose an instrument. In this case the opportunity to own a piece of lost-history (a guitar that had clearly seen a lot things during its life) with an early all-pull changer for an acceptable price crossed my path and it came down to timing, luck, opportunity and the surprises which the SGF can present to us every so often.