Insight on Sierra Lap Steel

Bernard Beck · Post by **Bernard Beck** » 6 Mar 2004 2:10 am

Trying to find info and insight on the new Sierra lap steel.
Sierra's web site does not work.
What Andy Volks says about it in his great steel guitar book makes me want to know more about it.
I am using a 1956 Fender Deluxe 8 22.5 scale which I really love. How would they compare.
Does it have a sense to compare them ?

Thanks to you all for your insight on the subject.
Bernard

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 6 Mar 2004 4:15 am

Merci, Bernard. Just as the book went to press, the Sierra company went out of business. Last November, there were a number a threads on the Forum announcing that the company's inventory was being put up for auction and soon after, that sierra had been sold and would be back in business. Anyone have an update? They show up in Buy & Sell from time to time as well as on ebay.

As for Sierra's lap steels, there have been many posts about how great these guitars sound.
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum2/HTML/001477.html
Rick Aiello, b0bby Lee and other forumites own them. What do you think about them?

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 6 Mar 2004 7:17 am

Best sounding steel guitar I have ... and I have a few.

Of course the pickup is not stock ...

It came with a George L 10-1 and I also dropped in a 10-5.

I use it to test all my prototype pickup magnet assemblies ...

I have had an original Fender Boxcar in it ... my various L-Sieries assemblies, original 1.5" and 1.25" Ricky horseshoe pickups, my standard and cryo horseshoes ... Ricky bobbins, Lollar bobbins, Fender string thru bobbins ... you get the picture.

I've had numerous "blind cutting contests" (recorded) with all my other steels ... it always wins !!!

Right now it hosts the most powerful pickup on earth (a 650 gauss H-Shoe) ... its sustain, clarity and dynamic range is FREAKISHLY wonderful.

Its a shame they went under ... but it seems like a new outfit bought them and maybe ... ???

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www.horseshoemagnets.com

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 6 Mar 2004 7:50 am

Yes indeed. Rick has some powerful gauss!

More powerful than the A,Q,6, or 7 train rolling through the Union Square Station!

I have seen The Campbell Bros. in concert a couple of times. Once with Darick on S8 Stringmaster (Delux) and the other time with the Sierra S8. The Stringmaster had a brighter more trebly sound and the Sierra had a fuller, deeper tone to it. I know that the acoustics, amp settings, etc...vary from different venues. I can't say that I liked one better than the other. It's too subjective, especially when someone like Darick who can squeeze so much emotion out of the strings is playing.

If you have the opportunity to aquire one, you would not be sorry.

[This message was edited by HowardR on 06 March 2004 at 09:35 AM.]

Orville Johnson · Post by **Orville Johnson** » 6 Mar 2004 9:15 am

i don't know the details but i do know the company has been purchased and is getting its financial house in order and i met tom baker last week and he'll be making the guitars when all is back together again.

i played a gig thursday night with darick and he was playing his sierra steel and it sounded fantastic! of course, having him play it helps but the tone of the guitar was really sweet.

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 6 Mar 2004 10:48 am

Scott, beauty is in the eye of the beerholder...I love the way they look.

Heavy, yes they are. The legs are a good thing to have and 4 legs (as opposed to 3) is the way to go.

Travis Bernhardt · Post by **Travis Bernhardt** » 6 Mar 2004 12:46 pm

I think they look great, I wouldn't change a thing.

-Travis

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 7 Mar 2004 10:59 am

I got the impression that the weight and design were all part of the tonal direction. I love my Sierra... definitely one of the best sounding steels I've heard.

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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 7 Mar 2004 11:54 am

I don't mind the weight on my lap, but it's a bear when you have to carry it from the airport luggage pickup to the car.

The laptop is the best sounding steel guitar I've ever played. Mine is serial #002, and it's totally stock including the 10-1 pickup. I have a rock tuning on it now, and have been performing with it in Open Hearts on a few songs.

I haven't recorded much with it because, frankly, the tone is so good that my playing doesn't do it justice. I expect to hear Jerry Byrd-caliber playing when I hear a tone like that!

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

nick allen · Post by **nick allen** » 8 Mar 2004 1:12 am

b0b -
"a rock tuning" ?
would that be the E6 add 9 as shown in your signature, or ???
(just out of curiosity - I *think* I've finally settled on a tuning for myself, but...

Nick

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 8 Mar 2004 9:38 am

Yes, the E6add9 is what I'm calling a "rock tuning". I'm sure it could be used for other kinds of music, but the pentatonic scale and power chords make it ideal for rock. That's what I designed it for.

The L-10 pickup is perfect for driving the distortion channel of my Boogie combo amp. Talk about growl!!

I haven't even been using a volume pedal - just straight into the amp.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

Gibson Hartwell · Post by **Gibson Hartwell** » 8 Mar 2004 11:35 am

I share b0b'sentiment on the sound. My Sierra is #010. People seem to either love or hate the looks. I've had some people call it a NASA guitar. The brushed aluminum does give it a very techy look.

The weight didn't bother me too much either, but moving it from guitar stand to my lap took some extra care and I was always concerned about that thing topling over when it was in the guitar stand cradle. I recently added professionally installed legs and sockets which I'm enjoying. They compliment the guitar's looks (which I like) and reduce chances of drops and tumbles. They may even make it sound better

.

Alan Kirk · Post by **Alan Kirk** » 8 Mar 2004 11:48 am

Yes, they're heavy. That's why they sound so good. (SN 046).

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Zayit · Post by **Zayit** » 8 Mar 2004 2:10 pm

b0b,

That "E6add9" tuning would be the same one you refer to as "pentatonic" on your web site (B E F# G#B C# E G#?

If so, where are the power chords you refer to? I can see power chords on the Sol Hoopi E6/C#m7 (E B E G# C# E)lo to hi....

Please enlighten me, I'm askin' ya, not argy'in with ya.

Michael Misetich · Post by **Michael Misetich** » 9 Mar 2004 10:23 am

I had a chance to play the Sierra prototype at the Texas Steel Guitar Convention a few years ago. Even with my marginal skills it sounded great.

I told Don Christensen I would buy one if he could make three changes: Raise the fretboard 1/8" (closer to vintage steel height), increase the space between the tone and volume controls (easier wah) and add four legs (it seemed as heavy as my Gibson Console Grand). Apparently engineering the legs was a challenge because many months passed before the guitar finally arrived.
When it did I was surprised to learn that it was serial #001.

On a side note, the Fort Worth newspaper selected a picture of Don and me with the Sierra on my lap to accompany their article on the show. They selected the best non-pedal steel on the lap of the worst player.