Best pedal guitar steel you can buy?

Randall Miller · Post by **Randall Miller** » 31 Oct 2006 11:34 am

Hello....well it looks like this thread is winding down. I want to thank all those who responded with your personal thoughts and feelings from around the globe. I probably won't be buying a new steel as I still love my Emmons. I wish only that it had come with better tuning keys is all. But, maybe Shallers or Grovers weren't available back then?

Randy in Lockport, NY

J PARKER · Post by **J PARKER** » 31 Oct 2006 1:14 pm

There are a lot of good steel builders in this day and time. I have personally played numerous guitars over the years. The past several years i have been a RAINS player because of the feel and tone i get from it without using any effects. Great guitars in my opinion. Jim

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 31 Oct 2006 4:04 pm

I've been playing this instrument long enough, with many guitars, to realize that the best guitar you can buy is the one that says "let's you and me make music" within a few moments of your sitting down behind the horn.

In other words, you like the feel, the look, the vibe, and the sound of the guitar simultaneously.

To do that, you have to play many guitars. The best place for that is either one of the guitar shops that has mucho guitars, like Bobbe's or Billy Cooper's, or else at a MAJOR steel show, which right now is only ISGC (St. Louis) in September or the Texas Jamboree (Dallas) in March. There are a number of shows in which you can see SOME guitars, but the manufacturers pretty much all agree that they must make a serious presence at the Texas and St. Louis shows.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Garry Vanderlinde · Post by **Garry Vanderlinde** » 31 Oct 2006 8:23 pm

that the best guitar you can buy is the one that says "let's you and me make music"

I agree with Herb, get the guitar that talks to you

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 31 Oct 2006 9:10 pm

I think a GFI is a good'un. It's like sometimes, I imagine my GFI("Redgold Beauty) sayin', "Okay, Brett, it's time for you and me to make some good music together and please don't play just one song,haha. I also think a Zum is a good guitar, and so are guitars like Emmons, Franklin, and Sho-Bud. There's just so many guitars out there. Brett, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel, GFI Ultra D-10-aka "Redgold Beauty"

Ernie Pollock · Post by **Ernie Pollock** » 1 Nov 2006 4:58 am

Not to change the subject, but I will, I was thinking, would those carbon fiber guitar bodys break easy?? How hard is that stuff? I have seen only one of those guitars [in person] and it was a real beauty, but I worry about that carbon fiber? Anyone want to chime in here?

Ernie

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David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 1 Nov 2006 6:39 am

I think carbon fiber is stronger than wood. They make acoustic guitars of very thin carbon fiber, and no internal bracing is required. The body of the MSA Millenium seems to be about 1 1/4" thick, and I believe there is a honeycomb-like internal structure (I think I read this somewhere, but I'm not sure about this). That's gotta be very strong. In addition, there are full length metal rails front and back up under there. The aprons and pedal bar cover are very thin. They are slightly flexible, like plastic, but seem very tough.

I can't imagine that there is a better pedal steel made than the MSA Millenium. However, I haven't tried them all, and several others may be equal to it or negligibly close. [This message was edited by David Doggett on 01 November 2006 at 06:45 AM.]

T. C. Furlong · Post by **T. C. Furlong** » 1 Nov 2006 6:49 am

Herb, I couldn't agree with you more. Well said. If I may take your excellent observation a bit further...I really like it when my steel says "Why don't you stop what you are doing, come over here, sit down behind me and let's you and me make music together"

BTW, which one of your guitars says "let's you and me make music together" most quickly after sitting down behind it?
TC

[This message was edited by T. C. Furlong on 01 November 2006 at 06:51 AM.]