Opinions on Starter Models

Dave Todd · Post by **Dave Todd** » 8 Apr 2007 12:40 pm

Greetings All

New guy here. these forums are always a bit strange posting for the first time. I always kinda feel like the new kid in class (and I guess I am).

OK, At 52, I'm considering taking up something completely different, Monty Python not withstanding.... Taking up an instrument that I've loved and been fascinated with since I was a young teen. I've been lurking the forum for about a month soaking up a bunch of info.

The question is, and probably again to most of you seasoned Vets out there, is for the Beginner, Whats the best to learn on? Carter Starter (heard lots of good thing, but not much room for growth. Stage One (Zum), I guess a new lot is being produced. And the Blackjack, this ones got my curiosity up. I know the budget issues and how much they seem to be running in cost. Lets leave that factor out for the time being. There mat be other started models out there that I don't know about.

I'd like to get some feedback if possible.

My better half and I will be moving to Austin, TX in the next couple of months so I won't be looking for equipment until we get settled in. In the meantime what can I do to more educate and prepare myself for this new experience. I'll also be looking for a mentor and teacher.

Thanks in Advance, All

Dave

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 8 Apr 2007 1:35 pm

Dave,GFI also makes an economy guitar,unfortunately where I live I can't try any of these guitars out .If you are moving to Austin find Herb Steiner and hook up with him,He'll find you something and has some great teaching stuff,not to mention some great one liners...Good Luck,Stu

Joe Rouse · Post by **Joe Rouse** » 8 Apr 2007 2:03 pm

Dave,
Take Stus advice. I am 62 and have taken up the psg as of January, 2007, and am absolutly fascinated by the mystical instrument. Moving to Austin? Herb Steiner is the man to talk with. Herb will not steer you wrong, and I can vouch for him.
I bought 3 of Herbs lesson books and have learned a great deal from them in a short time.
Take the advice from these members of the forum and you're going to do fine. I know I have and you will make friends because of the common bond of that mystical instument called a pedal steel guitar

Dave Todd · Post by **Dave Todd** » 8 Apr 2007 2:09 pm

Thanks guys

I got a note off to Herb the other day and got a response last nite. He is on the contact list to be sure.

Joe, You and I will have to hook up. I'll be in the SA area alot as my brother lives in Bourne.

Best Regards

Dave

Calvin Walley · Post by **Calvin Walley** » 8 Apr 2007 2:32 pm

i have owned a maverick, a carter starter and a zum stage one . the Zun was hands down the best of the three. the reasons are : it stayed in tune. it had great pick ups on it ( sounded great )the knee lever were smooth and they were very well made , the return springs were strong enough.
if the Zum had a few more ajustment's it could be called a pro
if i had it to do over again i would get a Zum stage one in a heart beat

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 8 Apr 2007 3:37 pm

Dave.Welcome to the forum from Alabama,Bama Charlie.

Casey Lowmiller · Post by **Casey Lowmiller** » 8 Apr 2007 4:16 pm

I had a Carter-Starter. I thought it was pretty neat & smoothe playing compared to my Fender 800.

Then I sat down behind a Mullen, a Williams & a Zum and I realized what I was missing/how cheap the Carter-Starter really is. Then again, it is a student guitar.

The other month, I tried a Zum Stage-One. For being a beginner guitar, it played really smoothe & easy and I didn't spend alot of time & energy fighting the guitar. The Stage-One was an older one & played like a dream. I wish I would've purchased one of those instead of the Starter.

I hope the new Stage-Ones are as good or better than the old ones...and I can't wait to hear more about the new Jackson Blackjack.

Student guitars are getting better & better!!!

Then again, alot can be said for all the books that recommend that you save up for a used pro-model instead of buying a student model. There's a reason they recommend that.

Joe Rouse · Post by **Joe Rouse** » 1 May 2007 4:09 pm

Dave,
Let me know when you get to Austin. We'll get together and visit, maybe Brother Steiner can join us....Joe Rouse

Sonny Priddy · Post by **Sonny Priddy** » 1 May 2007 6:09 pm

You Mite Want To Try Out A GFI Great Guitars. SONNY.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 1 May 2007 6:40 pm

Don't buy a Carter Farter. This was the first Pedal Steel Guitar I played. ANY professional model is going to be better. Buy a used professional instrument.

This subject has been discussed ad nauseum. Check out the database.

Dave Todd · Post by **Dave Todd** » 1 May 2007 7:12 pm

Thanks for all the input guys.

I have pretty well decided to go with a used pro model. from what I read on this forum darn near all these modern guitars are well built and have great tone. I'm sure there are a few lemons out there but that's par for the course.

Joe, we're packed up and rollin' out of Phoenix next Wednesday. I hope to catch up with a few of you guys in Austin in the coming weeks. I got lots of questions. Mr. Steiner has invited me to give him a call. Ms. Cashdollar has also been kind enough to also give me some direction.

I may be wrong but it seems that some basic music theory and mechanics might be in order before I pull my first chord. Maybe I'm makin to much of it, I've been known to make an all nighter out of turning out the light switch. I hope I can keep it simple.

So... That being said, what's the next step? The last time I played an instrument was clarinet in grade school and Jr. High.

Thanks for your support..

Regards

Dave

Gordy Hall · Post by **Gordy Hall** » 1 May 2007 7:30 pm

Dave,

The thing that will help you most is learning song structure: 1 4 5, etc. If you can learn how songs are generally structured, it makes all the rest seem more logical and easy.

Knowing that the C chord will follow the G, and the D will be the third chord makes a huge difference.

That and, of course, beating your head against the wall and telling yourself how unworthy you are to even attempt to play a pedal steel..

Gordy in Fairfax, hack beginner on pedal steel, but I know a million tunes on guitar.

Billy Carr · Post by **Billy Carr** » 1 May 2007 11:04 pm

In my opinion only here, if a person is just getting started with PSG, there's more to look at that the guitar itself. Go ahead and get a steel amp like maybe a Nashville 112 at 45 lbs. Buy used, it's out there. Saves a lot of money. Steel seat, volume pedal, good chords, picks, etc. Lots of players like or dislike certain brands for whatever reason. I recommend whatever you feel good behind. Carter Starters offer the 3 & 4 set up which is what a player learning is going to look for once they start practicing scales and licks anyway. I think one brand offers 3 & 2 and I'm not sure about some of the others. The Sierra Artist model is also a good starter model but not sure if they still make them or not. The last one I saw was 3 & 2 and then I saw one with 3 & 4. Whatever you decide on remember, the player should be able to get what he wants out of most any guitar regardless of what brand it is. Sometimes it may be the guitar but it's mostly the player that's sitting behind it. Good luck.

Jim Eaton · Post by **Jim Eaton** » 2 May 2007 9:43 am

I played the "Blackjack" Jackson guitar at the recent Perl-Jam in Los Angeles and was very impressed with it. Good feel on the pedals and Kl's and as much as I could tell in a "Jam" setting, very nice tone. A good value for the $ IMHO.
JE:-)>

James Sission · Post by **James Sission** » 2 May 2007 10:04 am

TO answer your last question, which was; what is your next step. Thats easy, take up Herb on his offer and take a lesson ASAP. He will also be able to help you get into a guitar that will best suit you. Herb is a great guy, knows his business and is very honest. Take the offer and call him up and go see him. An hour with Herb will remove alot of the mystery for you and educate you enough so that can make a well informed decision...James

Dave Todd · Post by **Dave Todd** » 2 May 2007 10:29 am

Thank guys.....

I got to get this move under my belt and get settled into my new job, then it will be off ot the races....

Thanks for all the great input

Best of Regards

Dave

Kenny Brown · Post by **Kenny Brown** » 2 May 2007 12:36 pm

I play an Emmons student model 3 & 1. I would look around for one of those before anything else in the student category. It stays in tune. I broke a string on a gig Fri night, put on the new string, got dialed in tune, and it stayed in the rest of the night.

Very very good guitar!

KB

Jim Walker · Post by **Jim Walker** » 2 May 2007 4:20 pm

Dave Todd wrote:Thanks for all the input guys.

I have pretty well decided to go with a used pro model. from what I read on this forum darn near all these modern guitars are well built and have great tone.

Now you're on the right track. It doesn't even have to be a super modern psg. As long as it's all pull and has at least a triple raise double lower changer, there is a ton of stuff you can do with it. GO PRO. If I had it to do all over again, I would.

JW

Mike Ester · Post by **Mike Ester** » 3 May 2007 9:05 am

Dave Todd wrote:I'll be in the SA area alot as my brother lives in Bourne.

Best Regards

Dave

Boerne? I'm just down the road from there, in New Braunfels. I play a Carter, if you want to see what the mechanics are like in Bud's guitars.

Dave Todd · Post by **Dave Todd** » 3 May 2007 9:21 am

Thanks Mike

That would be way cool. We will be living in S. Austin until we can find a place with a little Hill country land. That country is a motorcycling paradise so I'll be around quite a bit.

Regards

Dave

Bernie Straub · Post by **Bernie Straub** » 3 May 2007 9:34 am

The best advice I ever got was to play the guitar, and not let it play you. I didn't even understand it when I heard it, but years later it all clicked in. Best of luck.

Bernie

Marlin Smoot · Post by **Marlin Smoot** » 3 May 2007 11:10 am

My starter guitar was a 1974 D-10 PP Emmons with 5k & 9f. I got it in 1983, I guess I got lucky. By the way, I still have my starter guitar 24 years later.

Sherman Willden · Post by **Sherman Willden** » 3 May 2007 5:06 pm

Have you considered a non pedal steel? Several individuals have stated that it is better to start with a non pedal to learn the why and wherefores. I started on a pedal steel and I still haven't tried a non pedal steel, but there is something to learning a non pedal steel first.

Sherman

Donald Hall · Post by **Donald Hall** » 8 May 2007 5:06 pm

Dave: I Got a used CS six months ago and I'm already trading up to the "Real Thing" (new Carter S10). Lost some cash and some valuable time, but gained in quality.
DGH

Joe Rouse · Post by **Joe Rouse** » 8 May 2007 6:03 pm

Dave,
I am not a whiz at psg by no means and will probably never be, but a lot depends on what you want to do with your music. You want to start playing in a band maybe you should get a more expensive guitar. I bought my Carter Starter after talking to my now teacher and I will probably just keep it after I get enough knowledge to invest in a better guitar. If I decided I did not want to play psg, I could always get my money out of it. I've got $550 in my guitar and I got a little amp in the deal. I was fortunate to find this deal and a friend I made on the forum, Wayne Tyler, helped put it together.
You're getting a lot of advice from great people, and I feel us rookies are blessed to have them share their knowledge. You're the man paying the bill and you're the one who decides what you want to do with your music.....Joe Rouse

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