The Steel Guitar Forum

Charlie McDonald wrote: Red Baron (it lasted a day)

Ah. Patience, Grasshopper...

Mine lasted about a month (which was about a month too long).

As someone who had fallen in love with the sound and always wanted to learn pedal steel, the Red Baron was a godsend. I just happened on it in a music store when I was working in Iowa....bought it new for just under $500 and it served me well to get my interest peaked and cement my commitment to learning.

We all know it wasn't the greatest, but had it not been available and at a price I could almost afford, I would've probably never pursued the steel guitar further.

You have to remember in the 70s there was no internet, not much information out there on steel guitars. You almost had to know someone that played or someone that knew a player to find out anything at all about pedal steels. There were usually a few old Fenders in the pawn shops, but they rarely knew anything about how they worked or how to tune them.

Jerry Overstreet wrote:We all know it wan't the greatest, but had it not been available and at a price I could afford, I would've probably never pursued the steel guitar further.

My story is quite similar to yours, Jerry. But the music store I walked into to purchase a new set of strings for my roundback Ovation flattop -- and walked out of with a brand-new Red Baron and scheduled for pedal steel lessons -- was about 100 miles north of Iowa, and the MSA was about $100 higher-priced. That particular music store had an owner who could sell ice to Eskimos, and for a small down payment he would let you pay as you learned to play.

That's proprietor Uncle Rog Suneson (RIP) himself on the far right, emerging from his back office.

i like this game!

in my short career i have had:

2013 stage one

1976 sho bud ldg

1976 emmons d10 (still got it)

1973 emmons s10

1973 sho bud pro II (just got it, still got it)

never wanted a really modern guitar but i feel like i should try one.

Harlin Brothers Multi-Kord
Carter StarterS10
Sierra Artist S10
MSA Millennium SD10

ShoBud Convertible D10
ShoBud Pro II D10
Mullen Pre RP D10 8x4 since new 1994 still own it.
MSA Classic D10
BMI S10 3x3
BMI S10 3X4
Stage One 3x4
Derby SD10 3X5
Justice Judge SD10 3X5
GFI SD10 4x5
Justice Judge SD10 4x5

1. Little Buddy S10
2. MSA Sidekick S10
3. MSA SD10 SS
4. Linkon S10 Duke
5. Carter S10 Red Mica
7. Carter D10 Natural Tiger Maple
Current steels
8. Mullen G2 D10
9. GFI S10 Ultra.
Although I really love the two I'm playing now I'd love to have my Linkon Blue Mica S10 back.

Fender, Shobud, MSA, MSA, MSA, homebuilt, GFI.

Well, I've only been at it for 6 months so not as much as the rest of you but, in that 6 months I've owned:

1. Williams 12 Ext E9 700 Series

2. Sho-bud Pro III D10

3. Williams SD 10 700 series

4. Williams D12 700 series

and on order:

5. Williams D10.

‘74 MSA Semi-Classic S-10 (New)
‘75 MSA Classic D-10 Used)
‘77 Sho-Bud LDG (Used)
‘03 Zum SD-10 (Used)
‘06 Mullen RP SD-10 (Used)
‘09 Williams SD-10 (New)
‘17 MSA Studio Pro SD-10 (New)

Let's see, I may got the list together:
Fender maverick 3 pedals
MSA Classic 12 string 3 Pedals, 4 knees
Shobud Pro 2x10, 8+6
Remington 2x 10, 8 Pedals, 6 knees
Fessenden Single 10, 3+4
Fessenden 2x 10, 8+6 (still owned it)
Pedalmaster, 2x 10, 8+7(still owned it)
CB Costumer( Norm Hamlets Steel) 2x11, 8x4 (still owned it)
Fender 3Pedals (still owned it)
Fender 8 Pedals (still owned it)
MSA Millenium 2x10 8+7 (still owned it)
Carter 2x10 8+7
Rittenberry 2x 10, 8+7 (still owned it)
Williams, single 10, 4+5 (still owned it)
Schild,2x10, 9+8 (still owned it)

and there is what I feel home, the Schild! I had the same feel at my Pedamaster.... to bad it went in a bad whaterbath!!!!

Ones in bold are my current steels

1976 Sho Bud Maverick
1977 Emmons ST-10
1979 Sho Bud 6139
1981 Zeidler S-12

(25 year hiatus)

2005 Carter Starter
2005 Dekley S-10
2006 Fessenden S-10
2007 Fender Artist S-10
2010 Sho Bud Professional
2012 Carter D-10
2012 Sho Bud Super Pro
2016 Sho Bud 6139
2017 Fessenden D-10
2019 Zum Encore
2020 Carter D-10
2022 BMI S-10

Also had several that I quickly decided not to keep and that I never played a gig with: Dekley S-10, Carter D-10, Emmons S-12, Dekley D-10, GFI St-10.

I couldn’t possibly…..

There’s not enough bandwidth.

I do believe if I kept my first pro level steel , (Mullen PRP) , I think I’d sound no better than all the steels I’ve spent a small fortune on.

I got this MSA used in '93. When I learn to play it I may consider getting another.

EMMONS-3, BLANTON-1, ZUM-3, DERBY--1,,SERIA-2. MULLEN --3 AND A NEW ONE BEING BUILT ,MSA 1--,SHO PRO --3, ENCORE-- I , RITTENBERRY--1. SHO BUD--1 , WILLIAMS -1 NOT THROUGH YET.

Stage One (sold)
Mullen G2 (traded)
74 Sho Bud Pro 1 (still have)
67 Emmons Bolt (still have)

1990 - present

Fender 2000
Sho~Bud Maverick
Sho~Bud LDG
Mullen SD-10
Emmons LLII (belonged to Steve McClure / Garth Brooks)
Carter D-10
Mullen G2 D-10

Hi friends!

I bought my first guitar, The Sierra, in 2017. I've been learning to steel ever since.
200(2?) Sierra Artist, Blonde, S-10, 3x4. Original case. My first guitar. Great aluminum body, lightweight guitar.
Carter Starter, Black, S-10, 3x4. I use this guitar at band practice. It stays at the practice room.
'73 Sho~Bud PRO 1 CUSTOM, Blonde, S-10, 5x4. Original case. This is a 'Bobbe Seymour Special'. I love this guitar. Her name is Nadine & I gig with her about 99% of the time.
Sho~Bud Crossover, Blonde, D-10, 6x4. Original case. 'Duane Marrs conversion'.
Fender 400, 4x2, long scale. Sunburst with chrome pedals & jazz master style pick up. E lower & E raise added on the knees. White tolex case.
Fender 400, 6, long scale. White with black frame. White tolex case.
Fender 400, 4, long scale. White with polished aluminum frame. Tweed case. Total closet queen.
Fender 800, 6, jaguar style pick up. sunburst with black pedals.
I've purchased an Emmons ReSound '65, Red, S-10 4x5. I haven't received it yet though. I can't wait to play this guitar!

I still have them all (except the Emmons!). I play Nadine, '73 Sho~Bud PRO 1, mostly.

Dave

Ben Elder wrote:Pedal Steels I Own* or Have Owned

(*****--Pedal Steels I'd Kill To Have Back)

Sho-Bud Maverick -- one of these bought three times and sold twice
Sho-Bud Maverick
Sho-Bud Maverick
Sho-Bud 6139 3+1 *****
Sho-Bud The Professional D-10*
Emmons Student*
Emmons Student - sold one still have one
ZB Student S-10
ZB Student S-11
ZB S-10 0248 ******
ZB S-10 0057*




ZB S-10 1072 (1967/Scranton)*
ZB S-10 0064 1969
ZB D-10 0078 1969
ZB D-11/10 0125 1969
ZB D-10 0131 1969
ZB D-11 (circa 1967/Scranton)
ZB SD-10 0612 (circa 1970s) *****
BMI S-10
BMI S-12
Fender 800 Candy Apple Red
Fender 800 Sunburst

Pedal Steels I Am Or Have Been Able To Play:


-0-

(Laps? There's not enough bandwidth...)

Ben, Do you still have your Red Fender 800?

My steels start out with Fender non pedals in 1968:

Blonde mid 50s Stringmaster D-8
Sears 6 string lap steel
Brown mid 50s Stringmaster D-8

...then in 1973:
ShoBud Maverick S-10 3 pedals 1 knee
MSA Classic S-10 5 pedals 4 knees
Excel D-10 8 pedals 4 knees
ShoBud D-10 Super Pro 8 pedals 5 knees

...in 2000 got my first Emmons pushpull and have never looked back, got rid of the other steels and never want to see or play them again...I kept my Fender non pedals however and use them for Hawaiian music. Today I have an early 50s single, a 1954 double neck blonde Console and a 1954 triple neck brown Console. Which I will never sell or trade. In my opinion, the early Fender Console with the trap pickups is the best all around sounding non pedal Hawaiian steel.

Today I have:

1968 (1224) Emmons push pull 8 pedals 5 knees
and a 1978 (2443)Emmons push pull 8 pedals 5 knees, both set up identical; the older one is my practice steel at home and the 1978 is the road steel.
These two Emmons' will be with me for the rest of my life, I wish I would have started sooner on push pulls-probably would have played better...today, I should mention, that I am a fan of the JCH and Franklin pedal steels, but probably would never purchase-I'll stick with the Emmons'.

Harlin Bros.Multi Lord
MSA Sidekick
Sho Bud Pro 1
Mullen D10
Carter SD10
Carter D10
Emmons SKH D10
Rains D10
Derby SD10

Still have the Rains and Derby. The Rains is probably the overall best guitar of the bunch….

In order:
'69 ZB Custon D-10 (sold)
'74 MSA S-10 (sold)
'04 Mullen RP D-10 (sold and regretted it)
'74 Emmons D-10 (sold)
'08 Excel E9/C6 S-12 Superb (thinking of selling)
'18 Excel E9/C6 S-12 Superb
'80 Emmons D-10 PP wood necks

My best and favorite steel I've played, my 2010 Jackson Blackjack Custom!

Jeremy Threlfall wrote:'05 Carter Starter
'84 Sho-Bud Pro-1*
'08 S10 Rittenberry
'79 Anapeg 10*
'06 Williams S12*

* still have

Update
05 Carter Starter
'84 Sho-Bud Pro-1
'08 S10 Rittenberry
'79 Anapeg 10*
'16 Williams S12*
'06 Anapeg 10U*