The Steel Guitar Forum

A couple of things I'm pretty sure of regarding the Pedal Steel manufacturing thing.

1) It is a labour of love
2) If you want make a million, start with $2 million

b0b -- thanks for clearing that up. I thought that might be the case as you described, but for some reason I could not find the link to the manufacturer's page. However, when I went back a second time to the Pedal Steel Pages site, sure enough I found the manufacturer's site right where it should be -- under "Links." Silly me.

By the way, it seems like the "Lamar" link is dead -- it give a "not found" page when you click on it.

Many are citing the price of Steels being high but I believe the real reason for so few people buying Steels is the following: Deficient monetary compensation for the time it takes to acquire the necessary skills...For example: even many great Steelmen are earning less than the wages needed to have a nice life..to many people..it just isn't worth their time and so they choose to do something else that is more rewarding for their time involvement.

I think part of what you say is true -- that these days most people have little time to invest in learning to play an instrument. However, I don't think it has anything to do with the psg itself. That is, most people who decide to learn to play an instrument don't first do an analysis to determine if they'll make their money back on the time it takes to learn to play the instrument.

Instead, I would say that most people decide to learn to play an instrument simply because they're interested in the instrument and they want to do it regardless of how much money it will make them.

I think part of what you say is true -- that these days most people have little time to invest in learning to play an instrument. However, I don't think it has anything to do with the psg itself<<

Tom , You are 100% correct. Remember back in the 50's and 60's it seemed that almost 1 out of 2 houses had a Thomas or other brand small organ or piano. Back then many girls were given years of piano lessons. Now with the computer and computer video games and the emphasis on getting a college education there is less time available for learning complicated musical instruments. A fast paced world is not conducive to learning a complicated musical instrument IMHO

Does anybody know about how many pedal Steels are built every year?

Yes... for the last year 2006, 1,149 pedal steels were completed. This takes into account only USA manufactured steels as registered at the Federal Steel Guitar Registry. This does not count the 73 total refurbs accomplished by various shops but does count the various "starter models".

The Federal Steel Guitar Registry currently monitors the following brands:

Carter
Emmons
BMI
Rittenberry
Zum
Mullen
Rains
Desert Rose
Williams
Performance
Fessendon
Lone Star
Star
Magnum
GFI
Sierra
Franklin
MSA

wow, a federal registry? I guess the gubment really IS watching everything.

Steve, Does The Federal Steel Guitar Registry have an address?..it would be great to know this information on a yearly basis, also how many of each brand are made.

Brad Malone wrote:Steve, Does The Federal Steel Guitar Registry have an address?.

I believe it is part of the FBMI (Federal Bureau of Miscellaneous Information).

Or the FBBS.

Sounds like a high profit business to me.

1 steel in 1 yr $2400 divided by 12 months =$200
and if you have a helper he gets half. That is
$100
(lets say the parts are free and given to you)
All profit
It's OK if you don't have to work and are already
rich.
I cant make it on $100 a month.

Earnest and b0b have outed me. I'll sue!
I was an undercover operative and now my cover is blown.


Really... I have no idea how many steels were made and the Federal Steel Guitar Registry is a figment of my somewhat demented imagination.

However, I'd bet that there are literally thousands of pedal steels under beds and in closets. But that is for another thread!

Apperently Not enough Emmons or Zums . Cause You cant get one unless you want a lomg wait? Randy.

Where do they all end up ?

? Why would a person be wondering about how many steel guitars are built each year?

Why would a person be wondering about how many steel guitars are built each year?

Because "enquiring minds want to know"!



Dan

Joe Perry has between four and five hundred six-strings. Jimmy Page has somewhere over 1400 guitars, too many to count. There are people on the web I 've sure never even heard of who have a dozen or more Les Pauls alone, I have seven solidbody guitars myself for no particular reason. I think that there are far, far fewer ridiculously-multiple steel owners around - we even know who they all are. Obvious reasons - space, money, Sensible Wife Syndrome (SWS), sell one to buy another, etc. Regardless, the number of steel players (30,000?) don't multiply out the sales the way it works with cheaper, more concealable (SWS) six-strings.

Never mind, I deleted it.

Moreover, of the 27 listed builders, only 1 (Desert Rose) is actually located in the Southwest.

Tom, I believe Texas is located in what is generally considered to be the "southwest." At least, that's what I've felt for the 35+ years I've lived here. Compare the atmosphere of south Texas to south Louisiana, Mississippi, or Alabama and I'm sure you'd concur. So to your list that includes Desert Rose, I'd add MSA, Carter, Star, Lone Star, Rains, GFI, and Remington.

That would make 8 companies out of 27. Arguably, Mullen in Colorado could be considered "southwest" as well, which would make an even 33.33% of companies located SW. But without Mullen, the percentage is still 29.63% of builders living in the SW.

Be advised the F.S.G.R. or the F.B.M.I. or the F.B.B.S. forgot to include Derby Steel Guitars! That means a federal audit will have to be conducted, as the declared number is an under-calculation, and undoubtedly other manufacturers have been overlooked as well. This audit could take several years to complete.

Thank you for your co-operation.