The Steel Guitar Forum

We just got another 10 in stock, we have all colors, black, white, red, vermillion, and crimson.
Ready to ship at great sale prices I can't devulge on this forum.

Bobbe, Steel Guitar Nashville
(email above)

Just bought my second one!!
These are a lot of fun. Pretty good right out of the box. A little tweeking and you got another tool in the ol' arsonal.
And at Bobbe's price you cant loose!
I am gonna use this one to experiment with other pickups...setups..and be able to have another in a different tunning
....Thanks again, Bobbe!! you da Man!

Hey Larry, you are an incredible player and I'm anxious to see what you come up with, and I jes gotta' hear ya!

This is one item that you can't loose any money on, it has to go up in value, there's no room to go down! A fun and beautiful piece and music tool!

Los Bobbster

Larry: Please post your results from experimentation with pickups. I am considering this also, as well as bridge modifications to increase sustain.

Playable as is, but there is much room for improvement, when compared to output and tone of other steels.

Dom

Larry, I'm doing the same. I've just about settled on the bridge design and the pickups, but I'm struggling with the nut. I can't find what I want so I may have to have one made in our machine shop. If anyone knows where I can find different nut designs besides Stew-Mac and All-Parts I'd appreciate the info...I'd rather buy something than have to ask our machinist to make it.

Martin - could you post a close up photo of the nut? DB

I've never done it but I'll try to get it done a little later. To describe it, it's simply a piece of flat metal that has been bent to make a flat surface to pass the mounting screws thru and then it's bent up to a peak and then down with the edge sitting on the neck. Try this, draw of a triangle WITHOUT a base. Then at the bottom of one of the sides draw a flat line extending towards the tuning pegs. This line is just long enough to have two mounting screws pass thru it to hold this nut assembly down to the neck. The opposite side just has a plain edge that sits on the neck.
I want something that is more solid and can be anchored to the neck better. I also want the spacing a little closer.

Martin - Here's a side view of what I think you described - Is this close? DB

Right on!!!

Martin - OK, so here's another drawing - the gray area in the background, slightly oversized, could be the new nut made from a new material - the dotted lines show where the holes would be drilled for the screws - What kind of material did you have in mind for the new nut? Could you provide the dimensions of the nut - DB

The base of the shaded area would be about 30/32"....the height at the peak of the shaded area would be about 1/2"....the overall length is currently 2-1/8".....the spacing I want is 10/32"....the current pan-head screws have a head diameter of approx. 7/32"....I would like to place 3 of them evenly between strings 1&2, 3&4, and 5&6. I'd like to get a price to try real bone, brass and steel. Thanks, MB

Interesting,Martin. I was thinking Brass myself. also a brass saddle W/sting through type bridge. W/ maybe a Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates for the rockier groups I sometimes jam with.Hmmmmm..

Larry, we think allot alike!! I've already ordered the bridge/tailpiece stuff....working on the nut.....looking at pickups and controls. It's already a cool guitar but I think it can be awesome with some mods. I probably should buy another one before they get expensive!!

Dom Franco wrote:
Playable as is, but there is much room for improvement, when compared to output and tone of other steels.

Dom

Dom, to what other steels are you comparing it?

Guitars in the inexpensive arena that would sell for $150-$350? Or those that sell for $500 and up?

I guess my point is something like "this Toyota Corolla is a pretty good little car, but there is much room for improvement, when you compare it to a 3 Series BMW."

Is it an apples-to-apples thing, or an apples-to-oranges thing?

I should have one by now but we keep getting slammed with unexpected bills around here like replacing multiple broken appliances. So there isn't an extra 200 bucks lying around right now.

Sounds like there is potential for a whole "MSA PowerSlide Aftermarket Parts" program for dealers like Bobbe Seymour.

Or maybe a "PowerSlide Deluxe" model from Peavey that ballparks at $350 with some better components installed from the get-go, like when you get a hot-rodded Regal dobro that would contain stuff like a Quarterman cone and an upgraded nut and spider bridge assembly.

It takes a bit of time to get a product into full production. Hopefully, there will be a good flow of them coming in. This instrument was definitely an "underdog" product and there were new ideas when it was designed. Hartley Peavey himself came up with the idea and had one of our graphic artists lay it it for him. I think that it came out great and it does serve that empty slot for those who wish to stand up and play.

Since Peavey Electronics will not be displaying at the St. Louis Convention this year(it's the first time since the convention began in the '70's), Scotty said that there will be Powerslide guitars on hand at his store exhibit.

Ironically, after 16 or so years of working the Peavey booth at St.Louis, I will be in St.Louis on personal business this time around and I plan on visiting on Saturday, and possibly Friday. I look forward to visiting with all my friends and "sit and listen" to the fine players.

Mike Brown
Peavey USA

"Dom, to what other steels are you comparing it?

Guitars in the inexpensive arena that would sell for $150-$350? Or those that sell for $500 and up?"

I have my favorite Silvertone from the 60's (valco pickup) that I compare all other steels to. It's loud with full, rich tone.

I also have a Dynalap with a "true tone" pickup. it has a nice sparkle to it, and the guitar itself seems to add sustain.

I also have built ~20 or so steels myself with many pickups and woods.

I am just looking for a bit more sustain, the tone is okay for now. No need to change pickups.

Thanks
Dom

I modified the bridge on my powerslide, with a noticable improvement in sustain, now I am working on the nut. Pictures to follow.

One last thing... the tuning machines are flimsy,
Do any of you have a suggestion for a more solid, enclosed tuning machine that will work on a slotted head?

A more massive tuning machine also transfers string vibrations better, for more sustain.

The sustain I am talking about is quite evident when the instrument is unplugged, and you can hear and feel the wood vibrating. Try this with any other solid body steel and you can see what I mean.

The pickup can only do so much good for the tone, the vibe must be there in the wood.

IMHO: Dom

Bridge:


Nut & tuners:



Sustain is 90% better, I think I am still going to drill through the body to anchor strings from below.

original hardware:

Now I have to buy some Fender Tele string ferules... So far if I replaced all the original hardware, the new holes will be concealed. But If I drill through string holes, there will be no turning back!
Dom

Since the curve is almost the same on both sides of the body of this Guitar, do you think it would work well if it was converted to southpaw?

The powerslide may just work well left handed?... The curve is about the same, but the lower bout is not as long.

It's worth a try, you could always sell it if if doesn't work out. I am sure these things are going to hold their value. They may even become collector's items If Peavey limits the number produced.

Dom

I Just bought one in St. Louis. I did notice that it could use a new nut. The 6th (bass) string can slip while tuning.

Firstly, this is just my opinion, I am not shooting down a great innovative product from a great American company...

After playing a Powerslide in St. Louis this year, I was a little disappointed. The one I played last year in the Peavey room was awesome. I suppose it may have been a prototype and not everything transferred to the copy.

It sounded dark and dry to me compared to last year's. I also wrestled with the strap trying to get it to hang just right. Last year I didn't seem to have that problem.

I suppose that these changes you all are talking about (Bridge, nut and pickup) might just make the difference I would be looking for.

I would still like to get one but I'm not selling my Melobar just yet, LOL!!!

Like they say, you shouldn't lose any money on it.

Collect All Three!!!

When I picked up this guitar I was amazed at how little mass there was in the body, it felt as if made of Balsa wood, then there were rumours that its not wood at all but some kind of high density plastic foam , hence its low price tag and 'quirky' sound characteristics. to add further to the mystery Peavey decline to reveal what the body is made of on their official web site, to save us poking around inside could Peavey enlighten us please, the finish is really nice to the touch and has an almost thick 'film' like quality to it, again this adds to the mystery.

Kevin, I am likewise suspicious of the lightweight body material. So I am afraid of drilling through holes to insert string ferules from the back.
The body itself may not have the mass required to resonate as well as most "wood bodied" lap steels.

I am still slightly dissapointed in the sustain characteristics of the instrument even with my previous modifications. However, yesterday I had a blast jamming with it through an overdriven small amp. The distortion covers up for the lack of sustain. Then when switching back to a clean amp, all I get is some nice clear notes with good tone but they seem to end abruptly... (fade out quickly)
Reverb helps, mmmmm maybe some compression?

I bought some chrome string ferules and I may take the plunge! (router pun intended)

Dom

I just played my Power Slide at a live gig, along with bass, drums and Telecaster. It was a great feeling to be able to stand up and play with the other guys! No volume pedal required, It's easy to hook my pinky around the volume knob, and swell and adjust levels.

I used reverb and my tap tempo Boss DD6, to give me more sustain... When the song called for it I kicked in some overdrive (route 808 is an amazing pedal!)

Overall I am happy with the instrument in a country-rock setting. For mellower music (Jazz and Hawaiian etc.) it just doesn't have the singing tone that I have come to love, from my other steels.

I have purchased string ferules, and I will upload photos when my modification is complete...
I am also going to try a boss compressor sustainer pedal...

Dom