The Steel Guitar Forum

Boen

Tony Glassman wrote:Bossan

I was wondering if anyone would remember the Harold Spain built Bossan steels, some unique ideas in those guitars. Another Richmond VA area guitar was a direct Emmons copy, I had one as my first D-10, which I believe was made by a man named Wade, maybe RD Wade?, I don't know how many he built or exactly when he was building but I bought a used one from a Richmond music store around 1974. It didn't work great, plus I didn't know squat about push/pull mechanics but Harold Spain got it working well for me. I believe DC area fiddle/violinist Bob Spates still has that guitar stashed in a closet somewhere??

While people are thinking about guitars of yesteryear, does anyone know who might have made this? It's a very solidly built copy of a Sho-Bud permanent and tantalizingly you can see where the badge has fallen off. Early 60s, judging by the fact that when I got it it had just one lever that had been added later (it is now 8x5). I have more pics if it would help.

What is the list of current steel companies actively making products today?

Framus built them in Europe for a while, and I think they were fairly popular there... Junk, and LONG out of production...

Erickson, built in Clearwater, MN by Elvin Erickson back in the 70s.

Cherokee Pedal Steel. Not sure but think Smiley Weaver out of Ada, Ok. did a few of those. Not long back here on the forum there was a post about him and showed a picture of him playing one. Smiley was a heck of a picker and vocalist and played all over Oklahoma for years. I think he is still alive. Native Son and Proud. J.R.

Ernie Ball made a few interesting pedal steels

I still haven't contacted him to know for sure... but I think Don Burrows may have stopped building the BSG steels. Anybody know?

Wouldn't it be nice to see a picture to represent each brand ya'll mentioned here.

Already listed.

You might throw the Little Buddy in there. But that might be an offshoot of a cougar...?

Cartwright Thompson wrote:Ernie Ball made a few interesting pedal steels

Yes... I have seen a few for sale on ebay over the years, and at one point I believe Rumble Seat Music had one on the floor.. Didn't look player friendly to me...

i remember a brand called Pierce. also heard of one made in milwaukee called Singer. probably could mend your ripped shirts after the women tore them off.

I could be wrong but I am pretty sure that Jim Flynn in Salado Texas is still producing Lonestar Steels. At least I think that was the name of his product.

There was another brand with a similar name that was made by Mark Giles but I think that was Star Guitars.

Hope all of this is correct.

Yes George, I think Jim is still building a few guitars and Mark Giles is still involved in custom finishing and maybe a guitar or two. I know that this thread is about used to be companies but their is a new company in Central Texas that is building a great looking steel. "Texas Pedal Steel Guitar". They have a web site you can google. I looked at them last year at the Texas Show and they are top notch. J.R.

Scotty sold a super light single neck he called "SGI". I believe Mitsuo Fujii made them. They must have been all of 20 pounds. So light that if you weren't careful a RR or LL knee lever could easily move the whole guitar.
Using bodyweight via the seat to stabilize it might have worked.