The Steel Guitar Forum

The low strings can often conflict with the bass, but are good for playing solo.
The ten stinger is all you need, unless you want to add bass notes.

Here are my thoughts. This is only my experience and I'm by no stretch of the imagination an expert.

I started on an old Emmons S-10. I skipped the D-10 and went straight to a Uni-12 when I wanted to learn B6 or swing style playing.

I wish I had stayed with a basic E9 3x5 for a little longer and learned everything I could before I moved on to a Universal 12.

If I play an S-10 now I have to go really slow at first until I get used to only 10 strings. I hit the wrong strings because my perception is off due to the lack of the 2 bottom strings. I also flop around until I find those licks and phrases that are easy to get on an S-10 that are actually a little harder on a Universal.

Here's a 10 string Ext E9, very versatile ....

Hello,

I started out on PSG with an MSA S-10, immediately bought a Carter D-10 because I wasn't very good and figured more pedals more necks more levers = more choices which is easier to play, right?

Nope. I didn't touch the C6th neck, or any except the three pedals and maybe 2 of the levers, and I ended up selling it out of frustration. Now, I have a D-10, (BMI this time) and am on the correct course to learning this thing, 20 plus years later. I have 3 and 3, and I use all of them and am not yet at the point where I 'miss' or 'need' that 4th and 5th lever.

In short, I learned that if I want to make it 'simple' like 'press a pedal and get a chord' I should consider an autoharp. That's what it looks like David Hartley does, but once you get in the driver's seat it's a lot more than press and play.

I have known people, in the 6-string world, who have purchased a Fander Gilmour Strat (3K), a HiWatt white 100W amp ($4K?) and all the pedals Gilmour uses ($1K) thinking they'll sound like Gilmour, then I see Gilmour at a Guitar Center playing a Squuier into a practice amp with no paedals no FX and guess what! It sounds just like, um, Gilmour.

I believe that someday, if I live long enough, I may beed tose extra levers, a Franklin pedal, a C6th neck, etc. but right now, if someone said "You can have any steel you want' it would be S10 (orSD10) with 3 and 5. I really think that is all I will ever need.

Learning to play the Pedal Steel is more of a musical Knowledge issue than anything. You can learn the ins & outs of the pedals & knee levers in a month.But if you don't know music, even TAB won't be friendly to you.

I'd suggest getting a U-12 with a Day setup & have yourself some FUN, FUN, Fun til you can't stand it...

I started out with an SD-10 3 peds and 5 levers. Learned to play that for several yrs. Then I tried a Uni. Jeff Newman warned me that the Uni was totally backward than the SD-10. I was so frustrated that I sent it back to the MFR and ordered an SD-12, 4 peds, 5 Knees. Those upper 2 strings are like heavy thunder. They really will sound good to your ears. It's my axe of choice. Think of it this way. You can easily remove the top 2 bass strings and still have you an SD-10. Want you're SD-12 back, just put the top 2 bass strings on and you've got your SD-12 back. I'd go that direction.

I'll get lambasted for this but whatever you do, go for a single neck. I've been playing S12 forever and the only points that have me questioning that choice is the high string intervals not being the equivalent to the C6 aynd perhaps the tone, B6 being a step down. Then i come to my senses and conclude:
1 i enjoy the lighter weight.
2. It would be a compromise not to have all my changes available to me during the same song.
3. Keeping track of two sets of tunings/string intervals limits my brain space that i can otherwise dedeicate to learning one really well.
4. I've scene players take incredible lead breaks without touching a pedal. You have all these mechanisms for changing string pitch. Why would you need an entire second neck.
5. Two necks are so sixties.

Thanks for the thoughts everyone!

I'm now the proud owner of a Justice S10 3x4, which arrived yesterday! I'd spent enough time thinking and ended up taking the advice of many of you and got an S10 3x4. There's plenty to work with here, and I've got my work set out for me.

Again, I appreciate all the thoughts and advice!
Baron