Do You Buy and Sell a Lot of Steels?

Chris LeDrew · From: Canada

I have a confession to make, albeit not a very confidential one: I have owned 13 steel guitars in the last 5 years, and most of them are long gone. Even though I feel I have finally found the perfect steel in my new Jackson Pro IV, it still freaks me out that this many steels got shipped to me across the miles, only to be once again cast out into the universe. Not that I've ever been a collector, but looking at this pattern in hindsight, it's a bit jarring. Ha! I still miss one or two, but for the most part I have no regrets. Still....it seems a bit sick to me. Smile

Here is the gallery of shame, and this is not even all of them:

http://chrisledrew.shutterfly.com/pictures/112

Any else out there gone through a bunch of steels in a relatively short periods of time? Maybe we can start a support group. Maybe even some of the new owners could chime in here.
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Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com

Pit Lenz · From: Cologne, Germany

Oh boy, what a nice collection!
Why on earth did you let all these beauties go again Question

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

Chris,I have owned 7 pedal steel guitars in the last few years A Carter D-10 8+5, 2Dekleys SD-12 3+4 and a S-10 3+4,3 Desert Rose Guitars D-10 8&5,2S-10's 3+4,4+5,And a Blanton SD-10 3&4.I gave the Blanton to my good friend Keith Junot as a gift,Sold the Carter,Both Dekleys because two friends wanted to learn and they both needed good guitars and these are both great guitars.The Carter was sold on ebay just wasn't the sound that I heard in my head,good guitar.Desert Rose is my favorite so they get to stay.Man that's a lot of guitars for a knucklehead like me. Laughing

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Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952.

Ulf Edlund · From: Umeå, Sweden

In the last five years i've been the owner of 8 psg's. All of them good guitars.
Here's the list:
MSA Classic SS,
Franklin,
ShoBud Pro I,
Carter, (three)
Emmons SKH,
I still have The Emmons and one Carter.

I have two basket case AWH (swedish brand) laying and waiting to be rebuilt/restored when i can find the time Rolling Eyes

Edited:
I have improved(?) my record as we "speak".
A Dekley S10 moved in today. A surprisingly nice guitar.
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1983 Emmons D10 SKH, Carter SD10, Nashville 112, Session 500, ProfexII, Lapsteels, GT-Beard reso, guitars of all kinds...
http://www.myspace.com/ulfedlund

Bent Romnes · From: London,Ontario, Canada

Ulf, those AWH are interesting guitars...70's technology that sounded great I've been told. Well, I have one album by Janne Lindgren and the Country Minstrels playing an AWH and it sounds so nice.
I would love to study those guitars and see some of the magic that Arne put into them.
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Bill Miller · From: Gaspe, Quebec, Canada

Chris, not to derail the thread but a question comes to mind: in all of those transactions, both incoming and outbound, have you ever had a guitar damaged in shipping? I'm just trying to get a feel for how common that really is.
I've only bought two steels in twenty years and never a new one, but that's about to change. I have parted with a lot of brass over amplification though. Smile

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Chris, it seems to me that most of your guitars are very similar. I don't understand why you would sell one S-10 for another, and then sell that for another. When I buy another guitar, it's to get something substantially different from what I already have.

Guess I just don't understand. Confused

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Chris LeDrew · From: Canada

Thanks, guys, for easing my mind that I'm not the only one!

b0b, you would not believe how each of those guitars sounded different from the other. The Mullen was a million miles from the Sho~bud, and the MCI and Carter were even a lot different. I believe that my practice of buying selling had to do with my lack of access to try and compare guitars. I have to add that none of these guitars had the richness and body of the Jackson Pro IV I have now.

Bill, the only problem I had with shipping damage was a Carter that I shipped to California. Apparently it suffered some pickup damage upon arrival. I just paid the buyer the cost of replacing the pickup instead of going to the insurance. Besides that, no issues. Steel cases are fortunately very sturdy for the most part.
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Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com

Ulf Edlund · From: Umeå, Sweden

David Nugent · From: Gum Spring, Va.

Chris...I just may have slightly topped your list!

BMI---------1
Carter------2 (one of which I believe went to you)
Derby-------3
Emmons------5
Excel-------1
Fessenden---2
GFI---------3
MSA---------3
Mullen------4
Pedalmaster-1
Sierra------2
Sho-Bud-----4
Zumsteel----3
And ONE "Show-_Pro" which has finally ended my search....This unit arrived exactly as I had envisioned my ideal guitar to be. The beauty, workmanship, and tone of this instrument is unsurpassed in my opinion.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I have owned 6 Steels over the last several years, I own 1 now and pretty much have no interest in getting another ! I have moved into the old Fender amps thing, god help me Laughing

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Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website

Ulf Edlund · From: Umeå, Sweden

The Dekley has landed. #8
Still counting... Smile

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1983 Emmons D10 SKH, Carter SD10, Nashville 112, Session 500, ProfexII, Lapsteels, GT-Beard reso, guitars of all kinds...
http://www.myspace.com/ulfedlund

John De Maille · From: On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.

I have owned-
1. Pierce- HA! HA! HA! Had to make most of the parts.
2. Sho-Bud Maverick... A good beginner!
3. Rus-Ler S-11 A true excellent workhorse.
I won't sell it.
4. ZumSteel U-12 The best. I'll keep it forever!

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

Since the MultiKord I bought for $10 in 1964 I've had only a few steels. In 1966 I traded a Fender Bassman piggy back amp for a Fender 400 with a guy from Ventura, Calif named Don Robinson (great steeler). A couple of years later I got a Fender 1000 which had all the pedals, rods, and undercarriage missing and was used as a non pedal guitar. I traded it in for a complete Fender 1000 which I eventually sold. I bought my first "real" steel in 1977 which was a ShoBud S-12 with 3 FP and 4 KL. I had it up to 8 FP and 7 KL at one point but had it back to 4 & 5 when I sold it. my BMI S-12 was bought at the consignment room at Scottie's Convention for $1200 almost twenty years ago. It had 7 FP and 6 KL when I got it. I'm still playing it and I have no plans to ever get another one unless I can deal on this "keyless" Marlen S-12 I've just discovered...........JH in Va.
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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!

Don Drummer · From: West Virginia, USA

I've owned 4 in the last 30 plus years. The latest I have technicaly owned (paid for) for a year. It's a great guitar can't wait to play it. Oh Well

Don D

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Interesting thread! I almost ignored it, but then I started thinking that it applies to me as well.

Ten years ago I had two steels - my first Emmons (a '98 LG111 SD-10) and my 2000 black LG111 D-10. Both I'd had from new and, on reflection, I should have kept the SD-10. I still have the D-10 and it remains my #1 guitar.

However, along the way I've had an MCI D-10 (I loved it, but it was rather 'well used'), a Mullen D-10 (didn't care for it), a Sho-Bud Professional (too darned heavy by far - so much for my nostalgia-trip!), then a Derby SD-10 (I really loved that one, but I foolishly traded it for the SD-12 Mullen - a failed Ext. E9 experiment).

Then I traded a bunch of '0'-gauge locomotives for another Emmons LG111 (this one a mahogany-look D-10). Now I've just acquired a beautiful Derby D-10, so the current roster is: the two LeGrande 111s and the Derby - all three are D-10s. I think I'm set now.

Part of it is just the enjoyment of seeing something new and slightly different, but it's telling to me that nothing has rivalled my 2000 black Emmons. That's here to stay. The other Emmons sounds as good, but it's just an '8+5', so gets to be the back-up guitar. The Derby competes for attention, though, and is a fine steel.

Shipping? No issues at all - I've been lucky, and my choice has always been Fedex. Their trade-counter here in Naples is easy to use with a friendly and helpful staff - I know once it leaves them it's on its own in 'transit jungle', but I leave there feeling confident, at least!

I'm done trading steels - it's old Martins for me from now on.....
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

Anchorage Alaska isn't exactly steel country either,There's maybe about 5 of us? I usually rely on friends in the lower 48 to keep me tuned into what's new and happening.An interesting thing happened two Sundays ago at a celebration of life service that I was playing at,A woman came up to me and her husband had passed away about 20 years ago,he was a local legend up here who I never got to meet,and she told me that she was ready to sell both of his guitars and her husband insisted they go to a good home and someone who will treat them with respect,She then told me that she would call me soon.Her husband left 2 Sho-Buds a D-10 and a D-12 so I 'm waiting for the call and I have a friend who offered to loan me whatever I need to get them.
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Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952.

Billy Carr · From: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

Over the years I've sold and traded probably close to 100 guitars for myself.(39 years) What I look for, I found in the new Rains guitars. Zero issues with the guitars. Keep it serviced and no problems. I compare guitars to vehicles. Keep'em serviced and checked.

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

Well you guys think you have problems trying new guitars out ...:-} ...I'm about a million miles away from the nearest steel shop/builder!
In 32 years I haven't had that many actually:
78 Shobud 6139 3+4 S10
81 Shobud Super Pro D10 9+9
86 MCI Rangexpander D10 9+8
97 Zum D10 8+9
01 Zum D10 9+9
08 Zum D10 Hybrid 9+9

I still have the last 2, and can't see me changing much in the future - except maybe a Zum lacquer Hybrid
Very Happy

I had the MCI the longest I think, only sold it a couple of years ago.
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14'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
08'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
94' Franklin Stereo D10 9+8
Telonics, Peterson, Steelers Choice, Benado, Lexicon, Red Dirt Cases.

Larry Jamieson · From: Walton, NY USA

I started with an MSA Semi-Classic, only one knee lever. I played it for about 20 years, then decided to try some additional knee levers.

Bought a used BMI 3 and 3. It played well, sounded good but had lots of wear from previous use. When one of the pedal to rod connectors broke on me during a gig, I sold it, bought a Carter single ten, 3 and 4.

It wasn't just what I wanted, so I tried a used Exel, 3 and 4. An excellent guitar mechanically, but still not the sound I was looking for.

Then I bought a Cougar Elite. This was a pretty good guitar and I played it for a year or two until I saw
another player's Zum. I tried the Zum, then called Bruce a few days later and placed my order.

I still have the Zum, but a couple of years back I had to order a new Williams 600 too. They just looked SO NICE on the web site, and lacquer did not cost any extra.

The Zum and Williams guitars are keepers. I do not feel the need to acquire any more. Then I see the pictures of Chuck Back's two tone Desert Rose...
Who knows...

Guess I have been through 7 steels, kept two.

Larry J.

joe long · From: San Antonio, Texas

Not me. I just can't sell and trade steels or anything for that matter. I've had my 2 LeGrand III's since 1999 and a Richenbacher Bakelite for almost that long. I did sell a SD-10 Carter that I now regrett. I also have a Rains SD-10 that I will not part with. Same thing with my amps. Several years ago I did part with 3 push/pulls but I have not regretts about that. I had previously played the same p/p for over 18 years.

Chris LeDrew · From: Canada

richard burton · From: Britain

I started from scratch and built my own steels, before I came to my senses and acquired some proper steels Very Happy

Seven home-made steels, then:
Sho-Bud LDG
ZB Student
Emmons Push-Pull
ZB SD11
Ormston/Denley Twin 8 (now a SD10)
Carter SD10
Marlen D10 basketcase, now it's a fully functioning SD10

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

I forgot a few, Sho-Bud Maverick,6139,Lloyd Green,MSA Semi-Classic,2 Blanton D-10s,One Blanton S-10 3+4,Emmons student model,ZB-D-10.
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Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952.

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