The Steel Guitar Forum

Some of you may recall Tommy White's old Carter being offered for sale recently. I thought I'd show a photo of it in its new home. Nine pedals instead of eight? That's a challenge but this guitar has fantastic tone!! The strings on the back neck could be a bit past their best but the E neck just sings!

I may have to get rid of an Emmons (not the black one!) to make room for it but I'm delighted with my new acquisition. It is, I have to say, extremely heavy!!!

Roger, I have the single neck version in the same color scheme. Great guitars!

That would be this guitar? Great sounding axe!

How great that you are pleased with your guitar Roger.

Your comments bode well for my Carter when I get it. Mine is identical to yours, but I was a bit dismayed to see you refer to the fact that the guitar is heavy!! I have to lug mine all the way back on the plane to the UK after my trip to the USA in March & April.

Ken I think he was kidding ya mate -- Carters are lightweight

Don't worry, Ken. The weight is all relative. Heavy, yes, because it's a pedal steel -- but as light as anything else out there. Carter's were designed from the ground up to be lightweight.

To be more accurate, Ken, it seems heavy.

UPS had it logged as weighing 69 lbs (including packing, obviously) but it was packed without the handle exposed! That meant actually having to lift the thing deadweight from the ground up - how the UPS guy did it and got it up the steps to my condo is beyond me . I couldn't move it and had to cut open the packaging at my front door to get at the case-handle so I could move it indoors.

The guitar came in one of those heavyweight ozite-covered cases. From now on, when it travels anywhere with me, it'll go into one of my Wheel-Ez cases that are far more portable (and half the weight!)

Ken , is that as well as the new body for the Zum?

On further reflection (and in light of the flaming I've received here in this thread ) I'm inclined to say that my impression of weight was more to do with the case than the guitar. Now it's side-by-side with one of my LeGrandes it may actually be a fraction lighter.

Remember, chaps, I'm a not-very-agile 71 year old and weight IS, indeed, relative. Trying to lift the Carter from my front step after having just walked eighteen holes was asking too much....

Malcolm McMaster wrote:Ken , is that as well as the new body for the Zum?

It could well be Malcolm if it is ready in time.

Roger, at 64 I am a youngster comparatively, but not as adept as I was 40 or so years ago at carrying a pedal steel around. My heaviest pedal steel is my Zum, but that is because it is loaded with 8 knee levers (or at least that is what I put it down to). Your Carter is loaded too, so it may make a difference.

My Show Pro is the lightest of my guitars, and I don't know how Jeff does it.

What is the playing action like on the Carter?

Hey Roger: I just weighed my Carter, 8 and 7 and it weighed 37 lbs. without the case. MAX

The action's good, Ken, but I'm 'losing' the pedals in the pile of the carpet at present - I amy have to raise them a tiny bit.

Max; how on earth do you weigh a psg out of the case???

Stand on scales, weigh yourself, then go back on carrying guitar , subtract your weight and you have guitar weight.

Roger: I just stand the guitar on end and put on the scales. MAX

Roger, one word... "two wheeler".. oops, two words.. "hand truck"...

My my arthritis laden back, even my GFI S-10 and Nashville 112 is H E A V Y!

And by the way... "NICE AXE!"

Hi Rog! If it's any comfort, my Mullen G2 guitars equipped with the same as your Carter weigh in at exactly 69 pounds in the factory case. I recently acquired a brand new SKB Wheel-Ez case too. I love the case almost as much as the guitars! Oh, nice horn by the way!

Welcome to the Carter club Roger...you'll love it. Nice to see the trusty Roland 80XL there too

Micky "scars" Byrne U.K.

Tommy White wrote:Hi Rog! If it's any comfort, my Mullen G2 guitars equipped with the same as your Carter weigh in at exactly 69 pounds in the factory case. I recently acquired a brand new SKB Wheel-Ez case too. I love the case almost as much as the guitars! Oh, nice horn by the way!

Wow! Same weight as my G2 D-10 9+9 in the case. ONE pound under Delta Airlines limit! I guess that's proof that Mullen is consistent in their manufacturing process.

Actually for flights I have put my G2 in a set of Red Dirt flight cases. The guitar still comes in at 60 lbs. with the pedal bar and rods in a separate case. But the guitar case does have wheels. At least it did when I left Atlanta a couple hours ago. I will know in 3 hours when I get to Phoenix if I still have wheels.

Sorry for venturing off topic Roger. I had a Carter just about like that one from 1996-2006. And a green 1999 that I traded to Bobby Boggs about a year ago for the red G2. Great guitars that served me well. I still miss our friend John Fabian a bunch.

Thanks for all the responses, everyone. I haven't had as much time to noodle on this guitar as I'd have liked but so far my impressions are very favourable.

Weight? You know, it's been so long since I hefted a D-10 steel in a standard Emmons case (let alone one of these really heavy ozite-covered things with that nasty thin handle that seems to cut into one's fingers) that I believe that I've forgotten what my life used to be like.

Tommy - I've used the Wheel-Ez cases for years now and would never go back. I wouldn't want to 'ship' a steel in one - they probably wouldn't withstand being dropped from any height - but they're perfect for driving gigs, and I've also flown many times (managing to beat the system and take the steel into the cabin with me) using them.

I've long had a slight prejudice against Carters and have wrongly thought of them as skimpily made. That may be true of the Carter Starter but the pro guitars are extremely stable and very well made. It stays feeling rigid however I engage the knee-levers and it has a nice sense of permanence and - gravitas! A good instrument, despite that logo that looks (as I've said before) as though it belongs on a household-appliance.

I'm a Carter convert!

Roger,
I have a 1996 D10 that I bought new. I will have that guitar when I die. I also have a 2003. Pleased with both but like most people, I have my favorite. I've played other guitars but I don't think I would be satisfied with any others.

You guys that have the Wheel-Ez cases what is the model and are they for a specific guitar? Do you utilize the pull apart foam for shape specific to the guitar or can you use it for just about any double neck?

Kevin:

Both mine were purchased second-hand and, I believe, had once been Sierra cases. In any event I bought them with the padding installed. I'm not certain but I think the SKB-type case was once standard equipment with Sierra steels.

The moulded exterior of my two are similar to the SKB multi-purpose cases (drum accessories, etc) - I've heard of people constructing their own foam interiors to convert them to steel-cases but that would have defeated me!

Congrats on a fine axe Roger , enjoy !

My 9+8 Carter is about 42 pounds (+/- a couple) as it stands, I hardly ever break it down, it travels strapped behind the front seat . I don't find these Carter D10s to be all that heavy , in comparison try an old MSA !


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I've no gigs currently, Tony, so for the time being I'll be just noodling on it here at home. It'll work for its living come late Spring, however.

I had a shock when I discovered that it's quite a bit smaller (not as long and not as wide) as my Emmons LeGraqndes. I tried slipping my D2F steel-cover on it and it was swamped!

(Tony: Is it easy to raise the pedals on a Carter? I think I need a fraction more clearance under them.)