The Steel Guitar Forum

I know it'sh after the fact, I have a stage one steel on order, have any of you had experience with this model. Good, great, bad, etc. Rhanks.

Mike

Its only drawbacks are NOT an issue for a student. In fact, many professional guitars have the same drawbacks.
First, the two drawbacks: most, but not all modern full-featured guitars will let you (for example) raise a G# string to A, lower it to F#, AND combine the raise and lower for a tunable G. The Stage 1 won't. But with practice, you can use half the travel of the lever. So it's a minor drawback.
Drawback 2. It's not designed to be easy to modify. That's OK. Doug builds it with more changes than Lloyd Green had when he was showing us all how it's done.
And your first several years should be spent PLAYING it, not tinkering with it. He builds it ready to play.

Now the upside.
1) It has all you need
2) it's light
3) the pull-release changer has a special tone. Love that sound.
4) New guitar at used guitar price.

As the Brits say; well done, you!

Lane's description is perfect. I received a Stage One from Doug about two and a half months ago,and it's a great steel! You won't be disapointed.

I'd gotten an email asking "I bought one, just wanted to make sure it was a good decision."

I answered "essentially you have a Chevy Malibu. Damn fine car, nothing fancy but perfectly suitable."

I've had mine a couple of years now. It's a great guitar. I have no complaints.

I was lucky enough to happen upon a used one, and even as a rank beginner, I have to say that this was the wisest choice in a guitar that I could have possibly made. The Stage One stays in tune, operates smoothly and consistently, and sounds absolutely GREAT. I can't see outgrowing it for many years, if ever.

Tom Watterson wrote:I was lucky enough to happen upon a used one, and even as a rank beginner, I have to say that this was the wisest choice in a guitar that I could have possibly made. The Stage One stays in tune, operates smoothly and consistently, and sounds absolutely GREAT. I can't see outgrowing it for many years, if ever.

I'm agree, Tom. I look at lots of other steels. It's hard not to-there have been some very pretty steels built over the years! But! the old plain jane Stage One sounds so good and like you mention, works flawlessly. I don't feel any limitations with the Stage One. Anything I come across, like a dropped 6th string or whatever, I figure it out another way, usually with a slant.

I do find that it's important to use the exact same gauge string as the guitar comes with to stay in tune to its fullest capability.

I also think that the Stage One likes a little hair on the signal; not overdrive, more a Lloyd Green type of bite , like the classic Panther Hall recording or the stuff he did on earlier Mel Street, or hundreds of other records. Personal preference, I reckon! Sure sounds good with a Fender Amp.

I don't see selling mine ever. I think I would regret it no matter what other steel I might get in the future.

I've had my teak Stage One since 2009 .... Luv it !

What's the Stage 1 copedent?

Just got mine last month and it's awesome