The Steel Guitar Forum

I am getting an opportunity to pick up a used Sierra 8 string lap steel. Based on older posts, I am looking forward to getting it as most of the posts give glowing reviews.

That said, I have not seen much posted on them recently. Is the bloom off the rose? Is there a "new hotness" out there, or is every still happy with theirs?

This model does not have the legs and given the weight I suppose I will need a stand of some sort.. Any other input you can give me would be great!

thanks!

You will be a happy camper. Yes on the stand although it will hold you down in a hurricane if you play it on your lap!

Here it is.. Coming soon.. Serial number 064. Anyone recognize her?

I've owned four of those... maybe that's one of them! Great guitars for a "modern" humbucking tone. Lots of sustain. They are destined to become future collectables. Evidently Sierra is no longer making the 8-string model. According to their web site they only have 6-string lap steels now, and a limited supply of them.

Just bought a Sierra 8 double pickup from Hal Stackhouse in June. Incredible sounding instrument. Tough to pickup my guitars since I got it. Sits at foot of bed so I'm ready in the morning.

Doug Beaumier wrote:I've owned four of those... maybe that's one of them! Great guitars for a "modern" humbucking tone. Lots of sustain. They are destined to become future collectables. Evidently Sierra is no longer making the 8-string model. According to their web site they only have 6-string lap steels now, and a limited supply of them.

If it was yours, I hope like heck that you left some talent on it somewhere!!

As for new ones, Hal Stackhouse told me they set up the CNC machines for "runs" and they are making the 6 string now.. They have sold all their 8 string inventory for 2015.. (Wow..) and is not sure when he will have them in stock again...

I was wowed by the design, when these first came out. The sandwich of materials is brilliant.
Whenever I've heard them, they sound exactly as Doug describes--modern and sustainy. Fat.
Congrats on your purchase.

I have a Sierra on legs with the five-position pickup. The single coil position of 8K ohms produces a brighter, thinner timbre most of us would identify with a more "classic" non-pedal steel sound.

The full humbucker and the single-coil positions are the only two positions I use--and I use the latter the most. As others have mentioned, the humbucker sound is modern and fat. Darick Campbell played a 5-position for quite a while, but I think he is using a humbucker model now with no selector switch, or possibly a custom pickup. When he played the 5-position model he almost always used the full humbucker position. But remember, he nearly always is using wah and distortion.

Anyhow, they are great steels. Oodles of sustain. You will almost certainly want a stand, and the Deluxe 34 is a good one.

The factory case is big and heavy. I had a custom gig bag made by Studio Slips and purchased a heavy duty leg bag from Deluxe 34. This cut total carrying weight in half.

Hal Braun wrote:Here it is.. Coming soon.. Serial number 064. Anyone recognize her?

Hal - I have SN 0062. I purchased it from Doug. You won't be disappointed.

The Sierra arrived and everyone is correct.. It is a beast! The sustain and overtones are amazing, and it was not quite as heavy on the lap as I thought it would be..

Throw a little overdrive in, and it borders on scary