The Steel Guitar Forum

I am a new steeler - had it for three weeks and been on holiday (vacation) for one of them, and was wondering what you generally sit on?

I have seen some storage seats, the look a decent idea, but don't look very adjustable.

I am currently using an ancient, borrowed drum stool that makes me stop after about 25 mins if I want to feel my legs?

Thanks,
Paul.

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Absolute beginner!
Bennet Freshman E9 3+3

Hi Paul & welcome to the forum.

Hope you're enjoying the Bennett, I had mine for 4 years & it did me proud (wish I could say I did the same for it!). After years of using crap chairs of varying heights I bought a cheap folding keyboard bench for £14 off Ebay (new) which adjusts up to about 19" in height and is fine for me. You might want one that goes a little higher depending on your height though. It's portable, light and I can play for 2 hours without losing the feeling in my feet.

Feel free to get in touch if you want to chat to another UK steel player.

Matt



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'1983 Sierra Crown gearless U12 & Fender 75'

Paul, height is very important to me now. The pac-seats most of us use are not adjustable in height. You can order a seat and specify the height or do like I did and change the leg length on a ready made seat.
I can think of 3 popular seats made by steel players.
"Steelers Choice" by Kenny Rollins. "Walker" by Ray Walker and "GFI" by Gene Fields. I am sure there are more, but these are the most popular in my opinion.
After using a seat with the "side kick" compartment I am spoiled. I like the idea of having some storage that I can get to without getting off the seat.
My friend Scotty has some pictures at www.scottysmusic.com . He also has good prices. There are other websites you can find which offer pictures and prices.
Good hunting........JD

Paul, I haven't been playing a long time, but when I bought my PSG last December I needed something adjustable for a seat. After buying the PSG, I couldn't spend a lot. I found an "On Stage Stands Extreme" folding seat at Guitar Center for I think $49 (it might have been on sale for a little less). For me it's convenient and comfortable. I may get one of the fancier PSG seats eventually, but I found this one to be a good all purpose one. I've also seen it in at least one other player's photo that was posted somewhere.

Bob P.

A generic X type keyboard seat for the cheap light thing.
A pack-a-seat type is a good idea, but MUCH more expensive to get over here.

My buddy just baught a 10 string lapsteel with legs in a case,
and shipped it over for the same TOTAL price as a storage seat.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 07 October 2004 at 05:58 AM.]</p></FONT>

Paul,

I have used a Tama drum stool for years. Built like a tank, thick padding, adjusts for height. Legs fold up and the seat comes off.

I carry all my stuff--cords, strings, and the seat in a durable old Samsonite suitcase.

Works for me.

Chris

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now living in the Ocean State ....

Steeler's Choice for me by Kenn Rollans, 3 of them and Kenny can make the legs any height you want them. Wouldn't leave home without it!
John Buffington

Hi again,

There was a pac-a-seat on the for sale bit of the British Steelies site for £50 a week or so ago, might be worth a look.

Matt

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'1983 Sierra Crown gearless U12 & Fender 75'

Hi Paul and welcome to the world of frustration and the dreaded ` Sorebums` lol
my old seat was a cheap drum stool that was good for maybe two songs ( as long as they were short ) I now use a Dixon drum seat that I can sit on for hours at a time, in fact during breaks I have often just remained sitting there with no discomfort at all...the seat itself is somwhat like a Yamaha Cruiser seat, round and largish with the `dips` where the legs go and a small lip right around the rear...super comfy and well worth the money IMHO. the legs are fully adjustable for height ect too and well made and sturdy.

Glyndwr

For playing around the house, nothing beats a good office-type chair on wheels. I got mine from IKEA for just 60 USD and it has served me well since 1993. The seat leans a tad forward, the height adjustment range is more than enough, it's got excellent lumbar support (very important!) and you can sit in it for hours without getting tired. It's not heavy - but way too bulky to take out on a gig, I guess.
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Emmons Legrande II D10 8+5, Goodrich 120, Peavey Nashville 1000

Thanks for the replies so far!

Matt - I have seen the ad and dropped Les an email. I am not convinced fixed height is a good idea just yet, but it is worth an enquiry.

Thanks to everyone else as well - I suspect there may be a few more comments coming.

My bulk probably won't help finding deats comfortable - I am 5'11" and 18 stone (250 pounds)

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Absolute beginner!
Bennet Freshman E9 3+3

I agree an office secretary chair is good at home. For gigs I carry a small x type keyboard bench. This is fine for one set at a time, but without a back and more padding, it could be uncomfortable for a long night. I got a Steeler's choice with a back and a sidekick compartment. It was custom made to my height specification and is extremely comfortable. But it is very heavy. I thought I would be able to use its storage and not have to bring along my usual gig bag for pedals, FX unit, power strip, chords. etc. But it would not hold everything I need. So it ended up being just an additional heavy item for me to lug around. I stopped using it and went back to the small, lightweight keyboard stool. Now I'm sitting on it at home, but I'm thinking of selling it and going back to a $40 office chair at home.

I had Kenny build me a Steelers Choice seat with the back rest and the side kick. It is an excellent unit. It sure is handy when you break a string to just open that little side compartment and get what you need. Wouldn't be without it!
Erv

I've got a pack seat with a back on it. I added big ugly rubber feet so it would set me up a little higher.

I really only use the back during little breaks I take. I'm pretty happy with the seat.

since gettin' a pack a seat is rather costly to get over here
(i prefer spendin' the $$$ on somethin' else)
i too use a generic foldin' & adjustable keyboard seat.
works fine for me (75kilos)

I use a standard folding chair. I put 3/4" pipe in the legs for the additional height I needed and fastened the pipe with pop rivets. My wife made a cover for my 2" thick piece of foam and I attached the pad to the chair seat with velcro. Very inexpensive to make and very portable. I have used it for about 7 years now. I just finished a 4 1/2 hour gig recently, with only one ten minute break and had no problem with tired butt. Might work for others also, if you are so inclined. Foam $2.00, velcro $1.99 and a used chair for $5.00 at the most and about 50 cents worth of pipe. Beats the cost of a pac-a-seat.

I use a Edgar Pro Seat. One thing to think about is carrying the accessories for your steel such as cords, volume pedal, picks, bar, etc. A good Pro touring seat has the capacity for carrying all this stuff inside and makes the location change so much smoother and easier.

For awhile, I did sit on a "modified" stepstool that my drummer friend fabricated for me at his dayjob. Before and after that and before pac-seats, I relied on an empty beer case on a folding chair.

www.genejones.com

I have a WC Edgar seat too, and I really like it. Super comfortable, and it holds a lot of stuff.
As far as the high cost in Europe, well, you could build your own pac a seat easily if you have some tools. Plywood box, piano hinge for the lid. Aluminum boat seat hinges for the backrest, and steel electrical conduit for the legs. All things that are available in hardware stores. The toughest thing to do is bending the tubing for the legs. That requires a pipe bending jig. Become friends with a plumber.

Glenn, i got a buddy who's a plumber and i know what that steel bendin' jig is you mention (cintreuse in french)
you're right 'bout makin' a pack a seat
all the ingredients can be found here.

Hi Paul,
I've been using an organ bench from my Technics Electric organ,which has proved to have been very useful but I'm changing over to a Walker Sidecar soon.

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Ron (Chippy) Wood
Emmons D10
Carter SD10


<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Chippy Wood on 07 October 2004 at 09:31 AM.]</p></FONT>

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/441857/

Hi Paul,
Some bum stole my seat

Hey Paul, if ya gonna play steel guitar ya might as well get comfortable.
I have an ELite pac seat with back rest which is very comfortable.
there were several used pac seats in buy and sell here on the forum for a good price.
check um out if their still for sale. look under amps-accesories
Terry

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84 SKH Emmons Legrand D10
session 400'rd Steelin for my Lord.

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Terry Sneed on 07 October 2004 at 10:07 AM.]</p></FONT>

Hey Crowbear, you're all set, once you build your pac a seat you could display it at the "Sorebuns" museum, or is it Sorbonne.

If you're gonna "roll your own" seat, make sure you don't cut your fingers off. Faites Attention!