The Steel Guitar Forum

Does anybody have any information on the magnum D10 pedal steel that musicians friend has in stock and for sale.

The Magnum is produced by WorldClass Steels
(Carer Steel Guitars). The Magnum is their
professional grade D-10 distributed through their dealer network, where they first introduced the CarterStarter steel. I suggest that you contact John or Ann Fabian at Carter Steels for more info.

www.magnumsteelguitars.com/

... J-D.

Why would an established company (Carter) start making steels under another brand name (Magnum)?

I wouldn't venture to say (to speak for Carter) but some observations---it's a difficult business model to sell factory direct and through dealers. You are always at risk of alienating a dealer by making a direct sale. But factory direct sales are self-limiting---you are restricting your sales to "insiders"---players who are plugged into the word-of-mouth thing or are online or otherwise well informed. How to expand your market? Go beyond factory sales and even beyond steel dealerships. Hit the retail chains (with whom you have already established business relationships with your Carter-Starter).
I haven't compared guitars or prices (Carter vs. Magnum) but presumably you have a standardized guitar--no custom setups--with the marketing and manufacturing advantages and benefits this provides.
Carter steel guitars, excellent axes and a successful company---there is a formula here that you can't tamper with. So you leave well enough alone (well, you offer Custom Shop products to expand the line) and start another entity--a similar but different guitar that is offered to an untapped market of relative outsiders---maybe including some people you have hooked on steel with the C-S. An ambitious venture. And let me repeat--I do not speak for Carter and my thoughts here are just that--my thoughts.

Jon pretty well sums it up. The Magnum ProSelect Steel Guitar is our response to our dealers' requests for a professional level steel guitar.

What Jon states is true for MANY types of businesses..that do want to grow beyond the markets that they can only touch with their fingers...

We as Steelers sometimes get pidgeon holed into our own little society...we get all wraped up into whats only right in front of us..


When they asked Ray Crock what business he was in..he did not say

" I make Hamburgers"..

he said..

"I am in real estate"

I'm sure if you ask John what business he is in he would not say..
"I make Carter Steel Guitars for the Steel Guitar community"...

He may say something like..

" I manufacture musical Instruments for worldwide distribution with an established global audience and network"....

TWO Instruments for two different markets...and not competing with each other...

I don't think John, Anne and Bud are in Kansas anymore...

t<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 07 July 2005 at 05:08 AM.]</p></FONT>

<SMALL>I manufacture musical Instruments for worldwide distribution with an established global audience and network"....</SMALL>

Actually, I would say, "I'm in the business of making peoples' dreams come true with regard to pedal steel guitars". <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by John Fabian on 07 July 2005 at 06:47 AM.]</p></FONT>

Or nightmare if you read the tuning threads...

Folks at CARTER make a fine guitar with the Carters. I hadn't had a chance to play one of the MAGNUMS yet. But I'm sure it's got to be nice or they wouldn't sell them. I've never been more pleased with a guitar than the CARTER. I've bought three in the last two years. Still playing two of them!

It looks like a fine instrument.

Remember that Fender left the steel guitar marget because they couldn't deal with all of the custom orders. Everyone wanted a different copedent.

Carter's solution to this is create a standardized instrument for beginners (the Carter-Starter), followed by a standardized professional instrument (the Magnum). They still build custom guitars with the Carter name for people who need custom features, but the Starter and Magnum are poised to be the pedal steels of choice for "buy it now" retail distribution.

------------------
<font size="1"><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee (a.k.a. b0b) - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Williams D-12 E9, C6add9, Sierra Olympic S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop S-8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, C6 or A6)</font>

John, that could be a dangerous vision..

--------------------------------------------
Actually, I would say, "I'm in the business of making peoples' dreams come true with regard to pedal steel guitars".
--------------------------------------------

we all want our dreams to come true..mine is for a brand new FREE Steel Guitar every month or two !

t

Another factor is Retailers can offer more services like financing and trade-ins.

Suppose someone want to trade in a Marshall Amp, or piano, towards the purchase of a Steel?

Joey:
If they own a piano and a Marshell amp they shouldn't be allowed to touch a pedal steel guitar...just kidding of course...

Bud

Will the MAGNUM be available in a S-12U,
7 X 5 configuration?

Roger

I think that 12 string steel guitars will always be custom made instruments. The market for them is too small for music stores to be bothered.