The Steel Guitar Forum

Someone's selling a steel locally that he knows little about. He says it's called a 'Little Buddy'. Anyone ever heard of that?

I believe Emmons made a bare-bones student model by that name.

I saw one years ago - it was a Maverick-type.

Charlie, is that one you're looking to buy?
If not, I believe that's what I'm after. I've seen one, I believe, almost a child's steel.
Please let me know if it's not something you're buying.
Charlie

I've got a "Little Buddy Pro" that was made by the Thompson Company in Hillman, Michigan in the '70's. It's a D-10 8+4, though - not a student model. I also heard that Emmons made a "Little Buddy" that was 3 pedals and 1 knee lever.

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MSA The Universal SU-12
Thompson D-10
Session 400
Goodrich L-120

I seem to remember seeing one round about 1974...think it was made of Plastic or Fibre glass....3 on the floor and one knee lever..could not add more to it....no raised neck....very light and walked away from you when you used knee lever....I think Sho Bud made Maverick..much the same so it might have been Emmons...I did play one but didnt like it....I think Litle Buddy and Maverick were about half the price of a regular S10 way back then
Tony

The Little Buddy was made in the 70's ... They are cheesy, student guitars, that do not sound ,play, or tune well.. I would run away unless its almost free.

.. bob<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Bob Carlucci on 26 July 2005 at 05:17 AM.]</p></FONT>

Yeah, I had one pass through here years ago, it was a total junker & the absolute worst steel guitar I have ever seen. No 3rd string would work on that one, the unwritten rule was 'don't push the B pedal'. I would stay away from one of those, that sort of thing turns beginners off fast. Get a GFI Econony instead, then you will have a decent playable guitar to start on, or end on if you need a lite weight steel.

Ernie

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This question has been asked before."Little Buddy" was made by the late Freeman Cougar from Michigan. IT WAS ABSOLUTE JUNK. and I told Freeman so. He gave back my money and I then purchased a Sho-Bud in the mid seventies.

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I had a Little Buddy - the only pedal steel I ever owned or played, so I can't say how it compared to others. After 20 years, I gave up and went for C6 LAP steel. Hey! Maybe that's WHY I gave up!

Thanks everyone for your help. I'll take a drive to check it out...who knows what'll happen, but, Charlie - I'll let you know if it's available.

Don't waste the gas. Ernie and Barry are right. Run the other way. I also had one briefly in the '70s. It was a cheaply made Maverick clone. The legs were so unstable that I had to build a 6" high pedal bar with 2 bolts on each leg to steady it. One interesting-but-useless feature was the 4th pedal which operated a volume control. <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Tommy Mc on 27 July 2005 at 03:56 AM.]</p></FONT>

I have to disagree with all of you. I had never played pedal steel before I bought my Little Buddy about 8 months ago. I learned entirely on the Little Buddy. Recently I upgraded to a Marlen D-10. I am now playing pedal steel with a very successful band touring the US, Europe and Australia! The Little Buddy is definitely not suited for playing on stage and touring around the world, but that is not what it was made for. It is a learning instrument and it is cheaper than most LAP steels. I even used it several times in rehearsals, and it was fine. It definitely served me well as a learning instrument.

I would recommend the Little Buddy to anyone who is interested in learning pedal steel, but is not wanting to commit to an expensive instrument.