The Steel Guitar Forum

Greetings, y’all. I’m a beginner and a lefty to boot. Am I doing myself a favor or a disservice by ordering a six string to learn on? So many threads suggest not going with less than ten.
Six is less intimidating but I don’t want to hobble myself.

I can get into a new six string lefty for less than 2k.
I prefer not to learn right handed. That would cause me much frustration I think.
Thanks.

Hey Jeff,

I’m a lefty too, there a few of us. I’m sure someone may chime in and say to play right handed because PSG isn’t like any other instrument since it requires the use of all your limbs. I wouldn’t let em sway you, if you play other instruments and are comfortable lefty stick with it... I know I could never play as well the other way. As far as six or ten strings it kind of depends if you are serious about learning the instrument or just want to mess around with it. I would say ten strings though otherwise you will probably have to buy another steel within the first few years.

Best

Dan

Thank you, Dan. Yes, playing righty just isn’t an option for me.
I’m starting to think ten strings is going to be more satisfying in the long run.
Much appreciated.

Don't let the additional strings scare you. Several of them are just octaves of other strings you'd already have so it's not really harder to get your head around a 10-string vs a 6-string, but you'll have more options for voicing chords and playing melodies with 10 strings.

As for lefty vs righty, I find it interesting that lefties don't ask for left-handed pianos, violins, cellos, saxophones, accordions, oboes, flutes, trumpets, etc, etc. They just practice two-handed dexterity... One of the advantages of getting a righty steel is that you can sell it for another guitar far more easily in the future if you want to. Food for thought...

Someday you just like many pros you will wish you had started on 12 strings. Just saying if your just starting out why not treat yourself to 12 strings. U can pickup a good used 12 string Msa from $1250 an up. Or Sierra for a little more.
7 pedals five or 4 knees an Your off to a unlimited musical journey.
Jeff Newman, Joe Wright, Johnie Cox,Zane King, Junior Knight, Maurice Anderson an many more play 12 string oh yes the great Cowboy Eddie long plays 12 string an Dan Burham.
Of course Johnie Cox An Junior Knight both can play double tens but they can play a twenty strings no problem.

The number of strings and leftiness are separate issues.

Go for 10 strings to get the sounds you've heard that make you want to play. You are also (separate issue, like I said) likely to find a bigger choice of LH instruments if you decide to go that way. Limb dominance is not cut and dried - some folks are more ambidextrous than others. I follow soccer, and I notice that some players will never attempt a crucial shot or pass with their weaker foot, whereas others are quite happy. There will be a lot of baseball players who are almost switch hitters but not quite.

I started out with a 8 string Fender400. In 2 months, I was looking for a 10 string, 3 pedals, and 4 knee levers. I bought the Sho~Bud LDG, and 42 years later, I still play it, and never looked back. That is all you need! Then finally sold the 8 string, luckily.
GO BUY A 10-3-4

The only drawback I see with a lefty 6 is that the market is going to be small. Lefty steels in general are scarce but I see a few used ones come up here from time to time.

If you are a six string standard guitar player, the 6 pedal steel would be less intimidating on beginning, but since it would require a custom build, you'd need to be comfortable with hanging on to it for a time should you decide to move to a 10 string later.

If you have no experience with the standard 6 string guitar or lap steels, then I can see no advantage to starting on a 6 string pedal steel.

OTOH, sixes can be nice for quick gigs, alternate tunings etc. as well as more direct major key tunings. They are a lot of fun for satisfying the string bending crave.

Best of luck.

Jeff Bailey wrote: I’m starting to think ten strings is going to be more satisfying in the long run.
Much appreciated.

six string what?? as for "Pedal Steel" they are 10 strings standard.
LLOYD GREEN is Left Handed...and if any of you have heard Lloyd; you know there is NO limitation in him playing Right handed. Lloyd says; the most expressive thing in playing the steel guitar "In tune" "with Feeling" "expression"...etc is done with the BAR....and playing right handed; guess what hand you hold the bar with?? Yes > LEFT HAND.
Ricky

My 2 cents....
If you play a little bit of guitar already and your left hand is your picking hand, by all means save up for a 10 string left handed pedal steel. If you don't already have a picking hand established from years of playing guitar, buy an inexpensive six string LAP steel and try it right handed first to see if that's an option. You can always sell it or swap out the nut (depending on the model) to make it a lefty.

Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!Ten strings!

Sorry if I sound repetitive...

A bit, I s'pose. I was just thinking that if you buy 6 or 8 you know you'll be trading it before too long, so skip that step.

Speaking as a left handed guy who plays right handed psg, it's all about muscle memory and I was surprised how soon my right hand began getting used to the grips. It was awkward at first, but I'm putting in the hours and it's coming together just fine. As others have said the advantage of a right handed psg is lower cost, more buying choices and easier resale.

As far as how many strings, when I decided to get back into psg after a couple failed attempts in the 90's, I began by looking at a Fessenden 6 string because I thought 10 strings were just too much for me. Actually called Jerry to order a 6-Shooter, but took a chance instead on a Fender 400 8 string he had on hand. Tore it completely apart, cleaned it, added a couple home made knee levers and played that for 3 years. Last year moved up to an MCI 10 string for a very short time then decided what the heck and bought my Mullen 12. Best...Decision...Ever

After my experience of gradually moving up I'm a firm believer in buying more pedal steel than you think you need or can handle. You can always take pedals and strings off (or just ignore them) until the day comes when you're ready for the challenge. I think it costs less and saves you a lot of buying and selling and buying and selling and buying until you finally wind up with a high quality instrument with all the hardware you could ever need. Might as well skip all the moving up and just buy a high quality psg in the first place, if it doesn't work out you should be able to recover a lot of your cost.

To answer your 6 or 10 question...12

Jeff Bailey wrote:Greetings, y’all. I’m a beginner and a lefty to boot. Am I doing myself a favor or a disservice by ordering a six string to learn on? So many threads suggest not going with less than ten.
Six is less intimidating but I don’t want to hobble myself.

I can get into a new six string lefty for less than 2k.
I prefer not to learn right handed. That would cause me much frustration I think.
Thanks.

I can do 6 string 8 string or 10 string Left or Right handed pedal steel and the Price for left handed and or right handed pedal steel is same. No extra charge for the left handed model.

And the best advice I can give you is get what you want.

If you plan to play pro. I would get a ten string. If you plan to play a few songs in Church or just have some fun playing some small venues then six strings is all you need. A lot of music is in them six strings. But more or bigger is better. That is the American way.

Dennis Montgomery wrote:As others have said the advantage of a right handed psg is lower cost, more buying choices and easier resale

Also, the ability to sit down at anyone else's guitar and be able to play something (even if their KLs are in different places etc). Let's say you go to a steel show and want to try out a different brand. Pretty well guaranteed they won't have a lefty model at the show, so you won't be able to play it at all.

Jeff Bailey wrote:I can get into a new six string lefty for less than 2k.

Bob Simmons builds custom left-handed 10 string pedal steels for $1699. http://simmonscustom.com/guitars.html

Ricky Davis wrote:six string what?? as for "Pedal Steel" they are 10 strings standard.
LLOYD GREEN is Left Handed...and if any of you have heard Lloyd; you know there is NO limitation in him playing Right handed. Lloyd says; the most expressive thing in playing the steel guitar "In tune" "with Feeling" "expression"...etc is done with the BAR....and playing right handed; guess what hand you hold the bar with?? Yes > LEFT HAND.
Ricky

Agreed all around. With anything less than 10 strings, you'll feel limited almost immediately. Those 6-string models are for guitar players who want to get a pseudo steel sound on a couple of songs. If you really want to learn the instrument, get an E9 10 string 3x4. It'll keep you busy for years. As to the left vs right, the only reason I see to go lefty is if you already learned to play guitar or some other stringed instrument left handed. Then you're committed.

If you've already taken the left fork, I don't need to tell you that lefty instruments are hard to find (doubly so for steel) and instructional material is backwards. If you haven't already learned to play other stringed instruments left handed, please don't get hung up on the idea that you can't learn right handed. It just isn't so, and there are plenty of examples of lefties who play right handed instruments.

Considering the difficulty of finding left handed steels (and limited resale market) *if* you do go lefty, it seems to me that you shouldn't mess around with half measures. Get an instrument that you'll want to keep for a long time.

Dennis Montgomery wrote:Speaking as a left handed guy who plays right handed psg, it's all about muscle memory and I was surprised how soon my right hand began getting used to the grips. It was awkward at first, but I'm putting in the hours and it's coming together just fine.

I'm here to tell you that it's awkward for all of us at first, no matter what your dominant hand is.....

For a rank beginner, learning pedal steel guitar will be a lesson in frustration at first, whether you play left or right handed. Plus, if it's "that sound" that hooked you in the first place, what can be achieved on a six-string pedal steel just won't cut it.

My advice: Purchase as good a right-handed instrument as you can afford that has 10 strings, three floor pedals and 4 knee levers, and learn how to play it. You will be glad you did in the long run.

Tommy Mc wrote:

Dennis Montgomery wrote:Speaking as a left handed guy who plays right handed psg, it's all about muscle memory and I was surprised how soon my right hand began getting used to the grips. It was awkward at first, but I'm putting in the hours and it's coming together just fine.

I'm here to tell you that it's awkward for all of us at first, no matter what your dominant hand is.....

Cool...now I don't feel so alone

Good point Jim Zane King plays ZaneBeck tuning and it’s totally different than E9th so you’re point is well taken. I

I know a guy selling a Left hand GFI Ultra 12 string 7x7.
Left you a PM Message

Get a lefty 10 string. I think Fred Justice makes them.

I sure do Mike, I'll build him a "Lefty" in any model and set up

From one who started on ten-string, then twelve-, and then regressed to six-strings, go with ten. In no time at all you'll want the top two (re-entrant) notes in the scale.
It ain't E9 without F#. I personally prefer the string spacing with ten strings, and I think a guitar player would too. Play beyond the bass strings like they're not there.