The Steel Guitar Forum

I've been playing music forever: bass (upright and electric) some clawhammer banjo - a bit of guitar. Now I've got in in my head to play some lap steel as I love all steel guitar music. Looking for a mid-level steel and wondered if anyone wanted to weigh in - Airline, Gretsch, Supro? Adding a link for a this used one, any thoughts? All info appreciated!

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Supro ... 5420242.gc

Buying vintage "folk" instruments from GC is frustrating, they usually can't answer even simple questions about banjos, dobros or lap steels but if you need to return it you're only out the shipping.

Did you see this thread about Chinese (and now Indonesian) factory instruments or getting a Melbert https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=344179

Gene Tani wrote:Buying vintage "folk" instruments from GC is frustrating, they usually can't answer even simple questions about banjos, dobros or lap steels but if you need to return it you're only out the shipping.

Did you see this thread about Chinese (and now Indonesian) factory instruments or getting a Melbert https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=344179

Thanks so much for your reply!

I think the biggest consideration for which direction do you go buying a steel guitar is what kind of music do you like, and what players do you want to emulate. I am one of those odd ducks who jumped in (relatively recently) trying to get closer to the sounds of the mid-century Hawaiian players like Jules Ah See and Barney Isaacs, so that had me focusing on Fender and Magnatone console steels in C13/B11 and such like.

What's the sort of sound that would make you say, I want to play that instrument? That'll help narrow down what direction you go to find how to start with steel guitar.

Hi Jay,
Since you've given us an idea about the $ you want to invest on this adventure, I'd say look for a Magnatone G70. I don't see any for sale right now, but they come up for sale on eBay & Reverb often; just keep looking. Highly recommended by Mike Neer too. It's long scale (24.5"), the string spacing is good, the controls are both on the treble side, and it has a great "Bigsby inspired" pickup. The retro MOTS look is kinda' cool. But the important things are the the setup, the PU & the "Tone". Check out this earlier post:

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=282848

HI

do yourself a favour and buy a Melbert 8 or 6 strings.

better than asian stuff, really

Thanks for all this great info! That Melbert definitely is worth checking out, as well as the Magnatone and some of the other suggestions. Certainly like the idea of made in the US.

As for my type of playing, really just looking for an all-around guitar as I’m still a bass player first. Probably C6 tuning, that seems more in line with my dabbling approach. Not looking to emulate a particular player or style, love Hawaiian, western swing, classic country, etc.

One other thing, my favorite local venue, the Jalopy Theater, is having their 2nd annual steel guitar festival June 7-9. Worth checking out if you’re at all close to Brooklyn.

Thanks again!

another important consideration is what neck scale length will serve you best

Jay - I’m in the NYC area and interested in the steel guitar festival at the Jalopy Theater. Their website has nothing about it. Do you have information you can share? Thanks.

Ralph Czitrom wrote:Jay - I’m in the NYC area and interested in the steel guitar festival at the Jalopy Theater. Their website has nothing about it. Do you have information you can share? Thanks.

Here’s a link to the forum announcement about the Jalopy Show. There is a card down a few postings.

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=342963

See you there!

I have a sweet 57 silver tone for sale. FYI. Just put up.

Why not make your own, then it really would be Made in America. I made this one, the only bought in parts were the Tuning Pegs & Strings, I wound the Pickup and printed out the Fretboard on my Ink Jet. This way you can have the number of strings you want (I chose 7 String)and the Scale length of your choice, mine is 23 inches.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTmg9o1UXOo

JK.

I prefer a console type.

FWIW, that seems to add an automatic $150, $200 to the price, which will buy an awful lot of steel-stands of the $10 walker and ironing board "Salvation Army" brand (though some say the St. Vincent DePauls have better sustain in the upper-mids). As consolation, it also increases the chance of getting a hard case of some sort included - the insidious deviltry of "gig bags" is that they DO work, then they work some more, and more, right up until... it didn't. Even coming without, there's all kinds of rifle cases, fishing rod, keyboard cases out there, DO IT. I'm mean to my guitar students about this for tragedy-based reasons.

As the fellow above didn't quite push for, if you do go console you might as well go double too. It won't nearly cost twice as much, in fact a console single-8 is the rarer. And, another neck, whether that way or with two steels, is the only way to firmly, convincingly answer the question:
"Will playing more tunings lead to an increase in wild sex with rich gorgeous women and/or make me a better person?"
String spacing varies, a lot of people go wide, up to 3/8" at the bridge, I'd like to figure out why some day but alas, I must stay narrow or my crossover back to a pedal steel just gets... well, no. Clunk, zzzz, thud, etc.

As far as brands go, I can recc. Melbert & Melbert, too. In that price range you really can astutely unearth a fine piece. There's a lot of people here who pop out nice stuff intermittently, but it's case-by-case. There aren't hardly any sneaky corners that CAN be cut? And any/all PEDAL-steel makers have banged out some non-pedal consoles, though those prices fly higher. The two big parameter poles to be bounced between are:
warmy.woody/800->1.5K/vintage-slide-ish/guitar-ish tone vs.
flat-EQ/bright/shiny/aluminesque/pedalsteel tone.
A lot of builders use some of one mixed with some of the other. = PARTS CHOICES.

That Dillion looks real swell, but the truss rod throws me... If the builder thinks that way about making a steel, what else might be cookin'.... The Gold Tones have a pretty good reputation, but this is one of those times when the hand-made garage version just may be better than the slick factory job.
If you DO wanna roll your own, here's how:

http://steelguitarbuilder.com/forum/index.php
https://www.mimf.com//phpbb/
http://www.luth.org/resources/lutherie_suppliers.html

Oh, and Frank Ford is the Zeus of all things Lutheria, and all other aspire. His shop tips and time and money-saving MacGyverisms are worth the trip alone:
http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/pagelist.html

Falling into this site early, you got lucky. Many of us probably wouldn't even be playing them if it wasn't for here. My alltime fave is this thread, it can be worked through in a couple of months maybe:

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=208507
Over a hundred steel guitarists, not a one of them play country! I never make bones over the fact that it's Duane Allman's fault I play steel, because my stupid six-stringguitar just wouldn't act right. Though they They forgot to tell Derek Trucks, Sonny Landreth, Kevin Breit etc.