The Steel Guitar Forum

Curious to know, please respond to the poll above.

I prefer auto .

Brendan Mitchell wrote:I prefer auto .

Me too, even though I can use both auto and manual. In the UK, most drivers use a manual gear shift with a clutch.

I would like an automatic pedal steel.

Charlie McDonald wrote:I would like an automatic pedal steel.

I'm a manual labourer. Master your pedals, no need to grind gears.
Clutch is smooth like a Franklin.
Don't be neutral, Steelers, shift over.

Always had stick shift cars until Austin traffic got so stop-and-go.

--Al Evans

I bought my first car (a 1955 manual-transmission Jaguar MK7) that was a real challenge to a learner-driver.

The clutch had a long 'throw', with four forward gears, the Jag gearbox of the day had 1st and 'reverse' right next to each other and I'll admit I engaged the wrong one on occasion.

1st gear also had no synchromesh and double-declutching was required to drop down into 1st. Believe me, learning to drive on that car with its heavy steering made any subsequent vehicle an absolute breeze.

When I took my driving test, I thought it best not to prejudice the examiner against me (an 18-year-old showing up in a Jaguar), so I booked an hour with the local British School of Motoring branch - 30 minutes 'refresher tuition' and 30 minutes for the test. They provided a Ford Anglia - a tiny kiddie-car by comparison with mine - with a precise and easy-to-use 'box, not to mention its light clutch. I passed first time.

Thereafter, all the Jags I bought were automatics and only the 1986 Audi Avant (I defected from Jaguar briefly) had a stick-shift.

Here in the USA, it's been a succession of Lincoln Town Cars, all of them strictly two-pedal! I hope I've shifted my last gear.

Like Al, I stuck with the stick until the traffic got heavy and I wanted to save my left foot for steelin'!
Wish I'd swapped sooner. The last automatic I'd driven was in the 70s and I didn't realise how good the modern transmissions are

One of our daily drivers is a 5-speed stick, the other an automatic. Each has its advantages; driving the stick makes me feel more connected to the road, but with the automatic I can set the cruise control, get in the back, and make a sandwich.

4 speed floor stick it is!

I use the very first automatic transmission lol (the oldsmobile hydramatic transmission)

Ken Byng wrote:

Brendan Mitchell wrote:I prefer auto .

Me too, even though I can use both auto and manual. In the UK, most drivers use a manual gear shift with a clutch.

Ken,

Y'all drive on the opposite side of the road, and the wheel is on the right, so do you boys use the Day setup over there?

C - Brake

B - Clutch

A - Foot feed

I've got my brake on RKR

Up until I retired a couple years ago, I drove for a local Excavation company. My trucks had 9 speeds, 10 speeds, and 18 speeds. Now that I am retired I have an automatic pick-up truck. I can still go either way.

For daily "family car" stuff we have automatics. When we got the '92 Corvette, it's an automatic because my wife can just barely drive a stick if she HAD to, but she enjoys driving it too. I'm working on a basket-case '64 Vette, and that WILL be a 4-speed, no question about it.

Removed...

John Drury wrote:

Ken Byng wrote:

Brendan Mitchell wrote:I prefer auto .

Me too, even though I can use both auto and manual. In the UK, most drivers use a manual gear shift with a clutch.

Ken,

Y'all drive on the opposite side of the road, and the wheel is on the right, so do you boys use the Day setup over there?

C - Brake

B - Clutch

A - Foot feed

It's BCA John - although both of my Mercs are automatic. Back in the 1970's, almost everyone that played pedal steel in the UK played Day setup. I still play Day to this day. Sorry for the awful pun.

3 on the tree and a 5th under the seat!

'86 Dodge 150: Chrysler 318 with an A727.
'97 Dodge Ram 2500: Cummins 6bt with an NV4500. I like them both.

Oh yeah...Carter D-10.

My first experience driving a stick was in Harry Guffee's little Subaru wagon in 1977. We were on our way to Jeff Newman's school, Connecticut to Tennessee, and at one point he was getting sleepy. He pulled over and said something like, "Don't worry, once you get into top gear you'll be fine." I chirped and lunged my way back onto the highway, and somehow we made it and had a great week with Jeff.

Not long after, in late '78, I bought my first-ever new car, a '79 Civic 5-speed. The way I drove it out of the parking lot must have given the dealer folks a good laugh. But I took to it and learned, and I haven't owned anything but manuals since then. I'm back in a Honda now, 2010 Fit. Noisy on the highway but otherwise a great car for a musician.

The only right-hand drive car I had was a '52 Bentley. It had the 'usual' pedals.. gas on the right, clutch on the left, but the shift (4 speed) was on the right..next to the door (which was suicide). Almost had to step over the shifter to get out! I had a LOT of fun in that car!!

You can always tell someone new to a right/left hand drive by seeing the wipers come on when making a turn.

Stick for me for the past 40 years. Before that I had a couple of automatics.

Dave Meis:

I remember those well! The Bentley Mk 6 and its successor, the R-Type, had that off-side mounted shift.

I've always managed to get my trouser-leg caught on it. It doesn't make for a dignified exit!