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Topic: Just Curious: How MANY???? |
Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 15 Apr 2009 3:59 pm |
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Does anyone have any idea of production numbers for pedal steels? I'd really be curious to know how many guitars each mfgr produced, e.g., in 2008. Seems like Carter and maybe GFI are among the larger producers. Wonder how their output compares with Del or Bruce or Jerry (among others).
Any mfgrs want to give out that info? Anyone else with reliable numbers?
Like I said . . . just curious.
_________________
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2021 Rittenberry S/D-12 8x7, 1976 Emmons S/D-12 7x6, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Quilter ToneBlock 202 TT-12 |
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 16 Apr 2009 6:24 am
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| Anybody??? |
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John Fabian
From:
Mesquite, Texas USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 16 Apr 2009 6:28 am
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| Those that know, don't say. Those that say, don't know. |
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 16 Apr 2009 7:47 am
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| why? |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 16 Apr 2009 8:13 am
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I'm sure it's less than most people think. It appears to me that most of the "name brands" aren't rolling out one PSG every week. Carter, GFI and Mullen are probably the exceptions.
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-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video |
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John Fabian
From:
Mesquite, Texas USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 16 Apr 2009 9:57 am
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Because it makes no difference and some people wouldn't believe the numbers anyway. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 16 Apr 2009 10:43 am
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| So then, only 4 or 5 brands have made over 5,000? |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 16 Apr 2009 10:47 am
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| Frankly, I doubt that any single company has made 5000 pedal steels. |
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John Fabian
From:
Mesquite, Texas USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 16 Apr 2009 11:06 am
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| b0b wrote: |
| Frankly, I doubt that any single company has made 5000 pedal steels. |
At least 2 companies have. One was the original MSA Micro (over 18,000) in the 70's and early 80's. However, probably no more than 3 or 4 companies ever. |
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Tom Quinn
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Posted 16 Apr 2009 11:12 am
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| Sho-Bud made a gazillion Professionals... |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 16 Apr 2009 11:24 am
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I believe that Emmons have maybe topped the 5,000 mark - but not by very many. I bet Sho-Bud did, MSA almost certainly did, and there's a very good chance that Carter have, too. That'd be it, though.
Sorry, Larry - I'm only guessing here, so I suppose I fall into Mr Fabian's second category... 
_________________
Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 16 Apr 2009 1:28 pm
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Whether Sho~Bud or Fender topped the 5000 mark would depend on whether or not you categorized the 4000+ Fender-branded pedal guitars built by Sho~Bud as Sho~Buds or Fenders. 
Harlin also made a TON of Multi-Kords over their 20 years of building. I've seen so many of these out there (and almost all different styles and colors) that I'm certain they've made at least a few thousand.
Most brands never made it to the 1000 level. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 16 Apr 2009 2:18 pm
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I would guess that of the companies that are currently in production it would be considered "proprietary information". I can't see any company reporting their annual sales, no matter how innocent the request is.
I very innocently asked about the Hall Of Fame a couple of years ago and all hell broke loose for even asking and the HOF is a registered non-profit organization. |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 16 Apr 2009 2:46 pm
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| why the secrecy..what's the big deal? just a stupid question...geeez! |
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Tom Quinn
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Posted 16 Apr 2009 3:08 pm
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| chris, the fate of the free world is hanging on this information... |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 16 Apr 2009 10:18 pm
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If company A sells twice as many guitars as company B and both companies take One year to complete and ship a PSG. How many PSG can company A and company B deliver per year?
Let X = not very many. |
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Tommy Alexander
From:
Friendswood, Texas 77546
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Posted 17 Apr 2009 4:09 am How many Guitars?
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Common sense will tell you that the guitar builders that are turning out guitars daily are either gone broke, out of business or struggling financally!
The better guitar builders are a "hands on" builder! Check out the one's that take a few months to complete; it's called quality control.
I call any names, but I have a guitar that was built for me in 1980; starts with an "F", still plays and sounds good. Recently bought a new one, starts with an "R"! Plays like a dream and sounds super; but it takes months to put it together! We're back to quality control!
The products that are manufactured daily are like toys, play with them for a while, then throw it away and get a new one. Sold cheap, built cheap.
MY PERSONAL THOUGHT ONLY!
As the great "Steve Austin" on Hwy 59 South. Texas often says, "AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE"!!! |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 17 Apr 2009 4:09 am
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| chris ivey wrote: |
| why the secrecy..what's the big deal? just a stupid question...geeez! |
It may have something to do with the image companies are trying to maintain. No company wants the public to know if sales are low. Success breeds success, and failure breeds failure. |
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Tommy Alexander
From:
Friendswood, Texas 77546
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Posted 17 Apr 2009 4:13 am How many guitars?
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Correction:
Second paragraph, "I won't call any names"! Sorry |
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Tommy Alexander
From:
Friendswood, Texas 77546
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Posted 17 Apr 2009 4:21 am How many guitars?
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Another correction:
My new guitar starts with an "R" and ends with a "Y".
Before these worms start crawling out the can; I am out of here!!!! |
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John Drury
From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
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Posted 17 Apr 2009 4:22 am Re: Just Curious: How MANY????
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| Larry Bell wrote: |
Does anyone have any idea of production numbers for pedal steels? I'd really be curious to know how many guitars each mfgr produced, e.g., in 2008. Seems like Carter and maybe GFI are among the larger producers. Wonder how their output compares with Del or Bruce or Jerry (among others).
Any mfgrs want to give out that info? Anyone else with reliable numbers?
Like I said . . . just curious. |
I have seen this question pop up many times and the answers have always been ever so cryptic.
The best one I have ever heard was from Reece Anderson, something about stacking the legs of all the MSA's produced ened to end they would go out into space so far......I can't remember the details but one night after snapping a 3rd string I got swacked on tuning fluid and guestimated that there are about 20,000 MSA's out there somewhere.
I am thinking maybe Carter with Starters, Magnums, and all will one day shatter that record if they haven't already. They are no doubt the highest output producers at this time.
A number I would like to see is how many gutars have passed through Bud Carters hands total!
Texans have definitely got bragging rights on all these numbers!
_________________
John Drury
NTSGA #3
"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr |
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Billy Carr
From:
Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)
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Posted 17 Apr 2009 4:25 am psg's
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| Just imagine if we knew how many times one guitar has been sold and resold over a period of years and multiply each transaction as a sale. Lots of used Psg's out there being traded and sold. A bunch! I would say that looking at the era a guitar was built in might come close to a number. I've noticed different brands appeared to have been stronger in sales during certain time frames. Fender, Sho-Bud, Emmons, MSA seemed to have been the guitars to have at times. Then there appeared to be a gradual market of new brands showing up, one after another, right up to what we have now. There's a guitar to fit every budget available today. |
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John Fabian
From:
Mesquite, Texas USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 17 Apr 2009 5:43 am Re: Just Curious: How MANY????
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| John Drury wrote: |
A number I would like to see is how many guitars have passed through Bud Carter's hands total! |
More than all the other builders put together since the dawn of pedals.
MSA, MCI (Waco), MCI (Arlington), Carter. |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 17 Apr 2009 7:21 am Re: How many guitars?
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| Tommy Alexander wrote: |
Another correction:
My new guitar starts with an "R" and ends with a "Y".
Before these worms start crawling out the can; I am out of here!!!! |
It's too late---the cyber worms have been unleashed and are comeing for you!! 
If I was a builder, I sure wouldn't want the competition sizing me up by my production supply and demand. That would be career suicide. Chris L. is dead on. |
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Benton Allen
From:
Muscle Shoals, Alabama, USA
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Posted 17 Apr 2009 9:00 am
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I don't think they were anywhere near the 5000 unit range, but if those of you that were around back in the 70's and 80's remember, Zane Beck virtually flooded the market with BMI guitars. For a while they were a real hot seller. Zane didn't make much money in those days, but he sure moved a lot of guitars.
Cheers!
Benton |
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