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Topic: Starter pedal steel??? |
Larry Otis
From:
Napa, California, USA
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Posted 19 Oct 2011 6:20 am |
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| I play B bender and lap. I would like to get into pedal but in a simple way. Is the Sho Bud Maverick any good? I want something simple and quick to learn. Carter starter? I see one on the for sale tab that I think is MSA 3 pedals. one knee. Any advice appreciated! |
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Dave Harmonson
From:
Seattle, Wa
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Posted 19 Oct 2011 7:11 am
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You'll probably get different answers, but my suggestion would be to avoid the Maverick or Carter Starter. If you can spend a little more you'll have a much better guitar and it will be much easier to learn. You need a minimum of 3 peds and 2 levers, better to have 4 levers. The BMI with 3 and 2 for 900 looks like a good one and the Sho~Bud Pro 1 for 1550 looks like a real beauty. It seems consensus of the so called student models the Zum Stage One gets the highest marks. Learning to play pedal steel on an instrument that doesn't work well mechanically is a bad way to start.
Good luck
_________________
www.facebook.com/countrydaveharmonson |
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Dave O'Brien
From:
Florida and New Jersey
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Posted 19 Oct 2011 7:26 am starter steel
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Grab that BMI from David Alexander! Just MHO 
_________________
Dave O'Brien
Emmons D-10, CMI D-10, Fender Deluxe Reverb, PV 112, Fender Pro Reverb
www.myspace.com/daveobrienband |
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James Sission
From:
Sugar Land,Texas USA
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Posted 19 Oct 2011 7:37 am
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| I have had a carter starter and a BMI. For the money, I would buy that BMI on the forum before someone else grabs that up. Other than that, my suggestion would be to buy a pro model if you can. |
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Bill Moore
From:
Manchester, Michigan
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Posted 19 Oct 2011 8:09 am
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I'll go along with what Dave and Dave said, the BMI is a good guitar. That Sho-Bud Pro 1 for 1550 is a very good guitar. I know that one pretty well, I used to own it. That's my couch in one of the pictures. The MSA looks like it can have more levers added to it. If you got that one you would want to add at least one more to start.
It all comes back to how much you would like to spend. I would recommend a pro model guitar if you want to spend a little more. Here's a nice one: http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=213283
Seriously, get the best guitar that you can afford. The Maverick and Carter Starter will disappoint you pretty quickly. The Stageone is a nice guitar, also the GFI student model. Shop around, get something that you can keep for a while. Good luck. |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 19 Oct 2011 8:30 am
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I would skip the Maverick and CS - no comparison to the BMI or other inexpensive older pro-grade guitars. YMMV, that's just my opinion.
I've had 2 BMIs - IMO, they are good steels and a good deal for $900. You can work on 3+2 for a pretty long time, and you can still get lever kits from BMI if you want to upgrade at some point. I see older pro-grade makes like MSA and Dekley S-10s for this kind of money (around a grand) sometimes in For Sale. Guitars like this don't usually last very long on here for that kind of dough. But they do appear periodically, so do your homework and when you're ready, grab one. |
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Dave Hopping
From:
Aurora, Colorado
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Posted 19 Oct 2011 8:46 am
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Larry,I'm with the other Daves,Bill,and Jim,but would go on to say that the first thing encountered by most six-stringers contemplating an upgrade to PSG is a big case of sticker shock.
A couple of reasons:
First,a PSG is mechanically much more complex than a six-string or a lap steel.A 10 string E9 3+4 might be(very) roughly compared to aomething like a B-Bender Tele with 4 extra strings and 8 benders,some of which go down as well as up.All that precision work costs.
Second,pedal steel is something of a niche market,and production totals of all PSG builders in a year is miniscule compared to even a couple of weeks' production of,say for example,Squier Strats.My take is that since the market is so small,the big overseas manufacturers haven't so far thought it cost-effective to get into PSG production.
Related to point #2 is the fact that nearly all pedal steel guitars are built in the United States,in compliance with US wage/hour/environmental/social regulations not currently applied to foreign manufacturers,who pass the savings from the noncompliance and from mass production to their customers in this country.
In short,it does take a substantial investment to get outfitted with a good instrument that will do what you ask of it now and as your capabilities grow.And the SGF is the best place I've seen for access to steel experts and national-level players and builders,as well as teachers,retailers and private sellers. |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 19 Oct 2011 9:22 am
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A pedal steel guitar with only one knee lever is like a guitar with only 3 frets. You need an absolute minimum or 3, and you should have 4, or preferably 5.
The Carter Starter has 4 knee levers, but it is very flimsy, and while it's a good student model, you will soon want something better.
I suggest a Stage one, a Legend (formerly called a Carpsteel) or a used pro model. (I'm partial to MSA.) There is also a brand called Simmons, that makes a steel with 4 knee levers for the same price as the stage one. I've never seen one, so I can't say anything about the, but others have said tha tthey like them.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Larry Otis
From:
Napa, California, USA
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Posted 19 Oct 2011 10:06 am Starter rig
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| Thank you gentlemen. I talked with David Alexander and am gonna get the BMI 3/2. It's seems to be a relatively simple learning curve and you can add levers as you progress. Best regards, Larry Otis |
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Dave O'Brien
From:
Florida and New Jersey
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Posted 19 Oct 2011 10:16 am Bmi
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Good move! 3 & 2 will keep you busy for a long time. There's plenty there to play gigs too. I like the fact that the E's are on the left side ! 
_________________
Dave O'Brien
Emmons D-10, CMI D-10, Fender Deluxe Reverb, PV 112, Fender Pro Reverb
www.myspace.com/daveobrienband |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 19 Oct 2011 10:58 am Re: Starter rig
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| Larry Otis wrote: |
| Thank you gentlemen. I talked with David Alexander and am gonna get the BMI 3/2. It's seems to be a relatively simple learning curve and you can add levers as you progress. Best regards, Larry Otis |
Larry, I suggest you add at least one more knee lever immediately. It won't be long before you read about a change that's probably not currently on the guitar, and once you do. You'll want to start using it right away, and will only be frustrated if you don't have it.
We don't all agree on what the 4th lever should do, but we all agree that you need one that raises the E strings, one that lowers them, and one that lower the 2nd string.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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James Sission
From:
Sugar Land,Texas USA
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Posted 20 Oct 2011 3:43 am
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If you want to make the move from 6 string to steel easier, then you should look at this 21 minute video. It helped me a great deal when it came to moving over:
http://www.steelguitar.com/beginners.html
Go down the page to the where you see John Fabian at the steel and click on that link. |
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Larry Otis
From:
Napa, California, USA
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Posted 20 Oct 2011 4:19 pm Video
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| Thanks for the video tip. That instantly de-mystifies a lot! |
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James Sission
From:
Sugar Land,Texas USA
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Posted 21 Oct 2011 5:56 am
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| Your welcome. That little video contains a whole world of information and is seldom ever referenced on this forum. I actually have it downloaded on a flash drive because I suspect that one day it will not longer be available on line. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 21 Oct 2011 9:47 am
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Dave Hopping said:
| Quote: |
| Related to point #2 is the fact that nearly all pedal steel guitars are built in the United States,in compliance with US wage/hour/environmental/social regulations not currently applied to foreign manufacturers,who pass the savings from the noncompliance and from mass production to their customers in this country. |
This struck me as funny. Most builders are just one guy and I doubt that he gives himself a weekly paycheck. If you look at his profit after he sells a guitar and look at the hours he spent, I doubt he is even making minimum wage. But Dave makes very good points (all the Dave's do).
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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