My "new" guitar and a lever question

Jim Williams · From: Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!

Well I finally bit the bullet and purchased something that should be considered a "real" psg. I have a BMI S10 on the way that should be here middle of next week.
It is 3 pedals and currently 2 knee levers, but I plan on adding to that as I can. I was attracted to this guitar because it is not a student model and is fully expandable and configurable, and due to the good comments on them on the forum. Mine is late 80's vintage according to Dan at BMI.

I chose this over a Carter Starter on Ebay with a load of extra goodies for $850, mainly because I want something I can stick with for a while instead of possibly having to sell and re-buy down the road. I also wanted something that still has good parts availability.

My question is, If I have to add levers one at a time, what is the best order to do that in. In other words, which one should I make the third lever? It currently is set up with the two left knee levers, raising and lowering the E's I believe. Is there a custom configuration of a third lever that might be beneficial until I get the fourth one?

Here is the guitar by the way, which I purchased off the forum from Levon over in Alabama.

Thanks as usual for the advice, which is always invaluable on this forum.
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GFI SM10 3/4, 1937 Gibson EH-150, 2 - Rondo SX Lap Steels and a Guyatone 6 String C6. Peavey 400 and a Roland 40 Amps. Behringer Reverb Pedal.

Jason Lynch · From: Essex, United Kingdom

I have a BMI SD10. 5 levers, E-Eb, E-F.
Other three are 6 lower to F#, 7 & 1 Raise to G and 2 lower to D, then to C# along with string nine.
Hope that makes sense. Maybe there's something there you may find useful. I use the 7 & 1 raise quite a bit, and there's LOADS of great moves using 2 lower, with the half stop. Some nice Lloyd green ones, for example,

Howard Steinberg · From: St. Petersburg, Florida , USA

Hey Jim - Congrats on the guitar. After the market rite you will appreciate the difference in a big way. Savor the moment. Your posts about the guitar brought back scary memories of learning to play on one of these.

Were it me, the 3rd lever will lower string 2 a whole step, with a half stop and string 9 a half step. Lowering string 2 a half step will give you a 7th, on the 2nd string, which is important for soloing on upper strings, banjo rolls, etc. i wouldn't rush to do this as there is a lot of music in the set-up that the guitar already has. Have fun. Howard
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Clyde Lane · From: Glasgow, Kentucky, USA

Jim if you just started on steel guitar you have enough to keep you busy for a while or in some cases a lifetime. If I were to add anything it would be lowering 2nd string a half tone. By the time you get to were you outgrow that you will know what you need.
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Clyde Lane

Jason Putnam · From: Tennessee, USA

Just stick with what you have for a while. I've had my stage one for a while and I still have not figured out the right knee levers. I use them occasionally for certain licks here or there but definitely not enough to miss them if they weren't there. Congrats on the steel purchase!! Only thing I'm envious of is you can have a half stop and I cant!!!!
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chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

good deal. you deserve a decent steel. your posts indicate you have a good grasp on the concept and also a helpful attitude toward others. good luck.

E levers are most important. E-F is magical.
next lever add should probably be lowering #2 to D and C#.

Fred Glave · From: McHenry, Illinois, USA

I think all of the comments have hit the nail on the head. You have a lot to work with now, but the lever I'd want next is the 2nd string D# to D along with 9th string D to C#.
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Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I'd say to C# as well as D. There's much to be done with the C#. But I wouldn't be in a hurry. That's a dang fine guitar, and Dan will help you expand it as you need it.
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Edward Rhea · From: Medford Oklahoma, USA

Congrats, it is a very sweet looking guitar indeed! the best part is...BMI is still in business! I cant imagine you'll have any problems when it is time to add and upgrade, so long as you don't wait too long Cool

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“TONESNOB”

Dan Burnham · From: Greenfield, Tennessee

Congrats Jim, welcome to the family,

Dan (BMI)
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Jim Williams · From: Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!

Thanks for the comments guys.

The lower string 2 a whole step, with a half stop and string 9 a half step idea is what I have been seeing mentioned a good bit.

My thought right now is to put a few bucks back and go ahead and buy the necessary parts to upgrade as I learn enough to see a need to do so. I don't feel an urgent need to expand it, but just to be on the safe side, I would prefer to at least have the parts on hand when the time comes, and if I ever decide to part with it, it would make it easier to sell.

Thanks Dan for your help on the phone calls to you last week...hope you guys thaw out soon up there. And thanks Chris for your comment as well. The folks on this forum have been loads of help to me and I to try and do the same for others as I can.

I don't really regret the experience with the old Mark 1...I learned a lot about the basic workings of these things, and it gave me something to get started with and encourage me to proceed. Bad thing is that the little guitar actually sounds pretty nice. If it were just a little more mechanically stable, and the pedal action a little better, I probably would have stuck with it until the lack of knee levers became a real problem.
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GFI SM10 3/4, 1937 Gibson EH-150, 2 - Rondo SX Lap Steels and a Guyatone 6 String C6. Peavey 400 and a Roland 40 Amps. Behringer Reverb Pedal.

richard burton · From: Britain

Get the parts necessary to lower the 2nd and 9th strings(RKR in my opinion), and put them on straight away, then you can incorporate those lowers into your learning curve from the very start

Jim Williams · From: Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!

Richard, Yes I think that is a good idea, I see a lot of tab, even in the very basic beginners books that call for that lower. That the lever on the old single knee mechanisms like the Mark 1 and most Mavericks lowered string 2.

One thing I didn't mention is that the guitar, according to a previous owner at some point has been sent back to BMI and had the changer replaced, so it may actually be a little younger than it's years.
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GFI SM10 3/4, 1937 Gibson EH-150, 2 - Rondo SX Lap Steels and a Guyatone 6 String C6. Peavey 400 and a Roland 40 Amps. Behringer Reverb Pedal.

Jim Williams · From: Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!

It will be here around lunch time. I'm like a kid at Christmas...except I had to buy my own present. Sad

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GFI SM10 3/4, 1937 Gibson EH-150, 2 - Rondo SX Lap Steels and a Guyatone 6 String C6. Peavey 400 and a Roland 40 Amps. Behringer Reverb Pedal.

Jim Williams · From: Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!

Got the BMI in, cleaned it up a bit, resoldered a bad connection on the output jack. I brought it home, tuned it up and all I can say is WOW. It has a rock solid feel to it and the pedal action is very precise...a big difference.

I see one thing that I'm not sure about, that is that the B pedal rod seems to flex forward a bit when activated...maybe an adjustment I suppose, but overall it plays and sounds great. Someone has added a tone control to it somewhere along the line.

I also want to move one of the bell cranks over a bit as it causes some binding on the c pedal. This thing is laid out so simply, and has so many pre drilled and tapped holes that it will be no problem to do.

It has a bit of gunk underneath, so a good cleaning and re-lube is in order too. I don't think this has been played much recently.
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GFI SM10 3/4, 1937 Gibson EH-150, 2 - Rondo SX Lap Steels and a Guyatone 6 String C6. Peavey 400 and a Roland 40 Amps. Behringer Reverb Pedal.

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

The 2nd string is half useless without a lever to lower it to D. It's like playing guitar with 3 fingers - you can do it, but you miss a whole lot of possibilities.
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Wesley Medlen · From: LaCygne,Ks

The lever I would install next is RKL on 6th G# to G for minors on fret. For example on 5th fret RKL 5th & 6TH Aminor. IMHO
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Justice S10 Jr, Gibson Electra 6string, Boss Katana 100, Steelers Choice ,Gretsch 6 string lap, Hilton VP

Ron Scott · From: Michigan

I would certainly agree with Lane and Just learn things to do with what you have then the others will come to you as you progress. I would not put levers on unless I had an idea of what I need it for. Lots people add levers because someone else has them instead of making them work for your style of playing.Best of luck...Ron
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Lee Dassow · From: Jefferson, Georgia USA

Good Luck With It Jim, It's a good looking steel. I think My first 83 BMI was The same color too. BMI's Are Great steels. Very Simple to make changes on. Great people to do business with when you Get ready to add more knees. Tennessee Lee
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2015 Mullen D-10 Royal Precision 9x8,-1990 BMI S-10 5x5-1972 Silver face Fender pro Reverb amp,-1965 Fender Super Reverb Amp,- 1966 Fender Showman Amp Two 15" JBL speakers,- 2006 65 Fender Twin Reverb reissue Amp,- 1982 Peavey Session 500 amp,-1978 Peavey Session 400,Goodrich Volume Pedals,John Pearse Steel Bars,

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