What is the best/your favorite seat?

Tim Russell · From: Pennsylvania, USA

I own a home-built "pack-a-seat" that I built in 1989. I built it like a tank, 3/4" ply, specially designed legs, 6" padded seat. The problem is, it weighs at least 45 lbs., maybe more.

It is now in need of re-covering, and instead of fixing it up, I'm thinking of buying one of the fine offerings out there today. I would repair it, but I would like to move to something lighter.

I'm asking for your recommendations, mainly because of the construction, particularly of the legs. A few I have tried out in the past have been "rickety", or if you shifted around in the seat, it would walk around on the legs. My seat does not do that, as I built the legs so that they are spread out, sort of like some picnic table legs.

I have considered building another seat using lighter materials, maybe 1/2" ply, but if there is something on the market that meets my criteria, then I would rather save my time and just purchase one.

So, that is one of my main concerns. A stable seat, as in not rickety, as well as a nicely padded cushion, and I'm also considering a backrest.

Comments/suggestions?
Thanks! Smile

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Sierra Crown D-10

Andy DePaule · From: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon

Funny thing is I just posted this a couple of hours ago... Very Happy

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=315753
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Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

It's not a question of brand, it's a question of features. My seat from Steelseat.com has a back rest, a side cmpartment, wheels and a retractable handle.
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Andy DePaule · From: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon

Those pedal steel seats are nice, but already having the steel, volume pedal and amp to lug around... It gets to be a lot of stuff.

For me, I prefer to toss a couple of spare string sets, some extra #0.011 & 0/012 and a few picks to get me through a gig and save my back.
I've only twice in 40 years had a string break at a gig and not a lot more than that at home.
The seat back is a plus, but when I play I'm all hunched over anyway.

I can well see why some guys love those pack-a-seats, and more so if they have a ton of electronic gadgets, but they are not good for all of us.
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Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.

Jack Aldrich · From: Washington, USA

For gigging, I use a padded drum throne. It fits nicely into the small suitcase I use for my effects, tuner, cords and tools. That way I only haul the steel, the amp and the effects bag on a lightweight dolly.
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Jack Aldrich
Carter & ShoBud D10's
D8 & T8 Stringmaster
Rickenbacher B6
3 Resonator guitars
Asher Alan Akaka Special SN 6
Canopus D8

Andy DePaule · From: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon

I also thought about a Drum Throne, but when I looked at the local music shops they were kind of expensive and a little on the heavy side too.
That one I got at Walmart will work well for me.

When I'm in Saigon, where I do most of my playing at gigs, I use my motorbike to get around and tow my steel with a trailer hitch welded onto a dolly and the tow ball installed on the back of the bike.
Lucky they have these stools there that are the perfect height for steel.
They are light weight too and only cost about $5.00 each. Can't beat it and the bungie chords hold it on the bike well with the steel.

Put the volume pedal picks and stuff in the seat of the bike and off I go.
I have a little extension for when I need to take my own amp. But lots of clubs there have decent PA systems with reverb so I just plug into those when I can.
Even have soft case with shoulder straps for my regular guitar so I can take that on my back as well when I'm going to be using both instruments.
Playing is so much fun when I don't have to drag so much stuff around.

_________________
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.

Jeff Triplett · From: Virginia Beach, VA

SteelSeat with a backrest and power strip. Seat is very comfortable, a lifesaver when playing 3 to 4 hour gigs. Power strip is far more convient than I thought it would be. Plenty of room for all my gear.
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MSA D-10 Legend XL, Show Pro Custom D-10, Emmons D-10 LeGrande II, Sho-Bud Pro II Custom, Telonics and Quilter Amps.

Kevin Fix · From: Michigan, USA

Walker seat with a back rest. Put my own power strip on. I like it. Holds all my gear.

Bill L. Wilson · From: Oklahoma, USA

Some of these old Sho-Bud seats are still in good shape. I've had this one since '99.

Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

Adjustable height seat, light weight. $40 has way better foam than the cheaper one.
Harbor Freight aluminum case. $25

https://tinyurl.com/kvb3apr

http://www.harborfreight.com/18-in-x-6-in-x-13-in-silver-aluminum-case-69315.html

Lyle Dent · From: Little Rock ,Arkansas

Steelers Choice. Sometimes you do get what you pay for!
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Rittenberry Prestige SD-12,Mullen G2 SD-12 ,Mullen PRP S-12 BMI S-12 V8 octal, BJS Bars, LiveSteelStrings,Steelers Choice Seat.

Jake Bopp · From: Tallahassee, FL

I have one of these from playing drums, I suspect it'll make a fine seat. The back is a must.

John De Maille · From: On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.

I bought a ShoBud packaseat in 1977 and used it for a very long time. It never failed me and was really a great asset to me. My wife bought me a Walker seat with backrest five years ago and I'm now using it exclusively. I love the pack a seat idea. Everything you'll ever need can be carried in them and they're more comfortable now than they were years ago. It's like carrying a utility chest with you all the time.

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

I use an OutWest seat that is my main pac-a-seat without a back, and it's very comfortable for me. Whether I'm playing at my house, at church, or at steel shows, it's the seat I always use. Been using the OutWest for fourteen years now and love it! I keep my tuner, the cords, bar holder, pick pouch, and everything in it when I play in other places.

Tim Russell · From: Pennsylvania, USA

Lot's of good suggestions, thanks so much.

Ken mentioned an interesting point, about adjustable height. Do any of the seats offered have that feature?
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Sierra Crown D-10

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

Drum thrones usually do.

I use a $45 saddle-type drum throne without a back. Standard-height steel seats are too low for me. The throne can be adjusted for a precise fit.
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No chops, but great tone
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Tim Russell · From: Pennsylvania, USA

I think I'm leaning toward an adjustable keyboard bench, as Ken suggested, and a separate briefcase for strings,pedals, picks, etc. I've used drum thrones in the past, and for me, the tripod legs are a nuisance.

Don't know if I really need a backrest or not. I'm not sure if I would be leaning back against it, or hunched over the guitar...
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Sierra Crown D-10

Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

I had a very nice comfortable pac-a-seat with side car and back rest. Very nice but a little heavy when packed full.
At one point I wanted to adjust the height and couldn't.
A replacement was 3-4 hundred bucks.
I am very happy with this set up.
The cheaper folding benches have cheaper foam padding and I would strongly suggest the extra $10-$15 is well worth it for comfort and durability.

Richard Keller · From: Deer Creek, Illinois, USA

I use a rolling stool like one pictured here. Height is adjustable by just touching a lever like an air ride seat. I like having the rollers so I can move from my desk to the steel in my music room without getting up from the chair.

Brint Hannay · From: Maryland, USA

I'm not sure I could deal with a seat on wheels or that rotates, unless it has a lock to keep it from turning. The last thing I'd want would be a seat that moved when I press a knee lever.

Fred Justice · From: Mesa, Arizona

steelseat.com , hands down the best seat for your money.
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Dave Van Allen · From: Doylestown, PA , US , Earth

Adjustable height is not a feature I desire. The consistency of knowing my seat will be the same height every time is more important to me. Back in the day I used to carrry my own full size school style chair ( metal legs melmac seat and back) upside down in the passenger seat of my Civic. I currently have a couple year old non-backrest seat from Steelseat.com, that replaced one I bought at Billy Coopers decades earlier that the guy who made 'em passed away... I am very happy with it, and they were very amenable to my specific height requirements. I am a big n tall guy. This seat has stood up to some "punishment" and is consistent from gig to gig. I make it too heavy, I put too much sundry crap in it, tools and odds n ends, extra volume pedal, and the like...but I seem to always have the emergency "gig saver"in there somewhere. I tend to roll it around on a magna-cart with my Speakers or amp anyway so I seldom have to lift it far. Other bells and whistles, power strips, sidecars, backrests, cup holders... meh.

Billy Carr · From: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

For me, it's only Steelseats.com and Joe Naylor.

Tim Russell · From: Pennsylvania, USA

I decided to go for a keyboard seat and briefcase type "thing" for my gear. Briefcase works great, no issues with that.

Ordered seat, which has almost a 5 star rating online, arrived today...meh, not liking it. The padding is as hard as a rock. I weigh 170 lb. on a good day, so maybe a heavier guy can get it to smash down more, but I barely make a dent in it.

I cannot understand why the manufacture would use a dense foam like this. Not to mention, the vinyl radiates a lot of heat, so that is quite uncomfortable. I guess this is the issue when "buying before trying", as they say.

Not able to spend upwards of $300 (or more) on the steel seats on the market (on a budget...) I suppose I may just invest in a $40 hand truck from harbor freight and cart my homemade pack-a-seat around when I need to.

If I get an unanticipated increase in my salary, I may consider a Walker, SteelSeat or another of the fine offerings out there.
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Sierra Crown D-10

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

I have Two stools made by Joe Naylor at Steel Seat.Com and they are wonderful,I also have an Elite Seat that a friend brought back from Nashville for me years ago I've fixed it so many times it probably has more plastic filler than wood...a real P.O.S.
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Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952.

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