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Topic: New Sierra |
Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Jeffrey McFadden
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2018 8:06 am |
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The changer (among other things) appears to me to be unique. Is there another one like it on the market anywhere?
That's a beautiful instrument, both in production quality and in design.
_________________
Well up into mediocrity
I don't play what I'm supposed to.
Home made guitars |
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Greg Cutshaw
From:
Corry, PA, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2018 8:08 am
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| Nice guitar for sure. Even the color strings look cool! |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Posted 21 Mar 2018 8:27 am
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I like the bridge setup... the strings pull at an angle, similar to the Williams. There's not a roller with the strings pulled down. I think this design reduces string breakage. I think the guitar is quadruple raise and triple lower. A couple of cool features... if you want to adjust the pedal height, just twist the pedal rod. The rods are threaded to easily raise or lower pedal height. And if you want to extend or shorten a leg, just reach down and turn the thumbscrew on the leg and the spring-loaded section will adjust to the desired length and then you tighten the thumbscrew on the leg.
_________________
My Site / My YouTube Channel
25 Songs C6 Lap Steel / 25 MORE Songs C6 Lap Steel / 16 Songs, C6, A6, B11 / 60 Popular Melodies E9 Pedal Steel |
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Tim Heidner
From:
Groves, TX
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Posted 21 Mar 2018 8:33 am
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That's one hell of a student guitar! How would you upgrade from that?  |
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Mike Vallandigham
From:
Martinez, CA
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Posted 21 Mar 2018 8:47 am
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Wow! While I have been following the "makin' chips" videos, I haven't really seen many close-up photos.
That thing looks incredible, it's obvious that Ross is very dedicated to crafting the finest guitars.
Other thought, that's some guitar to "learn" on.
I'm a full-blown gear sl*t, so I approve.
Fantastic! |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 21 Mar 2018 9:03 am
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An amazing "student" guitar indeed! Ross has a starting price of $10K for an S-10.
The perfect axe for the Tesla driving steel guitar pupil. 
Don't mind me - I'm just green with envy. 
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Mark |
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Tom Campbell
From:
Houston, Texas, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2018 9:54 am
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Great engineering.
Knee levers attached to the metal rails; shafts all the way cross the width and secured by the rails. No shaft bearing boxes screwed into the wood. |
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Paul Sutherland
From:
Placerville, California
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Posted 21 Mar 2018 10:02 am
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How does it sound compared to the Emmons push-pull sitting in the background?
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It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing. |
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Jay Jessup
From:
Charlottesville, VA, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2018 10:03 am
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| I like the continuesly variable bellcranks and all you need is a screw driver to adjust it. That falls into the 'why didn't someone think of this before' category. |
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 21 Mar 2018 11:58 am
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| Jay Jessup wrote: |
| I like the continuesly variable bellcranks and all you need is a screw driver to adjust it. That falls into the 'why didn't someone think of this before' category. |
They did......Blanton steel guitars pioneered this exact type of bell crank years ago |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Jay Jessup
From:
Charlottesville, VA, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2018 1:09 pm
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| Tony Glassman wrote: |
| They did......Blanton steel guitars pioneered this exact type of bell crank years ago |
Well dang, goes to show there isn't much new under the sun! I've heard the Blanton name but never seen one.
I've never owned a Sierra but messed around with Pete Finney's in the old DC days, they were always finely engineered and solidly built guitars. This new one appears to raise the bar even higher. |
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Alan Bidmade
From:
Newcastle upon Tyne UK
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Posted 21 Mar 2018 1:16 pm
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Didn't see split tuners at the changer. Am I missing something? There's a VKL, so split tuning is a must...
Beautiful looking machine though!
_________________
Ben-Rom #017 'Lorelei', Guild D25, Epiphone 'Joe Pass', Roland 40XL, Hilton VP
First name Alan, but known as Nick |
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Greg Cutshaw
From:
Corry, PA, USA
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John McClung
From:
Olympia WA, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2018 2:31 pm
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Great images, Doug, thanks for posting them.
_________________
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▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net |
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Ross Shafer
From:
Petaluma, California
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Posted 21 Mar 2018 3:53 pm
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Jeez Loueeeze! Thanks for posting the pics and vid Doug and Dan. I'm humbled by and very appreciative of your comments....that goes for all of you. Thank you so much!!
A couple of FYI's/answers:
Changer: The changer is what I refer to as a virtual pivot changer. This same basic dual pivot concept was used on early Rickenbacker steels, the Fender PS210, and most recently on Anapegs and Excels. Though all are executed quite differently.
Some folks refer to this design as a "Linear"...which it isn't really...just kinda close sorta. Lamar Colvin makes the only true Linear Changer I'ver ever seen (great design from an awesome guy). The splits on my changer reside just above the nylon tuners on the changer finger assembly.
Bell cranks: Jerry Blanton did indeed use an adjustable bell crank on his bitchin' steels. Wouldn't call it identical, in fact it was used for tuning the pulls not for timing them. I read that Jerry said the timing just fell into place as the pulls got tuned. Regardless his design has been around for a long time and of course it inspired some of my design ideas. As did Linkon's....a very simple stamped bell crank with a slot instead of holes and a little thumbwheel to tigtehn the rod and set the height.
"Nothin' New Under the Sun": True words!
Drop by our little ranchito in Sonoma County, pet some pigs and breath in the fine fragrance of cutting oil! |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 21 Mar 2018 4:13 pm
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| New blood but still unique, still innovative, still finely crafted, the all new Sierra is badass. Good on you Ross. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Douglas Schuch
From:
Valencia, Philippines
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Posted 21 Mar 2018 5:42 pm
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Hey Ross, do you have intentions of building some D-10's in the future?
_________________
Bringing steel guitar to the bukid of Negros Oriental! |
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David Wright
From:
Pilot Point ,Tx USA.
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Posted 22 Mar 2018 3:44 am
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| Ross has done a Great job redesigning the Sierra, I am blown away by the guitar...wish my Dad could have seen it...Thank you Ross for keeping the quality & and craftsmanship my Dad always had.... |
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Ross Shafer
From:
Petaluma, California
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Posted 22 Mar 2018 6:28 am
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Thank you so much David. I too wish your dad could see these...he was cool, a major inspiration! RIP Chuck!
Douglas: No D10s planned at this point...I've got a tiger by the tail with the single wides as it is. Once human cloning is happening, there'll be a better chance of D10's....accck....won't work. Nobody wants two of me around....'specially me! |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 22 Mar 2018 7:55 am
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I wish I could give every steel guitarist one of these beautiful instruments. Really I do. It's like an extension of my body when I play it. No fighting the machine. It sounds like a pedal steel should sound, too. No fighting for tone. It's small and light. I get a lot of compliments on its appearance wherever I play.
I know it's out of the price range for most people, and Ross hasn't been cloned (yet!  ) but when someone invents a Star Trek-like replicator, every pedal steel will be like this. 
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Johnie King
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 22 Mar 2018 10:58 am
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| Superbly crafted gorgeous steel if had money I'd buy one too look at an one to play. For one man too build these is a great accomplishment. I love watching the making chips videos. |
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John Goux
From:
California, USA
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Posted 22 Mar 2018 3:38 pm
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Bob and Doug, or others, please post some live videos, studio recordings, MP3s, so the pickers can hear some serious playing of this new Sierra.
If these innovations are worth their salt, then the players, and the other builders, should be able to hear it and see it in action.
Ross can only supply a very limited number of these to relatively affluent buyers.
The answer to Bob’s statement, “I wish I could give one of these to every steel player,†would be to inform the steel builders, so these improvements can be shared with the greater steel community, and the prices will hopefully drop into an affordable price range.
Like many here, I’ve got multiple steels. If I sold each of them, I’d still be a few grand short of this Sierra.
If it would solve the issues I have with them, I would do it.
I think the original Sierra company was founded and run with a spirit of innovation and quality, and to make that quality affordable to the working musician.
This new Sierra appears to be the same spirit of innovation and quality, but so far, it appears to be without any concern for the working musicians.
Tesla built all those $100k cars so that they could build a $35k car. That $35k Tesla is now rolling off the line, as we speak.
Show us you are creating a Tesla, and not a Lamborghini.
John |
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