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Topic: I now own a Pedal Steel Guitar - here we go |
Timothy Smith
From:
Massachusetts, USA
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Posted 1 Jun 2009 9:21 pm |
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Hi there. New here. I'm not a skilled musician. A bass player at heart, admirer and collector of stringed instruments, old and new guitars are always welcome round my place. If I were to have a space in the commercial music universe I'd have to say I might be like a Robert Hunter - a helper, a lyracist, and music idea guy. Those are my strengths, not brilliant playing. OK, so much for the introduction.
The other day I went to go look at a Les Paul I saw in our local paper in the Shenandoah Valley. Someone got it 15 minutes before I got there and I wind up walking out with an Early 70s Fender 2000 Pedal Steel. So, I guess I'll start reading through the forum before I ask for any help. I have zero experience with a Pedal Steel. By the way, I bought it for $800, and would say it looks a 7 out of 10, consider that I really don't know what I'm lookin at. What in the world have I done? |
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Calvin Walley
From:
colorado city colorado, USA
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Posted 1 Jun 2009 9:41 pm
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you might have gotten yourself $800.00 worth of trouble ... i think you should have done a little research before buying a 70s guitar then made the decision
_________________
proud parent of a sailor
Mullen SD-10 /nashville 400
gotta love a Mullen!!!
Guitars that i have owned in order are :
Mullen SD-10,Simmons SD-10,Mullen SD-10,Zum stage one,Carter starter,
Sho-Bud Mavrick |
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Chris Erbacher
From:
Sausalito, California, USA
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Posted 1 Jun 2009 10:03 pm
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| hey man, i would disagree...learn to play the thing and love every note...lots of different opinions here and i didn't listen to a lot of them a few years back when i was told to avoid zb custom steels...i have now owned 4 steels total, 3 of them zb and one a push pull...i'm pretty stoked i did. nothing ventured nothing gained...go for it man...i'm a deadhead too and robert hunter is an unsung hero that belongs in the books along with mr zimmerman...have fun and listen to yourself, you obviously did and bought a steel, congratulations... |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 2 Jun 2009 7:48 am
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There is a forum devoted to Fender pedal steels:
http://z8.invisionfree.com/Fender_Steel_Forum
I own a Fender 1000 myself (D-8, 8 pedals). I have to say that even though it's very cool, it's not my favorite steel guitar by a long shot. It's much harder to play than modern pedal steels, in my opinion.
To me, ergonomics is the most important aspect of the instrument. I just can't get comfortable behind the Fender 1000. It's too big for me.
_________________
-š¯•“š¯•†š¯•“- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video |
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Ben Jones
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 2 Jun 2009 8:24 am
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Tim,
Beginners are discouraged from buying fenders for a couple reasons. They dont have the features of a modern guitar (knee levers) and they often require some work to play smoothly.
However, I see absolutely no reason why couldnt focus on the front neck E9th and get TONS of mileage and fun out of it. The fender forum linked above has some very knowledgeable folks on it. Definetly post over there and try and get in touch with the moderator Jim Sliff.
He knows ALOT about these guitars and how to set em up well.
you got fingerpicks yet? a bar?
oh and if you decide its not for you , you can always sell it for $800. i dont think thats a horrible price you paid |
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Timothy Smith
From:
Massachusetts, USA
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Posted 3 Jun 2009 3:11 am
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| did you mean knee levers are a modern feature or that they are not? this has four. thanks for the feedback |
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Billy Carr
From:
Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)
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Posted 3 Jun 2009 4:27 am beginner
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| CARPSTEEL is the way to go with a starter steel. 3 pedals & 4 knee levers and a set up that can easily be changed around. Look on the Rains website. Just my opinion here. Thanks. |
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Ned McIntosh
From:
New South Wales, Australia
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Posted 3 Jun 2009 5:04 am
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Timothy,
Knee-levers are an absolute must for E9th! If you have four, and your Fender can be set up to play well, stay in tune and not frustrate you every time you sit down to play it, then you are off to a good start. A "standard" single-neck E9th pedal-steel these days has 4 pedals and 5 knee-levers. Have a look at the standard E9th copedent and you'll see what they are and what they do. (Hint: use the "search" function)
Do take the time to search for information on Fender steels, they are a different animal to most pedal-steels of the modern era. And welcome to the forums!
_________________
The steel guitar is a hard mistress. She will obsess you, bemuse and bewitch you. She will dash your hopes on what seems to be whim, only to tease you into renewing the relationship once more so she can do it to you all over again...and yet, if you somehow manage to touch her in that certain magic way, she will yield up a sound which has so much soul, raw emotion and heartfelt depth to it that she will pierce you to the very core of your being. |
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Ben Jones
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 3 Jun 2009 5:32 am
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| Timothy Smith wrote: |
| did you mean knee levers are a modern feature or that they are not? this has four. thanks for the feedback |
Yes Tim, knee levers are a "modern" feature (modern here meaning I guess what? ..the 60' or 70's?)and it is fantastic that your fender 2000 has four of them as those guitars did not have knee levers when they came from the factory. Someone has added those.
Have you tuned it up? have you tuned the levers and pedals? do the pedals and levers move smoothly and make the appropriate changes? If so fantastic! If not, lets get it working for you!
pedal steel is a somewhat difficult instrument to learn especially for beginners, so most experienced players suggest a modern guitar for beginners because these fenders can take a bit of work (mechanically) to get going and tuned up and playing smoothly. when your a beginner you have other things you need to worry about besides repairing an instrument you know very little about, you just wanna play...not spend the first three weeks refurbishing an antique. so thats a major reason people are kind of warning you about the fender. But hey, too late for that, you own a fender and they ARE cool guitars with a distinctive tone and you wouldnt be the first to start on one. If you find its too much work mechanically , but are still interested enough in pedal steel to want to play...just sell the fender for a little more than you paid for it, add a couple hundred bucks and get a used pro modern guitar, or a new student model.
got any pictures of the guitar? of the underside? the knee levers?
best of luck Tim! |
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Calvin Walley
From:
colorado city colorado, USA
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Posted 3 Jun 2009 6:13 am
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| Ned McIntosh wrote: |
Timothy,
A "standard" single-neck E9th pedal-steel these days has 4 pedals and 5 knee-levers. |
not really.... the closest thing to "standard " is the 3 & 4 set up
the 4 & 5 has a long way to go before you can call it the new standard
_________________
proud parent of a sailor
Mullen SD-10 /nashville 400
gotta love a Mullen!!!
Guitars that i have owned in order are :
Mullen SD-10,Simmons SD-10,Mullen SD-10,Zum stage one,Carter starter,
Sho-Bud Mavrick |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 3 Jun 2009 7:44 am
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Yes, it's a big heavy beast. And yes, it's not like a modern steel, with more raise and lower capability. But despite all that, you can have a ton of fun and learn a lot about playing on that old axe! 
I've been actively looking for a 1000 or 400 myself, just to play around with (and also because I played a 1000 for about 8 years). |
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Ulric Utsi-Ć…hlin
From:
Sweden
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Posted 3 Jun 2009 11:53 am
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I got my very first Fender PSG only last week,and
the verdictĀ´s a simple "right on"...somewhere along
the line,somebody added knee levers making it a
versatile 4+4...after just a couple of hours of re-
furbishing itĀ´s coming along really well,pedal action
competing w/ present-day instruments...great sound...
great history...IĀ´ll be back,be very worried.McUtsi |
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Ron Scott
From:
Michigan
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Posted 3 Jun 2009 6:03 pm
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I started out on a Fender 1000 and got a good start with it. Then soon graduated to a Sho-Bud double ten professional.....and the rest is history...Goodluck with it and most of all enjoy what you have....Ron
_________________
Franklin D10 Stereo - 8 and 6 - Black Box-Zum Encore 4 and 5 Nashville 400,Session 400, DD3 for delay ,also Benado Effects pedal.
Steeling with Franklin's..and Zum Encore |
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