There is no "the best" Pedal steel guitar.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

In the thread about who builds the best PSG, everybody cites his or her personal favorite as "the best." But the truth is, there is no such thing. Since everybody builds fine instruments today, the question is not what is the best, but what do you prefer?

Hal Rugg played a Franklin for years, but switched to a Zum. Tommy Dodd played a Zum for years but switched to a Mullen. Another prominent player who I have not asked permission to name played a Zum for years but recently switched to a Star, (Mark Giles's guitar). Robert Rabdolph played a Fessenden for years but now plays a Jackson. Mike Fried played a Franklin for years buy switched to a GFI. Blackie Taylor played a Sierra but also switched to a GFI. Doug Livingston has a GFI, a Zum, and a Franklin, but almost every time I've gone to see him, he played his Sho-Bud. When I had the privilege of meeting Mickey Adams at a small jam session a couple of years ago, I really liked his Mullen G2 and he really liked my Millennium, and we both felt that we'd like to add the other's guitars to our collections.

I'm partial to MSA, partly out of personal loyalty to Reece, but when I went shopping for a new guitar a few years ago, I looked at Carter, and GFI and a couple of others before I decided to get my Millennium. The reason (aside from my friendship with Reece) was that it has the features I wanted. The light weight, the triple lower changer, (I have 3 lowers on one string) and the willingness on the part of the company to make a guitar with a wrist lever. Mostly it was the weight.

I feel that the Millennium is the best guitar for me. But it might not be the best guitar for somebody else. It's totally subjective, and IMHO any question of what's "the best" is about as valid as asking what color is the best.
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Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

I think Sho~Buds are THE best.

You can get them to sound like any other brand by smearing a different kind of peanut butter on the strings...

For Emmons' you use just a touch, MSAs you let it dry a while..

Smile

EJL

Luke Morell · From: Ramsey Illinois, USA Hometown of Tex Williams

Mike, you're right,there no best,just a guys preference. I play an Emmons,I love how it plays and sounds,but if I was rich,I believe I'd have one of just about everything..

Papa Joe Pollick · From: Swanton, Ohio

Just as long as it's BLACK!!!!!! Laughing

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

Hey Mike,
Mike still plays a Sho-Bud a little bit, but he's also been playin' a Jackson Blackjack too. He no longer plays a GFI now, so he's still playin' Sho-Bud and Jackson. He was playin' Sho-Bud and GFI when he toured with Gary Allan and at one time, he had two GFIs, an Ultra S-10 with a pad, and an Ultra D-10. His S-10 was his road guitar for awhile because it was easy for him to play on tour so he played his GFI Ultra S-10 on the road with Gary. Mike started playing GFIs around 2001. He also had several Sho-Buds and used one on tour with Gary in 1996, back when he joined Gary's band.

Brett

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

thats all well and good, but which one is BEST???!! Mad

richard burton · From: Britain

Some makes of steels, although exquisitely manufactured, and polished to the n'th degree, are always a let down in the tone department because of the inherent mechanical design of the changer.

Other makes of steels, with a slightly different changer design, always have a better tone (IMHO)

If tone is the deciding factor, then I would say that there is such a thing as a 'best' steel

Ken Byng · From: Southampton, England

Mike P

I think it is far too subjective to have a definitive guitar that has all of the attributes to make it a clear winner by all. What is the best - is it tone? looks? finish? build quality? price?

Too many variables. The best guitar is the one that suits our individual needs. We are all mostly biassed in our views anyway, so the question of what is the best is so subjective that it makes it meaningless.

There is no such thing as the perfect guitar. Some are closer than others. One thing is for sure - there is no better time to buy a guitar made to your own specifications than today. Some of the engineering is first class and a million miles away from those guitars made 40 or 50 years ago. But that is (was) part of their charm.
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Show Pro D10 - amber (8+6), MSA D10 Legend XL Signature - redburst (9+6), Sho-Bud Pro 111 Custom (8+6), Emmons black Push-Pull D10 (8+5), Zum D10 (8x8), Hudson pedal resonator. Telonics TCA-500, Webb 614-E,

J D Sauser · From: Wellington, Florida

If for once I can fully agree with Mike Perlowin, I want to go on record with my it. Smile

I think most PSG's built today have, while a few may be quite different, are quite similar as to quality and possibilities they offer. I don't think anybody can say that this-or-that brand doesn't cut it. The times of questionable "experimental" PSG guitars are long gone.

As far as XYZ playing this-or-that or even the X-brand... I think, most of us should have come to realize by now that many "show" a certain brand because of endorsement agreements or friendships.
Even The Master of Touch & Tone, so I was told, often showed up playing a steel he reportedly did not think much of as far as tone or sustaining capability past the 12th fret, but it was given to him by somebody he appreciate very much.

And us "behind the scenes" players, well, we get bored with even the best every now and then and find new love for something else... that doesn't make the old "best" a beast nor the new love the eternal better one... someday, that one too will loose it's appreciation.

Some not so great guitars have come and GONE.
Some great guitars have gone sadly too (Kline comes to mind).

So yes, ALL these brands subsist not because they somehow can sneak thru with substandard product, but because for some time at least, some players feel they're "IT". And as they migrate away from that particular brand someday, others appear who just moved away from an other brand they like so very much for some time.

... J-D.
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Was it JFK who said: Ask Not What TAB Can Do For You - Rather Ask Yourself "What Would B.B. King Do?"

A Little Mental Health Warning:

Tablature KILLS SKILLS.
The uses of Tablature is addictive and has been linked to reduced musical fertility.
Those who produce Tablature did never use it.

I say it humorously, but I mean it.

Tony Smart · From: Harlow. Essex. England

Mike,
This would be a worthwhile topic if only players would tell us why they think a particular steel is the best.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Bo Legg · Posted 8 Aug 2010 8:15 am

Tony Smart · From: Harlow. Essex. England

Keep on taking the Tablets - all ten.

Keith Murrow · From: Wichita, KS

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

But isn't "the best tone" also totally subjective?

And isn't tone also a matter of the way a player strokes the strings? Isn't it true that some players can sound great on a 2 by 4 with rubber bands for strings, and others will not, no matter what they play?

It has been said (and I believe) that a players left hand reveals what's in his or her head, and the right hand reveals his or her soul.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin

richard burton · From: Britain

Mike,
After the player has picked the string, with whatever special nuance he imparts, then the instrument takes over.

If it has an inferior changer design, the note will decay with an annoying 'zzzinnnng'.

Pat Comeau · From: New Brunswick, Canada

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

Joe Miraglia · From: Jamestown N.Y.

Jamie Lennon · From: Nashville, TN

i think a good answer would be. X Brand is best for me.......I love my Franklin and outta the 3 guitars I owned thats the best for me....but someone else may play and wont like it etc etc..

Everyones different and likes different things ie: tone from guitar to guitar differs and not everything likes the same.....
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Mullen Guitars, Little Walter Amps, Benado Effects, D'Addario Strings

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Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

I guess it depends on what you mean by best... Some are built with much more precision than others...
The guitar I have seen on these very pages built by Martin Weenick was astounding in its highly precise workmanship... My late friend Todd had a Bethel which was engineered better than ANY steel I had ever seen. My Carter [which I love} looked like a cheap beginners model next to it.
That Bethel was astounding..

I think there is a builder with the last name of Redmond thats builds extremely well engineered and innovative steels that are much more precise than most production guitars..
Its funny, to me the best sounding pedal steels are the worst engineered pedal steels... The old Fenders and Sho Buds were the best sounding steels to my ears, but they lacked mechanically.. big time IMHO..

The ideal guitar would sound as sweet as an old Rack and Barrel Bud, with the build quality and ultra precision of the Bethel guitar my friend once owned.
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I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!

no gear list for me.. you don't have the time......

J D Sauser · From: Wellington, Florida

[quote="Mike Perlowin"]But isn't "the best tone" also totally subjective?

.../quote]

Yes, but not totally.
We are always reminded we should not generalize but then, there are generally accepted perceived notions of "good" tone or "sound". That however can change over time, because of betterment thru development, the instrument migrating into a different musical field or just new perceptions of what is "hip, hot or cool" (just as these terms change).

I however think that it is easier to point out "bad" tonal characteristics. Just as Richard Burton pointed out, "zzzing" sounds, buzzes, and other FALSE "over tones" (aka. NOISES) would seem to be accepted as universally bad, EVEN when a few eccentrics manage to make even such deficiencies an integral part of a successful "new" but often short lived sound. Some steels have sounded "boxy", "carboardy" or otherwise "strange"... they ALL did not pass the test of time... apparently time is immune to the political correctness of questioning subjectivity vs. objectivity Very Happy

.
Similarly, poor sustain, unbalanced tone across the strings, overly obvious dead spots and poor performance within and above the second longitudinal octave (above the 12th fret) seem to be accepted signs of a, shall we say "not so great" tone.

Again, some artists have popped up here and there, using some or all the above described deficiencies to shape their sound, and with some success... but in general... Smile

On the other hand, I must confess that there were some brands of well build PSG's I could not stand listening to too long, even from the "safe" distance of the lobby of a SG-convention. And now, that I am told I am aging (I am still reluctant to believe that) may hearing must have changed... I hear less shrillness and can stand to hear some guitars I would rather have seen nuked only a few years ago... Right now, I am a happier person with my current hearing. I also seem able to EQ my sound more like others do.
Am I getting "normal"? I hope not! Very Happy

... J-D.
_________________
__________________________________________________________

Was it JFK who said: Ask Not What TAB Can Do For You - Rather Ask Yourself "What Would B.B. King Do?"

A Little Mental Health Warning:

Tablature KILLS SKILLS.
The uses of Tablature is addictive and has been linked to reduced musical fertility.
Those who produce Tablature did never use it.

I say it humorously, but I mean it.

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