A Brief Reflection on G.A.S.

Chris Bauer · From: Nashville, TN USA

In a moment of boredom, I made myself recall every pedal steel I've owned. There have been eighteen as it turns out. (Or nineteen if you count the one I owned twice.)

None of them have been bad guitars. Even my humble Maverick - especially for the day - was exactly the right guitar for me at the time.

They have come and gone for all the usual reasons; I just wanted to try something new, I needed cash more at the moment than the guitar, it wasn't the right tool for the current job, and in a couple of cases I just never 'bonded' with the guitar no matter how good the guitar itself was. (It seems to me, as others have said long before I did, that the "best" guitar is the one that makes you want to play and that may have little or nothing to do with how hip or new or whatever else may be a part of that instrument.)

It occurs to me that of all those guitars, there are just three that I really wish I'd kept.

None of those three played terribly easily and, though one was gorgeous, the other two were entirely plain looking. I miss all three because of their incredible sound.

All three were Emmons guitars.

I don't currently own an Emmons guitar.

What can we all learn from this? I have absolutely no clue. Most likely nothing, I'm guessing.

But if you have G.A.S-related reflections of your own, whether similar or different, I'll be interested in hearing them.

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Didn't I have one of your guitars, Chris? I didn't keep it very long but I believe it was okay.

My total is sixteen (but I may have forgotten one here or there). Significantly I still have my Emmons D-10 - built for me in 2000 and still my favourite steel. I doubt I'll ever part with it.

It's odd, isn't? I had a new Zum in 2003 but I never connected with it somehow - I couldn't get the tone that was in my mind's ear to compare with my Emmons. But I suspect that a casual listener wouldn't have detected any difference.

I'd like another SD-10 and several brands appeal to me, but experience tells me that only a handful hold their value and are eagerly sought after.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Chris Bauer · From: Nashville, TN USA

Yes, Roger. You were next in line for a Fessenden SD-10 I had for a couple of years. I liked it a lot but it was one of the 'not the right tool for the current job' guitars.

As for casual listeners not knowing the difference, that is clearly true more often than not - even with non-casual listeners, many times! Yet, if the sound isn't what we want to hear, it can be pretty tough to get enthusiastic about playing.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

About a dozen, including the #1 Red Baron to the current Zum. My experience is similar to yours, but mostly economic.

There were things I liked and didn't like about all of them, but ones I'm really remorseful about is the basket weave cuttail and the one that got away, which is a mid 90's Mullen D10.

I think G.A.S. in addictive once afflicted. We just have to learn how to control it.

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

The only one I didn't miss was the #1 Red Baron.
I even should have kept the Multichord.
I miss my MSA more than I do my MRS.
I don't think we learn a thing except to keep at least one (until another one gives me GAS).

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

My first "good" pedal steel was a '58 Fender 1000. (Before that, my experience with pedal steel was limited to a 6-string Valco Hawaiian steel, my first steel guitar. I had experimented with pedal moves on that one by tying a string around my big toe, and hooking it to a one of the strings on the Valco. It gave me a pedal-type move, but it proved fairly inaccurate, limited, and painful to boot.) Anyhow, after 8 or so years on the ol' Fender, I bought an MSA D10 which I played for almost 30 years. During that time, I saw and knew many steelers who changed guitars regularly, but I can't say that the sound any of those players improved significantly when they did get a new guitar. I saw many steel guitar amateurs and legends adding scads of pedals, but their playing didn't really impress me any more than those (like Lloyd Green) who played simpler setups. I saw players with the best gear that sounded bad, and players with average stuff that still sounded pretty good. To me, getting a new guitar is somewhat like getting a new car - it makes you feel better, but it really doesn't make you a better driver.

Of course, YMMV. And, if you are one of the ones in that interminable search for "that sound", I wish you good luck! Everyone needs some happy, once in awhile. Mr. Green

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

I have acquired instruments over the years when their appeal was mostly visual. This is certainly the case with six-string guitars - I've had a succession of J-200s, for example, that certainly looked better than they played.

This is true with pedal steels, although to a lesser extent. I doubt I'll find a more comfortable or superior sounding instrument than my current 2000 Emmons LG-111 but still I find myself drawn to the appearance of old ZBs, Sho-Buds and, these days, Show-Pros. It's hard to resist those gorgeous figured woods.

But I may finally have learned that new guitars don't really change anything - me and my hands produce a certain sound and I'd better accept it (and save some money in the process!)
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Barry Blackwood · Posted 10 Nov 2015 8:54 am

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

i remember 3 of your good ones:
a woodgrain jch
a blue jch
a black skh emmons

Chris Bauer · From: Nashville, TN USA

Well said, Donny.

Chris - <gulp> I forgot about that blue JCH. So add one more to the list..

Great as both JCHs were, the SKH is the only one of those three on my wish-I-still-had-it list. It was an odd guitar in that I never really found a live sound that I loved on it BUT, I listen to things I recorded with it and am always amazed by how well that guitar recorded. Kinda the opposite situation from a lot of guitars.

As you know, I've always loved the sound you've gotten all these years on your Zum/LTD combination.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

i know you liked that skh. i'd actually pick one up like it if the opportunity arose.
i always wished i had that blue jch to tinker with.
the zum is starting to show a million miles of travel.

Howard Parker · From: Maryland

Only 2 PSGs. I am obviously a poser.

A bit more normal with dobros @ 6. However, I still own four of the six.

I have yet to find much meaning in any of this. Very Happy

h

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

I know the whereabouts of one of Chris' "she got away" guitars, here in Austin TX and owned for years by a good pal of mine. A beautiful blond lacquer early 70's PP that I believe was also owned at one time by Cal Sharp, the C6 neck has been removed but the parts to reassemble are all still in the possession of the owner.

I've lusted after that guitar myself for a few years and offered Mike good money for it, but he resisted my advances successfully. Wink

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My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Bas Kapitein · From: Holland

Chris, You are in good company.
If we would make a list of all the guitars the Big E owned, was given, sold, bought back again, it would fill a page.
He also made decisions he later regretted. The one that made me smile was his buying back of the S-12 Sierra C6th he owned years before. This was only done a few months before his passing! (At least, that was a rumor here on the forum)
Goes to show the amount of love we have for the ones that fit us.
BTW Guitar players have the same problem.

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

Bas Kapitein · From: Holland

Thank you for the correction Bob. It does not, however, change the point I was trying to make. But is does make me more curious about that guitar.

For us foreigners; can anyone explain what G.A.S. stands for ?

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

'Guitar Acquisition Syndrome'.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Bas Kapitein · From: Holland

Chris Bauer · From: Nashville, TN USA

Herb - Yes, that remains on my perpetual list of oh-my-lord-I-want-it-back guitars. (And, as you know, that's BEFORE reminding myself of the deal I made on it which will provide me several lifetimes of full-tilt cringe.)

For the record, it's a '75 that I got new from Emmons. 8 x 6 on arrival as I recall.

Also for the record, if Mike ever decides to let it go, you're in line behind me, pal!!! Smile

Jana Lockaby · From: Kaufman, TX

Like Howard, I've not owned many PSGs. The best one was a Star, built by Larry Agan, for himself. It was so easy to play, especially for a beginner, and everyone loved it's sound, even when I was playing it. However, it was blue. I wanted a fire engine red guitar. I just could not bond with the blue guitar.
Now, I know those of you that know me, are thinking, "what difference did it make? You can't see it." I don't know. My female perogative? It just did. I'm just not a blue person? Red is better? (shrug)
The way you guys trade guitars back and forth, it wasn't long until a fire engine red Star psg came bacck around to Larry. Larry wanted his back, so I traded. I now have a red guitar. However, thinking back now, for sentimental reasons, I wish I still had that blue guitar. I sure miss Larry. I have just two psgs, but, if a Zum ever crosses my path, at the right time, and place, it may end up being 3, and if it were black, even better. What can I say?
Now, reso? That's different. When I began, I thought, "Who needs more than one guitar?" Ha, uhm, I'm up to 4. I've only one lap steel, but a non pedal someday, isn't out of the question.
What have I learned from all of this?

You can never have too many guitars.

Now what about amps? Hmmm, that, light weight, Quilter Steel Air Sure is tempting. Oh, my, Christmas isn't that far away. Santa?

Rich Upright · From: Florida, USA

2 That come to mind that I could kick myself for selling were my '60s bolt on, and my MSA D-10 Classic. Both had sound like I never heard anywhere.

An Emmons steel is like a Harley...I may own other bikes, but there will ALWAYS be at least 1 Harley in the stable. No matter what else I may play, There will always be an Emmons in my arsenal.
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A couple D-10s,some vintage guitars & amps, & lotsa junk in the gig bag.

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

Chris..Good one,I just made a list and since 1972 I've owned 18pedal steel guitars!My O My! Winking

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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.

Drew Pierce · From: Arkansas, USA

I've owned a total of six and still own three of them. After a little blond Maverick followed by an S10 BMI and a '70s Sho-Bud Pro II, I bought my Zum new from Bruce in 1982, which I played for the next thirty years. I bought a '67 bolt-on Emmons S10 for the sake of lightness in 2013 from Billy Cooper and then picked up a fabulous 1970 Emmons D10 fatback from Jerry Roller early this year. I still have the Zum. There is nothing out there I'm aware of that would make me want to buy any other guitars.
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Drew Pierce
Emmons D10 Fatback, S10 bolt-on, Zum D10, Evans RE500, Hilton volume and delay pedals.

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