Questions about buying a second guitar

Wayne Franco · From: silverdale, WA. USA

I am tired of having to set up and tear down every time I have a gig. It seems like a lot of player that have more than one guitar don't have both the same kind. I currently have a legrand II that I really like. I see some of the really nice sho buds coming up on instruments for sale and really have to hold myself back. I really think I should get a twin of what I have (maybe a different pick-up)so the feel is the same. As long as the changes are the same do you think it is necessary to have them both the same brand or better to have something else??

[This message was edited by W Franco on 22 June 2004 at 04:48 PM.]

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Get something different, and don't leave your guitar overnight where someone can steal it.

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

Ditto. I can't imagine leaving a steel anywhere that it can be taken away or played with by the unwashed and curious.
And life is too short to duplicate axes when you can diversify. (my opinion only--surely not something I want to preach at anyone else). However given the choice, I'd like my guitars to be as similar as possible in setup. Again, that's just me.

Larry Jamieson · From: Walton, NY USA

I have a Zum that goes to the gigs, and an MSA that stays set up and ready to play in my shop. Both have the same pedal and knee set-up so I don't get confused... The cost of the MSA was half what the Zum cost, but it makes a great practice axe... You can't have too many guitars. Regards, Larry Jamieson

Wayne Franco · From: silverdale, WA. USA

I guess to qualify what I said in my origional post. At SG conventions I have played guitars that are so different especially string height that I couldn't imagine practicing with a guitar like that, then going somewhere for a gig with a very different feeling guitar. I bet most of us practice more than we play gigs so durability is something I think about. The idea of a second one with a different sound is appealing to me though. I'd like to have a second guitar that is more than just a practice guitar so I could take either one depending on my mood. Maybe the criteria should be to look for something with a similar feel to my Emmons

[This message was edited by W Franco on 22 June 2004 at 08:00 PM.]

[This message was edited by W Franco on 22 June 2004 at 08:04 PM.]

[This message was edited by W Franco on 22 June 2004 at 08:09 PM.]

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

If you can get used to playing one guitar, you can get used to playing two guitars. I leave one set up in my music room at all times and use the other for gigging. I play about 50% of the time with a '69 push-pull and the other half on a 1 year old Fessy. Even though the guitars are different from each other in several ways (pedal/lever feel and number of pedals/levers, for example) there is a core setup on the Emmons that is also there on the Fessy (which has two more pedals AND two more knee levers than the push-pull) and, after a minute or two of playing either one, it quickly becomes 'my guitar'. So I not only have different brands, I also have different decades (by several), different changer mechanisms, different pedal spacing, different pedal setups. I was able to get used to those two different guitars and suspect you'd be able to handle it too. The trick is to play BOTH GUITARS EQUALLY. You'll get used to both just like you get used to the first one.

I don't own and play a guitar unless it speaks to me. If you get two guitars that feel like 'your guitar', there will be no problem after a short learning period.

That's been my experience, in any case.

------------------
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Gary Lee Gimble · From: Fredericksburg, VA.

Wayne, while you ponder over your disposable income, consider purchasing a bargain airline ticket and come out here. Cooper's shop has probably 30 guitars on the floor all ready for a test drive and Charleton, I believe teaches there too.

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

what Earnest B says !
i've got a Zum 4 gigs and a ShoBud Professional at home

Bill Miller · From: Gaspe, Quebec, Canada

I agree with Larry about adapting to different guitars. After many years of 'on again, off again' playing an all pedal/no knee lever guitar I finally bought an S10-DB with 3 pedals and 5 knee levers. I expected a long period of adaptation and in fact one person from this forum warned it would just like starting all over. Actually that hasn't been the case at all...the transition between these radically different instruments took maybe three weeks to become comfortable. That doesn't imply any mastery on my part, it just means that it didn't take longer than that before I could do everything I was doing with the old all pedal guitar, plus quite a bit more thanks to the three new pulls on this one.
With pedal steel it seems like the really steep part of the learning curve is right at the beginning. The big hurdles for a beginner are learning to hold and handle the bar, getting used to the picks, blocking technique and maybe most of all, intonation. IMHO, after you have a handle on those things you can get used to minor mechanical differences between guitars pretty quickly.

Wayne Franco · From: silverdale, WA. USA

Thanks for all the input. I've always had only one guitar at a time and never had to think about it. Is sound like its easy to get use to more than one guitar which is what I wanted to hear from players that have that experience.

Hey Gary!, you're one to talk with a brand new Zum and another one on the way (sounds like song lyric's : ). )I may take you up on that visit sometime soon. I'm not going to St Louis this year so I have to make up for it. I mentioned to my wife I may not go this year and she already has made plans. She has been gracious enough to let me go most years when Aug. 30 is our anniversary.

GARYPHILLIPS · From: SOMERSET, OHIO ,PERRY

if you are lookin a second steel guitar,
Chuck Back has a great starter S-10 steel guitar i think $650.00 this is a pro steel at a starter price.
you can look that this post. http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum3/HTML/021068html
and on this post you will see a link on there for ebay one of Chucks starter steel guitars on there
and for his pro steel guitars go here www.desertroseguitars.com
Thanks Gary.

[This message was edited by GARYPHILLIPS on 23 June 2004 at 07:24 AM.]

[This message was edited by GARYPHILLIPS on 23 June 2004 at 07:27 AM.]

Wayne Franco · From: silverdale, WA. USA

Thanks Gary for your input. When I do get another guitar it has to be a D-10. Most of my practice has been on C-6 lately.

[This message was edited by W Franco on 23 June 2004 at 07:28 AM.]

GARYPHILLIPS · From: SOMERSET, OHIO ,PERRY

you can a new D-10 steel guitar form Chuck for about the same price as a use one.

Gary

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

30 years ago, all the steelers in the Milwaukee area drove huge cars. It was a requirement. Mine was an Olds 98. You folded up the levers, unscrewed the back legs, and set the guitar on the back seat. Quick to set up and tear down. God forbid you should have an accident! "Man killed by flying Shobud!"
JB

Wayne Franco · From: silverdale, WA. USA

A flying guitar like that sure could shorten a "Bud ing" career. pun intended

Virgil Pittman · From: Colcord, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

I play out every Friday and Saturday night at the local clubs using a d10 Zum.I have a sd12,extended e9th, Zum that I leave set up at my place of business.They do have a different feel even they have the same basic set up.I really like those low notes on the 12 string.The same set up would be a must for me but not the same brand of guitar.I see some really nice Sho-Bud super pros on the forum in the 1800. hundred dollar range.This is very tempting.There is no such thing as to many steels.I do bring my steel home with me every night and I sleep better that way.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Well I do the almighty NO NO..

I don't break my Steel down..ever..

like many of you out there in Steel Guitar Land.

My music room is very accessible to my garage and I just pick up the Steel and stand it up in the back of the Van and strap it down. It's always under cover and
it is the last thing in the Van and the first out.

I would never leave any Instrument at a gig anymore, especially the Steel and it never stays overnight in the Van either.

Now If I am traveling a great distance where Hotels are in order then I will break it down and put it in the case, but it still would not stay in the Van overnight. All Guitars get to stay in the Hotel room.

years back we lost gear which was left overnight at a club, fortunatley it was not an Instrument so the lesson was cheap.

Question for those that use 2 Steels ?
Do you not have an issue of "Knowing" the Steel your playing ? Or are they similar in feel and setup so that playing one is no different than playing the other..

t

Wayne Franco · From: silverdale, WA. USA

There are some guitars that I've heard are "Emmons clones" as far as playing charistics and some that just don't feel the same way at all. I've played some that are not and think I may want to stay away from them so as not to totally screw me up when changing guitars. The ones I personally have the most trouble with have a lower string height than my Emmons Legrand.

Terry Sneed · From: Arkansas,

I'm in the same boat. I have to carry my guitar and amp to the church and back every week. one of these days, I'm goin to get a 2nd steel. I love my emmons Legrand and think they are tops as far as sound goes, but my 2nd guitar will be an S-10 or an SD-10 GFI-BMI,MCI,Sho Bud, one of the four probly. just somethin different.

------------------
84 SKH Emmons Legrand D10
session 400'rd Steelin for my Lord.

Joerg Hennig · From: Bavaria, Germany

It depends on whether you´re able to adjust to different guitars quickly or not. If you´re used to an Emmons LeGrande, a ShoBud will feel radically different. That is because of the shorter scale. Don´t underestimate this, it took me at least half a year to become familiar with the ShoBud. I have two of them now, one stays in the rehearsal room, different models but always the 24" scale so the change is not too drastical.

Good luck,

JH

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