Pad or no Pad?

Derrick Phillips · From: Jacksonville, FL

Hey Folks,

I've been playing steel for about 10 years and I've never had a pad, just one guitar an S10 ETS 3P/5K. I'm planning my next guitar and I've decided on a U12 Mullen G2 - but the big question is to get a pad or no pad.

I haven't seen my much on the forum on this particular topic, other than 1 thread a while back.

I'm curious the thoughts or reasons / pros or cons of a pad vs no pad. I've never used one so I wont miss it, but I want to gather as many data points as I can before I make this, likely my last, steel guitar build/purchase.

Anyway, I'm appreciative and curious of yall's input!

Thanks in Advance,

Derrick
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Derrick in Florida
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Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Not for me. I hate having my arms dragging on a pad or even a D10's strings for that matter. Besides that, it makes me lazy and causes me to slouch.

I get the argument about Lloyd Green's use, but I'm not Lloyd...as much as I adore and respect him.

No. Not a popular choice here, but that's my opinion.

If you've never used one, no reason to start now.

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

I've played loaded U-12's for the last 25 years. 3 guitars, all SD-12 with pads. My newest guitar, acquired this year, is a loaded U-12 single body. I like it a lot.
There is no problem going back and forth and there is no learning curve. But the smaller guitar feels more...immediate. Like I'm not sitting down at a large contraption or pulling up a chair to a desk.

To be clear, I never felt uncomfortable with the SD's and I'm not 100% certain that I now prefer the S-12 but that's how I'm leaning.

I don't believe that there is any advice to be given. The only opinions I have are from the experience of playing them for years and they are strictly personal, pertaining to me.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

I am in the same debate with myself right now. I have another S12 Uni on the hook right now. A Mullens S12 built on a 3/4 body.

My last 3 guitars I have owned and played, I put pads on. I like it gives me along the side of the key Head a place to make a bar and picks rest area. On the changer end I have a place for a tuner.

I like to anchor my wrist on the pad better, Than using a pick to anchor on a string

Here is a picture of my Keyed GFI pad with bar and pick area.

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

I started on a D10 resting my arms on the back neck to play the E9, because otherwise the strain on my back was too much.
On the S12 there's no need, as it's more "immediate" (as Jon says). I don't why you'd have the strings too far away on purpose.
To me a pad is solving a problem that already went away.
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Larry Allen · From: Kapaa, Kauai,Hawaii

Easy 24”x2” computer wrist pad. $25…. Very Happy

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Excel steels & Peavey amps,Old Chevys & Motorcycles & Women on the Trashy Side

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

My Jackson Blackjack Custom pedal steel guitar has a pad and it works great for me! Before my steel was built, I asked David Jackson to put a pad on it, and it is awesome!

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

I love the pad and have several SD10s with pads and a couple S10s without. I put the Don Blood armrest on those so I have a pad. I would rather have one than not.

Marco Schouten · From: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

I find that knee lever placement on a SD10 suits me better.
I like an S10 but it's less ergonomic for me.
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Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Being a Physical Therapist; The pad back in forearm area; helps remind/keep the wrist in straight and NOT BENT position; where the flow of circulation is much better and will keep the hindering of movement away.
Ricky
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Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

I can't help feeling that having a pad - or being able to rest my arms on the C neck - has made me lazy and has fostered some bad habits. These are unlikely to go away at my age.

We play C6th unassisted by a resting-place. Why not an S-10?

I do like that little space between the two necks (or between pad-and-strings on an SD10). Mine is full of clutter too varied to itemize. Maybe the Lindbergh baby?
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Me too Roger. I like your logic. I liked the old Sho-Bud D10s with the 3/4" decking that raised the front neck even more from the rear neck. This mitigates the forearm dragging on the back neck when playing the front.

Emmons and later 'buds and everybody else all started using thinner material which put the step down at less height. About 1/4 in. v. the 1/2 in. of the early Sho~Buds and others.

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Yes, Jerry!

I went from a Pro-111 to my Emmons - that was a shock. The difference between the necks was marginal, unlike the Sho-Bud.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

No pad for me. Neither of my two U-12s (Emmons and Mullen) were on double-wide bodies and neither had pads.
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Lee, from South Texas - Down On The Rio Grande

There are only two options as I see it.
Either I'm right, or there is a sinister conspiracy to conceal the fact that I'm right.

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Dave Hopping · From: Aurora, Colorado

My main guitar (a Mullen RP U-12) has a full-sized pad, which I'm fine with, but I really like the mini-pad on my very old Mullen S-10 with a 3/4 (1 1/4?) body. If I pull the trigger on another Mullen U-12 I'll probably spec the 3/4 body and small pad. Winking

Samuel Phillippe · From: Douglas Michigan, USA

My pad serves a reliable purpose.......When I make a mistake that requires some thought for correction I can comfortably place my elbow on it with my chin in my hand and think about it......I/m wearing a hole in it

Sam

Rick Grieco · From: Long Island, New York, USA

My Justice S10 has a pad...after years of playing a Sho-Bud Maverick, I find the pad gives me a stability I didn't have before. Plus, it just feels more comfortable to me. To each his own, as they say!
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Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

Some folks have made the point that a wider guitar (1 3/4)sounds better than a single neck. However, my Infinity is a single neck on a single body and sounds great to me.

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

I played S-10 guitars for years -- Dekley, Emmons, Sho-Bud -- and thought they were comfortable enough. More recently playing a GFI SD-10 with the half-size pad. I do enjoy the extra wrist support and relative position of the neck and the knee levers. It's a boxers vs briefs discussion, I suppose.
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