Fender Stringmaster vs. Excel Jerry Byrd 8 strng

Steven Cearley · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

I am considering which steel to get next. I like the tone of the Stringmaster but also liked the tone on the Excel that Jerry Byrd plays in his teaching video. I also like the bakelite Ricks however they only have 6 strings instead of 8, which isn't necessarily bad.
Any comments for comparison would be greatly appreciated.

STEVE

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Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

Bakelite Ricks can be found with 8 strings and they are nice instruments - however they are somewhat fragile and don't stay in tune very well. You can't go wrong with a Stringmaster or an Excel. I play an Excel pedal guitar and wouldn't hesitate to buy a Jerry Byrd D-8 if I didn't already have 2 Stringmasters which I consider to be the last word in console steels.

Jeff Au Hoy · From: Honolulu, Hawai'i

All of those guitars make a tasty sound to my ears. My only quibble with the Stringmaster is that the volume knob on it is in an area where you can't wrap your pinky around it while playing (at least comfortably). Of course, that doesn't matter if you're going to be playing with a volume pedal.

Steven Cearley · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

Thanks Jeff and Mike. I don't use a volume pedal so I probably should get one to help hold the sustain. How about weight difference between the stringmaster and the Excel console? I think the stringmaster is probably heavier.
For doing bar slants the 22 1/2" is probably the way to go, although I like the 24" until I saw Jerry Byrd on his video doing the bar slants. Sounds so good!

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George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

If you have a choice, try to find a Fender Custom model. I am very familiar with both the Stringmaster and the Custom. The Custom (which came out before the Stringmaster) has a warmer tone in my opinion...especially for Hawaiian music. Only one small problem ... they are difficult to find these days.

Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

Hi, Steven, might I suggest you try out a Remington Steelmaster if you can find one? Excellent sounding steel in the tradition of the stripped down Fender designs, very player friendly and often show up cheaper than the Fenders, which after 40 plus years are sometimes developing tuner and pickup problems. I love my '54 dual pro, but I've had a couple of Steelmasters and they're fine guitars. Another one to look out for is the Sierra Lap top. Along with b0b I find mine to be one of the best sounding steels I've ever heard. Heavy, but worth it. If Sierra starts making them again as rumor has it, you can't go wrong with one of those.

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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com

[This message was edited by Mark van Allen on 11 September 2004 at 10:43 AM.]

Tom Campbell · From: Houston, Texas, USA

Hello Steve,

I'll vouch for what Mark just said about the Remington Steelmaster. I have one I bought from Mark a couple years ago and won't part with it until...(it's in my estate collection). Also, if you can get yor hands on a Sierra Lap-8, do so, especially if Tom Baker starts making them again,... never know these days when they won't be availabe again...truly a class guitar.

Steven Cearley · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

Thanks, Tom and Mark. I had a Sierra lap steel, serial number #008 and it had great tone. I think what I might do, since money is scarce, is to hold off buying one until I can see if Tom at Sierra will be making any in the next couple of months.
If anyone has Tom's phone number or email address I would like to give him a call.

STEVE

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Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

A little bird told me that when Tom starts making the Sierra "laptops" they'll all have legs this time around - plus a doubleneck is on the drawing board - I would guess probably with 6 to 12 strings per neck.

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

My comment about the Remington Steelmaster v. the Stringmaster.

The Remington is a fine guitar. However, the pickup used is a George L humbucker. This gives the instrument a "modern" sound, IMHO. The tone is entirely different from the single-coil sound of the dual pickups on a Stringmaster.

Case in point. I went to a club in Austin a couple years ago to hear a Teri Joyce's band play, and while standing outside the door in a conversation with someone, I heard the unmistakeable sound of a modern C6 guitar. Going inside, it was Cindy Cashdollar on a Remington Steelmaster non-pedal.

Both are good choices, but are not at all the same sonically.

Sierra non-pedals with legs: Tony was offering them a couple years ago at ISGC, also the ones made from beautiful woods. It was all I could do to refrain from blowing a couple grand on one of those precious puppies.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 12 September 2004 at 12:27 PM.]

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