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Author
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Topic: What was your first pedal steel?
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Sidney Ralph Penton
Member From: Moberly, Missouri, USA
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posted 25 January 2005 06:01 AM
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i started out on a carter starter. and after doing that i wished i would have just went and got a pro model. then i went to a carter U12 traded that for a bmi SD10 then traded back. then i got smart i sold my carter U12 and went to see bruce in harrisonville missouri an got me a zum steel. i use a peavy vegas 400 with a special 212. i am going to trade the peavy 212 for a peavy nashville 400 tomarrow. get me a delay and i will be read to learn how to play this thing. doc
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zum SD10 peavy vegas 400 peavy special 212
if its not a zum steel it isn't real
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Robbie Daniels
Member From: Casper, Wyoming, USA
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posted 25 January 2005 07:59 AM
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My first steel was a Chuck Wright Special 8 string four neck with about 6 pedals if I remember correctly. Awesome sounding steel and built strong as Chuck always did build. This steel only raised. The steel was built when Chuck was in Redbluff, CA. If I remember correctly I got it in 1958 or 1959. Wish I still had it, it is a piece of pedal steel history. |
Robbie Daniels
Member From: Casper, Wyoming, USA
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posted 25 January 2005 08:01 AM
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My first steel was a Chuck Wright Special 8 string four neck with about 6 pedals if I remember correctly. Awesome sounding steel and built strong as Chuck always did build. This steel only raised. The steel was built when Chuck was in Redbluff, CA. If I remember correctly I got it in 1958 or 1959. Wish I still had it, it is a piece of pedal steel history. |
John Sluszny
Member From: Brussels, Belgium
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posted 25 January 2005 08:01 AM
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1st one:Maverick bought in NY city.
2nd one:Sho-Bud pro I bought in London.
3rd one:Carter S-12 Universal,great guitar.
I still miss the Pro I which was sold to someone here in Belgium. |
Bobby Lee
Sysop From: Cloverdale, North California, USA
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posted 25 January 2005 08:22 AM
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Mine didn't have a name. It was a piece of junk that stood on two legs that screwed into the case. There were 4 pedals mounted in the case. They were center mounted on an axle so that the heel and toe gave different changes. They connected to the string puller (I hesitate to call it a changer) with cables.
The thing was horribly unstable. It wouldn't stay in tune, and the screws that tugged on the strings literally sawed them until they broke. I trashed the guitar rather than trying to sell it, because nobody should have to try to play an instrument like that.
I gotta admit that the heel and toe idea was pretty cool, though. It's a shame the guitar didn't work.------------------
 Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra SD-12 (Ext E9), Williams D-12 Crossover, Sierra S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, C6, A6) |
Fred Jack
Member From: Bay City Texas
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posted 25 January 2005 08:23 AM
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My first one was a RotoSound.Bought it from DeVere Adamson in Indianola.Made in England I think. Fred |
Larry Hamilton
Member From: Amarillo, Texas, USA
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posted 25 January 2005 08:30 AM
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My first steel was in the early 70's built by Jim rose of Wilburton, Ok. s-10, 2x2. He designed and made everything, changers and all. Beautiful natural maple. I believe it was a push pull, based on the way I remeber having to tune it. To my knowledge it was the only one he built. Isold it to some kid and got an original D-11 ZB, used. Even drove to Scranton, Ark. to Zane's farm to get it. Wish I had it back. I have only had a couple other guitars, an MSA Classic I bouhgt new in 1974, that I played for 26 years and my current LeGrand I bought new in 2000. Guess I got carried away typing. sorry.
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Keep pickin', Larry |
Steve Stallings
Member From: Bremond, Tx, pop 876, Home of the fighting Bremond Tigers
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posted 25 January 2005 08:38 AM
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I bought a new MSA S12 Extended E9 Vintage XL in 1975 in Edgewood Maryland.------------------
God Bless,
Steve Stallings |
John Cox
Member From: Bryan, Texas, USA
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posted 25 January 2005 08:44 AM
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Mine was a Emmons student model, bought from Roy Wiggins place in 1975.
J.C. |
LeRoy Sawyer
Member From: Walton, NY 13856
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posted 25 January 2005 09:16 AM
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Mine was a Fender S10 with 3pedals & 1 knee purchased from Forum member Larry Jaminson's father in 1973. It is still in my collection setup and ready to play. It is one of a kind!! |
Bernie Straub
Member From: Folly Beach, South Carolina, USA
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posted 25 January 2005 09:57 AM
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Like Brett, my first psg was a 1974 Emmons student model 3X1, but I bought it new in 1974 for $500. I let it go in 1977 in favor of an Emmons S-10, bought it back in 1997 (long story but I found it in a pawn shop 20 years later with my band's name still stenciled on the case.) |
Tony Orth
Member From: Evansville, Indiana, USA
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posted 25 January 2005 10:05 AM
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A blond 1960's Fender 400, played thru a Heathkit TA-16 twin-twelve with all of 25 watts. |
Mike Taylor
Member From: Hermersberg GE
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posted 25 January 2005 10:08 AM
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25 years ago I got my first guitar; a Sho Bud Maverick - paid $150, played it for a year or so, sold it for $200 (only money I ever made selling an instrument). Then 5 years later I traded a Yamaha guitar for a Emmons SD12 (6P/4K), then traded that guitar for a Sho Bud Pro III at Steve Lamb's Steel guitar store in White Settlement (Ft Worth) Texas.I wish I would have kept them all!! Mike Taylor
Sho Bud Pro II Custom / Professional |
Smiley Roberts
Member From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075
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posted 25 January 2005 10:34 AM
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A 6 string,4 ped.,"Multi-Kord",circa '54. 
It was a P.O.S.!! 
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~ ~
©¿© It don't mean a thang,
mm if it ain't got that twang.
www.ntsga.com [This message was edited by Smiley Roberts on 20 November 2005 at 09:45 AM.]
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KENNY KRUPNICK
Member From: Grove City,Ohio
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posted 25 January 2005 10:39 AM
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First steel was a Sho~Bud LDG I bought new from German Village Music Haus back in 1980.I had them order it earlier in the year,and picked it up in May.A year later, I contacted Reece,and had him build me a new guitar,a Vintage XL which I sold back in July of last year. MSA guitars hold tune really weell,and are built like a German tank. I have Sierra D-10 I bought from German Village back in 1992,and a Zum I ordered from Bruce back in 1996. Love them Zum's.  |
Charlie Wallace
Member From: Marina, California, USA
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posted 25 January 2005 10:45 AM
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A Gibson Electraharp. In the early 70's I saw Bobby Black playing in Rochester, NY. The next day I decided to sell my car and buy a steel guitar. The first one I found was the Gibson Electraharp. |
Terry Sneed
Member From: El Dorado, Arkansas, USA
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posted 25 January 2005 10:49 AM
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It was either a green LDG sho bud, or a 70'ish white MSA.
Terry------------------
Zum D10 /8x5 / session 500rd/ American Strat Highway 1 model
steelin for my Lord |
James Cann
Member From: Phoenix, AZ (heart still in Boston)
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posted 25 January 2005 11:31 AM
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1975 MSA Semi-Classic, rosewood mica, which paid for itself some 10 to 15 times over. |
Thomas Bancroft
Member From: Matawan, New Jersey, USA
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posted 25 January 2005 11:33 AM
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MSA Red Baron in 1981. Here today gone later today! No wonder I didn't play steel again for 10 years! That rebuilt S-10 PP
3&4 did the trick for me in the early 90's though. I still dream of Buds (when I have dreams I could tell anyone about).------------------
Mullen D-10, Melobar Rattler, Nashville 1000, Alesis Midiverb, Too Many Guitars! |
Dave Van Allen
Member From: Doylestown, PA , US , Earth
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posted 25 January 2005 11:39 AM
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1st. a 1971 Emmons student model, 8 string 2 pedal E9. no knee levers or volume pedal (til later)
no major mechanical issues that i remember... it got me well on my way[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 25 January 2005 at 11:40 AM.]
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James Cann
Member From: Phoenix, AZ (heart still in Boston)
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posted 25 January 2005 11:39 AM
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1975 MSA Semi-Classic, rosewood mica, which paid for itself some 10 to 15 times over. |
Chick Donner
Member From: North Ridgeville, OH USA
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posted 25 January 2005 12:54 PM
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1959 Madison Permanent SHoBud triple neck (8-10-9). Bought it in Honolulu from Len Ryder in early 1967. Have a picture of it, but don't have a clue how to post the pic.
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Lem Smith
Member From: Fulton, MS. U.S.A.
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posted 25 January 2005 01:06 PM
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Wow,
Sounds like between everyone here, we've covered the full spectrum, as far as quality of first guitars goes.b0b, that's the first one I've heard about that sounds even worse than the one I started on. Would love to see a picture of that. I've had several pedal steels over the years, but the first pro model I ever had was a B.M.I. S10 3 & 4. Wish I could have kept all of 'em too! Lem |
CrowBear Schmitt
Member From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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posted 25 January 2005 02:28 PM
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Maverick - nuff said too  |
Frank Parish
Member From: Nashville,Tn. USA
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posted 25 January 2005 02:58 PM
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Sho-Bud Pro-1 3/2 Beautiful birdseye, narrow pedals. I had Duane Marrs add two more knees a couple of years later. $550 including the Sho-Bud pedal and a 3/4 stainless bar I still have. |
James Marlowe
Member From: Lakeland, Florida, USA
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posted 25 January 2005 03:07 PM
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Mine was a no-name S11 that only had 10 strings. It had been stripped of the 11th tuner and who knows how many knees. It was left with one lever that lowered the E's. Sorry as it was, it was plenty enough to give me a permanent case of "steel fever".
James
Zumsteel SD10 4+5 |
John De Maille
Member From: Merrick,N.Y. U.S.A.
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posted 25 January 2005 03:46 PM
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My very first steel, was a "Pierce". But, just the cabinet, with the changer, neck, and tuners ( all eight).I had to make the legs,pedal bracket, pedals, and pedal pull rods. It was given to me by a friend. All in all, it was a terrible steel.
My very first playable steel was a ShoBud Maverick. I bought it from a guy for $100.00 With 3 pedals and 1 knee lever, I was on my way to pedal steel heaven. At the time, I thought it was a great sounding steel guitar. I even did a workshop for the PSGA with it.The natural birdseye maple cabinet and neck were very pretty. It was a very easy steel to play. |
Roger Edgington
Member From: San Antonio, Texas USA
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posted 25 January 2005 04:52 PM
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My first pedal steel was an almost new Fender 400 8 string 6 pedal around 1961. It was blonde with a black metal frame. It came from Whitey Lunzar's music store in dowtown Columbus, Ohio. I played it about a year and traded it and $100 for a 1000 a guitar player friend had. |
Richard Sinkler
Member From: Fremont, California
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posted 27 January 2005 02:27 AM
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ZB Custom S-10 5p/5k -- 1971 Black lacquer with white fretboard and pickup. |
Lee Roy Whisenhunt
New Member From: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
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posted 27 January 2005 04:50 AM
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My first of many steels was a 6-string Gibson lap. Then I had a Rickinbacker D-8, Tripple neck, Finder Quad,which I wish I still owned, then my first peddle steel was a MSA D-10. After I got out of the service and spent some time trying to raise my family I got a Sho_bud Pro 3 which I hauled all over the Mid-west after I retired. I now have a Rimington D-10 (8&4). I still have the Gibson. |
Larry Chung
Member From: San Francisco, CA, USA
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posted 27 January 2005 08:05 AM
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An older ZumSteel Stage One 3+4 that a friend had sitting in his garage along with a shopping bag full of steel guitar magazines. Faux wood covering and a Barcus Berry pickup. Weighed about 20 pounds! I didn't know what to do with all of those levers, but was fortunate to have a first guitar with very good mechanics, stayed in tune, and sounded pretty good, too. Many months later I bought a green laquer MSA Classic D-10 8+4 from Pat Ickes (thanks, Pat) which was also a great guitar and gave me lots to think about on the "other" neck. I've been fortunate to have had two solid all-pull guitars with good tone and playability, and with straightforward changers that were very easy to understand and adjust. Now, of course, I'm playing ZBs... where did it all go wrong? (: |
David Langdon
Member From: West Bridgford, Nottingham Notts, United Kingdom
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posted 27 January 2005 08:56 AM
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In 1978 I was lucky enough to find a ZB student 3+1, and because it was an all pull I added the extra knees. Never had any tuning issues with it. 2 years later a pal of mine sold me his Baldwin crossover, it never quite sung and played like the ZB. No doubt Larry will agree. Dave. |
David L. Donald
Member From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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posted 27 January 2005 10:33 AM
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Well the uniquenes winner, for my money, is Chick with a1959 Madison Permanent ShoBud triple neck (8-10-9) Whoah!  That is some cool 1st steel. |
Daniel Vorp
Member From: Sarver, Pennsylvania, USA
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posted 27 January 2005 11:01 AM
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In September of 1970 I drove to the Emmons factory in Burlington, North Carolina and bought a blond SHO-BUD double neck crossover from Ron Lashley Sr. I played 6 string guitar but didn't have the first idea how to play a pedal steel. I took it back home to PA and started the long arduous process of teaching myself how to play the darn thing. One of the best decisions I ever made since it has provided me many years of pleasure and enduring friendships. |
Rick McDuffie
Member From: Smithfield, North Carolina, USA
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posted 27 January 2005 11:48 AM
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A Norwood S-10 3 and 1 |
Matt Steindl
Member From: New Orleans, LA, USA
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posted 27 January 2005 12:28 PM
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Great topic. Hearing all these olden days stories about kits and homemade steels makes ya really appreciate modern times and this forum. Isolated beginners no longer need to learn on substandard gear, then have to relearn when they get s "real" steel.------------------
Mattman in "The Big Sleazy"-:
S-10 Dekley, Suitcase Fender Rhodes, B-bender Les Paul
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Ken Williams
Member From: Arkansas
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posted 27 January 2005 08:57 PM
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My first steel was a Hughey D10 that I bought from John Brunner. It had 5 levers, two of which seem to be homemade. It was a nice looking guitar. Seems like John Hughey told me a while back that he played one of his guitars on a few of Conway's early hits. I sold it after about a year and bought an new Emmons D10, which I still have.Ken |
Rich Weiss
Member From: Woodland Hills, CA, USA
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posted 27 January 2005 10:45 PM
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In about 69, I was in a garage-band, and we rehearsed in Bo Diddley's garage/studio. He was actually the manager of our band.Concurrently, my sister was dating Mike Clark, drummer for the Byrds, and they had just recorded the Notorious Byrd Brothers album. At that time, our band was pretty jazzed about the direction that music seemed to be heading, namely, toward C&W.(read country-rock)But that era hadn't quite hit yet, but we could see it coming.
I asked Bo if he had an old pedal steel lying around, and it turned out that he actually had one stashed in a closet. It was called a 'BeJay,' double 10- and it was beautiful birdseye maple. He sold it to me for $150, and that was my first steel.
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Tony Prior
Member From: Charlotte NC
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posted 28 January 2005 02:22 AM
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Around '72 or so..Maple bodied Maverick. Paid $350 at Sam Ash in White Plains NY.Sold it 6 months later for $350 to a student.Can you believe that , I was actually teaching someone about something I had no idea about myself !..what a great Country we live in... Bought it back a few months later ( suprise suprise) , kept it for another few months than sold it again for $350.. t |
Tony Palmer
Member From: Lincoln, RI USA
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posted 28 January 2005 06:50 AM
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My first was an 8 string Fender 400 with 4 pedals and no knee levers.
The pedals were attached to wire cables, not rods, and it never stayed in tune of course.
I remember the E lowers were on the fourth pedal, so to get a 7th chord, I had to use two feet, one on pedal 2 and one on pedal 4. |
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