Steel Guitar Prices and Inflation

Mike Scaggs · From: Nashville, TN

Ok, so "Brownie" is a 1973 D10 I am about to begin the resto process on. I bought this guitar from the original owner and he saved his receipt all these years. This is cool stuff.

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I can explain it to you but I can't understand it for you

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Mark Eaton · Posted 9 Sep 2017 4:02 am

Well, at least the sales tax was better back then @ 5%. Wink

Now it's 8.25% in Sacramento.

I always take those inflation calculators with a grain of salt because there are so many things that factor into it - but it does give one a ballpark idea.

Though it does make you think - if you back out the retail price and look at the wholesale cost of the guitar - was Emmons, relatively speaking, making a killing in those days?

This is really during the height of prominent pedal steel use in country music. Along with the recording industry there were a lot of gigging steel players around 1973. And I'm guessing compared to 2017 less steel guitar manufacturers.
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Mark

Mike Scaggs · From: Nashville, TN

Mark Eaton · Posted 9 Sep 2017 4:33 am

Well you have certainly made the full transition Mike - by using the expression "Cali" - true Californians usually avoid that term. Winking

It's fallen into the same category as saying "Frisco."

I'd escape Sacramento too if I grew up there. I like it over here closer to the coast in Sonoma County.

But I do like Nashville a lot and apparently so does everyone else. A lot of people have been moving there over about the past 10 years.
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Mark

Mike Scaggs · From: Nashville, TN

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I escaped from the Bay Area last December (San Leandro). Current sales tax there is 9.75%. Hoping my move to Texas comes through and hope sales tax is lighter there. 8.375 here where I live now (Oakdale, CA).
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

My brother just sold their home in Carmichael (he is retired Air Force) and bought a 5th wheel RV. He and his wife are traveling and living in that. The house he had (small) sold for $350,000 and would be about $80,000 here in Florida.
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GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

I think those inflation calculators are really pretty close if you take in consideration of minimum wage which was a $1.60 in 1973. That would make list price of the guitar now $7,800, lol. Minimum wage now is 6.25 times what it was in 1973.
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Frank Freniere · From: The First Coast

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Mike... Did you get that guitar from Brownie (Hubert "Brownie" Brown)? I can't remember, but I think he passed away. One night I went to see him, and he was playing a Sho~Bud, I don't remember if it was his LDG or a D10. His E tuning (if it actually was an E tuning) wasn't standard. He started explaining the tuning and changes to me. After my head stopped spinning, I politely said "no thanks". Never saw him play this Emmons. Great player though.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Mike Scaggs · From: Nashville, TN

robert kramer · From: Nashville TN

In 1973 - I bought a Sho-Bud Pro 11 from Manny's in NYC. As I was leaving - I asked if they had a Emmons steels. They said - yeah we have some upstairs. When I asked how much - they said $800! I still think about that - and what they might have had. I think they used to ship without knee levers - but still???

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Here's D-10 PP prices from an old Emmons Catalog (#734).
The whole page and a close up of the prices. Note the base price does NOT include knee levers, they are extra.

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GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit

Paul Sutherland · From: Placerville, California

Sac
Sacto
Sacrotomato
Sac Town

It's all good.
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It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing.

David Wren · From: Placerville, California, USA

Oh yeah, "Brownie", the man, not the project is still very much alive, and still just an awesome steel picker... no one does "Mooney" picking better in the Sacramento area... and one heck of a fine gentlemen... and still playing his vintage S-10 Sho~Bud.

As I understand his tuning he tunes it to a D 9th, and omits the "C" tuning on his 9th string... ahhh, that would be "D" on most E9th tunings.... and then uses the 6th tuning when pedals A&B are depressed for "C6th" playing... great tone, great unique licks, and very soulful playing, at least 15 years older than me he still can walk up a flight of stairs carrying the setup guitar over his shoulder!

You know Mike, I think you and I might have met... way back in '74 when I was working with Danny Holder and Greg Humphrey, at Lloyd Hickey's 40 Grand Club?

My, my, how the time flies by Smile

Best of luck on the restoration... thanks for sharing with us all!
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Dave Wren
'96 Carter U12,7X7; 1936 7 string National; Line 6 HX Stomp; Quilter TT-15/TB202; Quilter "Steelaire"; DV Mark "GH 250"with 15" 1501 BW; Boss "Katana" 100 Head w/Line 6 Cab; Telonics VP.

Ron Hogan · From: Nashville, TN, usa

I recently got prices from a cnc machinist on just one part that i have a drawing of for a bell crank. 100 pieces $1,000.00.

You can imagine the cost of all the different pieces.

Mike Scaggs · From: Nashville, TN

Jim Reynolds · From: Franklin, Pa 16323

Wouldn't it be nice if our retirement income, and Soc. Sec., would have gone up the same as inflation. Mine hasn't gone up in 5 years, although Medicare, they take out has gone up, I think twice.
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Zum U-12, Carter SDU-12, Zum Encore, Emmons S-10, Emmons D-10, Nashville 400, Two Peavey Nashville 112, Boss Katana 100, Ibanez DD700, Almost every Lesson Jeff Newman sold. Washburn Special Edition Guitar, Can never have enough, even at 80. 1963 Original Hofner Bass bought in Germany 1963, and a 1973 Framus Bass also bought in Germany 1974.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

I think pedal steels are actually quite inexpensive when you consider what goes into making one. A dirt simple Parsons White B Bender is $700 installed in a guitar you already own. It's a very simple mechanism that only bends one string.
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Dr. Z Surgical Steel amp, amazing!
"74 Bud S-10 3&6
'73 Bud S-10 3&5(under construction)
'63 Fingertip S-10, at James awaiting 6 knees
'57 Strat, LP Blue
'91 Tele with 60's Maple neck
Dozen more guitars!
Dozens of amps, but SF Quad reverb, Rick Johnson cabs. JBL 15, '64 Vibroverb for at home.
'52 and '56 Pro Amps

Bobby Nelson · From: North Carolina, USA

When you consider the cost of a Gibson Les Paul, (especially the ones w/the curly maple tops - the same wood my new one is made of) which is like a fancy stick compared to what goes into a steel, I think a new PSG is one of the best deals you could find. My new MSA 9x5 comes in about $1500.00 less than the inflation calculator has the Emmons 8x4.

Steven Paris · From: Los Angeles

Eric Philippsen · From: Central Indiana, USA

After reading thru this thread I reached in the filing cabinet next to me and pulled out the folder I have of old Emmons catalogs, literature, invoices, warranty cards , guitar picks! and other cool stuff.

A January '76 price list shows a student model, 3+1, cost $498. A case for it was an additional $75.

A D10 with "four legs and 8 pedals and mica finish" listed for $1595. A knee lever or extra pedal cast $99. Wood necks cost an extra $30 each. A case for your D10 cost an extra $110.

An S10 would run you $995 without case.

I also have some paper that the Emmons company put out which lists the USED steels they had for sale, both Emmons brand and every other brand, too Pretty fun reading.

Mark Eaton · Posted 11 Sep 2017 5:15 pm

Remember though that list or catalog prices are not the same as street prices. Take for example Martin Guitars. If the list price Of a higher end Martin is say $4000, the street price will be at minimum 25% off or $3000. One can usually do even better than that, and there even some deep discount Martin dealers around the country who will do 40% off, which on a $4K guitar brings it down to $2400.

Nevertheless, back in the day even with a good discount off list, owning a new Emmons was a serious chunk of change. We talk about how expensive it is these days for young people to take up pedal steel guitar - back in the '70s, unless one got a good deal on something like a Maverick and went the "student guitar" route, it might have been even harder to get your foot in the door.
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Mark

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