guitar for rehearsal

Bobby Nelson · From: North Carolina, USA

I'm not sure if this is the place for this but, here goes: I'm thinking about getting an inexpensive S-10 just to take to rehearsals so, when I get my new one, I don't have to take all around (I'll just use it for gigs). I'm looking at a plastic body MSA Sidekick for around $400.00. Is this worth messing with, or does someone have some better ideas?

Mike Wheeler · From: Delaware, Ohio, USA

Don't know what your main ax is, but I dealt with this identical issue by buying a second identical steel....even was the same color. But that was my way of dealing with it...and it was an expensive solution.

My advice to you would be to buy a used, good quality, (maybe cosmetically challenged) steel and have it set up exactly like your main guitar. Or maybe a modern student steel...they're darn well made these days.

You don't want a cheap toy of a guitar for practice, like a Maverick. Unless you're a seasoned pro, you will cause yourself problems using a $400 guitar at practices.
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Bobby Nelson · From: North Carolina, USA

Thanks mike, I was kind of thinking that. I'm having an MSA D10 built and, since I'll be playing mainly E9, I'm thinking about having a less expensive single for grunt work.

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

I don't do a lot of gigs on steel, but I can speak from other experience. Your fellow musicians may feel a lack of respect if you turn up with an inferior instrument. I did that once and although they were too polite to say anything, the next week they said "It sounds better when you bring the real one."

It makes a lot of sense to have a single E9 to avoid hauling a double, but it needs to be a decent one than sounds similar.
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Edward Rhea · From: Medford Oklahoma, USA

$400 spent towards split cases...that's the way I'd go!?
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Bill Terry · From: Bastrop, TX

Seems you already have better suggestions, but I owned a Sidekick, my first guitar. I'd stay clear of that..

Mike Wheeler · From: Delaware, Ohio, USA

I agree with your thinking, Bobby. A nice S10 would work just fine. But remember to have the pedals and levers set up just like your D10.

One other suggestion...don't fall prey to laziness and leave the S10 set up at your rehearsal site. It's tempting, but don't give the bad guys any chances. Been there! Sad

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Mike

Bobby Nelson · From: North Carolina, USA

All good advice. Buying something a little more expensive yet actually legitimate, and set up just like my main one is the way to go. I don't have the problem with anyone looking down on a practice rig, or thievery as, I'm not really a player yet haha! The guy I'll be playing for is an old old friend ( since age 15) and we have played in many many bands together over the yrs and, he is totally above board. I won't be charging him anyway as, I'm looking at this as a stage of development - I told him to spend his$$ on a piano player until I get better. He's just happy to have a steel there at all. I told him where I'm at with it (in infancy) and he said, "just give me a little color here and there and that'll be fine.Time is really my issue. With a 60-70+ hr a week job, and a marriage, I don;'t have a lot of time to lug around and set up a bunch of equipment - my time is much better spent practicing and at rehearsal.

Damir Besic · From: Nashville,TN.

play your MSA, at home, on the live gig, in the studio, rehearsal, church, and wherever you get a chance, that's why you bought it, right, to play it.... so play whenever you can, enjoy and have fun with it..., just my 2 cents
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Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

My 'grunt work' is done on my Zum Encore.

Well, that was why I bought it but I love it so much I almost prefer it to my two 'pro' guitars.
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Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Bobby Nelson · From: North Carolina, USA

I'm with you on all of that Damir. And, I can also see what Roger is saying - becoming more comfortable with the practice rig than the main one. However, it's a matter of using the very little time I have wisely: I work about 45 miles from Charlotte; the guy lives up toward the center of Charlotte which is I'm sure where any rehearsal and gigs will take place (where traffic has become a nightmare in the last 15 yrs); and then, I live another 22 miles back into (what used to be, anyway) the country. My work is hard and physically demanding so, I absolutely have to have my rest - not getting a minute younger here haha. I'm looking forward (10 yrs till retirement) to doing what I love to do in the future but need to watch out about not burning out on the way. This is my thinking here.

Eric Philippsen · From: Central Indiana, USA

For one of the bands I play with I have a D10 set up at their secure rehearsal space. It's nice to not have to haul a steel, set it up, tear it down, etc. for their regular practices. I pretty much just walk in, tune up, turn the amp on and go. I realize, though, that having a double setup isn't always attainable for everyone.

As for the level of quality for a rehearsal-steel, having an identical twin to your gigging steel is the ideal. That might not be possible, but don't err on the other extreme by using a wobbly, flexing, tuning nightmare, either.

If you use a D10 for gigging, would an S10 work for rehearsals? Well, actually, yes it could, depending on how "complex" the C6th work is and your ability to do 6th playing on E9th. Real pros can pretty much, in an amazing way, cover both necks on one. I'm not one of those guys. But a whole lot of times, you know, you can get by pretty convincingly by dropping your E's and holding that lever in.

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