New Sierra Day

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

I figured this deserves its own post in addition to its membership in the huge Sierra post.

My turn!
I wish I had photographic chops because the best I've got fails to show a lot of the deep beauty.
I won't write a book here.
Some key observations:
-- Pedal & lever feel is so smooth and precise.
-- Leverage is extraordinary -- full step lowers (such as strings 6 & 7) that require careful balancing acts on any other guitar I've worked with or owned are just...nothing. 'Oh, that's all you want? I could go down another couple of steps if you need...' it said to me.
-- Cabinet drop is around what I see on my PP. 1-3 cents depending on the string, the pull. It forces or allows me to examine and learn tuning systems that aren't about compensating for body or changer drop.
-- it is SO solid. Not a delicate bone in its body. When the bloom is off the rose, it will still be hauling freight.
-- I have made a friend in Ross. It is a pleasure.

It is so new but I am thrilled that my biggest fear -- converting, ergonomically, to a single body after years of playing SD-12's -- is for nothing. Ross and I worked together on the ergonomics and I have found it so easy to work on to tweak the last bits in place (still a work in progress). In fact it fits me better than any of the bigger guitars.

I'm still buzzing.

Mike DiAlesandro · From: Kent, Ohio

Congratulations Jon! What a truly beautiful and well engineered modern marvel, with old school craftsmanship to boot.

Enjoy! Very Happy

Barry Coker · From: Bagley Alabama, USA

Congratulations on your new Mistress she is "Beautiful"!!! and I am sure everyone who sees this will be Green with envy. Mr. Green

Barry
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Zum-D-10, Webb 614-E, 65 Pro Reverb, Evans RE200, 69 Gibson Birdland, 89 Telecaster EAD Bad!!

Craig Stock · From: Westfield, NJ USA

Really nice guitar Jon, are the inlays 'Mother of Turtle'? Smile

_________________
Regards, Craig

I cried because I had no shoes, then I met a man who had no feet.

Today is tomorrow's Good ol' days

Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

Welcome to the club! Great looking guitar and thanks for posting.

Nate Hahn · From: Illinois, USA

Beautiful guitar, Jon. What's the copedent you're using?

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

Thanks for the comments, guys.

Nate -- this is what it is.

Nate Hahn · From: Illinois, USA

Really cool, thanks for sharing, Jon.

Tucker Jackson · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

Wow...wow... a new Sierra.

That's more than a "steel guitar," that's a work of art.

Ross Shafer · From: Petaluma, California

Thanks for your posts Jon and thank you so much for letting me build you a guitar. I hope you enjoy it for many years!

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Holy cow, Jon! That is gorgeous!

I just have to ask...

Are You A Turtle?

Cool

~Lee

Mike Vallandigham · From: Martinez, CA

Holy Smokes!

Ross has really stepped the PSG up to the next level.

Next level stuff.

Congratulations - it's amazing!!

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

Ian Worley · From: Sacramento, CA

She's a beauty Jon, I hope you will enjoy her company for many years to come. Ross is a true artist, craftsman and just general all-around badass.
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All lies and jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest - Paul Simon

John Hyland · From: South Australia

Yeah sierra’s seem a class above and the royal standard.

Gil James · From: Louisiana, USA

Stunning!!!😳
Carbon fiber legs and rods?
Wow!

Lee Rider · From: Fort Bragg, California, USA

Stunning guitar, but that is to be expected of Ross. Wondering who did the inlay. David Dart or did Ross do that hisself? Really cool!

Thanks

Lee Rider
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StringBender Musical Instruments selling Gene Parson's StringBender products

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

Lee -- the turtle was done by Larry Robinson. Ross did everything else.

Fact is, Larry & I did not communicate well. I had something in mind that was quite a bit different, based on my own 'artwork' for my tattoo.
Seeing photos of the completed turtle was my biggest disappointment with the whole process. But receiving the guitar and seeing it in person, I like it a LOT better than I feared I would so it's mostly a non-issue.
I was going for something specific that had personal resonance. I ended up with something different that looks good.
It's all good.

Tim Toberer · From: Nebraska, USA

I think it is a very tasteful use of inlay. Normally I am not a big fan, but that is a Rolls Royce if I have ever seen one. I like the turtle.

That is a beast of a copedant, and looks pretty unique. I would love to see an underbelly shot or 2 if possible. Congratulations!

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

Thanks for all the good & nice words.

Tim -- I will do an underside photoshoot soon. I've got a client's beast of a poorly maintained push pull (that he just acquired) on the rack right now that I'm elbows-deep in. Soon as I can take it down.....

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Oh, my! That is an objet d'art!!

The turtle: I'm sorry it's not what you wanted but, without your personal perspective, I think it's very eye-catching. (It would be appropriate on my guitar as an indicator of my speed-picking. Sad

)

Congratulations, Jon, and Ross: It's stunning. Bobby Lee communicated his delight with his Sierra in some private emails we shared.
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Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Chris Templeton · From: The Green Mountain State

Perhaps, the most beautiful pedal steel I've ever seen. Congratulations, Ross, Jon and Tom Baker!
SIERRA - LETTING IT SLIDE! (there's a tag line)
_________________
Excel 3/4 Pedal With An 8 String Hawaiian Neck, Tapper (10 string with a raised fretboard to fret with fingers), Single neck Fessenden 3/5
"The Tapper" : https://christophertempleton.bandcamp.com/album/the-tapper
Soundcloud Playlist: https://soundcloud.com/bluespruce8:

Chris Templeton · From: The Green Mountain State

The use of graphite is interesting. Ned Steinberger designed my Sierra Tapper, with the 2nd compensated bridge and raised fretboard, for fretting/tapping in tune, and I was hoping he'd design a graphite neck, but that didn't materialize.
Ned made blueprints and I wish I still had my copies. I'm guessing Sierra still has theirs.
My double neck Tapper is a bear to haul around in one case. When I went to show Ned my finished double neck, in Maine, I have the image of him hauling that heavy guitar up two sets of stairs to his workshop, while wondering if he wanted help carrying it . The extra raised fretboard weight is what puts it over
the top for me to carry. (It's gym time).
Imagine a changer made out of graphite with it's minimal friction qualities. No more lube.
I'm happy I had the opportunity to have two Tappers made and was able to pay for them at the time.
The single neck has two locking knee levers, one for a damper that comes up and damps the strings from underneath, through the body, and anther locking knee lever to change tunings for tapping, making tapping patterns more symmetrical.
I imagine, for the purposes of lightening up the pedal steel, you can only go so far making the whole body out of graphite), unless the lighter weight of the body can be secured with the body weight sitting in a seat.
Scotty and Mitsuo Fuiji's SGI guitar is super light, but they easily move using the outside knee levers.

On a side note- Buddy had me pack and mail he back two or three Sierra guitars, to the factory, because he decided to go back to a keyed guitar, because, he said, he and people in general, favored the standard look of a keyed guitar, but I think it was mainly because of the PITA of changing strings.

Chris, Buddy, Ned- '92-Hermitage Applebee's,'91 or '92
_________________
Excel 3/4 Pedal With An 8 String Hawaiian Neck, Tapper (10 string with a raised fretboard to fret with fingers), Single neck Fessenden 3/5
"The Tapper" : https://christophertempleton.bandcamp.com/album/the-tapper
Soundcloud Playlist: https://soundcloud.com/bluespruce8:

Chris Templeton · From: The Green Mountain State

Perhaps, the most beautiful pedal steel I've ever seen. Congratulations, Ross and Jon (and Tom)
SIERRA - LETTING IT SLIDE! (there's a tag line).
_________________
Excel 3/4 Pedal With An 8 String Hawaiian Neck, Tapper (10 string with a raised fretboard to fret with fingers), Single neck Fessenden 3/5
"The Tapper" : https://christophertempleton.bandcamp.com/album/the-tapper
Soundcloud Playlist: https://soundcloud.com/bluespruce8:

James Quackenbush · From: Pomona, New York, USA

Congrats Jon, and everyone involved with this beautiful piece of art ! What a gorgeous steel !

When I was. Wee tot, my sister had one of those little plastic ponds with palm trees and a little layout for her pet turtle ….This little setup sat on top of a large decorative wooden cabinet that held linen table clothes, and silverware….It was put there to keep it away from me ! I grabbed a chair from around the dining room table and proceeded to make friends with my sisters turtle !…Everytime I went to talk to this turtle, it would pop its head back inside its shell…. I’m told that this frustrated me, and when that turtles head finally appeared, I bit its head off ! (True story ) My family nicknamed me turtle as my face really did resemble a turtles face !…

That turtle on your steel brought back some strange memories!…Thanks for sharing !….😂

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