Check out my first PSG!!!

[Justin Lee]

Guys,

Thanks for all of your help in deciding on my first PSG. After deciding I couldn't wait any longer I made the trip to see Bobby Seymour at his Nashville shop.

I tried most everything on the floor, but this one just flat-out did it for me, and I had to bring it home:









I don't know a lot about it except that its a S10 Custom P/P 3x5 and that I really, really dig the tone. It reminds a lot of my telecaster, especially when I pick down near the bridge.

Bobbe wrote on the receipt that it was formerly owned by Pat Severs, of "Pirates of the Mississippi", and that he played it on "You Can Be A Star" and the "Nashville Star" tv-shows.

Bobbe's famous for throwing in a load of goodies and true to form, he loaded me up with cds, books and videos. Thankfully I have his video on PushPull Maintenance, so hopefully I'll one day figure out how to tune this beast without too much trouble.

I have no idea what makes these p/p guitars sound so good, and I really tried to like something else as much. In the end the tonality got me - it bites like my Tele and feels great to play. There were several guitars that had far smoother mechanics and sounded very, very good. I understand why everyone has such varied opinions on these old push-pulls. They sound great, and if you can live with their complexities and quirks you probably won't be disappointed. That said, I'm a convert!

If any of you are familiar with this model, I'd love to know more about it.

Thanks again for your help!

Regards,

Justin Lee

[Russ Tkac]

Justin,

That looks great and for a first steel I think you're done!

I picked up a PP S-10 a few months ago and I know what you mean. They sound sweet.

Enjoy,
Russ

[Scott Shipley]

Great googledy-woogledy Justin, that's a beauty!
Congrats!

[Pete Woronowski]

Way to go Justin, looks great!
Take care, Pete

[C Dixon]

Congratulations Justin,

That is a fine looking Axe. May Jesus bring you years of joy and entertainment with that gorgeous PSG dear friend.

There is NO sound, IMO, to have ever come out of a Pedal Steel Guitar like an Emmon's P/P that has "that" sound. Some didn't. So be blessed.

My '69 did not have it.

There are a number of theories why many of them had "that" sound. Ron Lashley Sr, told me, "I know why". Sadly he never told me why. Even though I pressed him. I seem to recall that Bobbe Seymour once said, he knew why.

All I know is, you know it the moment you sit down behind one that has it, and of course when one doesn't have it.

Several years ago, I had a student in Atlanta, that bought one, and it HAD it! I could not get over it. Incidently his was a single neck also. But I have heard it on D-10's as well. Mine was a D-10.

Larry Sasser had a D-10 that had it also.

Finally, THAT is the sound my head wants to hear, not only when I play, but when I hear anyone else play; with the lone exception of Jerry Byrd. But he did not play pedals. None the less his "touch and tone" was absolute. May Jesus rest his precious soul.

carl

[Nick Reed]

Justin,
Congratulations, Great choice! I saw this guitar the other day while at Bobbe's. You can't go wrong with a Emmons.
BTW, I've got a '64 Fender Deluxe Reverb that looks just like that one you have in the pictures.


Nick

[Justin Lee]

Justin,
Congratulations, Great choice! I saw this guitar the other day while at Bobbe's. You can't go wrong with a Emmons. Hey, are the guy who I talked with on the phone from Bobbe's? . . . .thursday I think. Bobbe had me describing the guitar to someone while I was there.

BTW, I've got a '64 Fender Deluxe Reverb that looks just like that one you have in the pictures.


Nick

Nick,

That wasn't me, but I did buy the guitar on Thursday. BTW, how did you describe it? This is my first one, so I don't know much about it.

The DR in the photo is a '64 also. I also have a '54 tweed Twin that I'm looking forward to testing with the Emmons. The DR's sound great a weigh a fraction of a Twin Reverb!

[Jim Eaton]

Welcome to the "club", you'll never regret buying a PP and that's a really looker too!
JE:-)>

[Al Marcus]

Justin-Real nice. Is that Bill Lawrence Pickup on there? Bill knows his pickups. For your first steel, you were lucky to get a good one....al.:)

[David Doggett]

Wow, that's one of the most beautiful Emmons p/p ever made. You are so lucky Bobbe had that on hand. If you ever want to try another pedal steel, start saving your cash, 'cause you will never want to trade that one away. I'm sure that is a nice ballsy, quiet humbucker. But someday you will have to swap a single coil in there to hear that variety of push/pull tone. All in good time. You are set for now for sure.

[Cliff Kane]

Justin:
Congrats! That is a gorgeous guitar, and I bet it sounds as good as it looks. It sure looks like a keeper. Nice amp, too!

Cheers,
Cliff

[James Collett]

Whatever you do, DON'T sell it, evvvvverrrrr!

[Dave Magram]

Justin,

Congratulations on your new Emmons push-pull guitar!

It is a myth that Emmons push-pull guitars are difficult to adjust or keep in adjustment. They are very sturdy guitars, very well designed, built with rugged, high-quality parts, and the mechanics are very easy to understand (pull to raise, push to lower).

Once the guitar is set up properly (and I'm sure that Bobbe's team has already done this), it is unlikely you will have to touch the undercarriage for many years to come, if ever.

However, it's always useful to have a repair manual around "just in case".

I'd highly recommend Clem Schmitz's bargain-priced booklet "Methodology And Practice In Pedal Steel Guitar"($11). Clem used to own a steel guitar store and repair shop. In his booklet, Clem explains step by step (with photos) exactly how to adjust push-pull guitars along with several clever little tricks that would take a very long time to figure out.
He sells the booklet on eBay. It is currently listed as "Pedal Steel Guitar Methodology P/P Guide Booklet" for $11.
Clem also now sells a DVD for $17 listed as "Pedal Steel Guitar Methodology DVD P/P Guide", and a combo package "Pedal Steel Guitar Methodology P/P Book & DVD Package" for $22.
If you can't find it there, you can contact Clem at: freedomsauce@bellsouth.net

My suggestion is to purchase Clem's booklet, and make a note as to where you put it, 'cuz you probably ain't ever gonna need it!

Dave

[Skip Edwards]

Very nice, Justin. You done good.

[Ken Byng]

Justin.

What an outrageously gorgeous cabinet!! The gold tuners really set off the amber tinted birdseye maple. Bobbe has done you proud with this guitar - it's all you will ever want in a S10. Well worth the trip. I bet Bobbe treated you well - he makes everyone feel special when they go to his store. That guitar will prove to be a really good investment over the years, both musically and financially.

[Danny Bates]

Justin... It's Really Beautiful

Listen to James Collett and don't ever sell it

I'm very excited for you. Congratulations

[Don Sulesky]

Justin
It's a real beauty.
Glad I could be of help in your search.
Don

[Joe McHam]

Justin nice.. Axe.. looks like you are in hog heaven... I know how proud you are.. I got my first S-10 a ZB with 5 pedals and no knees in 1968.. drove all night to go pick it up.. There is a lot of music on that PSG.. Practice... practice and you now know the rest of the story.. .. Oh!! and have fun along the way.. Sounds like Mr. Seymour's store is a great place to shop...

[Bobbe Seymour]

,,, This one didn't even make it to my web-page!

The pictures (or any pictures) don't do this this guitar justice.


Bobbe

[Brett Day]

Justin, my first steel, that I've still got is a 1974 Emmons student model with three pedals and one knee. It's a rosewood color.

Brett

[Jon Light (deceased)]

Justin---as per my last email,

A) outstanding

B) a well adjusted pp will play smooth and solid. Satisfying metal-on-metal clicks as the pedals hit their stops. Not overly long pedal throw. Not stiff. If for any reason your guitar falls short on any of these things, be aware that it can be adjusted until it feels real good. There may be some things that a pp can't do, in comparison with an all-pull guitar, but my pp compares favorably with my other guitars in feel.

[Bobbe Seymour]

Hey Jon Light, name what a P-P can't be made to do, I've built and seen many P-P guitars with ten pedals and ten knees doing everything imaginable.
Sure, some of the double and triple raises and lowers tuned under the guitar, but stayed in tune so perfectly that they never needed tuning. Split tuning? I've been doing it for years. I even built a crossover for the knees once.
Anything can be done, (if you have the money! )

You are mostly correct in my opinion Jon,
Bobbe

[Bobbe Seymour]

Brett, where did you get that '74 student model Emmons? And when? And how much?

Bobbe

[Jon Light (deceased)]

Actually, Bobbe, what I thought you were going to jump on was the implication that the guitar left your shop maybe needing adjustment.
Surprised you didn't go after that!

I'm not nearly stupid enough to go arguing with you on any sort of point like you are making. I defer to you.
But I did have to make some difficult decisions with the pp regarding how to get around the lack of split tuning such as the B pedal + lever 6th string split G note and the A pedal + vert. lever 5th string C.
As I am learning with my new 12 string Pro 1 with 3 + 5, compared with my Carter & Fess 12 string 8 + 8, you make music with what you've got and when you are ready to get serious, there's a whole lot of music to be made with whatever you've got. In some ways I'm making more music with 'less'. There's something liberating about playing a 'stripped down' steel.

[Brett Day]

Brett, where did you get that '74 student model Emmons? And when? And how much?

Bobbe

Bobbe, I got it at Steel Guitar Nashville in 1999.

Brett