Lonestar S6 comments?

Fred Glave · Post by **Fred Glave** » 19 Nov 2009 3:11 pm

Does anybody own one of these? What is the good, bad and ugly on them? I'd been toying with the idea of refubishing my Multi-Kord 6 string. But then I heard about the Lonestar S6, and saw some pictures on the website. How cool is that? I am fascinated by the idea of a modern little light weight 6 stringer with 3X4.

Ryan Barwin · Post by **Ryan Barwin** » 19 Nov 2009 5:20 pm

Why not just get a lightweight keyless S-10 with 3&4?

Ernie Pollock · Post by **Ernie Pollock** » 20 Nov 2009 6:24 am

I agree with Ryan, your going to miss those other 4 strings. I tried a S-10 without the chromatics, & had it set up like an E9th/B6 universal, had 7 pedals & 5 levers on it, bout drove me nuts. I tore it down & made it standard E9th & got myself back on a 12 string. Different strokes [or strings, or tunings] for different folks I guess, but why go backwards??

Ernie

Fred Glave · Post by **Fred Glave** » 20 Nov 2009 9:42 am

Actually, there are a couple of reason why a more "skeletonized" steel could be a good idea for me.

1. I've had either a D10, or a U12 since I started learning to play steel. The problem is that I cannot stay focussed on one tuning, or the other to progress. Consequently, instead of getting good at one, I'm still mediocre at both.

2. Weight! Monday I Wrenched my back..... again carrying my Sho-Bud about 50 yards and down/back-up a flight of stairs.

I agree that giving up strings sounds restricting. I'm actually considering more the 8 string Lonestar,Lite S8 or something like that. A 17lb. steel is tough for me to ignore right now.

Plus, I'm not planning on selling my Sho-Bud Professional D10.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 20 Nov 2009 9:58 am

I have dealt with Jim Flynn at Lonestar and he was wonderful to work with. I think you will be happy with a light weight guitar from him. If you are a pedal steel player then I would go with an 8 string guitar. He can make you whatever you want. His customer service is second to none!! Anything I needed, he helped me with.

Stan Schober · Post by **Stan Schober** » 20 Nov 2009 10:48 am

Fred, like you, i'm very interested in these. I'd go with the s-8 model for myself, but that's because I switch back and forth between my D-10 and S-8 already( and, NO, I don't miss the other strings when I'm playing the S-8

). The only thing I don't care for is the Headstock extending off the end of the cabinet. I realise that this is probably a big reason WHY there is no cabinet drop,because of the short cabinet length.
Otherwise, from what I've seen, Mr. Flynn does a fantastic job with these guitars, and they sound great.

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 20 Nov 2009 12:30 pm

I have had some dealings with Mr. Flynn and he is a good guy.
I believe he built these as a alternative for a bad back situation.
Having played one at his shop I think they work Very Well. No problems that I could tell.
All the notes are on the guitar... get it set up the way you like.
Call Jim up and get the strait info,

Ryan Barwin · Post by **Ryan Barwin** » 21 Nov 2009 4:18 pm

Fred Glave wrote:Actually, there are a couple of reason why a more "skeletonized" steel could be a good idea for me.

1. I've had either a D10, or a U12 since I started learning to play steel. The problem is that I cannot stay focussed on one tuning, or the other to progress. Consequently, instead of getting good at one, I'm still mediocre at both.

Some players may disagree, but I think the use of the extra strings make a big difference between mediocre and really good players. If you're playing a 6 string instrument that is designed just for the very basics, how do you get past being mediocre? You'd likely get stuck playing the same kind of stuff and progress less than you are now.
As for light steels, I think Jackson is making an S-10 that's only about 20lbs...something to consider.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 21 Nov 2009 5:23 pm

Ryan Barwin wrote:
As for light steels, I think Jackson is making an S-10 that's only about 20lbs...something to consider.

The Jackson is light weight...HEAVY price...$2400!!

You can get a guitar from Jim for LOT less, and it is a great one of a kind instrument.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 21 Nov 2009 5:51 pm

Ryan Barwin wrote:...I think the use of the extra strings make a big difference between mediocre and really good players. If you're playing a 6 string instrument that is designed just for the very basics, how do you get past being mediocre? You'd likely get stuck playing the same kind of stuff and progress less than you are now.

I see it just the other way 'round. To me, though I probably wouldn't be happy with only 6 strings, 8 strings might be plenty. We keep complicating an instrument taht's already past the point of it's being mastered by anyone...there's just too much there. Players add strings and pedals...and more strings and pedals, and wind up using only a fraction of the potential they started with. Oh sure, I'm hearing more of those blending/morphing chords, but the actual music has suffered. It seems like all we're doing is coming up with new stuff that adds little or nothing, musically. Yeah, you've put every pedal and every move and 37 chords into one song that falls on it's face to anyone except another steelplayer. Screw the technical wizardry of morphing a M7b5 into an +11th. Where's the music? Where's the soul and emotion? It's as though we've given up on anything but more strings and more pedals to expand our techniques and possiblities. Spend some time listening to some concert violinists. (You might learn to appreciate what can be done with just a few strings.) Listen to "Steel Guitar Jazz" - one knee lever. Listen to "Big Hits On Big Steel" - no knee levers.

Fo a better example, listen to the famous Dobro players of yesterday, Brother Oswald, Shot Jackson, Deacon Brumfield. Now listen to Jerry Douglas, and ask yourself this question: How do all other instrumentalists seem to progress without adding extra pedals, strings, valves, levers, or other gizmos to their instruments?

Food for thought, anyway.

Jay Jessup · Post by **Jay Jessup** » 21 Nov 2009 7:51 pm

If I can add one more 'listen to' to Donny's thought it would be listen to Joaquin Murphey in his Spade Cooley/Tex Williams days. It's hard to imagine any steel player swinging with more fire than he did back then and that was only 8 strings and no pedals and most of that stuff was on a C6 or maybe a slightly modified C6/A7 tuning, it sure didn't hold him back from being one of the greats!

Ryan Barwin · Post by **Ryan Barwin** » 21 Nov 2009 9:07 pm

Donny, you do have a good point. A great player can do more with less and is not limited by a minimalist setup. But what I was referring to is the tendency of a lot of players to stomp on the A and B pedals constantly without using the setup to its full potential. Adding strings and pedals/levers can open up new musical ideas to help break that habit.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 21 Nov 2009 10:58 pm

Ryan Barwin wrote:Some players may disagree, but I think the use of the extra strings make a big difference between mediocre and really good players. If you're playing a 6 string instrument that is designed just for the very basics, how do you get past being mediocre? You'd likely get stuck playing the same kind of stuff and progress less than you are now.

A lot of people only play 6 strings on their D-10 pedal steels. Seriously! Strings 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 on the E9th. Did Jerry Garcia ever touch strings 1, 2, 7 or 9? I'm not sure that he did.

I'm getting a lot of music out of my S-8. Almost all of this waltz I recorded recently was played on the top 6 strings:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ4Z0Yz3JWs

I really believe that limitations are in the mind of the player, not in the instrument that he's playing.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 22 Nov 2009 6:09 am

What Bobby just said is what I'm always trying to stress. Limitations aren't in our guitars, they're in our minds.

...what I was referring to is the tendency of a lot of players to stomp on the A and B pedals constantly without using the setup to its full potential. Adding strings and pedals/levers can open up new musical ideas to help break that habit.

A lot of simple music does just fine with simple moves. If all you're playing is classic country (Buck, Merle, Ray, that kind of stuff) you don't really need a lot of pedals. What you play is dictated by the music, and "playing simple" didn't seem to hurt the career of Mooney, Drake, or Red Rhodes. The problem with adding pedals and levers to eliminate boredom is that sooner or later you run out of spaces to put them - but you're still bored. Electric guitar players have the same problem, sometimes. They can't get their mind around anything new, musically, so they buy another stomp-box, and another, and another. Meanwhile, there's the rare player that just plugs into an amp and flat amazes people with what he does.

Maybe it is time for a 4+4 six stringer!

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 22 Nov 2009 9:04 am

You mean like my imaginary PedalCaster?

In all seriousness, I have the design pretty well thought out. I need someone to build a prototype or three to my specifications. It's not to be a "high end" pedal steel by any means, but it is uniquely different from current designs. Any takers?

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 22 Nov 2009 10:26 am

b0b,Nice playing and a great sounding set up you've got going on.

Jim Eaton · Post by **Jim Eaton** » 22 Nov 2009 5:12 pm

B0b,
Nice sounding clip! I had to LOL when you put the little note in the video about leaving out the KL!
JE:-)>

Fred Glave · Post by **Fred Glave** » 23 Nov 2009 10:43 am

I definitly want no less than an 8 string steel. I love the combo of the 5th and 8th strings too much to give that up. For me, I think that by bringing it all back down to 8 strings on a single neck will help me. With 2 tunings in front of me, I have too much and tend to wander around, frittering away my time on a D10. (Maybe I have A.D.D.) It seems like I made my biggest strides when I only had the old 6 string Mult-Kord set up. Better touch, tone and confidence. Obviously, that's a little too basic, and primitive, and I've outgown that.

John Coffman · Post by **John Coffman** » 25 Nov 2009 12:57 pm

S6 is a nice sounding steel it is really compact. Quality is good. Jim is a fine guy to work with and I know 1st hand he gives great customer service. Just be warned it is compact and if you are over 6 foot and 250 lbs it could be a challenge to play. Having said that Jim can make it fit you if needed. If you just play local gigs and you can work with just 6 strings. This could be a fit for you. I have two Lonestars One is a SD10 Keyless the other a S10.

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Lonestar S6 comments?

Lonestar S6 comments?

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