8-string Sierra lap steel - YouTube - Walking After Midnight

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 30 Oct 2010 9:13 pm

C6 tuning (w/high G)

CLICK on the Picture below to watch the video!

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 30 Oct 2010 9:25 pm

Doug, can I start a fan club???

That Sierra sounds wonderful. I really enjoyed the slants at around 1:55 and also your pickin at different places on the fret board really added some subtle yet interesting tones to your playin and inspires me to get out my Georgeboards 8 stringer which is also strung with a C6 with the high G. Btw, what are your string gauges for your C6 tuning on this guitar?

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 30 Oct 2010 9:49 pm

Thanks Andy, I'm glad you like it. Yes, the Seirra has a clean, but mellow sound. It's a lot different than I'm used to. Here are the string gauges I'm using:
[tab]
G .012
E .014
C .017
A .020p
G .024w
E .030
C .036
A .042
[/tab]

Peter Lindelauf · Post by **Peter Lindelauf** » 30 Oct 2010 10:54 pm

Out of your dozen videos, that's my new favorite, Doug. Excellent.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 31 Oct 2010 7:25 am

Thanks Peter! I'm recording the audio on the computer now (while video recording), so the audio is a lot cleaner than in my earlier videos. I'm still using a little iPod nano to make the video, but I'm no longer struggling to get a clean sound from the tiny mic in the iPod. Thanks again.

Will Houston · Post by **Will Houston** » 31 Oct 2010 7:47 am

fantastic doug nice slants indeed.the sierra sounds great. just watched your ghost riders again, also fantastic. it inspires me to put my laps under the bed.[/img]

Bill Leff · Post by **Bill Leff** » 31 Oct 2010 8:34 am

So smooth and great tone. I'm sure that Sierra sounds great but I know most of that is in the hands!

Rick Collins · Post by **Rick Collins** » 31 Oct 2010 8:40 am

Neat, Doug!

What's the scale length of that Sierra?
Is that an E-66 pickup?

Jay Yuskaitis · Post by **Jay Yuskaitis** » 31 Oct 2010 9:24 am

Very nice, Doug. Jay Y.

Mel Taylor · Post by **Mel Taylor** » 31 Oct 2010 10:49 am

That was great Doug. It's no wonder you have become my hero on the lap steel.
Mel

Mitch Crane · Post by **Mitch Crane** » 31 Oct 2010 11:03 am

Outstanding Doug ! Playing is superb and the tone of that Sierra is very, very nice.

Les Anderson · Post by **Les Anderson** » 31 Oct 2010 11:27 am

Excellent Doug. The melody was crystal clear from the first note to the last. No noise. Great playing and wonderful tone on that steel.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 31 Oct 2010 11:31 am

As usual Doug your playing is always clear & a pleasure to listen to
there's a frog on this side of the pond croakin'' fo'ya'

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 31 Oct 2010 12:00 pm

I've NEVER been enthusiastic about the Sierra sound however YOU have shown me that the guitar does have the capability to deliver a fabuous sound.

Happy to see you picking down the neck rather than resting your arm and shoulder on the ARM REST(?)....

Great job! Thanx for sharing once again.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 31 Oct 2010 12:48 pm

Thanks to all for the great replies!

* The scale length is 24 1/4"
* George L's pickup (not an E-66). Sierra offers a couple of different George L's. I don't know which one is on this lap steel.
* Grover tuners

More info
Here

As far as the tone... it sounds more like modern a pedal steel than a lap steel! I feel like I'm playing the C6 neck of a pedal steel when I play this guitar. The tone is thick, even, very well balanced.
The guitar is Very heavy, very solid and well built. Made of excellent materials.

There is a metal plate sandwiched between the two hardwood body pieces. That plate runs the entire length of the body, and the keyhead is part of that plate. At first I thought there was an inlay along the side of the body, but that's the metal plate showing. See the pictures below.

I have mixed feelings about the tone. It's certainly not a vintage tone. Vintage tones are thinner and "break up" slightly, which is the sound I'm used to and I like. This Sierra has a modern, humbucking, pedal steel sound to my ears, not a classic lap steel sound. The pickup measures a very hot 17.75 ohms. The new Sierras have an optional 5-way rotary knob, which is some kind of an additional tone control, or maybe a coil tap?

Bottom line: this thing is a BEAST!

Thanks again for the kind replies.

Mitch Crane · Post by **Mitch Crane** » 31 Oct 2010 1:19 pm

There's something about the midrange that I just love about the tone of this guitar. No not your bright vintage sound but VERY appealing...to me at least. I'm going to be checking into one of these more closely... comes with legs I see also..being heavy, that might be nice.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 31 Oct 2010 1:29 pm

Hi Mitch, yes, the optional legs would be nice to have! According to the Sierra site the guitar sells for $1495.00, and the legs would be additional. A couple of used Sierras have sold here on the Forum for about $950.

Mitch Crane · Post by **Mitch Crane** » 31 Oct 2010 1:42 pm

Doug, according to this link;

http://www.sierrasteels.com/pages/laptop.html

looks like the legs are included in the description for the list price ?

OK, anyone got a used one they wanna sell !! ??

Peter Lindelauf · Post by **Peter Lindelauf** » 31 Oct 2010 1:59 pm

You made another fan today, Doug. We hire a 16 year old kid to help out with the garden this time of year. He's got some musical aptitude. (His grandma is a great blues singer and my wife plays blues harp to grandma's guitar as a duo they do, now and then.) Couple of weeks ago, gave him my starter lap steel--a Chinese Recording King tuned to open G. During our lunch break today, showed him your video to demonstrate the potential of C6 tuning vs open G or D. Think I hooked him. Or you did, actually. Your videos are always entertaining but educational to boot. I've learned a lot from your tabs but even more from watching your videos. Thanks.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 31 Oct 2010 2:05 pm

Yes, it does look like the legs are included in the $1495... my mistake. I bought my Sierra used, so I'm not familiar with the prices of new ones.

High-gloss Black
George L 10-1 pickup
3 telescoping legs w/bag
Hardshell case
Grover Tuners
24 1/4 inch scale
String spacing on center Nut 5/16", Bridge 716"

List Price: $1,495.00

SL-8 options:
High-Gloss Cherry Finish add $100.00
George L 105 pickup w/5 way rotary switch add $135.00

BTW, the wide string spacing is really comfortable! That's a big plus for slants, especially considering the fairly long scale length.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 31 Oct 2010 2:09 pm

During our lunch break today, showed him your video to demonstrate the potential of C6 tuning vs open G or D. Think I hooked him. Or you did, actually.

That's great, Peter! Thanks for sharing that story

Carl McLaughlin · Post by **Carl McLaughlin** » 31 Oct 2010 3:20 pm

Thanks so much for the great video and all the specs on the guitar.I have been looking at one to buy for awhile ,now i think i'll try one..Carl

Stephen Abruzzo · Post by **Stephen Abruzzo** » 31 Oct 2010 3:34 pm

Just great playing Doug. Your stylings have given me the impetus to explore C6.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 31 Oct 2010 3:51 pm

Thanks Carl and Stephen, yes, C6 is a great all-round tuning!

David Eastwood · Post by **David Eastwood** » 31 Oct 2010 4:08 pm

Great stuff, Doug. I have a Melbert 8-string under construction, for which I specified 'low G' C6 tuning - watching this, I wonder if I should have gone for high G

The Steel Guitar Forum

8-string Sierra lap steel - YouTube - Walking After Midnight

8-string Sierra lap steel - YouTube - Walking After Midnight

About that Sierra.....................

Serria