If you have 2 steels, should they be the same?

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 25 May 2006 9:38 am

I think they sould be.

My 2 MSAs are set up identically, and my forthcoming Millennium is being set up the exact same way. Theoretically, if I sat down at them with my eyes closed I wouldn't know which one I was playing.

I know others who have 2 or more steels that are quite different from each other.

I like the 25 inch scale of the Excel, and toyed with the idea of getting one, but I think that switching from a 24 inch scale of the MSA to the longer one every time I switched guitars would be a problem.

What do you guys think?

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Jim Gorrie · Post by **Jim Gorrie** » 25 May 2006 9:45 am

. . . I think I wish I had two steels ! !

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 25 May 2006 9:51 am

vive le difference!

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Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 25 May 2006 10:18 am

Dave, do your Zum and ZB have the same scale length, and it not, it is a problem?

BTW, my 2 MSAs sound quite different from eaqch other, and like Dave, I like that aspect of having more than one. But they feel the same.

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 25 May 2006 11:31 am

I have three different brands -- all with very similar setups but none identical

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Jim Harper · Post by **Jim Harper** » 25 May 2006 11:43 am

I have 3 different steel,s and they are set up the same==Jim harper

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 25 May 2006 12:04 pm

I have two 12-string E9th's and they are identical except for scale length. Same string spacing, pedal spacing and 5+5 copedent.

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Ron ! · Post by **Ron !** » 25 May 2006 12:18 pm

I have a couple and neither one of um is the same.I play both Day and Emmons set-ups.Just something that I like to do.
But I can understand that people like the difference in scale.I have to try that once.

Ron

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Marc Friedland · Post by **Marc Friedland** » 25 May 2006 1:41 pm

Mike,
I own and play 2 Carter S10's. One is 3 & 5 and the other is 4 & 5. Other than that, and that one is pre-BCT, they are pretty much identical. This works great for my needs.
-- Marc

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 25 May 2006 2:37 pm

Don't have problem,can't afford but one at a time.

Ken Williams · Post by **Ken Williams** » 25 May 2006 2:48 pm

I have two D10s, both Emmons. For the most part, they are set up the same. When I play another steel, it's not so much the set up that bothers me, but general feel of the guitar. Maybe it's the string spacing, height, pedals that don't hit bottom at the same height or something like that. I just know that I feel uncomfortable when moving from one brand to another.

Ken

Damien Odell · Post by **Damien Odell** » 25 May 2006 3:00 pm

I will soon have 2 steels. The new one will be ZB tuning, and I plan to leave the other as standard emmons E9 setup. If I have major trouble adjusting to the different setups then I will alter one, but I think it will be ok. Both same scale length.

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 25 May 2006 3:04 pm

Three steels, only difference between 'em is RKR. Me, the volume pedal, and RKR have an ongoing feud...[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 26 May 2006 at 07:42 AM.]

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 25 May 2006 3:45 pm

Thats why I sold my other steels and play strictly ZB's now. I vote for them being the same.

Larry Jamieson · Post by **Larry Jamieson** » 25 May 2006 4:05 pm

I have an MSA and a Zum, both set up the same. The MSA stays set up in my shop for practice, the Zum goes to the gigs. In the middle of a solo in a fast song, you don't have time to think about what guitar you're playing and how the set up works... Larry J.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 25 May 2006 4:14 pm

Mike, I'd say they should be exactly different. Of course, some might argue they should be slightly undifferent.

Either way is perfectly acceptable to those who are not in concurrance.

Howard Tate · Post by **Howard Tate** » 25 May 2006 4:20 pm

I have a Mullen and Carter, and I wish they were set up the same. Mullen is 8X5, Carter is 8X8. I may add some changes to the Mullen, but it's so nice I hate to fool with it. The hardest for me to handle is the difference in the left verticle knees.

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Randy Gilliam · Post by **Randy Gilliam** » 25 May 2006 6:44 pm

I have 2 Setup The same Rains Black 3 Weeks Old I Love It . Emmons Black 3 Days Old I love it also. Both are D10 8 and 5.

Tracy Sheehan · Post by **Tracy Sheehan** » 25 May 2006 7:40 pm

This was a new one for me.I have owned many differend brand of steels over the years and never had this happen.A few years back i sold my D10 i had used on the road for many years.I had owned ZB"s etc.
I had figured out how to do about every thing on the country neck 10 string except the low C note on the C 6th.I used a D9th inverted tuning.
Abouut 3 years ago i bought a sd10.Put my ignorant tuning and pedal set up on it and loved it.Not long after i traded it in on a D10 same brand.
i never did get used to the D10.It never felt right to me and was hard to play.Never did figure it out.Weird.Sold it and the one i sold it to never got used to it either.
About 3 weeks ago i bought another new sd10 (different brand) and it plays like a steel should.Can't figure it out.Any one else ever have that experience?Tracy

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 25 May 2006 9:42 pm

My two pedal steels, Emmons and GFI both have the Emmons setup. My Emmons has three pedals and one knee and my GFI Ultra D-10's got eight pedals and five knees. Brett, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel, GFI Ultra D-10

Pat Kelly · Post by **Pat Kelly** » 25 May 2006 10:04 pm

damien,

ZB tuning?

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 26 May 2006 12:36 am

Zane Beck had his own tuning in which I believe the strings were arranged in ascending order, instead of having the chromatic strings in the 1 and 2 positions.

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David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 26 May 2006 3:33 am

My C neck is different than my E neck.
And my S-14U should be different
than the other two.

If I had 2 D-10s one would always either
be the practice one or the road one.
Same, Same.

With different steels, different sounds fo different situations.

James Marlowe · Post by **James Marlowe** » 26 May 2006 4:03 am

I use to leave my Zum set up at church and practiced on a GFI at home. The set-up was almost identical, but the guitars were too different: the Zum has a little longer scale plus the pedals are placed farther to the left. Naturally I was more accustomed to the GFI and when I played in church once or twice a week I really struggled. Well, I no longer leave one at church, so I sold the GFI. I believe my playing has improved because of it. So, in answer to your question, the two steels should be the same, IMOH.
james

Ernie Pollock · Post by **Ernie Pollock** » 26 May 2006 4:15 am

I play whats ever sitting around here, I usually play a 12 string but I have a 10 string also that I like. I have my More Bass tuning on it so I can play a little rhythm steel & power chords, with the 12 I have to skip a string to to that, but I am so used to doing it that its not a problem. I can get used to a regular E9th setup in just a minute or so. I have also played both the Emmons & Day setups, went to the Emmons setup because I like to reach over with my right foot and play the 3rd pedal E to F# change on some Mooney things.

Ernie Pollock

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