Pedal Steel Players Prefer Manual Transmission Vehicles?

Gus Callaway · Post by **Gus Callaway** » 29 May 2022 9:01 pm

Curious to know, please respond to the poll above.

Brendan Mitchell · Post by **Brendan Mitchell** » 29 May 2022 9:08 pm

I prefer auto .

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 29 May 2022 11:05 pm

Brendan Mitchell wrote:I prefer auto .

Me too, even though I can use both auto and manual. In the UK, most drivers use a manual gear shift with a clutch.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 30 May 2022 4:42 am

I would like an automatic pedal steel.

Floyd Lowery · Post by **Floyd Lowery** » 30 May 2022 5:31 am

Charlie McDonald wrote:I would like an automatic pedal steel.

Anne Marie Werbitsky · Post by **Anne Marie Werbitsky** » 30 May 2022 5:39 am

I'm a manual labourer. Master your pedals, no need to grind gears.
Clutch is smooth like a Franklin.
Don't be neutral, Steelers, shift over.

Al Evans · Post by **Al Evans** » 30 May 2022 5:49 am

Always had stick shift cars until Austin traffic got so stop-and-go.

--Al Evans

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 30 May 2022 7:33 am

I bought my first car (a 1955 manual-transmission Jaguar MK7) that was a real challenge to a learner-driver.

The clutch had a long 'throw', with four forward gears, the Jag gearbox of the day had 1st and 'reverse' right next to each other and I'll admit I engaged the wrong one on occasion.

1st gear also had no synchromesh and double-declutching was required to drop down into 1st. Believe me, learning to drive on that car with its heavy steering made any subsequent vehicle an absolute breeze.

When I took my driving test, I thought it best not to prejudice the examiner against me (an 18-year-old showing up in a Jaguar), so I booked an hour with the local British School of Motoring branch - 30 minutes 'refresher tuition' and 30 minutes for the test. They provided a Ford Anglia - a tiny kiddie-car by comparison with mine - with a precise and easy-to-use 'box, not to mention its light clutch. I passed first time.

Thereafter, all the Jags I bought were automatics and only the 1986 Audi Avant (I defected from Jaguar briefly) had a stick-shift.

Here in the USA, it's been a succession of Lincoln Town Cars, all of them strictly two-pedal! I hope I've shifted my last gear.

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 30 May 2022 1:50 pm

Like Al, I stuck with the stick until the traffic got heavy and I wanted to save my left foot for steelin'!
Wish I'd swapped sooner. The last automatic I'd driven was in the 70s and I didn't realise how good the modern transmissions are

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 30 May 2022 5:58 pm

One of our daily drivers is a 5-speed stick, the other an automatic. Each has its advantages; driving the stick makes me feel more connected to the road, but with the automatic I can set the cruise control, get in the back, and make a sandwich.

Larry Allen · Post by **Larry Allen** » 30 May 2022 7:09 pm

4 speed floor stick it is!

Daniel Stein · Post by **Daniel Stein** » 30 May 2022 7:20 pm

I use the very first automatic transmission lol (the oldsmobile hydramatic transmission)

John Drury · Post by **John Drury** » 1 Jun 2022 7:53 am

Ken Byng wrote:
Brendan Mitchell wrote:I prefer auto .
Me too, even though I can use both auto and manual. In the UK, most drivers use a manual gear shift with a clutch.

Ken,

Y'all drive on the opposite side of the road, and the wheel is on the right, so do you boys use the Day setup over there?

C - Brake

B - Clutch

A - Foot feed

Gus Callaway · Post by **Gus Callaway** » 1 Jun 2022 4:40 pm

I've got my brake on RKR

Robert Jones · Post by **Robert Jones** » 2 Jun 2022 5:08 am

Up until I retired a couple years ago, I drove for a local Excavation company. My trucks had 9 speeds, 10 speeds, and 18 speeds. Now that I am retired I have an automatic pick-up truck. I can still go either way.

Don R Brown · Post by **Don R Brown** » 2 Jun 2022 6:47 am

For daily "family car" stuff we have automatics. When we got the '92 Corvette, it's an automatic because my wife can just barely drive a stick if she HAD to, but she enjoys driving it too. I'm working on a basket-case '64 Vette, and that WILL be a 4-speed, no question about it.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 2 Jun 2022 8:09 am

Removed...

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 2 Jun 2022 9:54 am

John Drury wrote:
Ken Byng wrote:
Brendan Mitchell wrote:I prefer auto .
Me too, even though I can use both auto and manual. In the UK, most drivers use a manual gear shift with a clutch.
Ken,

Y'all drive on the opposite side of the road, and the wheel is on the right, so do you boys use the Day setup over there?

C - Brake

B - Clutch

A - Foot feed

It's BCA John - although both of my Mercs are automatic. Back in the 1970's, almost everyone that played pedal steel in the UK played Day setup. I still play Day to this day. Sorry for the awful pun.

Bobby Hearn · Post by **Bobby Hearn** » 2 Jun 2022 12:50 pm

3 on the tree and a 5th under the seat!

Robert B Murphy · Post by **Robert B Murphy** » 3 Jun 2022 6:50 pm

'86 Dodge 150: Chrysler 318 with an A727.
'97 Dodge Ram 2500: Cummins 6bt with an NV4500. I like them both.

Oh yeah...Carter D-10.

Bruce Derr · Post by **Bruce Derr** » 17 Jun 2022 5:19 pm

My first experience driving a stick was in Harry Guffee's little Subaru wagon in 1977. We were on our way to Jeff Newman's school, Connecticut to Tennessee, and at one point he was getting sleepy. He pulled over and said something like, "Don't worry, once you get into top gear you'll be fine." I chirped and lunged my way back onto the highway, and somehow we made it and had a great week with Jeff.

Not long after, in late '78, I bought my first-ever new car, a '79 Civic 5-speed. The way I drove it out of the parking lot must have given the dealer folks a good laugh. But I took to it and learned, and I haven't owned anything but manuals since then. I'm back in a Honda now, 2010 Fit. Noisy on the highway but otherwise a great car for a musician.

Dave Meis · Post by **Dave Meis** » 17 Jun 2022 7:32 pm

The only right-hand drive car I had was a '52 Bentley. It had the 'usual' pedals.. gas on the right, clutch on the left, but the shift (4 speed) was on the right..next to the door (which was suicide). Almost had to step over the shifter to get out! I had a LOT of fun in that car!!

Robert B Murphy · Post by **Robert B Murphy** » 20 Jun 2022 2:11 pm

You can always tell someone new to a right/left hand drive by seeing the wipers come on when making a turn.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 20 Jun 2022 2:48 pm

Stick for me for the past 40 years. Before that I had a couple of automatics.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 20 Jun 2022 3:06 pm

Dave Meis:

I remember those well! The Bentley Mk 6 and its successor, the R-Type, had that off-side mounted shift.

I've always managed to get my trouser-leg caught on it. It doesn't make for a dignified exit!

The Steel Guitar Forum

Pedal Steel Players Prefer Manual Transmission Vehicles?

How do you feel about manual transmission vehicles?

Pedal Steel Players Prefer Manual Transmission Vehicles?

manual transmission all the way!

Stick