How many of you have a pedal steel seat?

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

I have 2 seats, 1 looks home made out of pine boards, Has the squeeze and fold legs, Comfortable Seat, But no back rest.

My 2nd seat came to me as a Gift. I have adjusted, Cut or Changed a lot on it for comfort & service. It was Brown when I got it, Now its Black.
It stood 22" tall when I got it. Cut legs till it stands 19" tall. Vinyl seat area cover now upholstery fabric. Back Rest foam was to thick, Cut from 4" to a contoured 1 1/4" thick.
Also added aluminum angle to bottom edge, And corners with big round chrome head nails, To protect seat in transit.
About only original thing left is the brass tag, With the givers nickname.
Very comfortable when I played long shows in a house band, Wood Shed time at home.

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

I now play steel at home, and I'm using my Out West pac-a-seat that I got in '03

James Holland · From: Alabama, USA

I thought a proper seat was a luxury, but after getting one as a gift, its essential. It goes with my steel, or I don't go.

Jeffery Mercer · From: Born in Portsmouth Oh. 12/10/1954

I don’t understand the thinking of some pedal steel guitar players…that associate having or more importantly not having a good, comfortable, pack-a-seat such as a Walker, or Steelers Choice Seat, because there prowess on there pedal steel isn’t as good as someone else’s? What’s that got to do with your comfort? Or they say they can’t afford one? Yet even a cheap used pedal steel that’s at the very least “playable” will cost $1100/$1500, what I’m trying to say is…how good you are at playing a pedal steel has nothing to do with whether you own or don’t own a nice custom seat that’s made for a pedal steel player, there not that expensive…I don’t even own a pedal steel guitar as yet, and I purchased a beautiful Steelers Choice Sidekick Pro that looks brand new for $200! You don’t have to play like Buddy Emmons to justify buying yourself a decent pac-a-seat! Nobody’s gonna put you down or say “hey! What are you doing with that nice lookin Steelers Choice Seat? You don’t play well enuff to have one of those!” Know what I say? Save up for a few weeks and get that nice custom seat you’ve been wanting, but avoiding because you feel you don’t deserve one…
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Jeffery S. Mercer

Jacob Yergert · From: Centennial, Colorado, USA

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

When I first started gigging in the early 1970's I just sat on my tweed Bassman amp but it could get hot and uncomfortable so I found a padded folding chair that I carried until it fell apart. About that time I discovered the SGF and all the great resources available here, which led me to buy a used ShoBud seat and eventually order my first Sidekick with a back from Steelers Choice. That was a couple of decades ago now, and at this point I have purchased several Steelers Choice seats, all with backs, and most of them in color combinations to match my stage guitars. I am down to three now, one for home use, on in the studio, and one packed with gig necessities and spares and ready to take to work. Can't see playing without it!

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

After nearly a half-century of plopping my butt on an ancient Samsonite folding chair, I finally broke down and purchased a used one of indeterminate origin. It eliminated the Samsonite and the small suitcase I once carried. A win/win.

David Wisson · From: Bedford, Bedfordshire, England

Hi All this is my Pedal Steel seat and mixing table. When I first started playing it was any chair at the Gig. until Slough Irish club when the lead singer heard me say how comfortable that stool was. On the way home he pulled the stool out of the van. Used it for years. It got so battered one of the band members tried to throw it out of the van while I was driving. I saw him in the rear view mirror opening the back door with my stool in the other hand. I braked hard as the back door slammed shut he threw the stool back in the van and it hit his wife. I never said a word. Left that to an angry wife! Dave Very Happy

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

I'm pleased to see that old photo of Buddy just making do with what was handy.

It's a lesson to us all!

Having said that, I simply can't imagine being without my Steelers' Choice seat; a consistent height, bags of storage space (especially if you take out those dividers in the main compartment Smile

) and the reassuring sense that you have everything you might need close at hand. Allen wrenches, spare bars and picks, e-clips and bell-cranks; mine is so full that I suspect Lord Lucan is hiding in there, too.

I'd also add that the Rollans' product is so good that I don't know how they stay in business! Mine was new in 2000 and I don't foresee ever needing another. It's still flawless.
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Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Bill McCloskey · From: Nanuet, NY

One of the biggest mistakes I made when I first started playing pedals was buying a pacseat. The height isn't adjustable and i had no idea what height i would need. I ended up getting shorter legs and rods to match the seat rather than find a seat that adjusted to the pedal steel I was playing.

I recently got this from amazon for $60. Folds up flat, weighs nothing and the height is adjustable.

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Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@steelguitarunionhall

Bob Shilling · From: Berkeley, CA, USA

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Bob:

I picked my analogy after some thought. As I'm now an American, my instinct was to quote the 'Lindbergh Baby' but, as that ended tragically, it seemed in poor taste.

Lucan, on the other hand, was probably just guilty of shenanigans and, while there was loss of life (the nanny), it's a more prosaic and less shocking tale.

PS: I've now checked - there's no sign of His Lordship anywhere in my pack-a-seat. There's a lot of stuff I haven't seen in years, though!
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Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Michael Rademacher · From: Killeen, Texas

I am new at this, only a month or so in, but already I can appreciate my Walker seat. I can't say it helps me play any better, as my palm blocking is still horrible, but at least I am not sore when I get up after 20-30 minutes of practicing.
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2024 Rittenberry SD10 4&5 Prestige
May God have mercy on my no-music-theory-having soul.

Andrew Goulet · Posted 5 May 2024 7:16 am

I've tried a packseat before and didn't like it. There was no height adjustment, and it was really heavy, big, and awkward to carry. I also didn't like having to stand up to get into the case on stage.

I use a Roc-a-Soc motorcycle seat drum throne now and love it. Very, very comfy for hours of playing and very adjustable. I recently used it for a 16 hour session and felt absolutely fine after. I use a small hard case from Harbor Freight for my electronics and other gear. I use a ZT Club live, so even though I have 4 pieces of gear, they're all relatively small and manageable.
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Marlen S12 and a ZT Club

Bob Shilling · From: Berkeley, CA, USA

Lee Rider · From: Fort Bragg, California, USA

I guess anything will work but I need a back rest.

Sneaky Pete and Gene Parsons used road cases playing with the Burritos. Gene now uses a drum throne:

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StringBender Musical Instruments selling Gene Parson's StringBender products

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

If all I was doing was playing, the backless option might work.

Endless rehearsals and production days, during which time the band is spending hours sitting on their hands and not being required to actually play, have taught me that something to lean back on and lightly doze Smile

is invaluable!
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Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Bob!!!

Amelia!! Of course!

I forgot to look for her.

I also didn't think to look out for Shergar, either.

(See Wikipedia...)

I did find a Bosstone, though. Smile

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Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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chuck lemasters · From: Jacksonburg, WV

I used a folding metal chair, then a GFI seat for twenty five years, finally bought a Walker with a back rest two or three years ago, so much more comfortable.

Phillip Hermans · From: Berkeley, California, USA

Since this thread has been defrosted I'd like to know who all is still building seats for sale.

So far I have identified these three:

Steelers Choice https://www.steelerschoice.com/
Steel Guitar East: https://www.steelguitareast.com/seats.html
Gruene Road Cases: https://www.grueneroadcases.com/psg-seats-cases

Any other builders that y'all can add to this list?

John Sims · From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Thornton Lewis · From: New York, USA

I have a Gruene. It was expensive (over $300.)
For me it was worth it for two reasons. First, once I get the legs adjusted to account for the tilt in your darn floor, it's nice to have something that puts everything where my body is used to being. Second, I can leave a bunch of stuff in it and not have to think: do I have extra strings, picks, a bar, a tuning wrench, a string winder, an Allen wrench for my splits, an extra cord, etc. Plus all my outboard stuff fits in it, because I have a minimal rig. Black box, volume pedal,battery powered pedal power, reverb pedal, delay, and all my cords fit in the thing. I'm used to packing it so I can tell if something is missing.
Steel, Amp, pack a seat and I am done. The Gruene is built like a tank, but it ain't cheap. I love mine, but it's a want not a need. I used a piano stool for a couple of years.

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