What is the pedal steel with the quickest set up/take down

Ryan Lunenfeld · From: Colorado, USA

Question for you all:

What is the pedal steel with the quickest set up/take down? I'd like to get back into pedal, but...the last one I had was an EMCI and it wasn't too fun to set up/take down.

Is there anything super quick? I don't want to leave it at the practice space, and would love to be able to take it to gigs with just about as much ease as my lap steel(probably not going to happen:/)

Also, are there any lighter setups? I was thinking about that Excel/Fuzzy pedal steel. hmm

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

I used to time myself doing setups (time from cases and amp placed on stage to "set up and ready to play"). If I busted ass, I could do it in 3 minutes. I don't think there's a big difference between steels, but I do know that guitars with inline connectors on the pedal rods take longer than guitars with hook-end rods.

Ryan Lunenfeld · From: Colorado, USA

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

I haven't timed myself (task for tomorrow?) but my Excel doesn't seem to take longer than it should. The pedal rods hook in and the means of attaching the rack to the front legs is particularly quick and simple.
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Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs

Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

I would think those vintage Sierra guitars with pivoting legs rather than screw in types were quite quick to set up/down.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

The bad part of casing a steel for gigs is, You tear down at home to the case, Set it up at the practice of gig. Then tear it down into the case again, When you get home, Reassemble the guitar for home playing and practice.

I gigged a MSA Classic S10, I made a Naga-Hyde padded cover that covered the body, Put the case under a bed. Whoever the engineer was on a PT Cruiser he designed the back to set the guitar in, Put Seat and amp under the guitar and away I went.

The cover went with the steel when I sold it.
I made a cover for the GFI I now play, Just for the 2 mile trips to a friends house to jam some.

Barry Coker · From: Bagley Alabama, USA

Built this for a friend of mine he is close to 80 and guitar in case is too heavy for him he uses a thick cover like Bobby and this simple cart. Set Up time "0".

Good Luck
Barru
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Zum-D-10, Webb 614-E, 65 Pro Reverb, Evans RE200, 69 Gibson Birdland, 89 Telecaster EAD Bad!!

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

Once you put wheels on something it's only a matter of time before people start racing them...
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs

K Maul · From: Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL

Never had a Sierra but those pivoting legs were an attractive idea. If only the guitar itself wasn’t so heavy! My EXCEL has the quickest setup time of all the steels I’ve owned, but that difference is measured in microseconds. They are are all really the same with the screw on legs and pedal bar attachment. Three pedal guitars are a quicker setup than nine pedal ones, and single necks take about half the time to tune!
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Kevin Maul: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Decophonic, Evans, Excel, Fender, Fluger, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Williams, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing.

Bruce Derr · From: Lee, New Hampshire, USA

I gigged with an older-style Maverick for a couple years in the late '70s. I think that was the quickest guitar to set up of all the ones I've had. Plop the lawn-furniture-like legs into their holes, no screwing in, just tighten the thumbscrew. Three hook-on pedal rods.

Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

Ian, I'm reminded of the cartoon on the cover of BE's Four Wheel Drive album. After the wheels come the motor.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Well my take, after doing this for decades, it ain't the Steel or the brand, its US, its how we approach it.

I've always been an "INSIDE 15 minutes" for ALL GEAR packed up and ready for load out, including the Steel. For decades I've watched other band members hang out, take their time, etc.. while I was packing and loading out. Without a Steel I am inside 10 minutes. Its a routine .

AND NO - I've told many that I am not waiting around to HELP LOAD OUT gear if they are not starting to pack up for 30 minutes or more at the end of the gig.

And also NO, I have never expected anyone to assist me either, and I prefer they don't. I count and inventory gear/cords as I am packing up the load out cart.
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Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website

Frank Freniere · From: The First Coast

Dennis Detweiler · From: Solon, Iowa, US

Take Barry's idea and replace the handle with a bumper hitch. Then you don't even have to lift it.
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1976 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics 427 pickup, 1975 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics X-12 pickup, Boss 59 Fender pedal for preamp, NDR-5 Atlantic Delay & Reverb, two Quilter 201 amps, 2- 12" Eminence EPS-12C speakers, ShoBud Pedal, 1949 Epiphone D-8. Revelation preamp into a Crown XLS 1002 power amp.

K Maul · From: Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL

Charlie Hansen · From: Halifax, NS Canada and Various Southern Towns.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Jon Snyder · From: Nevada, USA

It would have been more fun to ask what brand is the biggest PITA to set up and pack up.

John Poston · From: Albuquerque, NM, USA

scott murray · From: Asheville, NC

I know a couple guys who just do this

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1965 Emmons S-10, 3x5 • Emmons LLIII D-10, 10x12 • JCH D-10, 10x12 • Beard MA-8 • Oahu Tonemaster

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

Tony Prior: it's a shame that we done have a "LIKE" button on the SGF, because you deserve one!

Ryan Lunenfeld · From: Colorado, USA

for what it's worth...reached out to fuzzy/excel to see about getting a new s10 based on some comments here! thank you Very Happy

Steve Spitz · From: New Orleans, LA, USA

I can set up quick, and strive for a throw and go set up/ load out.

I’m faster packing up, because I find the best protection of my gear, is when it’s all packed up.

Often there’s a band before and after, so there’s that.

When I’m the only act, I’ll set up a bit more relaxed , but always break down and pack up quickly and asap. A lot of things can happen to gear after a gig, and I don’t want to risk exposure to loss, damage, theft , or whatever. I feel better when my gear is secure.

In New Orleans, there’s no last call. No need to rush for a cocktail.

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

I'm another one who's with Tony. I don't expect help with my gear (6 items) and I don't offer any.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs

Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

I'm with Tony for the most part. I do lend a hand on the PA gear (that I don't own but use).
Whenever folks have helped me in the past, I've left something behind so I now request they don't.
Off topic: last week my rare Electro-Harmonix Memory Man Deluxe fell off the dolly we had to use during load out, and I didn't notice. The load in/out required two elevators and one gondola - ski area... and that's not the worst of it - just before the final set the manager asked us to wear masks so we did it instrumentally.
Fortunately an honest employee found the pedal and I was able to pick up the next day.
Thinking back, I've unintentionally donated at least three guitar stands to various venues around the state.

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