Tips on where to buy my first pedal steel guitar (~$1,500)

Jordan Hargreaves · From: Oregon, USA

Howdy!

I'm new to the pedal steel guitar world and am looking for some tips on where to buy my first pedal steel guitar.

It seems like I should stay away from the Carter Start and Maverick, and instead lean toward something that has 3 pedals and 4 knee levers.

I am curious if there are specific pedal steel guitars for around $1,500 that y'all would suggest?

I'm leaning toward a Stage One or Justice Steel Guitar, but those are just recently mentioned brands that offer a pedal steel around my price range.

Do y'all have any tips for the best way to find and buy a pedal steel? I live in Portland, Oregon.

Thanks!

Jimmie Hudson · From: North Carolina, USA

Try Growler 10 string 3 & 4 $1395.00
growlersteelguitars.com

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

Not many stores have pedal steels on the showroom floor. They ARE mostly machines so it’s kind of like buying a lawnmower. A melodic lawnmower, though. Difficult to test drive one and even if you could it is hard to tell what’s good when you have no experience. Going by reputation is almost all you can do anymore. For fine workmanship, good design and great price it’s hard to beat a Justice S-10.
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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.

Bill McCloskey · From: Nanuet, NY

You will need to replace a "starter" steel faster than you can imagine. I'd double your budget. There was an amazing, just delivered Williams SD10 that went on reverb and lasted less than an hour for $2900. Having just been where you are: spend the money and get a newish steel, well maintained, in the sub-$3k region. Save you a lot of hassle down the road. Think of it as an investment that you can sell easier if you decide you don't like it and not lose much if any money.
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Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@steelguitarunionhall

Jimmie Hudson · From: North Carolina, USA

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I only half agree with Jimmie. If someone can afford it, I also recommend buying a more "pro" steel. Extra pedals and knee levers shouldn't make the guitar harder to learn, just more musical options.

BUT... there is definitely a place for "starter" steel guitars. Not everyone has the money for "pro" steel guitars, but still has the desire. This is where a good starter guitar fits the bill. While I have never seen one of Jimmie's guitars in person, I have always been impressed with what I have seen and heard about them. I think his Growler would be a good choice. He has been building for a while, so I wouldn't be worried about it not functioning correctly because of the low price point. He has made quite an effort to get a good guitar into the hands of people who don't have the money for more expensive "pro" guitars.

Bill McCloskey · From: Nanuet, NY

"And trying to get someone to start on a pro model with all the extra pedals and knee levers is just going to make it harder for them to learn the steel guitar."

Based on my experience as a new player I would disagree with this. I think it is very important for folks starting out to have at least the standard 3x5 so that they can take advantage of all the lessons out there. Spending $1,500 for a steel you will soon outgrow makes zero sense to me. The best thing I ever did was buy a D10 with 8 pedals and 7 knee levers. It really doesn't take that long to adjust to the new pedals and not having the changes I see others play would drive me crazy.

The Growler has its place, I'm sure. But it doesn't come with a case, which would be a big negative for me. For me there is nothing like sitting behind a solid, great sounding D10 with lots of pedals and levers.

I started out on a pro Williams 12. I soon bought a D10 sho-bud because I wanted the C6 neck. I have now ordered a D10 Williams with 9 pedals, and with Paul Frnaklin's complete copedent. Having a great time.

For me: when it comes to Pedal Steel: more is more.
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Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@steelguitarunionhall

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Didn't realize the Growler didn't have a case. But if I was just starting out now and my budget topped out at $1500 or less, lack of a case wouldn't necessarily deter me. After all, if I was just starting, chances are that I would not have to transport it anywhere. And a suitable case could be found or made. After all. The Carter Starter (🙄) came with a gig bag and sold quite well.

But I do agree with Bill M that if one is very serious about pursuing the PSG, they should buy the best they can, even a good used one. I had to finance,well my Dad got the loan for me as I wasn't 18 yet, my first PSG, and a few since then.

And instilling the thought that many pedals and levers would intimidate, confuse, and discourage a new player, may actually be what causes those thoughts in the first place. My first PSG, a ZB S10 came with 5p/2k. It didn't instill any of those thoughts in me. Within a year, I was having 3 more levers installed because I wanted to be able to do the things I heard on records. And I came from a drumming background with no stringed instrument experience or knowledge prior to starting on a National triple eight string non-pedal guitar. Heck, I found non-pedal steel more confusing and intimidating than PSG, as I was not able to get the sounds I wanted to play.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Jimmie Hudson · From: North Carolina, USA

Jim Pollard · From: Cedar Park, Texas, USA

I've only been playing since last March but never for a second have I regretted getting a Justice as my "starter steel". I've been gigging it as well with not a single problem. http://www.justicesteelguitars.com/S10.html. For what it's worth I wish I'd take Ron's advice and gone ahead and gotten the right knee levers as well as the left, but only recently.

Bill McCloskey · From: Nanuet, NY

"Heck, I found non-pedal steel more confusing and intimidating than PSG,"

True that. I find playing my Alkire Eharp much more challenging the Pedal Steel. Grips are more difficult for one. I find Pedal Steel one of the easier instruments I've tried to play, once you get over how to use the pedals and levers which takes a couple of weeks to used to.
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Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@steelguitarunionhall

Jimmie Hudson · From: North Carolina, USA

Howard Parker · From: Maryland

To Jordan's original post.

Don't neglect the used market. It'll be easier to find a "pro" level guitar within your stated budget.

Always recommended to have a knowledgeable player in your back pocket to help assess the guitar before you buy, or, buy from a known, reputable entity.

Lots of helpful resources here on the forum.

h
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Howard Parker

03\' Carter D-10
70\'s Dekley D-10
52\' Fender Custom
Many guitars by Paul Beard
Listowner Resoguit-L

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Try Goodwill. Smile

Ery

Johnie King · From: Tennessee, USA

Good post!

Jimmie Hudson · From: North Carolina, USA

Bill McCloskey · From: Nanuet, NY

I never said “mastering”, I said getting used to. It isn’t difficult to get used to the pedals and levers. I hit them now without thinking. Mastery is a lifetime endeavor. But we are getting away from the topic.
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Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@steelguitarunionhall

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

Yep here we are down the rabbit hole yet again!
There is a TREMENDOUS amount of music that can be made with even two pedals and one knee. Get what you can afford but choose wisely. Get one that will allow easy add-ons later.
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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.

Mark Shuda · From: Wisconsin, USA

I think the Carter Starter sometimes gets a bad rap. I think they are great little guitars for the money , providing they have not been worn out with massive use. Many players bought these new and abandoned playing after a few months. Plenty of good guitars on the market. The only real drawback is that the knee stop on RR lever is not solid. But if I am not mistaken Pastor Jimmie Hudson had developed a kit for this and it fixed the problem. A Carter Starter under $800
is a good place to start your journey. Can always trade up and easily recover your investment .

This one sounds OK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT1TvjnlYHM

The Great Terry Crisp!
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Mark Twang

Jordan Hargreaves · From: Oregon, USA

Wow! Thanks for all the great information y'all. Lots and lots to chew on here, and I appreciate everyone trying to help and guide me with the buying process. Thanks for taking the time to provide all the feedback and discussion! I'm feeling much more confident in finding the perfect steel.

Johnie King · From: Tennessee, USA

Jimmie Hudson can build an 3 an 4 Growler also.
With a full length body.

Ryan Bateman · From: Alaska, USA

I’m in a similar boat as you and with a similar budget, and I ended up getting on the list for the next batch of Stage Ones. After doing some research it seemed like people universally consider the Stage One to be one of the best you can get for under 1500 so long as you’re content with the way it’s set up because it can’t be easily modified. They just started taking orders on the 20th and are taking 100 orders that will be filled over the next year. Not sure how soon you need a steel, but it seemed like a great option for me.

https://www.stageonesteelguitars.com/

Jimmie Hudson · From: North Carolina, USA

I have this growler 2 & 2 in stock. NO Waiting.
I also have the same guitar in stock in a 3 & 4 NO Waiting.
I build to order also in 3 weeks or less on most orders.

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

To lend weight, perhaps, to the argument for a basic 'starter' guitar, I firmly believe that spending the first twelve months on my ZB Student steel taught me to understand the open tuning much better than if I'd simply been able to lower the Bs, say, for a 9th chord.

A, B and lower the Es - there is a ton of music in that setup. And if, like me, you want to pursue more advanced chords (I was already a pro guitar-player when I started on steel fifty years ago), you'll find you have to think laterally and dig around a bit to find them. But they are there to be found.

I disagree with the suggestion that a loaded guitar being a salve for a player's ego. Advancing to a more complex setup is a natural progression and more available positions promote musical exploration....

...provided that you've learned the tuning first!

I'm tickled at the notion that the great Jimmie Crawford played a 10 and 10 guitar to satisfy his ego. Smile

Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

I had opportunity to play a GFI Student model, S10, 3 and 2.
Not a bad guitar for the money. It sounded great.
New, they are in your price range.
The only downside is accomplishing a raise and a lower on the same string on this pull/release design. However, it is doable. The one I had raised and lowered the Es with the two right knee levers and worked good.

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