Best Steel Guitar Poll

Andy Alford · Post by **Andy Alford** » 30 May 2000 3:52 am

What was the very best non pedal steel guitar ever built and why?

John Tipka · Post by **John Tipka** » 30 May 2000 4:26 am

The long scale 1934 7-string Rickenbacher Frypan. Extraordinary tone, small in size, ergonomically easy to play, narrow neck, strings-through-the-body, superb high output pickup, capability to play flatted 7ths in the tunings of the day with the bottom 7th string. The standard from which other steel guitars was measured.[This message was edited by John Tipka on 30 May 2000 at 06:35 AM.]

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 30 May 2000 7:42 am

I would totally agree. 2nd would be the prewar bakelite Ricks 6 and 7 strings. NOT 8 and 10 strings. They did not have the sound.

Take care and God bless all,

carl

Rick Collins · Post by **Rick Collins** » 30 May 2000 7:45 am

Without a doubt, the early Fender Stringmaster (circa '54,'55) with the 26" scale. Switching and mixing of the pickups allowed the widest tonal shift in range of any nonpeddaler I have heard.

Rick

Brandin · Post by **Brandin** » 30 May 2000 8:33 am

Rickenbacker. Because, it sounds better!

Mike Black · Post by **Mike Black** » 30 May 2000 8:58 am

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 30 May 2000 9:51 am

I haven't played a ricky, so I can't give a definitive opinion, but I really like my Marrs Cat Can. It is a truly outstanding instrument. (BTW, Cat cans came in 6 and 8 string models, but I have a 7 string one. I believe it is the only 7 stringer Duane ever made.)

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 30 May 2000 10:50 am

I've never played a '34 Frypan, but my Sierra Laptop (#002) is the best sounding steel guitar I've ever encountered.

Jim Landers · Post by **Jim Landers** » 30 May 2000 11:43 am

b0b, what is your opinion of the Sierras tone-wise for Hawaiian music? Do you think it would be as good for Hawaiian as the Ricks and Stringmasters?

Jim

mikey · Post by **mikey** » 30 May 2000 12:52 pm

1- Hawaiian Music, 7 string Pre war Bakelite Rick, Short Scale, because of TONE
2- Western-Swing, 24" scale T-8 Stringmaster, Because of versitility
3- Acoustic, 28 National Tricone, style 3 Squareneck, Tone and cutting power
Mike [This message was edited by mikey on 30 May 2000 at 01:54 PM.]

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 30 May 2000 10:25 pm

I'll go with bOb on this one... I've owned or played a lot of different steels and the Sierra lap just blows me away. For versatility and the joy of experimentation a multi-neck is a joy, and the tone of many instruments suits a particular style very well, where it may not suit another. But I believe you could use a Sierra for anything, gorgeous round fat tone, and yet lots of clarity or definition, sustain for days and a joy to play ergonomically.

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Mark van Allen-"Blueground Undergrass" Pedal, Non-Pedal, Lap, and Dobro

Bill Stafford · Post by **Bill Stafford** » 31 May 2000 7:02 am

My very old Sears & Roebuck cream colored six string, shaped like a small guitar lap steel guitar sounds as well as any I have ever heard or played. (And it did not cost $35.00 either). Tone is in the hands , folks.
Bill Stafford

Bill Stafford · Post by **Bill Stafford** » 31 May 2000 7:04 am

PS. The beautiful tone starts in the heart, thought about in the brain and put out with the hands. BS.

Bob Kagy · Post by **Bob Kagy** » 31 May 2000 9:57 am

I completely agree with you Bill, but it's nice to see the praise on the Sierra - I also agree with Mark & b0b. But my lap steel experience has been limited to the Magnatone, National & Fender; and now the Sierra.

It's rare and wonderful to lift a lap steel up off your lap just after you've picked the strings and still feel it ringing and vibrating.

Bob Markison · Post by **Bob Markison** » 31 May 2000 3:15 pm

I continue to enjoy my Fender dual 8 professional, but I am truly delighted with my new 8 string WC-8 lap steel guitar made by Bob Littleton of West Coast Steel Guitars - this is a wonderful instrument - marvelous tone. Bob is a great guy and a fine steel player. (I get no kickbacks for this heartfelt praise) We are lucky indeed to have such great past and present lap steel guitar makers in this world. Best to all. - Bob

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 1 Jun 2000 9:29 am

I have to vote for the Rick Bakelite prewar
models as BESTEST! Tone is fabulous but the ease of playing and accuracy cannot be denied. Any kind of music fits it well.
Western Swing...I'd have to vote for the sound of my Bigsby!
Then again, my old Emmons dbl-10 p/p is a really fine instrument. For me, a great sound and 100% trouble-free since purchased new in early 1970's.
But then again, as Bill says, the sound is in the musician. The guitar is just the messenger.

Lew Collins · Post by **Lew Collins** » 2 Jun 2000 4:32 am

I love my bakelite Ricks! One is
1 1/2" pickup, strings thru and the other has the 1 1/4" with tailpiece. They have the tone I hear in my head: silky, thick and singing. I like the way they look, the way they sound and the way they feel. I also like my old perloid Supro with the Ry Cooder pickup...it's nice and light and sings with a similar but "barkier" tone. Never played a Rick Fry Pan...scared to! "Lead us not into temptation..." and all that!

Vernon Hester · Post by **Vernon Hester** » 2 Jun 2000 12:42 pm

Love My Old D-8 metal Rick. Sweet sound
had to put it on the raditor at the radio station to warm (wintertime)it up to room temp, but when you did it was sweet.
Vern

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 2 Jun 2000 7:52 pm

My good pal Bill Stafford summed it up perfectly...As far as I am concerned, most any 'well built' guitar will sound good in the right hands. I recall latching onto my old 6 string Ricky frypan from an estate in Hawai'i. It sounded fine to me, but when Jerry 'you-know-who' played it, wow, it became a far DIFFERENT and truly beautiful guitar!!! It has never sounded that way since. Maybe it's because my name is on my driver's license and not his ?

Mark Davis · Post by **Mark Davis** » 2 Jun 2000 10:18 pm

Best sounding Steel I have heard is the 1957 Stringmaster I used to own that I sold to Bob Hoffnar. It has an excellent sound.

My 1939 Rickenbacher Silver Hawaiian also sounds nice but that Stringmaster had "THE" tone.

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 3 Jun 2000 12:09 am

Well after playing all the different steels metioned above and then now playing my new steel; I'm gunna have to say the "SS HAWAIIAN". It is amazing me that I can play all styles on it and it is offering that much difference in tone if I want to dial it up. I just got home from a gig and that steel is still sustaining in the case>

With the perfect 24" scale and 3/8" distance between strings is blowing my mind how easy it is for bar slants both directions and how ever many strings. Try this diminished slant on your steel; I can't get it perfectly in tune on any of my other steels.>
<pre>
G#dim
G____10
E____10
C______
A____11
G______
</pre>
Well it is in tune on the "SS HAWAIIAN".
I'm having a blast on this steel so I'm gunna have to say in my own hands; my steel is the best steel guitar>it's actually kinda a silly question anyways; because I don't think any steel is the best compared to others; but that's my answer.

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Ricky Davis
http://hometown.aol.com/sshawaiian/RickyHomepage.html
http://users.interlinks.net/rebel/steel/steel.html
sshawaiian@aol.com

[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 03 June 2000 at 01:10 AM.]

Bob Kagy · Post by **Bob Kagy** » 3 Jun 2000 11:03 am

...that steel is still sustaining in the case

Best way I've ever heard it put. Good one Ricky

Adam · Post by **Adam** » 3 Jun 2000 4:10 pm

My Bigsby single-8 steel is the best playing and sounding steel I have ever seen.I own about ten other steels and no other comes close.Coming in second,and much more easily attainable are the Fender Deluxe,Dual Professional,and Custom models from the early Fifties with the trapezoid pickups.I like to play western swing,and these instruments seem to have a fuller tone(more bass and midrange)that sounds good for that type of music.

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 5 Jun 2000 11:09 pm

Tone and playability are always the start of those all night "minefield" discussions- I think there's no doubt that in the right hands a mediocre instrument sounds incredible, I'm not sure I'd want to play any of my guitars again after Jerry Byrd had his way with it! But for each of us, there's some combination of tone, string spacing, brand name, what our heroes played, finish color, smell of the case, whatever! that just rings the bell. As Bill says, it's so true that it's "in the hands" but I think anybody would admit being inspired by a particular instrument...gobs of sustain for one, fat low end or bright clear highs for the next- that's what keeps me haunting the pawn shops in all the weird places I play-and ebay after I get off the forum...

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Mark van Allen-"Blueground Undergrass" Pedal, Non-Pedal, Lap, and Dobro