New to PSG, looking to buy one, is this a good deal?

[Matthew Houston]

Hi everyone,

I plan to start learning PSG after years of bass, guitar, banjo, and some lap steel. I've been keeping an eye out for good deals locally for a second hand instrument (money is tight right now...)

My brother in law found this one--have you any thoughts? $400. 10 strings, 3 pedals, it looks like only 1 lever (I know that more would be ideal to have). The price is very low and well within my budget, and perhaps it is so low because the instrument is described as a "rebuild" using Sho-Bud and Emmons.

Unfortunately this (see attachments) is all I have to go on. For the price, is it worth it for a starter instrument? Any idea if more levers would be trivial/difficult to add? Or shall I hold out for something better suited? For what it's worth, I'm a serious and active musician/composer and I intend to stick with the steel guitar for the long haul.

Thanks a million!

[Don R Brown]

You ask "For the price, is this a good deal?" - but unless I'm missing it, you don't tell us the price!

[Matthew Houston]

Sorry for that! Oof. Edited the original post to add the price: $400.

[Don R Brown]

Matthew, in my own UN-expert opinion - That's probably less guitar than I'd suggest for starting out, at least 2 knees would be better. On the other hand, $400 is less than anything you're likely to find out there.

Next question is what do those pedals and lever do? If you've got the basics of an Emmons setup, not bad, but If it's an oddball, you might be better saving your money. Does what IS there work as intended?

I'm a serious and active musician/composer and I intend to stick with the steel guitar for the long haul.

Based on that, I'd suggest getting something a bit better. Do you know any local steel players who could look at it for you, and maybe also let you try theirs to get a feel for what things should be like? Good luck and let us know what you decide.

[Jerry Overstreet]

What Don said.

[Eric Dahlhoff]

My first PSG was a Sho~Bud Maverik with 3 pedals and 1 knee.
You cannot find one for $400.
If this steel actually works, I would go for it, because it's likely more versatile than a Maverik.
There is a hell of a lot you can do with 3x1.
And when you feel the need, you can upgrade to something else.
But $400? Nothing else out there.

[Bobby D. Jones]

From the picture. First thing catches my eye, Is the key head. It is not machined or cast. It looks like to be made out of a piece of 3/4" X 1/4" aluminum bar stock, Bent to shape, Then another piece of 3/4" X 1/4" Added on each side, So keys could be installed. The picture reveals 2 screws holding key head to neck. (If the key head is not attached solid to body, Tuning will be unstable.)

The legs do not look factory, No Clutches to adjust legs to length. Looks like just pieces of aluminum tubing used for legs. The left rear leg. Has a strange looking piece, Where it screws into the guitar body. May be some sort of leveling adjustment fixture???
Without pictures of the bottom mechanics, The guitar is hard to evaluate. Or the guitar value determined.
Sounds like, A 3 or 4 pedal X 4-5 knee lever guitar would serve your needs better.
Good Luck on finding the right guitar, Happy Steelin.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Well actually, on second thought, you can't lose too much and you might learn something.

On closer inspection, I see two pickups on the guitar. A Sho~Bud and the one nearest the changer appears to be an original chrome Bill Lawrence. There were about 3 models of them so If that's the most desired BL705 model, that alone is worth $200.

[Larry Jamieson]

If you know, or can find a steel player to go with you and try out this guitar, then you would know if it is something you can learn on. If it works, great buy at the price. I played my 1st 20 years on an MSA with only one knee lever. But, if it does not work, or stay in tune, it will wind up being more aggravation than education...

[Bob Carlucci]

You can buy that one for $400, and get started, and if it works at all, sell it for way more than you paid as long as its workable.. I would see if it does what its supposed to do as far as setup, and if so, grab it instantly.. Even up here in the sticks, I can sell that guitar for double what I paid after playing it a year... i would buy that right now,,, matter of fact, if you don't buy it,please PM me the store that has it, and I will buy it today, right now, if the store will ship.. and yes , I AM serious... bob

[Matthew Houston]

Everyone, thank you so much for the insight and advice! I appreciate it. You've made me feel quite welcome here.

This instrument is for sale local to my brother in law, over in Indiana, about 12 hours away, and who is not a steel player. So trying it out in person isn't an option for me at the moment. I'd be asking him to pick it up for me, and then getting it from him in the next 2 months when we see each other next.

I'll see if he can get more info--including photos especially--as I think this over. The sense I'm getting though is that for $400, this is most likely a good deal, less likely a great deal. Unlikely to be a bad deal, though still possible pending more photos and info.

Bob Carlucci: this is listed privately on Facebook but that being said, I'll happily pass along info if I decide to pass on it.

[Jack Tekiela]

Howdy!
I hate to break hearts, but I’m actually driving down from Chicago to pick this guy up right now. Didn’t even think to check the forum when I messaged him. Sorry everybody!

[Bob Carlucci]

well, the OP thought too long about this... That guitar might be the best deal outside of free I have ever seen considering the cost of any pedal steel these days... Honestly, how bad can it be?.. Its an SD body thats probably plenty rigid, and even if the changer is messed up, it can be fixed or replaced.. Jeez, even if you had to ship it both ways to a great steel guitar repair guy, for a repair and setup, you are probably still only into it for a grand or $1200... That SD 10 at $400 was a no brainer, and in my opinion, the OP missed out.. I would have bought that guitar instantly, sight unseen, just based on the few pics we saw.... A cleanup/setup and it can be sold at triple the $400 price in no time... Glad you grabbed it... Please post on what you find, how it plays and sounds etc... Based on the 2 pickups, it may have been owned by a pretty good player looking to expand his sound... or something.. Kindly follow up with how you make out with this purchase... bob

[Matthew Houston]

Well done! No worries at all, I'm glad someone who values it will be getting it. I've learned a bit more and will keep looking for something for myself.

Thanks, everyone!

[Jack Tekiela]

For a new player, this may have been a bullet dodged. It sounds awesome, but MAN is it a dog to play. Pedals stiff as a board, and really awkward knee lever placement. Pretty sure it’s a rehoused maverick. Only has LKL and RKR. LKL E raise, LKR drops D to C#. The definite highlight is the pickups- they sound phenomenal. Never played a guitar with a neck pickup, and it rules. Might fix this guy up, might just let it be a non pedal console. Build quality is good- for those curious, the front reads CONNERLEY PRO 3 CLASSIC. Allegedly Mr. Connerley was a player out of Indiana. It’s an interesting one, that’s for sure.

[Lee Rider]

Would be interesting to see if you could send some pics!

[Pat Chong]

Hi Jack,
I agree with Lee. It would be interesting to see the mechanical workings of the unit. In addition, what kind of changer does it have?
............Pat

[Paul Awalt]

I wouldn't purchase anything I couldn't resell for the same price, in case of a loss of interest or unknown maintenance issues. That steel looks like it would be hard to resell, not to mention shipping costs. Plus you won't blame your Brother InLaw later on. No deal!

[Pete McAvity]

Howdy!
I hate to break hearts, but I’m actually driving down from Chicago to pick this guy up right now. Didn’t even think to check the forum when I messaged him. Sorry everybody!

Nice find, Jack.
WHAT IS IT??????

[Jack Tekiela]

Here's some pics I got from the seller. I can take some better ones when home. Pretty sure its just a rehoused Mav.

[Philip Mitrakos]

You might want to put a tape measure on the fret board and see if the space between top of key head rollers , and the 12th fret is the same distance from 12th fret to the top of the changer fingers on the other end ...
With that Emmoms fret board , each distance should be 12 and 1/8 inches
Total leinght shoud be 24 1/4
From top of changer fingers to top of key head roller nuts.
If all that is not right , you'll never figure out why it dont sound in tune

[Bobby D. Jones]

It's a Frankenstein Steel for sure. Built in a R. G. Cobble Shop.
When I looked at the first picture. The key head said it all. There are other things wrong. Look and find them.
Once I seen the legs, That done it.

[Colin Boutilier]

I dig it. I'd have bought it in a heartbeat for that price, just to tinker with.

[J D Sauser]

From what I see, this is what Bud Carter wold call a "Pizza"... Piece'a'this, piece'a'that. It's got parts from several brands. Nothing really wrong with that, given the $400.oo price point.
Look... the undercarriages mechanics and what's going on around the changer, it's not just parts from different brands, but HOW it got put together. And the pictures have me worried about the last part.

Now that being said, some of our heroes have played the living daylights out of far from perfect PSGs... some were even "Brands".

So, if you can get a hold of a PSG player go see that thing and kick it's tires and see if a) it's playable (stays in tune, pedals and lever can be tuned and work with a decent feel) and b) sounds good.
I'll add this, if I were to place a bet, I would second guess the playability BEFORE tone... some of the ugliest contraptions have sounded great...

If it's a "dog"... then even the what little $400.oo can buy you nowadays and having seen worse being offered for over a Grand, would be a waste.

... J-D.

[Jack Tekiela]

Ok- put a good deal of work into it, and I have it playing nice. It is definitely a mess haha. What I cannot get over is how good this guitar sounds- these pickups sound phenomenal. The Emmons(?) single coil sounds really fat up by the neck, the BL in the bridge has a great growl to it, and the in between setting sounds a lot like an old Fender. For $400, I am very happy with this guitar. I still think it would have been a bad buy for a beginner- I spent about a day and a half in the shop trying to get it to play nice. Only big downside is that the Maverick changer is INCREDIBLY limiting. If this had a better changer, it would be a killer guitar.