Some thoughts from a non-pedal steel player about pedal steel guitars

[Gary Meixner]

As a non-pedal steel player, I visit the Steel Guitar Forum regularly. I enjoy reading the posts from my fellow forum members and almost always scroll through the classified section looking for my next obsession.

I have built many of my own non-pedal steel guitars, and own, or have owned several highly regarded models - Fenders, Gibsons, Clinesmith, Rickenbacher, National, etc. While I always appreciate a bargain, I have never begrudged a seller when purchasing one of these instruments at a fair market price. Rarely – at least on the forum – do I see a price, that is at all out of line.

Similarly, regarding pedal steel guitars, I am often surprised at the prices I see listed for most of the instruments being sold on the SGF. To my untrained eye, almost all seem like an incredible bargain. Certainly, there are some that aren’t up to the standards of pro instruments and some may need to repaired or require a proper setup.

In all my years playing non-peda steel guitar I have never sat down to play a pedal steel, so many of the fine points may be lost on me, but I do know a little bit about manufacturing. When I add up the cost of designing, engineering and prototyping: then the cost of materials, custom machining, fancy woods, electronics, assembly and adjustments I don’t know how they can be as inexpensive as they seem to be. This thinking might rile some but to me it is astounding.

Despite its niche status, and hardly benefitting from being mass produced, the pedal steel seems to be an incredibly affordable, modern marvel, for all that goes into making them. I am not likely to give up my Hawaiian guitars and take up the pedal steel, at least in this lifetime, but maybe someday if I get the opportunity I will give one a try.

Gary

[Bill McCloskey]

Well, Gary, never say never. I was also a dedicated lap steel player for decades and then at age 68 I bought my first pedal steel. 3 years later, and many pedal steels later, I could never go back and I wish I had started sooner.

[Rick Aiello]

I agree with Gary …

I have a ShoBud Pro III Custom …

In the immortal words of Ferris Bueller:

https://youtu.be/0wALArd2rvo?si=N-TwIao6GWgS5o91

[Nic Neufeld]

Just comparing lap steel guitars to, say, regular electric guitars....the neck is a big part of why they are simpler (and thus cheaper) to make. You don't have to worry about playability, really...neck profile, fretwork, truss rods, none of that is really necessary. As for why the vintage laps don't command "vintage guitar" prices, well that's just our bit of luck because the styles of music these are best for are not terribly popular.

The instrument that strikes me as the most "underpriced" in my experience is the sitar / surbahar. Even beginner models are highly intricate in decoration, and that is a complex instrument to build, for sure. But even the best makers (Kanai Lal, Hiren Roy, Rikhi Ram) are in kind of humble shops in India and the prices do not compare to what high end Western classical instruments command.

On pedals, I acquired a Fender 400 and have tried to learn a bit of Basil's A7 copedent but I need to practice more. It's tricky for sure, four limbs going at once is a bit of a challenge for me (never was a drummer!).