![]() Most steel-players have played a lick without even thinking about it and been amazed by the simplicity and beauty of the sound, only to ask themselves "now where did that come from?!" Sometimes it is easy to play and sometimes it is diabolically difficult. It is loaded with emotion and contains many secrets which it yields up at the most unexpected times. It is a privilege to play it, and an honour to be asked to back up a vocalist or work with a band. No other instrument makes that certain sound, no other instrument has to be built on-site before it can be played, and few other instruments weigh as much or require so much "support equipment" (amplifier, tools, volume-pedal, spare-parts, sets of strings etc). It is the ultimate chord-inversion machine. Once you understand the tuning (called the copedent, short for chord-pedal arrangement, which is best shown as a chart showing what the strings are tuned to, what the gauges of the strings are and what the pedals and knee-levers do to certain strings), then the pedal-steel has its own unique and peculiar logic. If you think banjo-players are obsessed about tone, you haven't spoken to any pedal-steel players yet! Tone is what we live and die for! Refurbished Emmons push-pulls can bring $US4,000 easily, perhaps more. Speaking of tone, those in the know claim no steel guitar approaches the tone of the old Emmons push-pull steels, no longer built. As long as it doesn't have the "pot-metal" parts in it, they are a very sought-after steel with a distinct tone. On the other hand, secondhand Sho-Bud D10s from the 70s can be had in good condition for $US1500. The wooden cabinet can be an in-house unit or made by bespoke cabinet builders (such as Mark Giles). All these are hand-built from precision-machined parts, often made in-house. The Canadian Fulawka steels also command very high prices. I saw an Australian-made Anapeg 11-string owned by the late Tom Brumley sell for $US11000.doubtless the fact it was Tom's helped, but Anapegs are highly-prized by steel-players the world over and the builder, Noel Anstead of Brisbane, has retired, so no more are being built. Good secondhand Franklins are fetching well over $US5000 still. In addition there are builders in Germany (WBS), Switzerland, Bosnia (Promat), Canada (Eddie Fulawka), England (Sheffield) and several other places. Several manufacturers are in Texas and nearly all are in the southern states. Many builders are one-man operations, such as Jerry Fessenden in Vermont, who makes a superb steel. Mullen are actually a small factory in Colorado, but the others are one or two-person workshops. ![]() A good new-built D10 from the really big names (boutique builders like Franklin, Zumsteel, Mullen, Show-Pro, Clinesmith, Jackson etc) will set you back between $US5000 and $US10,000. ![]()
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