Is it worth it?

[Jason Lynch]

Ok, I've been mulling over this thought for a while now, and i keep changing my mind.
A while ago, I had the crazy notion to build a pedal steel guitar. I even tried, before i got around to buying one. Now I have a bit of experience under my belt, as it were, I think I could, at least, build a quite passable student/beginners model.
My question is- What would it be worth bothering?
The reason i ask is this: Every time i read a question from a newbie, or potential newbie on this or the us forum asking for advice, the answer is usually the same.
"Don't bother with student models, they have no resale value, wont stay in tune or will drive you crazy. Buy the best pro model you can afford"
And, generally, thats sound advice. Pro models are better. But if we, as players are going to write off student models from the outset, what's the point of me trying to build one that i can't sell?
Can open- worms everywhere!

[Dave Nutt]

Jason, think you have answered your own question.

[Uncle Roy]

Jason, I agree with Dave.

[Malcolm]

Jason, only way it would work is if you could build one for about £400 to allow young guitarists who fancy steel to buy one to try it out for same price they can buy a reasonable six stringer.Obviously this is financially impossible due cost of materials and labour, so as Dave and uncle Roy said, you have answered your own question.I do admire you for trying to build one, way beyond my mechanical skills.

[mick hearn]

A good thought Jason. I think this is going to depend on how much you are going to sell it for. When you look around the guitar market, everyone is pushing out cheap guitars for starters. Fender Squire and Epiphone to name 2. This does not exist in the steel market and I think this is perhaps why numbers of steel players overall are not as great as guitar players. Pro models are expensive. You don't go out and buy a Gibson Les Paul when you are learning guitar

I look back at the ShoBud Maverick I had for years. Bought from John Finlay about 1976. Solid maple, same steps as the pro model but push pull. The lightest of pressure on the pedals. Although it came with one lever on I added an extra 3 and I loved that guitar. The pull mechanism was mechano and wire but it worked a dream. I admit that once set up it was difficult to change, but I set it up the simplest way possible with the main moves. No double or triple raise or lower, and no noise.

Try building one as cheaply as possible and see if it sells. As for resale - do we ever get back the money we spent on a cheap guitar. No. So the buyer must expect that. We all know if we buy a car it depreciates the moment it leaves the showroom.

[Will C]

Jason, I think we build for the aesthetic pleasure of creating a useable instrument - it's self-expression really. To build something that is economically viable takes a good deal of production engineering, to get the component price down as low as possible so as to leave a profit margin without pricing the damn thing out of reach. That's the real problem. Bent Romnes has built 12 or 13 steels now, they are great to look at, and DH gets a great sound out of them , but I haven't a clue what they sell for - a lot more than £1500 I'm guessing. Way out of reach for a beginner or novice.

No, if we build, we do it because we get a kick out of it...

[Jason Lynch]

They're around the 2100 canadian dollar mark. I think.
And your points are spot on, Will.