10 String Steel Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

Pros; fairly well made from a nice piece of American swamp ash, it sounds good, and plays as it should, great price. Cons; I don't like the set of the bridge posts. Worst part; made in China…slytone1

Nicely made. I did change strings as suggested by instructor. Has a nice case and everything went together well. Will be a challenge to learn…a lot to concentrate on while playing…good fun for an old man's brain..records1320

I bought this as a Stupid Deal of the Day. I wasn't expecting great quality — just a serviceable instrument. Alas, even there I was disappointed. There were minor annoyances like absolutely no documentation — no manual in the box; no manual on-line; nothing. I still don't know what the little allen wrench that came with it is for. When I picked up one of the legs it fell apart. There is a press-to-fit collar that holds the screw which allows adjusting the length of the leg. It wasn't actually pressed onto the shaft it was supposed to be attached to. A little brute force (before I attached the leg) solved that one. The real problem, however, came when I managed to assemble it anyway in spite of these minor glitches. Within moments of me setting it up on it's legs, one of the legs fell off. Actually the metal plate into which the leg screwed fell off. Luckily I still had all the packing material because I hadn't actually managed to completely unpack it. I called Musicians Friend. They were very helpful and immediately sent a RMA and a return label. Back it went.Bill, W.

Excellent product, I found it to hold tune and appears fairly sturdy. Strings are adequate for practice will experiment with others later, but not bad. I ran this through my Fender Deluxe reverb and found very little hum. Practically none and this surprised me as it is a single coil pickup. My only grip is the legs, I could not even get them to screw in, but then I didn't plan to use them in the first place, this instrument is best in your lap. The legs will come in handy if there is a noisy cat in the alley, or I need something to sink a boat (they are fairly heavy and seem decent, except, they are impossible to screw into the dang guitar!) Overall I would highly recommend as a first lap steel for sure.Mike

I've played electric/acoustic/bass for over 25 years, but got curious to try a lap steel because I've always loved the sound; I know what a quality instrument should feel like, and this definitely met or exceeded my expectations. I tuned up to C6 easily, and the single-coil pickup gives a nice bright tone that is consistent in volume from string-to-string. I haven't noticed any hum from the pickup at normal practice volume, and no grounding problems. I expect I'll change the strings soon, but that's a personal preference. A few people mentioned tuning problems; the tuners aren't the best, but I'd suggest pulling on each string when you first get it, to get any extra slack out of them. After that, mine holds tune perfectly fine. It packs up really neatly in the included gig bag, which does hold the detachable legs as well. The gig bag doesn't have much padding, but should be perfectly fine for storing the guitar when not in use. If you need to gig with the instrument professionally, I'd suggest getting something more solid, but this is a fantastic option for someone looking to learn on, or for studio use where you're looking for some different tones.Sam A

This guitar comes with a gig bag and legs. It has a sweet tone that will gives you the enjoyment and fun of playing a steel guitar.quane

So, what is it? Acoustic or electric? Wanting to re-learn the guitar I started to look for acoustic guitars. I’ve had Yamaha in the past, so a safe place to start now. The ‘silent’ guitar fitted the bill perfectly. I don’t annoy anyone but can play for hours. But… You will see below the ‘would I recommend it' is NO, and 'is it comfortable to play' is OKAY. Why? The NO is because you must understand what it is. I didn’t know and you can’t quite tell from the photos and videos. I thought I was buying an acoustic guitar (PMT have it in the electro-acoustic and acoustic sections). But it is not. The designer has flubbed it for the desperately simple reason of the body width. Because you create the sound with the body of an acoustic they are wide, deep. Not so here. With no need for a body it is a shallow, electric guitar depth. So when I set up in a classical guitar position, I was all wrong; far too close. The designer should have made the outer body shell deeper, AS IF it were a classic guitar depth. So, what is it? It is an electric guitar you can play 'silently’. Hence the reason why the recommendation is NO, If you want a ‘silent’ acoustic, this is not really it, unless you are happy with the electric guitar body depth. And the OKAY recommendation is there because if you are expecting a classic acoustic depth, as I was, you will be disappointed, despite the excellence of the kit. This then brings along another annoyance. Luckily, I decided upon getting a strap. Handy really, but now the lack of body means a lack of good balance. In an electric guitar the body weight ‘holds’ the guitar down, here the neck is the heaviest item and it just feels a little odd as, sometimes, I get the feeling the my left arm isn’t so free because it is forming the chords/riffs AND ALSO supporting the guitar. That is probably just me being finicky, though. Or, at least, it is my excuse why I can’t form the chords/riffs quickly enough whilst re-learning. So I am now going to get some Ernie Ball electric guitar strings, as I had on the Gibson twin, and work it as a ‘silent’ electric guitar. As noted on PMT, it has been on stage and I would be happy doing so later, if that is where I intend to go. To end on some positives, the ability to dismantle it saves some great space when transporting it in the half-size bag. The electronics in the guitar completely fool the mind into believing you have a real, live acoustic guitar in your hands. The action is superb. Overall, do I like this kit? Am I pleased? Would I change? Yes, I do like it. Yes, I am pleased. No, I wouldn’t change. I now know what it is, what I am doing with it, and where we can go together.Mr R.

After touring with a full-size acoustic guitar for so long, and having to do too many fly-dates with it, I had to either accept that at some point I was going to wind up with a case full of splinters, or find a better alternative. The silent guitar is that alternative. It plays and sounds great. Would I record with it over my good dreadnought? No, but live through a PA it sounds fantastic. The on-board effects and tuner are decent. Nothing fantastic, but do the job if needed. It loses a star, however, because the strap buttons (which also double as the top frame set-screws) tend to loosen when using a strap. I'll have to find a way to keep that from happening in the future. Otherwise, though, this is my new touring acoustic, and I will accept the small infractions while making my travel life way easier.Mikey

Okay, so it sounds great. The neck is lovely. It stays very much in tune, and it makes a terrific practice instrument when I'm out of town. But it could be so much more! The biggest flaw is that when you put a strap on it, the strap actually loosens the bolts that screw the upper bout into the unit. Using a strap will potentially make the guitar come disassemble. I could probably rig something but right now I'm giving up on playing this standing up. Also, the jack does not work will with an angled plug, particularly when standing. Even when using the straight end, the cable can readily disconnect while playing standing up (highly disconcerting). Another oddity is that –for me — the instrument isn't particularly comfortable. I'm 5'8" and of smaller build and when playing seated in the classical position (yes, that's how I learned) the upper bout's contoured edge digs into the chest. After a while, you may find yourself looking for a cloth to drape over that edge to provide cushion. The reverb effects are over-the-top and not terribly useful. The chorus is nice, but I wish I could tweak the depth/speed on it. Finally and sadly, I'm discovering it hungrily eats batteries (AA), or at any rate it signals "low-power" after only about 5-6 hours of playing. The case is okay, just large enough to accommodate the instrument but not much else. I got mine used and it was a good price. I'm glad I own this, but I'd be disappointed had I paid full price. With improvement, this could be a gigging instrument, but in this edition, it is a fun travel/practice instrument.JD Cazador

I had played one of these in a store and liked the feel. After having one for a few weeks, I like it even more. I'm slightly taller than the average guy. Hence my fingers are a bit longer than the average guy. Maybe it is just because the neck seems to get thinner as you get up to the higher notes, but it seems like the neck is a little wider than the rest of my guitars up around the 15th to 24th frets. ("rest of my guitars" include Les Paul, Strat, Ibanez RG550, EVH Wolfgang, and others for reference). Aside from how great the paint job LOOKS, it does not have a gloss coat on it. This is a good thing since the paint job extends up the back of the neck allowing your hand to slide quite freely on the back of the neck. The bridge humbucker is fantastic. It screams the notes clearly with ZERO noise or hum when not playing. I'm not that impressed with the neck humbucker, but that's comparing it to the neck hum on my Les Paul, Carvin, and PRS Custom. AND, for about 90% of the 80s hair band songs you are never using that pickup anyway. The Floyd Rose is great! I got tired of waiting for it to need minor tuning adjustments naturally, so I'm to the point of TRYING to make it go out of tune even slightly and it STILL stays locked in tune. Overall, this guitar is now my GO TO for anything 80s (the biggest chunk of my playing preference).Steve

I was keen to find a 6 string that had a fixed bridge that I could use for covers and so I can retune to alternate tunings easily without having to get the screwdrivers and spending a lot of time retuning like a Locking Tremolo guitar. Thankfully the guitar already had Seymour Duncan pick ups in which are essential to having a aggressive tone but as well allow good expression so this meant it would be a case of getting the guitar out the box and playing rather than buying separate pick ups having to fit them in and so on. As I wanted a guitar that wasn't black or brightly colored the desert sand finish on the guitar really stood out and attracted me. Most of the SLP2's have a great selection of finish's. As for the neck and wood finish it is very smoothly and allows you to get quick access from from end of the neck to the other. Behind each the tuners on the headstock, there is this interesting circular turning device to help lock in the strings. This may help keep it in tune more but I also just attribute it staying in tune due to the general quality of the guitar. I bend the strings a lot for my lead playing and I play very aggressively with thick picks and rhythmically so once I put some heavier strings on (my preference) and configured the bridge saddles with a very small L shaped Allen/hex key the guitar stayed in tune.Tom H.

I first bought a Jackson JS34Q Dinky DKA-M online without having seen or played it. I went to guitar Center to pick it up the next day and was blown away by how it looked. Way beyond my expectations. However, after getting home and playing it, it didn't take long for me to regret the purchase. I'm not going to go into it here, I will review that guitar separately but now you know where I'm coming from. I just dropped $400 on a guitar and was disappointed. I took it back and went right for this one. It had what the JS34 didn';t the abilityt to stay in tune and quality hardware. It looks and feels great but most importantly it sounds great. The knobs actually affect the sound wqith vewry little turning, like my Fender Strat. Mosat shred guitars I've ever owned sound good only when cranked up but these offer different levels of quality sound. The switch feels solid and knobs don't turn too easily. The neck is incredibly fast although my 6th string had a bit of a buzz when played open of all things. I'm going to have a local guy fix that tomorrow. Other than that this is my favorite guitar and I own 12 others. Prior to getting this, my fave was the Dean Dave Mustaine Angel of Death V and I still love that guitar but this one is lighter, easier to play and it inspires new riffs from me better than any of my others. I will upgrade the pick ups tho. Not sure which yet but I'll have fun trying to figure that out.Bruce M

I bought an LTD M10 about a year ago and love it so much that I bought an EC10 too, planning on slapping some humbucker-sized P90s in it for a different tone. Here's the details on how DIFFERENT these two guitars are, despite appearing more similar at first glance. – Headstock shape; just personal preference. I prefer the 3+3 design of the EC (functionally). – Scale length; the EC has a slightly shorter scale length (24.75" vs 25.5") than the M, making it somewhat easier to play, especially when performing wide stretches and chording. Bends are easier due to lower string tension. The longer scale of the M I believe contributes to superior tonal qualities. -The EC has a painted neck back to match the body. The M has a natural satin transparent finish. Personal preference, but I prefer the transparent finish for the more natural feel. -Both guitars have a 350mm (13.7") fretboard radius, which is somewhat flat, but not extremely so. -The EC has 24 frets, while the M has 22. -The M has slightly better upper fret access since the body shape is less restrictive of fretting hand thumb placement. -Both guitars have TOM bridges, but the M is strung through the body, whereas the EC has a stop tailpiece. String thru designs are lighter and arguably provide more resonance, but the tailpiece is adjustable, allowing you to raise or lower string tension. -Slightly different control layouts, particularly with the pickup selector; a blade on the M vs a toggle on the EC. -EC is slightly heavier. -Strap button placement affects strap retention and where the guitar hangs. The M retains a strap better and sits "closer" (further right) due to the horn, providing easier lower fret access. The EC has no horn so it sits "further" out (further left), naturally guiding the left hand towards the middle of the neck. -The EC sounds beefier, but muddier. The M has clearer but a BIT thinner tone. -The M is made in China and the EC is made in Indonesia. Hope this helps you decide between the two.Pazuzu

I did not buy mine from MF, but I had to put in my opinion. I bought my EC-10 from some guy who posted it on an app. He had not taken very good care of it and the body had a lot of dings and chipped paint. The neck was still good and the hardware was solid. I stripped off all the paint and sanded out most of the dings, stained it and put a coat of shiny finish on it. Topped it off with a new set of EMGs (just my preference the stock pups were actually pretty nice). Now it is one of my favorite guitars to play and I wouldn't give it up for anything. If my used and abused old EC-10 can be this good, I can only imagine what a brand new one could be like. May be buying a new one in the near future.Chris

I am just beginning to try and teach myself to play guitar. So I'm hesitant to give it any kind of star rating or say anything about the guitar in regards to quality of playability, electronics/pickups, tone or any of that important stuff, as I don't have the experience to fairly do so. I've played drums for about 20+ years in bands, so have been around plenty of guitar gear that I know was good. Vintage or custom Gibson and Fender guitars with high end or specialty pickups and hardware, running through half stack 100 watt Mesa Boogie triple rectifiers, 100 watt Marshall JCM 800s/900s, Vox AC 30s, Orange Rockerverbs, Sovteks, etc. Pretty much guitars and amps that sound amazing and are my only in person points of reference. However, It would be completey unfair to try and compare this sub-$200 guitar going through my little Blackstar HT5R combo to the guitars and rigs mentioned above that I'm used to drumming along with. My girlfriend was wonderful enough to buy this guitar for me and she took a good friend who's played for 20+ years and has a 1978 Les Paul himself and after checking out/playing a few lower budget guitars in the store, some in the used section that cost a little more, he recommended this one. Said it played good to him, didn't have the fret buzz that the guitar I wanted to replace had and happened to be the sweet satin black finish he remembered me saying I liked. To sum it up, I doubt this is a guitar any of the experienced players I know would have, but as a beginner still trying to figured out how to fret chord shapes, I'm very happy with this entry-level/budget guitar. Only minor complaint I have so far is that the low E (which I drop to C or D) string seems to need frequent tuning. I'm considering taking it to GC for a proper setup and have larger gauge strings put on, so hoping that might help. But for the price I'd say it's worth any beginner checking out. If only these entry level guitars would include some in-person lessons, lol.Marcus E.

Nicely built lap steel. Great sound. Way too much fun. If you are going to play country or Hawaiian you will need C6 strings made for that tuning. These wont work at all.wy03bay

Bought this for my wife as a second lap steel. I have bought the Recording King products before. This unit was not set up. The strings were floppy loose, that is okay as I restrung it. While putting new strings on I noticed the tuning machine were loose. All of the screws were stripped out and would not tighten. Started to send it back and decided to repair if and was successful. If we had not wanted to use it immediately, it would have gone back. Overall we like it and will continue to shop Musicians Friend.GWF

Love the guitar. Neck is the highlight. However, the pickups are garbage. Bridge pickup is good but the neck pickup is unusable….muddy. Any combo of split coils is very noisy as well. Not a deal killer on the guitar but for a grand I'd expect pickups that were not as bad as they are.Rhode Island Firearms Owners' Le

When I got the guitar the first thing I needed to do was change the strings,the strings where old and and the B and E string where really bad, and I had to adjust the height of the strings,but that is something you need to do with most guitars.Steve

Je suis très content de la guitare. Elle est très confortable, la qualité des micros et les possibilités de réglages sont incroyables. Avantage du headless sans tremolo, la tenue de l'accordage est incroyable. Même en C Standard toutes les notes sont justes à chaque case et l'accordage ne bouge pas de toute la session Les cordes frisent beaucoup mais je vais l'emmener chez un luthier pour la régler. J'ai été déçu par certaines finitions de la guitare. Elle est arrivé avec une griffures et des pocs sur le manche. Les vides au bord des frettes n'ont pas été comblés. le système de blocage des cordes et le potard de tonalité étaient complètement desserré Ma squier standard était fini avec plus de soin. J'en aurai souhaité autant de la part de Ibanez et même plus au vu du prix. Pour autant je suis satisfait car cela fait 1 ans que j'attendais cette guitareDylan

Nicely built lap steel. Great sound. Way too much fun. If you are going to play country or Hawaiian you will need C6 strings made for that tuning. These wont work at all.wy03bay

Bought this for my wife as a second lap steel. I have bought the Recording King products before. This unit was not set up. The strings were floppy loose, that is okay as I restrung it. While putting new strings on I noticed the tuning machine were loose. All of the screws were stripped out and would not tighten. Started to send it back and decided to repair if and was successful. If we had not wanted to use it immediately, it would have gone back. Overall we like it and will continue to shop Musicians Friend.GWF

This guitar was a surprise. Great playability, the fret finish and rounded edges on the neck are super smooth making are very comfortable neck to hold and play. Fret access all the way to the 24th fret is very impressive. Many 24 fret guitars aren't very accessible and don't play clearly up high. but it's effortless and still feels like you can go further if added more frets. Versatile guitar with a wide array of tones available, from coil tap Stratocaster like tones to the rich deep bark you'd come to expect from a Les Paul. Absolutely love this guitar. Best Paul Reed Smith guitar for the money and craftsmanship available.virtuosodan

This was my first PRS guitar purchase. I purchased it based on the reputation of the company and reviews I found online. I ordered the violin finish. When I received the guitar and laid my eyes on it I was seriously disappointed. The flame maple top was horrible. The upper half had a much less noticeable flame to it and the lower half while partially nicely flamed it was completely missing flame and was bare grain around the switches. I showed it to a couple of friends who own PRS s2 guitars and they were shocked it was allowed to leave the factory like that. The only reason I rated it a 2 star and not 1 was because it only needed a light setup to be playable but even then the sharp fret ends will need some attention. I would not recommend this guitar to a friend, especially with the price tag.Derek

I purchased this S2 Custom 24 from American Music Supply a music dealer in my personal opinion is outstanding to deal with! I have made many purchases from AMS they are fantastic. As a Tele player who was in need of a humbucking guitar, do to a working cover band. I purchased this PRS because I didn't want a bottom line made in China guitar for $699 but felt someplace in the middle would get me something decent. This guitar is WAY over priced for what it is! The neck, for me was extremely uncomfortable, wide thin. The hardware is all made over seas and extremely cheap. I received the guitar, played it for about 30 minutes. The action was high and there was a buzz coming from the bridge. After 40 years of playing I know a poorly made guitar when I put it in my hands. The pick-ups sounded ok but lack clarity. PRS can do better! The color and finish was gorgeous! PRS is great at that. But C'mon Paul, give us something better for $1699! That's a lot of money for some people! I can see these S2's flooding the re-sale market for about $750 in one or two years, just like the MIM Fenders. Which re-sale value just stinks! I had two high end PRS's the P22 for $3600 brand new I sold it for $1600. I had a 10 Top 594 semi Hollow body for $4100 which I sold for $2000. I lost my shirt on those guitar because the market is flooded with PRS's that wont sell. I was lucky enough to send this one back and NOT have to re-sell it. Thank-God! At $1699 buy a used core PRS model or a USA Fender its still the best bang for your buck. Or a Studio USA Gibson Les Paul. I believe PRS makes great guitars and now they are trying to get a little above the K-Mart guitar market. It needs better pickups and better hardware. Oh…the locking tuners were good! Good-LuckLiving Proof

I'm also a dobro player. Had issues with getting the dobro loud enough for church praise band without feedback so I bought the Asher lap steel. Same scale length and string spacing as dobro and came with strings suitable for dobro tuning, Perfect fit. The tone is great with the neck pickup and neck/bridge pickups on but to my ears the bridge pickup alone is very thin and tinny sounding. Quality control issues: First thing I noticed right out of the box was that two of the tuner buttons rattled when I played it. Should be an easy fix by tightening the screws on the tuner buttons but these don't have any at all. Not sure how the buttons actually stay on. Anyway I used a little super glue on the two rattlers and that fixed the problem. I'll probably upgrade the tuners at some point but for $900+ after taxes I shouldn't have to. Also the plate around the output jack was loose and I had to tighten that up. No big deal but still…. Re stringing is a puzzler with the wrap around bridge. On the lower strings the ball end of the string wedges up against the plastic ring around the pickup making them difficult to change. There suggestion is to take the provided allen wrench and rais the bridge to make the strings easier to remove. Really? Raise and lower the bridge everytime you re string? Why not move the bridge pickup 1/8 up away from the bridge? It certainly isn't going to hurt the bridge pickup tone any…. Anyway, it is a good instrument that I plan on keeping forever, just keep in mind that it won't be perfect. Oh, the gig bag is very nice. Sturdy and nicely padded.cb56

Honestly… This instrument is very nice for someone learning to play lap steel. Drop the conservative amount now and as time prevails upgrades can be made to make this guitar road worthy. The tuners are cheap and are not going to withstand someone who is gigging. And of course… The pickups aren't going to give you that HOT sound most desire. These are an easy fix and you will be left with a great steel that will withstand many great performances. I would highly recommend the Junior to anyone that is still developing technique and style. Hope this helps…TOE

good solid feel. Decent tuners well worth. the price paid. I wish it shipped with the hard case…even if it added to the price. Being a dobroplayer, bluegrass style, the feel is very close to the same. this works out well with a gospel group im now helping out. where behind the barn dobro sound just don't fit. my guitar is teamed up with a Fender mustang 3…. man what a pair! 🙂 I am sure this guitar will handle the road just fine! 🙂Jerry Douglas want to be....

While Ive been a professional musician for over 35 years as a guitarist, Ive never played lap steel, so I wanted a good first guitar that was solid yet affordable. This is it! Easy to play, sounds good, stays in tune. A great learning instrument that can also gig when Im proficient enough to do so. Thanks Rhonda Music!allerando

Be aware this will need some work. Raised pickup with more foam, leveled saddles, re-cut grooves, lowered bridge with pan head machine screws in place of adjustable posts. After all of that, it works great.melody1876

I have been a pedal steel player for many years. In my old age, I have become interested in the lap steel. It is a much more complex instrument than I expected. The Gretsch Electromatic is probably the nicest looking steel in it's price range, but there are some problems right out of the box. Keep in mind that I am talking only about my instrument. I cannot speak for others. First, the fretboard is plastic, and held in place with screws. The intonation is off slightly, (which can easily be compensated for by bar adjustment) and the fretboard, not being glued down, was bowed up off the base approx. 1/4 of an inch. This condition was easily taken care of with a little Super Glue. Next, the bridge cover had to be removed in order for me to hand block the strings. The bridge is very simple, but it looks okay, so that's not a big thing. And then there is the issue of the volume and tone knobs being too close to the position my right hand naturally takes when I play. This also interferes with string blocking. I am playing this instrument through a Boss ME-80 and into a Peavey Classic 50 2X12. I am very pleased and surprised at the wide range of sounds this little steel makes. The finish is blemish free and beautiful. It weighs less than I expected, but it stays nicely in place on my lap. All said, I am looking forward to the journey ahead, and learning to play the Lap Steel. The volume and tone both are responsive, and it sounds great. I can live with a few imperfections for what the Electromatic costs. I learned long ago that steak costs more than hamburger. I think it was a good buy.J Lindley

There are a gazillion of these everywhere on line. I bought one long ago for around $299 and that was too much I sent it back. The fret board is the cheapest PVC plastic. The looks is pretty good. That is about it. Five hundred bucks is way out of line. Recording Kings are a better instrument for half the price.wy03bay

It has nice tone with a few limitations. The tuners are very poor quality, it is Chinese made. The bridge is fixed, so there is no chance of fine tuning intonation or string height. If you lay the bar on the strings on the higher registers, the second and third lowest strings don't touch the bar without placing pressure on the bar, adding to the intonation problem. The finish is absolutely beautiful, high gloss and nice color. That being said, it could use moleskin or felt to keep it from sliding around on you lap. I used black adhesive backed felt, worked perfectly.cheswinster

I haven't yet built it, but it looks like it'll be a fun project. All parts included (except 2 x 4), and instructions seem pretty straight forward. I'll probably buy more of theses (to build & sell).jham8704

I haven't made it yet as I'm working on making a good body for it. But the instructions are in a large format making it super easy for someone my age to be able to read. Everything is well laid out. Will enjoy building it.derekkmartin

I upgraded the wooden parts with some shaping. Havent plugged it in to test it out. Great instructions that allow for customization.gonzo59870