Bud Carter

Question:

Bud, how did you get started making pedal steel guitars?

Bud:

In the early 1950's, I could not buy what I needed or wanted so I bought a Fender 1000 and modified it and added several knee levers. I played that until 1964.

Question:

What happened then?

Bud:

Well, I was headed to California from Missouri; and I stopped in to visit Maurice Anderson and Tom Morrell at MSA in Dallas. They had a bunch of junk parts and scrap in their shop and were playing on the road most of the time -- Maurice with Bob Wills and Tom with Tommy Van & the Western Caravan. I asked them if I could put a guitar together using the scrap and tools. They said, "okay", and gave me a key to the place. I built a Double Neck Guitar out of the scrap metal, junk aircraft parts, and some parts I made. It had 11 pedals, 5 knee levers, one 11-string neck and another 10-string neck, and multiple raises and lowers, each tuned individually.

Question:

What ever happened to that guitar?

Bud:

Actually, the guitar is still being played by someone in Dallas.

Question:

What happened next?

Bud:

Well, I never made it to California, needless to say. I stayed and designed guitars and manufacturing processes for MSA. That first guitar really set the wheels in motion. There was nothing like it at that time.

Question:

It certainly must have been revolutionary...

Bud:

Yes, it was. MSA's were the first guitars to use non-cast endplates (totally machined out of solid aluminum) first to use extrusions; first to use Double-Raise/Double-Lower using individual rods and tuning nuts for each pull; and the first to use Triple-Raise/Triple-Lower. Also, in 1974, MSA was the first small, lightweight guitar (SS) at 38 pounds.

Question:

How many MSA's were produced?

Bud:

Thousands.

Question:

Who bought them?

Bud:

They went all over the world, as well as the USA. We sold into Africa, Europe, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Iron Curtain countries ... just everywhere.

Question:

In 1983, after MSA, you moved to Waco and began building MCI's. Did you continue to innovate in the design and construction of steel guitars?

Bud:

Yes. In Waco, I did a lot of research into what players wanted and what makes a steel guitar sound good. The result was MCI and now, the Carter. MCI used pickups from a sole, outside supplier (Bill Lawrence). It was the first to incorporate a built-in half-stop capable of operating on up to 3 different knee levers; the first to use a pedal spacing of 2-3/8 inches, instead of 2½ inches, for faster playing; and the first to use Lexan fretboards.

Question:

What innovations have you developed since MCI?

Bud:

The Carter incorporates the best of everything I had developed so far and in addition uses a "hook-on-spool" pull rod [and BCT]. The Carter is also the first to put all these features in a 36-pound package for a D-10 with 8 and 5.

Question:

Haven't you also modified, repaired and rebuilt other steels through the years?

Bud:

Yes, I've worked on most every brand made.

Question:

What is your main goal in pedal steel guitar design?

Bud:

Practicality. I strive for practicality in guitar building, maintenance, and playing. No frills. You don't need to carry something that isn't there for a reason or is not needed.

Question:

In which direction do you think steel guitar design is headed?

Bud:

Whatever players demand in a guitar is the direction it will go.

Question:

Thanks.

Bud:

You're welcome. Anytime.

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