Sierra Steel Guitars

[Jim Norman]

A few more pics...

[Chris Templeton]

Looks beautiful, Ross!

[Jon Light (deceased)]

Just want to congratulate you, Jim. That is an absolute beauty.

[Jim Norman]

Just want to congratulate you, Jim. That is an absolute beauty.

Thanks, Jon. I agree. Couldn't be happier.

[Ross Shafer]

I'd like to welcome Henry Nagle, to the Sierra family. Henry is well known locally for his "always the right note" guitar and steel guitar playing. He's also a sweet human and fellow instrument builder/craftsperson, working at Gryphon Music in Palo Alto.

Before he passed Bobby entrusted me with finding a new home for the Sierra I built him. I brought Henry up right away and Bobby agreed he'd be a great pick.

It didn't take a lot of convincing to get Henry onboard. Bobby is smiling!

[Ross Shafer]

see my new "Flip-Off E-lok' here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CylWPdkx6wU/

[Rich Sullivan]

Ross,
That is very cool. Your workmanship and designs are topnotch. Very elegant.
Rich

[J. S. Smith]

see my new "Flip-Off E-lok' here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CylWPdkx6wU/

Excellent. A handy quick release for flats. How’d you come up with that??? You could even drill a few holes to shave off grams for speed pickin.
Congrats on your beautiful steels and elegant designs.
Jim

[Ross Shafer]

Introducing Rob Clot, Sierra's newest family member. Rob is a good pal, great player and wonderful human.

After his first few days of ownership, He did complain that the time he was compelled to spend playing it was messing with the quality of his housekeeping....sorry bro!

Thanks for coming on board Rob....forget the damn dish pile, just keep playing that sweet Sierra!

[Ross Shafer]

more pics of Rob's beauty rig
https://www.instagram.com/p/CzmCzBfp9uO/

and some pedal steel nerd stuff
https://www.instagram.com/p/CzmEKm6JCeE/

[David Wright]

Couldn't be Happier with mine.... That's a 1960 Sierra in the back..Ross is a Great Guy and Builder...!!!...

[Jeremy JT Young]

Did Sierrea make a tuning wrench for the Hex's in the changerend. Just acquired a U12 Olympic and I'd like to have one. Ty

[Pete Burak]

Did Sierrea make a tuning wrench for the Hex's in the changerend. Just acquired a U12 Olympic and I'd like to have one. Ty

It is larger than today's hex tuners.
I went to a hardware store and got a long-barrel socket, and wrapped it with grip tape.
Works really well.
If you have a socket set you can figure out the right size.

[David Wright]

Try Jim
Steel Guitars of North County
3375 Mission Ave. Suite D
Oceanside, California 92058
Please call for an appointment before making the drive as we are frequently called away from the shop!
760-754-2120
Directions
Email stlgitr@gmail.com

[Ross Shafer]

Greg Leisz gotta be one of the most recorded steel players out there. Seen here installing some of his mojo on Larry Thomas' Sierra!

[Jon Light (deceased)]

My turn!
I wish I had photographic chops because the best I've got fails to show a lot of the deep beauty.
I won't write a book here.
Some key observations:
-- Pedal & lever feel is so smooth and precise.
-- Leverage is extraordinary -- full step lowers (such as strings 6 & 7) that require careful balancing acts on any other guitar I've worked with or owned are just...nothing. 'Oh, that's all you want? I could go down another couple of steps if you need...' it said to me.
-- Cabinet drop is around what I see on my PP. 1-3 cents depending on the string, the pull. It forces or allows me to examine and learn tuning systems that aren't about compensating for body or changer drop.
-- it is SO solid. Not a delicate bone in its body. When the bloom is off the rose, it will still be hauling freight.
-- I have made a friend in Ross. It is a pleasure.

It is so new but I am thrilled that my biggest fear -- converting, ergonomically, to a single body after years of playing SD-12's -- is for nothing. Ross and I worked together on the ergonomics and I have found it so easy to work on to tweak the last bits in place (still a wok in progress). In fact it fits me better than any of the bigger guitars.

I'm still buzzing.

[David Wright]

L@@ks Great, !!!!...Just Love Mine.....

[John Larson]

Greg Leisz gotta be one of the most recorded steel players out there. Seen here installing some of his mojo on Larry Thomas' Sierra!

The king himself!

[Ross Shafer]

All my adult life I’ve suffered from acute work-a-holism…if I was awake, and there was work to do I’ve always been compelled to stay at it….thankfully the vast bulk of the work I’ve done is work that I enjoyed.

About 8-10 months ago, my work-a-holic tendencies didn’t start to fade; they simply went away. A partial cause surely being the extraordinary amount of loss I’ve experienced in the last few years amongst friends and loved ones….old and young and the reflection these losses generated. This reflection is a major influence in my feelings about how I want to live the rest of my life and how much time I want to devote to my family and my own enjoyment. I do like my playtime!

I turn a whoppin’ 69 years old today and for a big birthday present to myself, I’m announcing my retirement one year from now! I’m closing the Sierra order book now in hopes of finishing up my current orders in time. If by some miracle I whip the current orders out in time, I may accept more orders, but that’s being very optimistic, given I just don’t want to work 7 days a week anymore!

Those who know me well don’t believe I can “retire”….but for me, retirement only means NO SCHEDULES! I will be making stuff in my dreamy wood and machine shops until I no longer can. I honestly can barely breathe if I’m not using tools, materials and my hard earned skills to make stuff.

Sierra’s owner has decided to close the company upon my retirement. Sierra’s last official day of business will be August 24, 2025.

I want to thank the entire steel guitar community for their contributions to this project. Once more, I have to acknowledge and thank my dear friend Bobby Lee, for his contribution to all of us. Very special and formative was the close friendship that grew between us based entirely on our mutual love of the instrument and respect for each other. Without Bobby’s forum, I absolutely never would’ve been able to learn all that was needed to build these wacky things.

In closing, I want to thank Sierra’s owner Ed Littlefield for the amazing opportunity he gifted me with. We met at a gig of his. Somehow during our short steel guitar nerd session between sets, he recognized a passion and skillset in me that led him to ask me to design and produce the best steel guitar I was capable of - time and expense be damned! Thanks so much to Ed. This has been the biggest, most satisfying technical challenge of my life and I can’t thank him enough for his belief in me and his support for this project.

Best wishes to all y’all!

[Lee Rider]

Geez, just when I was going to order 4 of them!

I'm sure you will find plenty to keep you busy my friend, including more visits over here on the coast!

I'll always appreciate your working with my son Kodi on the internship design/engineering bicycle wheel project. I know he learned a lot from your expertise and experience which has helped in his career as an aerospace engineer.

Looking forward to you and Mari coming over again.

Best,

Lee Rider

[Jon Light (deceased)]

Ross -- we've talked elsewhere and you know my feelings. But with this SGF laurel and hearty handshake, congratulations as you look at this next chapter!

[Dan Kelly]

Man, I feel like I just read a post in the "Gone Home" section. Somehow, I hoped the New Era Sierra Company would continue.

Well, congratulations Ross! After all you have accomplished trailblazing things in the bicycle world and then setting the ultimate standard in the Pedal Steel Guitar world, you deserve it!

Thanks for an instrument that has, and will continue to be, as an important part of my life as anything I have ever owned!

THANK YOU, ROSS!

[Michael Hill]

Well said Dan. I feel the same about my Ross Sierra. Best wishes Ross!

[Rob Clot]

Ross, Can't say I blame ya. Every time I come by , you're knee deep in steel guitars. Time to smell the roses, Bud! Thank goodness I have my own guitar before you close up shop. Wanna play golf???? Cheers!

[Ross Shafer]

Thanks so much you guys, does my heart good to know how much you dig the Sierra's I built for you! I hope the enjoyment continues!!