Fulawka Pedal Steel Guitars

Dennis Saydak · Post by **Dennis Saydak** » 3 Feb 2009 10:28 am

A series of videos showing Ed Fulawka and how he makes his guitars:

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=jS16EEzN- ... re=channel

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 4 Feb 2009 3:43 am

Better yet, I got to jam yesterday with Ollie Strong who plays a Fulawka and is the Steeler shown playing in the "How it's made" TV segment.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 4 Feb 2009 5:09 am

Better yet, I will have a visit from Bruce Snow this coming monday. He wants to see my steel building operation, I want to watch and learn as he shows me stuff on my home built and maybe his Fulawka.
here is Bruce Snow playing his SD 10 Fulawka.

My 2 new home builts will have Fulawka pickups on them.

I had a visit with Ed Fulawka in November. He is 81, going strong and had his head into a couple of half done steels.

Heeeere's Bruce!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=DCqjXvRkz2U
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CQPmykA8fXw

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 4 Feb 2009 11:50 am

I really enjoyed the 6 videos on Ed Fulawka and his guitar building operation.
Here is the one I have:

Dennis Saydak · Post by **Dennis Saydak** » 4 Feb 2009 1:23 pm

Erv Niehaus wrote:I really enjoyed the 6 videos on Ed Fulawka and his guitar building operation.

Erv, I'm pleased you enjoyed the videos. Just as you have cornered the market on steels, Mr. Fulawka seems to have done the same with drill presses.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 4 Feb 2009 1:29 pm

Yes, I noticed that!
No CNC machines for Ed, just him him some drill presses!
He doesn't us a table saw for cutting his boards either. It seems to me I heard him say that he had 10 or 12 routers to do the job.
Quite an Ed!

Duncan Hodge · Post by **Duncan Hodge** » 4 Feb 2009 6:28 pm

Beautiful Fulawka Erv. Eddie does make one of the finest pedal steels on the planet. Here's a couple of pictures of my S-12. It sorta looks like your, if yours went on a diet...if pedal steels go on diets, that is. The third picture is of three Fulawkas formerly owned by Mr. Stephen Dorocke, I believe the first one is mine.
Duncan

Paul Frank Bloomfield · Post by **Paul Frank Bloomfield** » 6 Feb 2009 10:25 am

I don't think I've ever seen a Fulawka pedal steel
for sale on any of the Forums or E-Bay for that
matter, that must say it all for the quality and sound of these fine looking guitars. Who knows, I might win the lottery some day !
Frank. Corfu

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 6 Feb 2009 10:38 am

Paul,
I got lucky with mine.
I bought is used from Al Brisco in Canada.

Paul Frank Bloomfield · Post by **Paul Frank Bloomfield** » 7 Feb 2009 1:05 am

Hallo Erv,
They really do look the business ! I can still dream,
who knows perhaps my mate , Duncan Hodge, might have a brainstorm and donate his to me and I'll probably end up as President of Greece as well, In my dreams !
All the best.
Frank. Corfu

Harry Johansen · Post by **Harry Johansen** » 10 Feb 2009 12:16 am

I picked up my brand new one last summer from Ed's place.

Mike Christensen · Post by **Mike Christensen** » 10 Feb 2009 3:45 am

These have got to be the most beautiful lacquer pedal steel guitars made.Astounding comes to mind but it seems very inadequate.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 10 Feb 2009 7:25 am

I don't have any pictures of it but I also have a black Fulawka 8 string lap steel.
Maybe I shouldn't call it a lap steel because it has 3 legs.

Stephen Dorocke · Post by **Stephen Dorocke** » 12 Feb 2009 2:32 pm

Eddie is master steel guitar luthier, and a dear friend. I loved the 3 steels that were in my possession and NEVER had any issues. Extensively used 2 of them on the road, and night after night, I'd pull either one out of the case, and it would be in tune and ready to go. The tone was always there as well-- I'm a straight into the amp kinda guy. No effects, just a Tweed Victoria amp-50212 or 35210. No muss no fuss. The only reason I gave 'em up, was because I made the choice to travel lighter>> and I travel alot! The violin is my new mistress! Carry-on! No regrets. As Eddie said to me, "it don't matter what you're playin, as long as you're playing!"

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 12 Feb 2009 3:20 pm

Here is a pix of Ollie Strong, taken last night at our Florida Steel Guitar Club monthly jam.

Roy Thomson · Post by **Roy Thomson** » 12 Feb 2009 7:07 pm

Thanks for posting that Jack.
I used to watch Ollie on The Tommy Hunter
Show long time ago.
I met him once in the 6o's. He had a Sho-Bud
then. How time flys.

Roy

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 12 Feb 2009 7:13 pm

Roy, how long did Ollie play on the Tommy Hunter show and when did Bob Lucier take over?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 13 Feb 2009 3:15 am

Ollie told me that he worked with Tommy Hunter for a long time but only on the early TV shows.

I was also told, by someone here on the forum several years ago, that Ollie had the first Sho-Bud that was imported into Canada.

Years ago, in the early Sho-Bud days they tuned the 2nd string to D and pulled it up to D#. Ollie still does that on his Fulawka. (Weldon Myrick still does that too).

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 13 Feb 2009 7:11 am

Beautiful guitars. I miss seeing Eddie at the Michigan shows. It was great talking to old time builders like Ed and Freeman Cowgar.

And Jack, I believe you'll find that Weldon tunes his second string to C# (as did Hal Rugg). I have almost always tuned mine to D, ever since I met Jimmie Crawford in the 70s, but I'm pretty sure Weldon's is tuned to C#.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 13 Feb 2009 9:01 am

Larry, you are probably right. I couldn't remember which it was. Just that they didn't tune it to D# as they couldn't lower the string in the early days.

Jack Latimer · Post by **Jack Latimer** » 18 Feb 2009 3:45 pm

Living under an hour away from Ed, I am very fortunate to have one of his guitars. He is a fabulous man and one of the best craftsmen around. His standard for everything in life is only THE BEST! Believe me, making one of the best guitars around is only part of this man's talent.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 18 Feb 2009 6:26 pm

Jack, you told the truth there. Ed is a one of a kind, self made individual. I can hardly believe the stamina of this man..at any given time he's got his head buried in a couple of steel guitars and the guy is going on 81. I enjoy so much having a visit with him, wish it could be more often. I am in London so I can't make it as often as I wish. Maybe next time I go up there, we can get lined up to meet at Ed's?
Email me some time.