What is in your spare parts bin?

Ed Brooks · Post by **Ed Brooks** » 28 Nov 2009 2:56 pm

Hi Everybody,

I'm new here and just got my first pedal steel. It is a beautiful black Fessenden SD10.

I was wondering what you all have for spare parts. I am going to order a new pedal rod and was thinking I should outfit a good spare parts box. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Ed

Barry Hyman · Post by **Barry Hyman** » 28 Nov 2009 6:34 pm

Guitar cords malfunction regularly, electronic tuners break if you drop them too often, and tube amps can be moody. But I've never broken anything on a pedal steel except a string every five or six years. And that's with many hundreds of rowdy bar gigs...

But don't let anybody sit down at it! They tend to not notice the knee levers until they have whacked them in the direction they are not supposed to travel!

Ned McIntosh · Post by **Ned McIntosh** » 29 Nov 2009 12:35 am

Spare strings, bar, picks. Also a set of tools for the allen-head/torx-head fasteners, also spare tuning-nuts.

I also have a couple of ready-to-install volume-pedal cords, as well as a spare Dunlop Hot-Potz volume-pedal pot from Tom Bradshaw. I could use a complete spare volume-pedal actually. Spare cords to go from steel to effects/pedal and from pedal to amp are always a good investment.

I keep a Bosch Ixo power-winder (power-screwdriver if you like) and a turbo-tune for changing strings quickly, wire-cutters for trimming strings, needle-nose pliers for bending end of strings where they go into the tuning-machine post. I keep a small screwdriver to tighten the knobs on any tuning-keys that work looser than they should be.

I also have a penlight torch (single high-intensity LED) for those little tasks where you need to see clearly what's going on under there. Also a spare set of batteries for my tuner, as well as a spare plugpack AC adapter for it.

I don't keep spare pull-rods, bellcranks etc because I don't break 'em.

This is all carried in a large zip-open toolbag I got from the Australian equivalent of Home Depot called Bunnings. There's probably a few more obscure things that have worked their way into the dark recesses of the corners but I wasn't game to look that deep inside.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 29 Nov 2009 8:34 am

I have millions of strings, a flashlight, Allen wrenches, screwdrivers, cutters and various string-winders, a soft craft brush that'll clean inside the keyhead, tuners (and a tuning fork just in case) and a few things I've forgotten are even there.

Bitter experience, though, has taught me to have a spare bell-crank! Seeing as I'm totally incapable of dealing with those Emmons 'E' clips I carry a couple of those old Sho-Bud spring-clip type thingies - even I can fit them 'on the spot', and I'll leave it to Dave Robbins to reinstate the proper part when time allows.

I only needed to bust a bell-crank at the far end of the World (western North Dakota!) to drum this into me!

Brian McGaughey · Post by **Brian McGaughey** » 29 Nov 2009 7:02 pm

Hey Ed,

I don't know whether or not you use a pac-a-seat to sit on but I highly recommend using one to store all the items the experienced fellows above mentioned. Or at least those most common items that you can fit.

I've been at it nearly 3 years and I'm doing more gigs and traveling about with my psg more and more and just got a pac-a-seat a couple weeks back. It's GREAT! Don't know how I got by without one. Don't need a huge one, either. Just a simple one works well for me.

And put a spare bar and set of picks in it. Leave 'em alone, you'll need 'em sometime when you're out.

Have fun!