If You Could Design Your Own Pedal Steel

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 4 Jan 2010 2:12 pm

This is a great question. My hopes and dreams fall into three categories.

1) Real (already have it)

- Lightweight
- wide 6-string spacing for ebow use.
- two movable pickups
- easily interchangable pickups with a solderless connection.
- stereo output with respective tone controls for each pickup
- pickup selection (effects chain selection) controlled by a stereo 2-axis volume pedal where the Y axis controls volume and the X axis controls a blend pot.

2) Realistic (about to have it)

- Quad pickups. Two single-coil pickups that are comprised of blades that only detect 3 string each....making 4 quadrants of string detection across two pickups. A switch that will have two modes: 1+2/3+4 in series and 1+3/2+4 in series. Both modes are hum-cancelling and run in stereo. That means in mode 2, treble and bass strings have independent volume/tone/effects controlled by dual-axis volume pedal. Though the pickups are technically humbuckers, they will have a single-coil sound.
- switch that reverses the stereo field for the two pickups (switch bridge pickup from output 1 to output 2)
- phase switching

3) Hopeful (could be realistic in the future)

- eBow with 6 individual string nodes that can be activated or deactivated in any combination. Ebow would be mounted under the strings and attached to the bridge via a spring. The unit would have a roller under it so it could roll to and from the bridge. The unit would be controlled by two foot pedals in the right-foot position. You would take your foot off of the volume pedal to use the pedals. The ebow has a bowed attack so you don't need a VP while using it. The pedals would be used in conjunction (like mashing both A and B pedals) where one pedal would raise the eBow up to the strings and the other pedal would pull the ebow against the spring/bridge. Effectively, it's an ebow that could move horizontally and vertically while leaving the right hand free of any duties other than picking.

I've already got this contraption designed in my head. One pedal would pull on an arm that has a roller attached to it. The arm would move under the eBow and move it upwards to the strings. The other pedal would simply pull the eBow against the bridge and spring.

Allan Munro · Post by **Allan Munro** » 5 Jan 2010 7:36 am

Does this suit anyone?

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 5 Jan 2010 12:43 pm

One that makes me sound like Buddy.

Bobby Burns · Post by **Bobby Burns** » 5 Jan 2010 3:43 pm

Allen, what is that? I like it. It shows that it don't have be a square box to look modern, and modern steels can have style.

Les Hardin · Post by **Les Hardin** » 6 Jan 2010 7:38 am

C'mon Allan, stop teasing us. Give.

Ross Shafer · Post by **Ross Shafer** » 6 Jan 2010 8:08 am

Its a Harmos prototype that was built for Robert Randolph. Here's a link: http://www.harmosmusic.com/. Not much there on pedal steels other than a mention of a first proto for RR (built in 2003 if I remember correctly) that had some probs that would be taken care of in the second. I wonder if the second proto was ever produced.

Allan Munro · Post by **Allan Munro** » 6 Jan 2010 2:25 pm

Ross Shafer wrote:I wonder if the second proto was ever produced.

Ross, the Harmos site still says that there was only ever one pedal steel made by them. So, I guess that's a no. The other stuff, I mean the lap steels, are 'interesting' though. To me, that's all they are, I am such a traditionalist that I feel uneasy having to even look at a keyless head.

Regards, Allan.....

Per Berner · Post by **Per Berner** » 7 Jan 2010 3:42 am

That Harmos pedal steel looks STUNNING as a concept! I'd buy one in a second! But cables may not be the ideal solution...

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 7 Jan 2010 4:32 am

Greg Cutshaw wrote:There's a few guitars out there now that meet my requirements except:

Why can't they design a changer finger with a removable cap on it. The part of the guitar that wears out first and kills the sound from buzzing has no field replaceable caps????

Greg

Greg
ZB's had this for many years.

Allan Munro · Post by **Allan Munro** » 7 Jan 2010 9:06 am

Per Berner wrote:That Harmos pedal steel looks STUNNING as a concept! I'd buy one in a second! But cables may not be the ideal solution...

Looks like something that you could expect to see on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. "It's a steel Jim, but not as we know it."
I think the stand looks like some parts from the supports that are used on MIDI drum kits. Since it is a prototype/concept guitar I don't know if it is designed to be easily taken-down/put-up for the gigging player but I have wondered in the past if cables were not a good way to go for that situation.

Anyhow, interesting...

Allan.....

Kenn Geiger · Post by **Kenn Geiger** » 7 Jan 2010 10:52 am

Being a new player - and I mean new, my dream guitar would have the AB&C pedals nearer the center (like the Maverick - they did have that idea long ago). Wide Spacing @3/8ths to help me from catching my picks, Custom Fret Boards with all the string #'s on them offset so that they are seen under the correct string when sitting in the playing position, as well as all the fret #'s. Light weight and come standard with a two piece case. This is pretty basic, but then again, I am a pretty basic person.

Kenn

Danny James · Post by **Danny James** » 7 Jan 2010 12:05 pm

Allen,

Having played Multi-Kords for years with pedal cables, I will have to say in my opinion it for sure is not a good way to go. I ended up making detachable stainless steel pedal rods to eliminate cables breaking often on mine.

I do like the Multi-Kord "design principal" of it's changer though.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 7 Jan 2010 6:53 pm

Danny James wrote:...I ended up making detachable stainless steel pedal rods to eliminate cables breaking often on mine...

What about cables running in tubes, like automobile accelerator cables ?

Danny James · Post by **Danny James** » 7 Jan 2010 7:37 pm

My opinion is they will eventually break, usually at one end or the other. I would think there would be more stress / strain / on the cable ends on a pedal steel guitar, than there is on an accelerator pedal on an auto or motorcycle throttle cable.

When I went to 3/16 stainless steel welding rods for pedal rods on my Multi-Kord it completely eliminated the breakage problem, and I have played it for several years since then with no breakage whatsoever.

Allan Munro · Post by **Allan Munro** » 7 Jan 2010 11:14 pm

Cables? What cables? Did I say I wanted cables? Seriously though, thanks for the comment on that - comes off the list of parts for my dream steel anyhow. I am not at all familiar with a MK - at least not in the 'up and under' view - so I can't comment on the changer.

Regards, Allan.....

Danny James · Post by **Danny James** » 9 Jan 2010 5:21 pm

Mac Knowles stated earlier in this topic that he was in the process of building a pedal steel guitar with a changer that has similarities to the Harlin Bros. changer, on the end instead of on top such as something I have had in mind for a long time.

He has promised some pictures after the Holidays. I for one am looking forward to seeing them Mac.

I really believe it is possible a guitar of this design could change the way pedal steel guitars are being built today.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 9 Jan 2010 6:21 pm

Danny James wrote:...I really believe it is possible a guitar of this design could change the way pedal steel guitars are being built today.

I hope you're right.

Mac Knowles · Post by **Mac Knowles** » 10 Jan 2010 3:55 am

Danny.....Sorry, I haven't hardly done a darn thing on the guitar since Christmas. I've been trying when I get an hour or two to get the keyless end done first so I can put some strings on it to do further work on the changer. I'm sick of winter already... You know you're a Canadian when you've got more miles on your snowblower than you have on your car! Anyway, I'll be getting back to the guitar building soon as I can.

Mac

Danny James · Post by **Danny James** » 10 Jan 2010 5:11 am

Mac, I understand about the snow up there in Canada. We moved south from Indiana, and just this year became residents here in Florida to get away from all the snow and ice.

Guess what,--- we have a pipe froze somewhere this morning. It's 28 degrees here.

That's probably a lot warmer than it is there in Canada though.

Sorry didn't mean to get off topic.

We are looking forward to seeing pictures of your guitar when you have time to get back on your project.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 10 Jul 2014 3:41 pm

Danny James wrote:Mac Knowles stated earlier in this topic that he was in the process of building a pedal steel guitar with a changer that has similarities to the Harlin Bros. changer, on the end instead of on top such as something I have had in mind for a long time.

He has promised some pictures after the Holidays. I for one am looking forward to seeing them Mac.

I really believe it is possible a guitar of this design could change the way pedal steel guitars are being built today.

Any progress by Mac?

Mac Knowles · Post by **Mac Knowles** » 10 Jul 2014 5:19 pm

Hey....I was just snoopin' around on here tonight and saw my name mentioned. Ah, yes, my "new" changer idea. I've attached a couple of pictures of the first effort on this.....that was a couple of years ago. The changer itself worked quite well, well it would have been better if I'd been a bit more accurate in my drilling etc. The problem was "pulling" the bars to activate the changes. Couldn't seem to get that to work satisfactorily. Since then, actually now, I've redesigned the changer and have thought of a better way to activate the changes. I'm putting it on an already built guitar, so need to make many alterations to install the new changer and pulling mechanism. With some luck it should be working in the next couple of weeks or so.
Cheers,
Mac

Eric Moon · Post by **Eric Moon** » 30 Sep 2015 1:51 pm

Wow, I love that design. Hinged from the end, you say. That doesn't cause any kind of binding issues with those long screw thingies? Does it limit the throw on the hinged end?

Seems like a lot more reliable than trying to pull both ends of the tuning bar simultaneously!

I love the idea of a different screw type, rather than a second hole. Brilliant....

Let me know when you go into production

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 1 Oct 2015 4:25 am

Keyless 14 string guitar made of titanium. Built in auto-tune controlled by a powerful computer. Hydraulic pedal action and ball and needle bearings used throughout. Total weight under 20lbs. Clear fretboard lit from underneath to illuminate the frets and markers. Built-in controls for the Motorola stereo.

And a built-in cellphone to call my wife so she will bring me another cup of coffee and some cookies in the back bedroom.

Billy Carr · Post by **Billy Carr** » 1 Oct 2015 8:56 pm

I prefer everything to be simple and easy to work on or make changes with. Front & rear aprons or front/back of cabinet to be carbon fiber. Top and undercarriage areas to be maple. Neck that's interchangeable, meaning you can have a choice of a wood neck or aluminum neck at anytime. It would slide in/out. Same thing with changing pickups. Built-in tuner and keyed guitar. Aluminum changer fingers with black pull rods and tuning nuts in three colors. Red for raises, blue for lowers and maybe green or white for splits. Adjustments like on the newer MSA's for the pedals. A small plastic or metal brand nametag glued on the front of cabinet. Finally, a flight case similar to the cases Williams and Excel use. Just reinforced at some places.

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