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Topic: To BMI: Any progress on your plans for an acoustic steel? |
Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 27 May 2010 9:35 am |
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A year or so ago you mentioned that you were trying to design and build one. What's happening in regard to this? Is it still in development? Did it not work the way you had hoped? Are you still interested in developing one? Have you given up on the idea?
Please let is know.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Franklin
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Posted 27 May 2010 12:39 pm
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Mike,
Not BMI, but since your curious about the concept.......Dad built an acoustic pedal steel in the early 90's.......The problem lies in getting enough acoustic volume to rise above the sound of the mechanics, which also become microphonic. Because of the lower volume of the instrument, acoustically, the sound of the mechanics is a tough obstacle to overcome.........I recorded with it on one of Mark's first solo cd's. In a perfect sonic situation its a cool idea, but not a practical idea for stage work. The instrument I used on Dire Strait's "You And Your Friend" is an acoustic lap steel called "The Box"..... I was able to get it loud enough to use on the tour........The lap steel is more practical for live playing.
Paul |
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Ryan Barwin
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 27 May 2010 12:54 pm
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Paul,
What was the tuning on your acoustic pedal steel? Which album did you play it on? Sounds like a very cool instrument.
I wonder if the mechanical noise would be picked up less if the changer was on the left side, where the keyhead usually is?
Haha...it could be called a "Ped-a-born" (pedal steel/weissenborn).
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www.pedalsteel.ca |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 27 May 2010 2:57 pm
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Paul, I saw both the Box, and the double neck Pedabro with the added regular steel neck, at the convention. Needless to say, I was highly impressed. If I had the bucks, I'd ask your father to build me a 12 string Pedabro. (It's a moot point because he doesn't want to build them any more and I couldn't afford one anyway.)
But this thread is about something different. A couple of years ago BMI announced that they were developing an acoustic pedal steel guitar. They said they hoped to have a prototype ready in time for the convention that year. Since then, they have not said anything about it either here on the forum or on their web site.
I am asking if they have abandoned the project, or it's just taking longer than they thought it would.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Ryan Barwin
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 27 May 2010 3:45 pm
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Mike,
According to the BMI website:
"The Acoustic Pedal Steel? "Where is it?"
Still in the development stage.....We have a prototype just about assembled. We will begin acoustic testings and then move on, "If all goes well" with the production model......"
http://www.beckmusicalinstruments.com/News.html
No idea when that was posted though.
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www.pedalsteel.ca |
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Wally Taylor
From:
Hardin, Kentucky, USA
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Posted 27 May 2010 5:23 pm
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You guys do realize of course, that if you come up with a great acoustic steel, the first thing anyone is going to do, is put a pickup in it!!  |
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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 27 May 2010 6:06 pm
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I can see where the mechanics would be a problem like PF mentioned. I've never tried an acoustic steel guitar but I did at one point install a Bigsby Palm Pedal on a dreadnought acoustic guitar with a piezo pickup under the bridge piece. It was fair in the unplugged side of things but I still got some of the movement of the changer levers amplified a bit. When plugged in it was impossible to use as the movement of the levers and other noises came right through the amp. The third string was especially bad as it was wound and made more noise moving across the bridge......JH in Va.
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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!! |
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Ryan Barwin
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 27 May 2010 6:31 pm
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| Jerry Hayes wrote: |
| When plugged in it was impossible to use as the movement of the levers and other noises came right through the amp. The third string was especially bad as it was wound and made more noise moving across the bridge......JH in Va. |
Would a roller bridge solve the problem?
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www.pedalsteel.ca |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 27 May 2010 10:32 pm
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| Ryan Barwin wrote: |
| Jerry Hayes wrote: |
| When plugged in it was impossible to use as the movement of the levers and other noises came right through the amp. The third string was especially bad as it was wound and made more noise moving across the bridge......JH in Va. |
Would a roller bridge solve the problem? |
No, it would not. I have experiments extensively with Peizos and no matter what I do, or where I placed the pickups, they picked up and amplified all the mechanical noises we want to suppress.
Sadly, it as been my experience, and I've come to the conclusion, that Peizos will not work on a pedal steel guitar.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 28 May 2010 5:39 am
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Mike - I tried the same thing, years ago, using an old Barcus Berry piezo pickup. First of all, it wasn't easy finding a location for the pickup to actually pick up the sounds being produced by the strings. No matter where I placed the pickup, it could "hear" the mechanical noise much better than the tones the strings were producing.
Lee, from South Texas |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 28 May 2010 7:44 am
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Lee, there's a cliché:"2 great minds with but a single thought." 
I'm not surprised you made the same experiment, and I'm definitely not surprised that you had the same results.
The thing that really disappoints mew about this is that the Line 6 Variax uses Peizos, and we can't apply their technology to a steel. (It would work on a lap steel though.)
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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