Robert Randolph's New Pedal Steel

Sage · Post by **Sage** » 15 Apr 2003 5:48 pm

Thank you all for the kind words,
Gene, no offense taken. Thank you Frank. I like your reference to iron- I like it too. Titanium is great but very hard to work with and very expensive. Bill Moore, I have considered that very thing and it is a good idea. I haven't figured out a way to do it because I don't want to give up the changer on the left with the tuners on the fingers. With that said, the body of the guitar does have a lot to do with the tone, I know because one of Glenn Taylor's guitars has exactly the same changer and pickup (Lollar, of course) as mine and they sound different. Also, the frame body is not very friendly to standard bell crank design. Damir, I've heard "terminator" used to describe it also. It is more scary than pretty. No sound clips, we'll have to wait for R.R.'s CD (please note that most of it was recorded on Robert's trusty and sturdy Fessenden, which is a great guitar). Thank you Drew, that means a lot to me. Rich

I had the ball break off on a 3rd string once, but the problem was a sharp edge where the ball and mounting hole met. It didn't break any strings while on the job, but that doesn't neccecarily say much. And Dennis, I hope so too.

Bill Ford, when it comes up again, I'll let you know how it's doing. Chuck, Good to meet you as well. I plan on coming out to the Denver show and I'll bring my guitar. Eddie, I hope you're never done.

Kenny, I haven't seen B.S. here yet, but there's always time...
Thanks again!
T. Sage Harmos
Harmos Steel Guitars

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 15 Apr 2003 6:23 pm

Pete Drake said he wont play something that looks like a kitchen cabinet (mica guitars) I can only imagine what would his coment be on this one

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Terry Wendt · Post by **Terry Wendt** » 15 Apr 2003 8:26 pm

Now that's unique!

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Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 16 Apr 2003 10:21 am

Very cool Sage! There really is something
cosmic about musical ideas formed near the Flatirons and Sugarloaf. I swear I visualized something like this was going to happen 25 years ago (in an altered state to be sure) when Dusty Drapes bought me a Shobud, a Texas Troubadors record, AND a Weather Report record on the same day...Just so I could learn to play and join their band. The old Boulder hippy in me loves what youre doing!

Eddie Malray · Post by **Eddie Malray** » 16 Apr 2003 5:15 pm

Sage: I hope you did'nt take offense to the remark I made about your new steel design. However, I did go into shock for a spell. I thought I had clicked on Star Wars in stead of the Forum for a minute there. I Hope this new design works out for you. Great things have came about because someone took a new approach. This looks like a physicaly strong guitar. I saw Robert play and it looked to me like he needs a tank. I don't think anyones still could hold up if he plays that way all the time. Heres wishing you and Robert the best.----EDDIE

Marco Schouten · Post by **Marco Schouten** » 17 Apr 2003 6:35 am

It is definately original. Would love to hear it. I'm surprised that it uses cables, my first impession when I saw the pictures was that is was hydraulic.

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Steelin' Greetings
Marco Schouten
Sho-Bud Pro III Custom; Sho-Bud LLG; John Pearse bar; Emmons bar; Panther amp

Rusty Walker · Post by **Rusty Walker** » 17 Apr 2003 2:52 pm

Very unique-but so is R.R.They may compliment each other to no end.I once sat and watched Phil Baugh(hope I spelled it correctly)and P.F.trade psg licks.I still get moist at the thought.

Sage · Post by **Sage** » 22 Apr 2003 7:57 am

Thanks for looking at the guitar and commenting on my efforts. Damir, right you are, I don't have anything in my kitchen that looks like that. Thanks Terry, congrats on your efforts- I still need to get on board. Rick-

there is indeed something about this place, and I was finding the Texas Troubadors and Weather Report at about the same time back in the day, and then later on an infusion of Red Knuckles and the Trilblazers and the Cramps. Drop me a line next time you come thru town. Eddie, no offence at all. It is a strong guitar and that was a large design challenge- to make one extra strong and extra light at the same time. I have relied heavily on Ultimate support systems components, which are well engineered to withstand the road as speaker and drum stands. It makes sense to me to use preexisting components that are strong and readily available at music stores around the country (if one breaks) rather than rely on made from scratch parts. Thank you for your good wishes. Marco, That is a reasonable impression. I would like to try one that uses microhydraulics, and it would probably look a lot like this one. I know that hydraulics have been tried before without much success, but I think that a lot of that had to do with the scale of the components used. Pistons that are too large have excessive stiction, which will kill the performance. There are much smaller ones now in common use, and I think it will be worth a try. Finally, I am grateful to all of the giants who have made the traditional PSG into what it is today- both players and builders. Because of them and the great work that they have done, I am free to push the limits of design. That said, I still love the look and sound of traditional steels. Thanks again, everyone.
T. Sage Harmos
Harmos Steel Guitars

Steven Black · Post by **Steven Black** » 30 Apr 2003 11:42 am

Hey I would love to play something like that,
that has technology in it. I wonder what one would cost? Steveb.

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 30 Apr 2003 5:42 pm

This looks like the kind of thing that great innovator Zane Beck would have had to have a piece of.