Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes? (Pedal Steel Builder Edition)

[Chris Bauer]

The building of pedal steels has never been a truly high volume business, even when Sho-Bud and Emmons and MSA were at their respective heights. It's largely been small builders cranking a few here and there as demand allowed or required. In some cases, people like Bruce Zumsteg, Jerry Fessenden, and Del Mullen have been able to sustain a business over the years with a fairly steady flow of guitars. Show Pro seems, thankfully, to be heading in the same direction. My point and question is this, though:

As Bruce, Paul Sr. et al. slow down or shut down, who's getting ready to take their place? My point isn't that great guitars aren't being built because, obviously, they are. My question is more about who's out there studying/apprenticing with these guys so that the craft can continue beyond the current builders? Who's getting ready to make the future innovations and build ever-better guitars?

I don't know that these folks aren't out there - it's an honest question - I'm simply not aware of them. Lots of action these days with younger and older builders alike creating great lap steels, console guitars, and respohonics. But is creating and building pedal steels simply not something younger builders are coming to? Again, it's not an assumption and certainly not an accusation, I'm just not sure who the young 'up and comers' are that we should be supporting and encouraging for the future. Any of you know?

Thankfully, we have a growing number of truly outstanding craftspeople able to work on and restore existing guitars. I'm just curious who's going to be actually building them in twenty years.

[Richard Sinkler]

You raise a really good point. We all talk about older players passing on, and who is going to fill their shoes to carry on the steel guitar. It's also true about the builders. Most builders are older and some day, well you know... Then what?

[Larry Otis]

I just got a Justice that's as good or better as anything I have drug a bar on. Which aren't that many....MSA, BMI, Fessenden, Sho-Bud.

[Niels Andrews]

Probably a little Asian dude. I have a Guild and a Wiessenborn that were built in China and they are pretty nice instruments.

[Lane Gray]

I think Mitsuo is the only Asian making a PSG. Could be differently correct, though.
Doug Earnest ain't old.
Bent Romnes is youngish (I'd thought. Oops), but he's turning out works of art, not production guitars.
How old are the folks at Williams?

[Dustin Rhodes]

Part of the problem I think PSG will run into is lack of decent machinist. I'm a mechanical designer for a company that makes custom equipment for pipelines and mining application and we can't find good machinist.

[Scott Duckworth]

Sure would be a good project for some student in machinist school...

[chris ivey]

it seems most new brands are creations of guys who have lots of experience so they know what is needed in a pro guitar. bruce z. fred justice, frank carter of infinity steels...russ hicks..these guys can really play. they'll have to apprentice their kids or other younger machinist/builder types who are interested. but the innovations come from experience.

right bent, you youngster?

[Miguel Saldana]

I'd like to believe that one day 3-D printing and CNC technology would make it simple enough for PSG manufacturing to continue for anyone interested.

Nevertheless, there would truly be a loss for the whole PSG community if the collective wisdom of current builders were to vanish.

[chris ivey]

i think the technology is already here!

[Ricky Davis]

Ok ya talked me into it..."I'll do it"..

[Dustin Rhodes]

I'd like to believe that one day 3-D printing and CNC technology would make it simple enough for PSG manufacturing to continue for anyone interested..

I deal with this type thing everyday in manufacturing and I can promise you that throwing technology at a problem won't help. Will it help people who already know what they're doing be more efficient? Yes. Will it make something for someone who has no clue? Not at all.

[Ross Shafer]

The market is for pedal steel is far too small for any Chinese manufacturers to have much if any interest. Guitars are being made there (and pretty nicely too in lots of cases) because the worldwide market is huge.

I've been making/manufacturing stuff for a living all my adult life, even longer actually, having worked in a machine shop during my high school years. I feel the most important ingredients for anyone who might consider building something like pedal steels for fun or for profit (nod, nod, wink, wink) is a passion for the instrument, a passion for mechanical things, and a passion for making things. Armed with those tools, anyone can figure out the rest regardless of knowledge or experience.

[Dustin Rhodes]

The market is for pedal steel is far too small for any Chinese manufacturers to have much if any interest. Guitars are being made there (and pretty nicely too in lots of cases) because the worldwide market is huge.
.

China is the place to make high volume items. A PSG would a nightmare from China given how close you have to watch most chinese manufacturers in regards to QC.

[Edward Rhea]

Ricky Davis said: Ok ya talked me into it..."I'll do it".. _________________ Ricky Davis Email Ricky: sshawaiian@austin.rr.com

[Jim Saunders]

Mullen steels are mostly built by Del's grandson, Mike Mantley and several employees. I recently got my new G2 and I talked with Mike several times during production. Mike say's Del always tunes and plays them before shipping to assure his quality is met. I'm sure Mullen can carry on should Del retire.

[Mike Mantey]

I can speak and clarify for Mullen. Yes I run the operations here and manage the company and oversee it all. I have been doing this for the last 4 or 5 years. I have been here for 12 years now. I spent the first 8 years learning how to do all jobs in the shop, should one person not be in or around I am crossed trained to do any task needed. My Brother Shaun Mantey also works here and will be a partner down the road. Shaun does all the bodies and guitar building now. He is also cross trained in about every area of the shop. Shaun has also been here for 13 years. We also have a crew of 3 more that have been fully trained on their respective tasks. One being our full time machinest, one being our in house polisher, and the other building cases, pre-assembly and apprenticing on helping with bodies. Del has been semi-retired since I took over operations. We still try and have Del personally tune every guitar. I have also been trained to do this task. I have done several when Del is not around. Mullen guitars are built fully in house, parts machined here and we do not out source jobs, so we do not have to rely much on other people or companies, just for plating and materials and such. Shaun and I have both chosen this as our career. So be rest assured that Mullen is one company that has our future planned, except for anything beyond our control.

[Ian Sutton]

I personally would love to learn. I don't think there are any builders up here in the Bay Area though. It is certainly something on my 'to-do' list.

[Lane Gray]

If you have a machine shop, you could always reverse-engineer your MSA, but giving it 3 and 3. That's one solid guitar. I'd suggest figuring out lighter materials, though. And adjustable return springs.
I lack time and inclination for such a task.

[Ian Sutton]

Good call, Lane. Sadly I am sans-machine shop, but I would certainly have a blast with a prjoect like that. I think before I get there, I'd like to find the old basket case 'Bud, or ZB that I could restore, to help develop my skills.

[Michael Hummel]

Here's a local builder in the Ottawa valley that looks like the real thing. I have to go out and visit him one of these days!



http://www.mkguitars.com/

Mike

[Donny Hinson]

There are far more builders now than there were during the "golden age" of pedal steel, so I wouldn't worry too much. The design has been pretty well worked out, and there are only small differences in many different brands. As I understand, MSA guitars are now made by a machining house that builds pedal steels on the side, but has a thriving business outside the music world.

Pedal guitars, for the most part, aren't works of art, but just basic machining and simple cabinet work. So, I think that as long as there's sufficient demand, someone will be building them.

[Brian McGaughey]

Pedal guitars, for the most part, aren't works of art, but just basic machining and simple cabinet work.

This is true as evidenced by the fact that pedal steel builders are never referred to as luthiers.

Also the fact that pedal steel guitars are relatively inexpensive compared to say handbuilt guitars, resonators, etc.

This isn't meant to put down anyone who takes on the task to build one...God bless ya! And thanks!