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Topic: Where did the "standard" height come from? |
Nicholas Dedring
From:
Beacon, New York, USA
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Posted 5 Jan 2004 11:24 am |
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Okay, so I'm not gargantuan, but at 6'3", I can't even cram myself under a "standard height" steel. How did that get to be the choice for every builder? While I know that there are different heights and so on available when you buy new, it's sort of a pity not to be able to sample some other instruments in a way that is actually meaningful...
Anyone know anything on this?? I suppose a guitar that was too tall would be okay to sit at, within reason... but too low is just downright impossible. |
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Bob Storti
From:
Matthews, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 5 Jan 2004 12:21 pm
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That's a good question Nicholas. I'm 6'2" and have to adjust the back legs on my Pro I to tilt it to 26.5" just to barely fit my right leg under the guitar on the volume pedal. One of these years, I'm going to get a 1" lift kit.
Bob[This message was edited by Bob Storti on 05 January 2004 at 12:22 PM.] |
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Nate LaPointe
From:
Los Angeles, California, USA
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Posted 5 Jan 2004 12:45 pm
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I am 6'4" and had 1 1/2" extensions added to each rod and braces added to the legs to keep the pedal bar from pulling on the legs and making them collapse. If you can find a guy in your area to do custom work, he'll sure to be able to adjust your steel to the right height.
Good luck! |
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Billy Wilson
From:
El Cerrito, California, USA
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Posted 5 Jan 2004 2:32 pm
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| I'm 6'7" and Tom Bradshaw put together a guitar for me that some folks would probably prefer to play standing up. I would love to play alot of different guitars and be able to play the knee levers. |
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Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 5 Jan 2004 2:40 pm
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When I'm elected God I'm going to make my guitar's height the Standard height. You ok with that, Nick?
[I'm 5'4" and my Carter was built to my specs.]
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 5 Jan 2004 4:22 pm
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| According to most souces, the average male height is now somewhere between 5'7" and 5'9". |
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Nicholas Dedring
From:
Beacon, New York, USA
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Posted 5 Jan 2004 6:51 pm
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Jon, if you do that, AND you outlaw pedal rod extensions, I'm pretty much out of the game... either that or a radical shin shortening 
I do have 2" rod extenders on my guitar... I suppose maybe I could have lived with 1" or 1+1/2", but I like a little extra room, more leverage on the right KLs with my foot on the volume pedal.
So, I'm guessing that for something in the ballpark of 5'9"ish it's pretty comfortable? I'm fine on my guitar, I just can't begin to more than struggle along with one hand metaphorically tied behind my back on a normal height instrument... makes it hard to try other gear out.
Bob, you should absolutely get the extensions on there... tilting it didn't really get me comfortable enough, and having the top of the cabinet flat makes it a lot easier to sit down and play. Depending on how much room you like, an extra 1" of 2" is all the difference in the world, at least in my experience. Takes about 15 minutes, and maybe thirty bucks? Worth every penny and second and more.[This message was edited by Nicholas Dedring on 05 January 2004 at 06:53 PM.] |
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Bobby Lee
From:
Cloverdale, California, USA
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Posted 5 Jan 2004 10:19 pm
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| I'm 5'8", and I had to get shorter rods for my Williams. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 4:45 am
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This is easy..the standard height came from someone who was shorter then you guys !
Bobbe..help us out here... |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 7:02 am
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| I'm guessing the standard height came from assuming a standard height guy sitting in a regular standard height chair. They didn't have custom built pack-seats back when, and everyone just grabbed a regular chair. |
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Ray Walker
From:
Smithfield, NC, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 7:22 am
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Don't you just hate it when you ask a legitimate question and after all the reply's you still don't get what you were looking for???An honest answer. OK here's the answer... If a pedal steel would have been made 200 years ago it would have been much shorter yet...because??????...That's right...people were shorter...If it had happened 100 years ago???? Maybe a bit taller but still pretty short by the height of people today. So the way I figure it is that in about 200 years the problem will be solved...you just got to be a little patient here... Here's what you have to look forward to...When that happens...in about 200 years...the short folks will have to sit in a "highchair" and attach blocks to their pedals in order to play. Like I said...you just got to be a little patient here and let time take care of this thing 
Hope this finally resolves the matter.
Ray
PS... And according to the charts Bobby Lee will have to get a high chair in about 125 years.(Now that he's already had to "raise" his steel) Now I wouldn't expect any funny comments here cause this is truely a serious matter for the shorter folks.[This message was edited by Ray Walker on 06 January 2004 at 07:26 AM.] |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 7:46 am
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We're not short, we're vertically challenged. We all want to be politically correct now, don't we?
Erv
P.S. You know why some guys are so tall, don't you? (They stayed green so long!!)
Uff-Da! |
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Craig A Davidson
From:
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin USA
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 8:27 am
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When I bought my Emmons the guy that owne it was not quite 5ft tall. He cut all the legs and rods down. The guitar stood about 2and a half feet off the ground.
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1985 Emmons push-pull,Evans SE200
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Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
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Posted 6 Jan 2004 12:21 pm
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I'm 6'5", and I can get under my Emmons just fine, without extensions. Mike Bagwell's a big ol' boy, too, and his guitars are normal height.
Bobby Boggs, on the other hand, has to get a stepladder to wipe his butt... |
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