Newbie Q: Working on pedal steel?

[Al Evans]

Here's an ignorant question: When you work on your pedal steel, how do you handle it?

Do you go at it from below? It seems to me that for some things (like a sticky return), you would need it together and working to see if you'd succeeded.

Do you take the legs and pedals off, and put in on a bench? How much padding is needed to keep it safe when you turn it over?

I keep envisioning something like an engine stand, which seems like massive overkill...

Is there a general procedure for cleaning and setup, like for a regular electric guitar? Any advice, links, suggestions, etc. will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

--Al Evans

[Jon Light]

I made this VERY rough, very functional cradle. The drilled holes make it adjustable to any steel. Strings are pickable. In reality, the cushions are not really necessary--the soft wood is safe enough.






My general maintenance routine involves making sure there is side-to-side play in the cross shafts (a seasonal thing), making sure the bellcranks are all tight on the shafts & lubing sparingly.

[Richard Sinkler]

I take a bath towel and fold it in two. I set it on a table and set the guitar face down. I usually leave the front legs on with the pedal bar in case I need to actuate pedals. The only drag is that you can't pick the strings. The rear legs always seem to be in the way.

[Tony Prior]

same as Richard, towel or blanket. If it's a quick fix or adjust, I keep legs, pedals in tact..

if it's a full blow something or other, I remove the pedal rack and legs.

Just depends..but I never used a fixture.

there is someone who makes reverse short legs which keeps the Steel off a bench by a few inches.

[Larry Allen]

Here's a quik make..easy

[Donny Hinson]

Put a large towel on a table, remove the right rear leg (near the changer), and then stand the steel up sideways on the table (or bench) with the left side (tuning key) endplate facing down. Now you can tune the strings, work on either the top or bottom side, manipulate the pedals or levers, and any parts you drop won't fall into the changer.

[Lane Gray]

I bought some of Bob Cox's work legs, used them for a while, then I started doing what Donny and Georg do.

[Brint Hannay]

I generally work on the underside with the steel in the case, usually with the front legs, pedal bar, and pedal rods attached (usually the back legs, too, unless one or both specifically gets in the way of what I want to do). If I need to pull pull rods out of the changer I prop the changer end up on the edge of the case, trying, if possible, only to rest it on the body behind the changer, rather than on the changer itself.

I do have to flip the steel over to test the results, but since I only do this kind of thing maybe two or three times a year at most, it's no big deal.

I can't imagine working on the steel with it standing on end--tightening down screws against the underside, fitting in assemblies underneath other rods, etc.--but apparently others are more dexterous than I.

[Slim Laurence]

It depends on what I'm doing, but I either do what Lane, Donny, and Georg do or I just slide under it on my back.

I'm accustomed to working on equipment so more often than not I just get under it like it was a tractor or vehicle of some kind and save the hassle of flipping it up on end. That way it's easy to sit down and test out any adjustments I've made.

But if it's a big job I will definitely upend the contraption and remove the right rear leg so I don't constantly run my head into it for the next couple of hours.

[Lane Gray]

I've done that, but unless you're on the seat, all the fittings are at full arm extension

[Richard Sinkler]

I've also done the under guitar method. Stopped after the millionth part fell and smacked me in the face.

[John Polstra]

Here's another pedal steel stand, easily made in a jiffy from scrap lumber:



John

[Doug Earnest]

I just lay the guitar on the front so that it is resting on the endplates and the underside is accessible to me. No legs or pedal rack. When working on tuning issues use an open end wrench to operate the cross shaft for the pedals assuming it is a square shaft. It just depends on what you are actually doing to the guitar at the time. When I am working on rods and such I put a towel on the work surface and then just put the guitar upside down on it.

[Rex Mayfield]

Larry Allen,,,, I LIKE that!

[Larry Allen]

Hi REX...very simple, I have different ones for different steels...held together with 6 Sheetrock screws. I take it apart and it fits on top of the steel in the case when I'm on the road or sell a steel..

[Jerry Overstreet]

Built a jig from padded 2x4 and a 1x2 strip on the back. It's adjustable for different lengths of steels by moving one of the blocks.

This photo doesn't show it, but a 1x2 furring strip is added to the front which still allows clearance for plucking the strings and tuners so that it can stay in the jig. At my age, I don't care to pick it up any more than necessary.

It sits on 2 tv tray tables and I put small pillows under the changer and tuners for safety's sake just in case.

[Al Evans]

Thank you all for the great suggestions!

For my first "exploratory" project, I turned it up on end. I would have had a hard time talking myself into believing it would be stable without the "testimony" of you folks. And indeed, it worked out fine. I found out the things I needed to know, and developed a plan of attack for the most important of the things that need a little help. Baby steps!

--Al Evans