Ernie Ball PSG: keyless?

[Charlie McDonald]

I'm wondering if this guitar shares a common parentage the Fender 210.
Does anyone know more details about this guitar?
The complete eBay listing is ebay.com/ERNIE-BALL-PEDAL-GUITAR-VINTAGE...

[Steven Black]

looks a little like a Seria style guitar.

[Bobby Lee]

They weren't at all like a Sierra. The Sierras of the day were big and heavy, built like a tank. My 1978 Sierra S-12 weighs over 90 pounds in the case!

The Ernie Ball guitars were very light, one might even say flimsy. It wasn't a very impressive instrument, except for its low price and music store distribution. I never heard much good about them.

Notice that it doesn't have endplates. That's by design!

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[Donny Hinson]

<SMALL>...if this guitar shares a common parentage the Fender 210.</SMALL>

Definitely not!

[Charlie McDonald]

I wondered about those corners that just stopped.
This is very good to know Bobby.
Light isn't under consideration.
I don't think it would be all that novel just for an early keyless thing that probably doesn't work well.
Thanks.
(I really wasn't looking at it seriously.
Honest.)

[Gary Jones]

This is a "Black Eagle" student model steel guitar. The subject of these guitars has come up a few times in the past on the forum.
As I have said in earlier discussions I assembled a few of these steels when I worked for Ernie Ball in 1978,79 in San Luis Obispo.
These guitars were designed by Ron Saul (who also designed the EB volume pedals) and Dan Norton. They were intended as student models, and have no connection to the EB "Earthwood" keyless steel guitars, of which only a few were built.
As Bobby Lee said, these are not very good guitars. Avoid these like a bad ex-girlfriend.

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Gary Jones, KLVX-TV
Fessenden S/D-12U
Bunch of cheap guitars
Big ol' pile of half-rebuilt amplifiers

[b0b]

Do any of these still exist? I remember seeing one at Zone Music in Cotati, CA. I seem to recall it had a right foot pedal that connected with a pedal rod up to a volume pot in the body of the guitar. (Or was that a different guitar?)

[b0b]

Maybe I'm wrong about the volume pot. Found this ad from a few years back:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=249513

[Jerry Overstreet]

b0b, my old MSA Red Baron had the integral volume pot/pedal system you describe.

[b0b]

Ah, that's where I saw it. Seems like it would be a good idea if you had a decent pot.

Does anyone here have an Ernie Ball pedal steel? Any pictures?

[Dan Kelly]

Here are a few pics;

http://pedal-steel-guitar.info/ernie-ba ... eserve.htm

[Jon Zimmerman]

About mid-'70's, I went to see the prototypes Ernie was still getting prep'd for NAMM, etc.
Think it was in nearby Costa Mesa. Storefront type operation, trying diff ways to build but only made it worse than intended.. they were saying how "uncomplicated" and "featherweight" it should be, final design. My friend, Bill Bergren, agreed with you, bOb, too flimsy and cheap looking. It never got any momentum enough to compete with the big 3 majors of that era. But the keyless tuner was its only positive..'state of the art'. etc.

[Jim Palenscar]

Actually I had an Ernie Ball keyless in the 70's that was very much a Sierra- big and heavy- 1/2" steel cross shafts and I recall getting some parts from a guy involved in the manufacture of them from either Newport or Costa Mesa and he still had a ton of parts in his garage. The changer was a Sierra for sure. There is a link in the history of Sierra where Ernie Ball made them for a brief time.

[Joseph van der Eijk]

Hello Gary,

I hope you can help me.
I know it has been a while since this article has been posted.
A friend of me came across an Ernie Ball pedal steel and has problems renewing strings using the keyless tuner.
Maybe you can tell me what the problem is or might be.
When a new string has been attached and the tuner key is turned, he hears a rattling sound which might be ok.
But when he removes the tuning wrench the mechanism turns back and the string is (out of tune) and without any tension anymore.

1. Is this a malfunctioning mechanism, can it be repaired, and how or is there "a trick" making the tuning machanism stick after a new string has been attached and tuned?
2. Are there any schematics available of the keyless tuners used on the Ernie Ball pedal steel guitars? or a description how to use them?

Regards, Joost

[Jim Palenscar]

It could be that the tuning mechanism isn't an original but an aftermarket one that had a mechanism to keep the screws for turning backwards and that has failed. Do you have a pic of the keyless mechanism in question?

[b0b]

Is this what it looks like?

[Mike Marsh]

I have one in inventory. If pictures are needed let me know. I'm happy to post them if it helps.
Mike

[Joseph van der Eijk]

This is how the malfunctioning mechanism looks like.
If malfunctioning, can it be repaired of should it be replaced?



And this is the complete body.




@Mike,
Yes, please post a picture from the one you have.
Might help to find out if we are talking about an original or "other" one.

[Mike Marsh]

[Joseph van der Eijk]

Thanks for the picture.
Exactly the one I/we need.

When you said "I have one in inventory" I thought the tuner only. Need one to replace the defective one. Or a "howto repair". On the picture is a complete steel guitar.

Anyone....help on this topic?