How Do You Adjust Steel Seat Height?

Dan Robinson · Post by **Dan Robinson** » 12 Oct 2018 6:59 pm

I recently gave up my drum throne for this pak-seat. It was too low for me. Crutch tips raised it just enough. They fit snugly on the seat legs. Four for $15 bucks from amazom.com.

How do you change the height of your seat?

Dave Meis · Post by **Dave Meis** » 13 Oct 2018 12:25 am

I made slugs that pressed into the bottom of the legs and put crutch tips on them to raise my seat about an inch and a half.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 13 Oct 2018 6:25 am

On some seats, leg tips like that (or bulky leg extensions) will not allow the legs to fold completely into the seat-bottom. I find the lack of adjustability in steel seats to be one of their more serious drawbacks. Most builders seem to think that putting lots of aluminum trim on a seat is more important than having a really practical design.

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 13 Oct 2018 6:30 am

Adjustable height piano bench with Harbor Freight case.

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 13 Oct 2018 6:44 am

I've seen washing machine leveling feet used to raise and/or level a seat.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 13 Oct 2018 8:06 am

Last week, I stuck 6 quarters in the rubber tips so they lifted the seat legs up an inch or so. Another plus to this approach is, I have enough $$$ for an emergency beer.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 13 Oct 2018 8:14 am

My first steel seat was a Sho~Bud and it was a little too low. I put thicker padding on top, made it more comfortable also.

Erv

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 13 Oct 2018 8:23 am

Erv Niehaus wrote:My first steel seat was a Sho~Bud and it was a little too low. I put thicker padding on top, made it more comfortable also.
Erv

My Carter seems to have been built an inch shorter than the Mullen I use now. From what people have posted in other threads, my Mullen is the correct height. After playing 19 years on the shorter guitar, my right hand and arm are taking some time to adapt. So, I need to be able to lower the seat back to where I can play the Carter. I've thought of contacting Steelers Choice and get longer legs made. Then I can put the legs I need for whatever guitar I will be using.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 13 Oct 2018 8:42 am

I'm sticking to my adjustable drum thrones. I cannot understand why the legs on a $200-300+ steel guitar seat are not adjustable. The legs on anything but the cheapest starter pedal steels are adjustable, why not seats? I'm a lot taller than your average pedal steel player, and my steels are set up commensurately taller. But even with that, there are variations in the height, width, and overall ergonomics of my steels, to which I need to make adjustments in the seat.

Like Donny, I don't care about bling. I need maximum functionality for its main use - as a seat. Anything less is a non-starter for me.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 13 Oct 2018 4:49 pm

What Dave says. They should be adjustable.

With my bad back and bad hip (doctors are talking about hip replacement), i can't use a drum throne. I rely on the back on my seat. I tried a throne with a back, but that was a no-go too.

Gary L Reed · Post by **Gary L Reed** » 13 Oct 2018 5:00 pm

Heck Dan, just go back to your old metal grease bucket and add a 2x12 across the top.

Ron Funk · Post by **Ron Funk** » 13 Oct 2018 6:27 pm

an old fashioned way..........determine the height you want the top of seat to be raised. This is the same thickness as the 'blocking' mentioned below:

Turn Pak-a-seat over and Remove the U clamps holding legs to bottom of seat....then remove the legs...and set legs aside

On each side of the bottom of seat (where the U clamps used to be ) securely attach full-seat-width 'blocking' to the plywood bottom of the seat......

Then reinstall the legs and the U clamps to the new blocking

Legs should be able to fold over as-was, but collapsed legs might be a little exposed when carrying seat.

Richard Stoops · Post by **Richard Stoops** » 14 Oct 2018 4:29 am

I bought a Steeler's Choice from the forum that proved to be about 1-1/2" to low. My approach was to use items I had on hand. I had a scrap folding lawn chair that was made from aluminum tubing that was the same O.D. as the seat legs and a steel tubing broom handle that was the same O.D. as the aluminum tubing I.D. I cut the broom handle pieces so that they extended from the curvature in the seat leg to almost the entire length of the extension pieces. I rivet the pieces together, making a very solid extended legs. I completed the process by polishing the aluminum extensions. Works good and doesn't look bad. I'm sure this method isn't for everyone, but it works for me. I called the people at Steeler's Choice about new legs and they offered to make a new set of legs for $50.00 which is very reasonable, but I would have to send the seat to them for the conversion.

Robert Parent · Post by **Robert Parent** » 14 Oct 2018 4:32 am

I built my own seat so it fits perfectly. I agree that most purchased seats are not even close to the correct height.

Robert

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 14 Oct 2018 6:01 am

A fellow brought a mule home but couldn't get it to go into the barn. The mule's ears kept hitting the top of the door frame.
His friend suggested he dig out a little at the bottom of the door frame so his ears wouldn't touch.
The owner of the mule said: "The problem isn't with his legs, it's his ears!!"

The moral to the story is: You can deal with height in different ways.

Erv

Brooks Montgomery · Post by **Brooks Montgomery** » 14 Oct 2018 6:14 am

Erv Niehaus wrote:A fellow brought a mule home but couldn't get it to go into the barn. The mule's ears kept hitting the top of the door frame.
His friend suggested he dig out a little at the bottom of the door frame so his ears wouldn't touch.
The owner of the mule said: "The problem isn't with his legs, it's his ears!!"

The moral to the story is: You can deal with height in different ways.
Erv

Thanks for the tip Erv. I've added a shovel to my kit.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 14 Oct 2018 6:26 am

Brooks,
See, there's a solution to everything!

Erv

ajm · Post by **ajm** » 14 Oct 2018 9:21 am

Erv's joke may have something to it.

If the seat is too low:
What about raising the seat by raising the "floor" that it is on.
Get a couple of pieces of 3/4" plywood.
Cut them in a square just big enough for the seat legs to sit on.
You could stack them up.
You could drill out where the legs fit to keep the seat from sliding off of the wood.

If the seat is too high:
Raise the guitar by doing something similar to the above.

Dan Robinson · Post by **Dan Robinson** » 14 Oct 2018 10:46 am

Gary L Reed wrote:Heck Dan, just go back to your old metal grease bucket and add a 2x12 across themg top.

Since it's the second time you mentioned it, I can tell you're interested. Let me know when you're here on the eastern slope. I'll drop in to visit, and the bucket is yours.

Larry Allen · Post by **Larry Allen** » 14 Oct 2018 11:05 am

These work and adjust..

Jim Bloomfield · Post by **Jim Bloomfield** » 14 Oct 2018 3:06 pm

Dan if that seat is too low for you then you wouldnt car for most of the steal seats out there. That one is about an inch taller than most.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 14 Oct 2018 4:49 pm

ajm wrote:Erv's joke may have something to it.

If the seat is too low:
What about raising the seat by raising the "floor" that it is on.
Get a couple of pieces of 3/4" plywood.
Cut them in a square just big enough for the seat legs to sit on.
You could stack them up.
You could drill out where the legs fit to keep the seat from sliding off of the wood.

If the seat is too high:
Raise the guitar by doing something similar to the above.

IMHO, we shouldn't have to do that. And, from where I sit, we shouldn't keep complimenting builders who make all this expensive stuff that we players have to keep jury-rigging to make it work for us. That goes for seats, steels, and amps.

Oh well...I guess now you know why I don't endorse products by "plugging" them at the bottom of every post I make.

Sorry for the rant.

Dan Robinson · Post by **Dan Robinson** » 14 Oct 2018 7:39 pm

Jim Bloomfield wrote:Dan if that seat is too low for you then you wouldnt car for most of the steal seats out there. That one is about an inch taller than most.

Ha, ha! Not anymore it isn't!

Jim, it's a great seat. You're taller than I am. My drum throne is at least 2 inches higher than the steel seat was. I've always needed a tall seat to feel comfortable.

Must be more to it than just inches head to heel. Do we need measurements like a tailor would take to make a suit?

Larry Allen, I want to learn more about the adjustable inserts. And I agree with Donny... seat height adjustment should be standard equipment.

Jon Jaffe · Post by **Jon Jaffe** » 15 Oct 2018 6:36 am

I just raise the back two legs of my seat to cant slightly forward. But I could do all four. I keep the height of the feet stable with lock washers. I found them on Amazon, but they're not in stock at the present. I still think someone makes them. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071R ... UTF8&psc=1

Chris Schlotzhauer · Post by **Chris Schlotzhauer** » 15 Oct 2018 6:53 am

Dave Mudgett wrote:I'm sticking to my adjustable drum thrones. I cannot understand why the legs on a $200-300+ steel guitar seat are not adjustable. The legs on anything but the cheapest starter pedal steels are adjustable, why not seats? I'm a lot taller than your average pedal steel player, and my steels are set up commensurately taller. But even with that, there are variations in the height, width, and overall ergonomics of my steels, to which I need to make adjustments in the seat.

Like Donny, I don't care about bling. I need maximum functionality for its main use - as a seat. Anything less is a non-starter for me.

I totally agree.....I still use a throne, and will never buy a new seat until someone makes one with adjustable legs. It blows my mind this entire thread is about how to modify something so simple to "manufacture".
I'm sure it will add $50 to the price if someone ever makes one....lol

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How Do You Adjust Steel Seat Height?

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