Buying a GFI S-12 K U, any recommendations?

Rodrigo de la Mora · From: Nevada, USA

Hello everyone,
this is my first post on the forum, I am fairly new to pedal steel, professional guitarist for 25 years and have being playing a carter starter E9 3x4 for about 6 months and fell in love with the instrument’s expressive capabilities, so I’m buying a GFI S-12 KU and was wondering if anyone can give me any recommendations on any upgrades or copedent customization I could do to it, I’ve done some research and there are as much variations as there are players, so got a little lost in a sea of possibilities, would like to narrow whats the most useful, so if anyone wants to share experiences of what worked for them or not in a similar Pedal Steel I would appreciate it very much.

Thank you in advance.
Light and Sound to all

Rodrigo

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

I have a key head GFI S12 U ULTRA set up Day/Newman 7PX4K copendent. (This copendent has no LKR lever, to allow easier use of pedals 4-5-6-7) Weight Guitar 32 lb. Case 17 lb. Guitar in 49 lb. I played this guitar in a house band tonight. I am 76 years old I like the weight of the GFI compared to my old MSA. I also have a GFI S12 S-K U. I bought this summer. I am in the process of sitting it up Day/Newman.
GFI are active in building guitars and have parts as needed.
E-Mail me here on the forum if you have any questions. BDJ

Larry Phleger · From: DuBois, PA

What Bobby said. Any E9 or C6 instructional material can be easily applied to this copedant.

Charley Bond · From: Inola, OK, USA

I like what these guys say... but I might add the LKR, just because. It will be up to you.

I am PRO for the Day way, I like the Tommy White copedent.

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Charley Bond · From: Inola, OK, USA

Since you have 12 strings, just add some more pulls...
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Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

If the Carter you have is set up with the Emmons setup (1st pedal or "A" raises 5 and 10), I'd stick with that on the 12 string.

My wife's GFI Expo S-10 is setup with the stock factory setup and that is the Emmons (as is my Franklin).

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

In spite of the advice given here, I would not change from Emmons to Day without giving it careful thought. Emmons (left-to-right ABC) vs. Day (left-to-right CBA) setup is a personal choice. As Jack points out, your Carter Starter is set up Emmons, so you'll need to make some adjustments to your playing if you switch to Day. But as long as you're getting a new guitar that will probably be your main player, now is probably a good time to evaluate which might be better for you, so I'd try this to see how each feel to you:

For most players, the most common constantly-repeated E9 pedal moves are on the A+B pedals. So I would do this on your Carter Starter: do your A+B pedal moves (first press A-alone, then B alone, now squeeze B while holding down A, now let off A while holding B, then do A+B squeeze together, on and off.) Now repeat all these sequences using the B+C pedals in reverse order to simulate what it would be like to make these A+B moves Day-style: (first press C-alone, then B alone, now squeeze B while holding down C, now let off C while holding B, then do C+B squeeze together, on and off.) Which is more comfortable? I tried this fairly early on, and Emmons was much more comfortable for me. Since you're been training for 6 months, it is likely to be true for you also, but work with it for a while and see if Day is really more natural for you. Then set it up whatever way you want. This has an impact on how you set up your knee levers, though.

This is the Emmons/Franklin style setup on my Zum 12-string Universal E9/B6. There are 8 pedals, numbered 0 through 7, P0 is the Franklin change - I tend to like my A-pedal shifted a little to the right, this accomplishes that. I split the B-pedal with LKR G#=>F# to get the G note on string 6, and the A-pedal with LKV B=>Bb to get the C note on string 5, I find them very useful. I think this is a fairly typical E9/B6 universal setup, but of course there are a lot of small variations on the theme.

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

I'd go with Johnny Cox's D13th Universal. It has all of the standard E9th and C6th changes without having to "switch modes" like the E9/B6 or Bb6/Eb9 universals.

Here's a slightly different version with leftmost pedals arranged ABC instead of CBA:

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Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

For whatever it's worth, here is my copedant. The W is my wrist lever.

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Patrick Edwards · From: Port Orchard, Washington, USA

First of all since you’ve just been playing 6 months and it won’t be hard to relearn muscle memory,lower the E s to D# on RKR It’s easier to hold in when you want to play B6 mode
Then on RkL lower string 2 D# to D and string 8 to E to D.(some would raise string 9 B to D instead ). Raising strings1and 7 F#toG on the vertical lever this change will most often be used holding A and B pedals down.Then lower string 5 B to A# on LKR.
Just my thoughts rearranging the pulls on the GFI 12 string universal copedent chart on their website. Oh yeah , I would order a blue one. Good luck
Patrick

Rodrigo de la Mora · From: Nevada, USA

Thanks to everyone for their valuable sharing of knowledge, I’m speaking with the people of GFI to see what will work best for me, I really appreciate your feedback.

Thank you
Rodrigo

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

Mike, I notice in your copedent you have have LKL raising strings 4&8 E to F and lowering string 11 E to C#

That sounds interesting lowering the 11th string a tone an a half. I may try that on one of my guitars.
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b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

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