Is everyone a steel "mechanic?"

Ken Thompson · Post by **Ken Thompson** » 19 May 2006 6:29 am

I was prompted by another thread to ask if all you players are expert in the mechanics of the instrument. I must admit that I have never been an "inner workings" on "anything" kind of guy. I don't need the recipe, just give me the cake.

I would be hard pressed to complete one of those drawings of the steel with a line to all the parts. I have never had a desire to get under it and change stuff. Now don't get me wrong, I can make simple changes to the pedals and knee levers but that is as far as I would go.

I will rely on guys like Duane, Ricky, Bobbe and all the other experts to make the major changes.

I have all I can do to just learn to play it proficiently the way that it is set up.

Am I the only "mechanically" challenged player or are there others out there like me?

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 19 May 2006 6:37 am

Ken,,
I'm a welder and mechanic by trade, but something just keeps me from doing any major work to my steel. I've allways said if I've got a book, or a picture of it I can work on it, but the small tiny parts of a steel guitar are to aggrevating for me!

However,, I do tinker on the small quick fix's until the "Tinkeritus" overcomes the workability of the quitar, then it goes to a reall steel mechanic!! lol..

Larry

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"Fessy" S/D 12, 8/6 Hilton Pedal, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

Willie Crisel · Post by **Willie Crisel** » 19 May 2006 7:22 am

YES,, if the gig is in the middle of nowhere,,and most are,and something falls off or breaks

Tony Palmer · Post by **Tony Palmer** » 19 May 2006 7:42 am

Interesting question...
I consider myself a jack of all trades type, very handy, fix it man, etc.....even own my own business fabricating brass products with lathes, milling machines, etc., but WILL NOT touch my steel!
Maybe it goes back to the first time I ever messed with my Emmons push pull and screwed it up royally.....never tackled it again.
....and never will!

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 19 May 2006 7:54 am

I was fortunate to have a D-10 that was pretty beat and willing to let me operate on it. I learned a lot under that steel, and now I feel competent to change the copedent or fix pitch problems with pedals and levers, etc.

I attribute a lot of this knowledge to the forum.

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 19 May 2006 8:09 am

I dunno about everyone, but I was, last night.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 19 May 2006 8:14 am

If you play a ZB Custom or an Emmons P/P it really is almost necessary that you know how to adjust the guitar.

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 19 May 2006 8:17 am

Ken T. I dont know if everyone is but I can point you to a couple of recent threads on the forum where there's a couple of guys that THINK they are--(Expert Mechanics That is)

Phred

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"From Truth, Justice is Born"--Quanah Parker-1904

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 19 May 2006 8:41 am

I've pretty much built a Fender 400 (with knee levers, 2 pickups, different controls and multiple raises/lowers) and a fairly stock 1000 from boxes of micellaneous parts.

David Wren · Post by **David Wren** » 19 May 2006 8:43 am

Part of learning the PSG, for me at least, was learning how to change my copedant, and adjust the pedals and KLs.... but that's as far as I go, and I never have replaced a finger on the changer, or anything similar.

On the newer, more complex steels of today, a little caution can go a long way.

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Dave Wren
'96 Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; Twin Session 500s; Hilton Pedal; Black Box
www.ameechapman.com

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 19 May 2006 8:45 am

If you play in your living room for your dogs and your wife you can afford to have someone else work on your guitar.

If you are being paid to play and entertain folks you should be able to do whatever is needed to continue making music if something mechanical flubs up.

Some people like to play a new (or newer) guitar to minimize problems, some become comfortable enough with minor fixes to allow them to fix something on a break, and others are master mechanics who can fix most anything with a paperclip and pair of pliers. An understanding of the basic workings of a pedal steel is a good skill for anyone who plays out to possess. Sooner or later that nightmare will come. Playing without your A pedal because a ball end fell down into your changer and lodged against the raise finger can really throw your game off. I know. Many other things can happen on a gig -- far from home -- far from worklight and tools. I think it's important to be a good enough mechanic to fix what you can and a good enough player to fool the crowd when you can't fix the problem.

Mike Cass rebuilt my Emmons; John Coop rebuilt my Sho-Bud; Jerry Fessenden built my bread-n-butter guitar. I rely on them for the big things but can do what I have to do in a pinch.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

ed packard · Post by **ed packard** » 19 May 2006 9:32 am

Some folk can fix the PSG without missing a beat...Joe Wright on stage at the International for instance!

Carlos Polidura · Post by **Carlos Polidura** » 19 May 2006 10:04 am

i believe everyone should know how to fix..adjust..tweak or repair their guitars in some way.
as a pedal steel guitar player...yes. i think that should be part of the learnig process.
carlos

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 19 May 2006 10:18 am

I too can make my way around mechanical things, but more important I feel is to have the appropriate TOOLS available when you do decide to mess with the mechanics...or for whatever project that is planned...

Most of us thru life carry around a Saw of some sort, a Hammer (1) a few real cheap screwdrivers, a couple of crummy wrenches etc...

and then we may attempt a refurb of something or other on one thing or another......

what follows is:

"I can get that 1/16 nut off with my 16 inch Crescent Wrench"...

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 19 May 2006 11:07 am

I might be a better mechanic than musician because I LOVE to tinker with pedal steels.

I have changed things around, added pedals and levers and lately I am into taking p/p's apart and putting them back together again.

After all, they're just "wood and wire"!

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 19 May 2006 11:38 am

Oh, the fun part. Just when you've got the neck about fully rodded, you find a rod that's gotta go where there ain't no room. So, disassemlbe this, rearrange that, and try again.
Then, flip the axe rightside up, and find the bell crank timings are off, and bushings gotta be relocated. Flip back upside down and disassemble this and rearrange that again.
Trial and error, but bending pull rods around corners is not allowed

Years ago I had a homemade engine stand I used to rebuild a 350 and a 403 engine. Boy could I use something like that for workin' on a steel.
Take picture BEFORE disassembling, it's too late afterwards.[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 19 May 2006 at 12:46 PM.]

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 19 May 2006 1:42 pm

I don't see how one could play and not want to mess around under the hood.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 19 May 2006 2:12 pm

I've always worked on my own instruments, but I think I've done them more harm than good. I'm not a very good mechanic. Keep that in mind if you ever buy a pedal steel from me. There should be a warning label.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b2005.gif" width="78 height="78">Bobby Lee (a.k.a. b0b) - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
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Randy Gilliam · Post by **Randy Gilliam** » 19 May 2006 2:19 pm

I Try too buy a new one Ever 6 months So i Dont Have too Work on them.Randy

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 19 May 2006 5:15 pm

You are a smart man Randy!

Duane Reese · Post by **Duane Reese** » 19 May 2006 5:47 pm

When you own a push-pull in Utah, where there isn't a shop for who knows how far then yes, you are also your own mechanic - you have to learn.[This message was edited by Duane Reese on 30 May 2006 at 12:27 PM.]

Duane Reese · Post by **Duane Reese** » 19 May 2006 5:49 pm

[This message was edited by Duane Reese on 22 May 2006 at 09:57 PM.]

Marc Friedland · Post by **Marc Friedland** » 19 May 2006 10:45 pm

Ken,
There's at least one other like you - me.

NO - not everyone who plays the pedal steel is a pedal steel mechanic.
Although, I admit we're in the minority, as there appears to be about 95% of steelers who do at least minor if not major repair to their guitars.

I have never been interested in knowing how and why things work, and as a result I have never learned how and why things mechanical in nature work as they do. I'm very happy just to accept that they do.
I'm also very appreciative that there are people who are so knowledgeable and gifted in this area who enjoy working on things.
Obviously, this explains why I'm TERRIBLE at working on anything mechanical.
This is nothing to brag about, and I'm also not ashamed of it. It just is, and considering I'm now 55 years old, I doubt very much that I will ever change.

In most bands I play in, I also double on keyboards and 6-string. If a problem with the psg occurs, I can finish the night on the other 2 instruments, but I've never had to do this.
If it's a recording session or gig that requires me only to play psg, I will sometimes bring my 2nd psg along as a spare, just in case, though I've never had to use it.
In the last 5 years I've played over 400 gigs, and even with my total lack of mechanical skills, have never encountered a major problem.

I'm not suggesting that anyone approach life as I do, I'm simply trying to give a complete answer to your question.

-- Marc

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 20 May 2006 1:38 am

i ended up havin' to be one since there was no one around to run to
much better that way after all
a steeler better know the basics 'cause he's only gonna have his own bad self to count on
i like to tinker too & i don't have 2 left hands

nevertheless my Thanx to the fo'bros, b0b's links, steel dealers & builders

Mark Edwards · Post by **Mark Edwards** » 20 May 2006 4:20 am

Nope, not a mechanic, nor am I a fix it kind of guy, however if I were to come up on a major car crash and some guy is laying there bleeding to death, I wouldn't jump in there with a pocket knife and string and try and sew the guy up, but I would do what I could to save his life. Same with my steel, and this has happened, at a gig, where there is a minor emergency. I have actually thrown a couple of guys off a pool table (of course I asked them really nice) and threw my steel up there to give it a minor temporary fix it job to get through the gig, but if it's something major, I'm not going to touch it, leave that to the guys who know what they are doing. Plus I could screw up a steel plate with a rubber hammer.