Jackson 6 string pedal help

[Ricky Holden]

I have a new Jackson 6 string Maverick pedal steel with Nashville open E tuning B E G# B E G#...two pedals and 3 knees. Are there any charts or other training materials available? I have pretty well figured it out just from my E9 10 string days but there are some differences. For instance, I could play a major scale on any one fret using peds and levers on the 10 string but am struggling to even find the scale on this one. I did locate the harmonized scales across the fret board. Guitar has excellent tone and sustain and sounds tremendous through my Travis Toy Quilter. I just need some hints hints....thanks

[Ricky Davis]

Well that is the limitations of having a "LESS STRING" pedal steel....So you're just going to have to more the Bar a LOT more often. So is that Low to high on what you typed?? and what do the pedals and knee levers pull; to what??
Ricky

[Ricky Holden]

Thanks Ricky....Yes on low to high. That is how they set it up at the Jackson factory.
A pedal raises b's to c#
B: raises g#'s to A
LKL: raises E's to F
LKR: lowers E's to Eb
RKL: raises the string 2 (E) to F#

For me it is simply much easier to play and the sound/tone/sustain are incredible. I just do not know where to find any charts or instruction. I have located many of the major and minor chord positions as they appear to be the same as the e9 10 for most everything I need. With a non-music theory background I play drums/guitar and the steel by ear and instinct. I know the basic chord patterns so as long as I know the "1" chord I can get through most anything. I just need someone to point me in the right direction. I spend a good bit of time watching utube vids also but do not see much specific to this tuning.

Any guidance is appreciated.
Rick

[Ricky Davis]

It sounds like from your explanation; you are able to get around; scale wise for that tuning; that's the big start. Yes vids these days are great...but you won't find anything for a 6 string E triad pedal steel cause it's brand new. I think of it in numbers. B is 5th tone in E; G# is 3rd tone...E is 1 tone. So scale using 5th tone on bottom; up is 5;6;M7;1;2;3;4; 5.
So:
[tab]
G#
E
B 0
G# 0 0b
E 0L 0 2
B 0 0a
[/tab]
that is 5;6;M7;1;2;3;4;5
So you can now start on 1 note and do same pattern moves to keep scale going up. That is in open position. Now in a and b pedals down you have A chord. So now bottom note is 3rd tone of A; so it's line up:
Do the scale from 3rd tone bottom string???? up the strings; using that number scale.
so there's your first lesson....now on from there.
ricky

[Ricky Holden]

Thanks again Ricky...I appreciate the Forum and the opportunity to learn from others here. Appreciated!!!!

[Ricky Davis]

Sure man. Another cool chord just lowering the E's to Eb. That becomes a 6th chord. Actually B6:
[tab]
G# 6th
Eb 3rd
B 1
G# 6th
Eb 3rd
B Root 1
[/tab]
So two frets back from pedal down major chord; with E's lowered; that is the 6th Chord version of that major chord or the 6 minor of that same chord
Take for instant: pedal down G chord on 10th fret. Two frets back with just E's lowered that is G6 or Em.
yeeehaaa.
Ricky

[Ricky Holden]

Just tried it....a nice pattern I can add to my own chord chart. I will get this pedal steel down before you know it!!! Thanks

[Gary Spaeth]

play "together again" on 1 and 3 instead of 3 and 5. subtract 2 strings from 10 string tabs. for string 2 on 10 string tabs play high e lowered and for string 1 play your high e string 2 frets higher. for mooney stuff no problem. he didn't have chromatics.

[Ricky Holden]

Thanks Gary for the tip!!!

[Gary Spaeth]

i didn't notice you have a lever that raises e to f#(first string on 10 string tab) so that's handy. combined with your a&b pedals you get the third pedal notes. cool. glad to help.

[Ricky Holden]

When I ordered the guitar it was to come with two pedals and two knees but the good folks at Jackson said they felt like I really could benefit from that right knee lever so they added it. I tell you this Jackson Steel is a superb playing and sounding guitar. I just wasnt used to six strings so it has been an adjustment. I favor the string spacing and greater ease as an "older" player now. I encourage anyone that loves the steel , has any regular guitar experience and wants to play some steel to check out the Jackson. It is a solid professional style and built unit. As you know, the Jackson family has a rich history in pedal steel business.