C6 on a Sho-Bud Maverick

[Phil Iacone]

Hi, I'm new to the world of steel guitar after playing Spanish guitar.
I've been playing a 1948 Epiphone Century lap steel in C6 tuning with flat wound strings, and I love the guitar but want to get into the world of pedals, so I picked up a 70s Sho-Bud Maverick as it was the only thing I could afford, so my question is
Is it possible to use the limited 3 pedal, single lever design of the Sho-Bud Maverick for C6 tuning?
And if the cutrrent setup isn't effective, is there a way to adjust the mechanisms to make the pitch bend amounts better suited to the C6 tuning?
Or will I just have to get into the world of E9 to get use of the simple Maverick?

Thanks!

[Phil Iacone]

Hey, I believe I have a revision to my question.
I'm looking at the bottom of the Maverick and I see there are slots in each string mechanism so that the strings that the pedals and lever move can be changed.
So for a 10 string C6 with D on the highest string, what would be the most efficient use of only 3 pedals and a single knee lever?
And is it terribly difficult to adjust which strings are effected and the exact pitch amount needed?

[Lee Baucum]

A bit off topic; but, I thought you might enjoy Herb Steiner playing non-pedal C6 on his Maverick.

https://youtu.be/27PdTbHgPKg

~Lee

[Phil Iacone]

Wow, that's inspiring to hear such melodic playing from non-pedal C6 tuning. I don't want to switch to E9 after that!
Thanks, Lee!

[Jerry Overstreet]

I don't know how much adjusting can be done on a Mav., but I think the minimum for C6 pedal steel is about 8 pulls.

Look at some of the C6 setups posted in the links above. Check Jimmy Day's 5,6 and 7 pedals.

Edited out earlier changes. See later reply.

All those pulls should be within the limits of the Maverick.

Again, not being all that familiar with them, I would expect that guitar would withstand the heavier string gauges requires for a C6 tuning.

Those are the main pedals for C6....that's leaving out the boo wah or splat pedal that raises string 7 and lowers 9 & 10 but you can get by without it.

[Phil Iacone]

Pedal 1 raise string 4 lower 6

pedal 2 lower string 5, raise strings 9 and 10

pedal 3 raise strings 3 and 4

knee lever lower string 3

Exactly the information I needed to get started on this,
thanks Jerry

[Jerry Overstreet]

Made an edit Phil. Change pedal 1: raise string 2 not 4. Sorry about that. Guess I'm still in my old univesal mode.

Also change the positions of pedal 1 & pedal 2. Not been my day. Apologies. I'll rewrite the whole thing.

Pedal 1: lower string 5, raise 9 & 10

Pedal 2: raise string 2, lower string 6

Pedal 3: raise strings 3 & 4.

Ignore the first reply.

click the links button in the header top of this page, select C6 copedents. Look at Jimmy Day's pedals 5,6 & 7. That is what I was trying to infer.

[scott murray]

this would be fun to try. I'd agree with Jerry, putting the standard C6 pedals 5,6,7 on the floor and lowering string 3 on the knee, C to B.

"C6 Lite" as someone else said

[Richard Sinkler]

Will the Maverick allow for 3 pulls for the normal C6 pedal 5? Can it raise AND lower string 3?

[Ivan Funk]

To raise and lower on the same pedal you would have to build taller cross shaft mounts with more clearance and add bell cranks like a Marlen pull release or Emmons push pull that can pull on one side and release/push on the other.

[Dave Grafe]

The Maverick I had only did raises, not at all like other ShoBud changers.

[Gary Spaeth]

you can only lower if you put a return spring on your push rod or bell crank. the lower lever on my maverick has a spring that returns it to pitch.

[K Maul]

Pedal 1: lower string 5, raise 9 & 10

Pedal 2: raise string 2, lower string 6

Pedal 3: raise strings 3 & 4.
.

All that would work with counter springs holding up the strings to be lowered. Not that hard to do if you’re familiar with how this all works. A knee lever ALSO lowering 3 C to B would not be that simple.
Pedal 2 working 3 strings is doable by adding a second yoke. I’ve made them with small mending plates from a hardware store and drilling a third hole.


The problem of strings 9+10 could also be solved by doing what Chalker did. Tune 10 down to A and 9 to D. Just some ideas. A Maverick could be thought of as MORE suited to C6 than E9.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Once again, I spoke when I should not have. I know that the Maverick has limitations, but I knew not how problematic lowers are on these old guitars.

From what the more knowledgeable are saying, looks like this is really not a good candidate for modern C6 pedals set up.

Apologies all around.

[Richard Alderson]

Dear Phil - Everyone has different musical tastes, so the main reason for doing C6th vs E9th is not the limitations of your pedal set up, but the music you want to play. Your musical ideas should drive your equipment, not the other way around. If you really really love C6th, you need to stay with that. BUT, here is a word about E9th, which is going to be what I recommend because of its versatility:

I was in a similar situation as you were, maybe worse. I had an 8 String Fender 400, not even 10 strings. For a period of almost 3 years I played it like a C6th console, and I did not hook up the pedals. When I did hook them up, I chose E9th tuning, because that is what my trusted internet mentor Don E. Curtis (RIP), recommended to me. But there were only four pedals. I had to choose between A-B-C pedals with Eflat knee lever, or A-B pedals with E raise and E lower. Later with limitations like that, I knew it was time to move up to ten strings & standard 3x4 or 3x5 pedal and levers. You have more strings than I did, but the same amount of pedal & lever choices. And I am sure you will get a standard 3x4 guitar the first chance you get.

I suggest you do E9th on the Maverick (if it is in good working order, otherwise probably ditch it). E9th is much more versatile than C6th tuning, when you first hit the A&B pedals for those signature changes from a one chord to a five chord, there is no feeling in the world like it; Also you will not lose your C6th no pedals options, you can play all that stuff as follows: with the E flat knee lever engaged your guitar will be tuned to B6th, and all your C6th - admittedly with no pedals, but that's how you have been anyhow - chords and songs will now be at frets 1, 6, 8, and 13th. You will be able to play most of your C6th repertoire, in the E9th tuning with the E-flat knee lever engaged.

But if you just gotta have C6th, and you're more of jazz and swing type player, then you should probably get a double neck and play the back neck will be easier to find a low priced double neck than a dedicated C6th guitar.

If you do set up and begin to learn E9th, you will not only gain E9th, your old C6th stuff is still mostly right there in front of you, just engage the knee lever that lowers the E strings to E flat (D#).

Good luck one way or the other. Maybe one of those Growler models is within your price range. I recommend E9th tuning, as long as it fits your musical tastes, and that's what the Maverick was designed for anyhow was A-B-C pedals and E-flat knee lever.

Good luck !

[Phil Iacone]

Great answers -- thanks to all of you.

I'm going to take Richard's advice and start with E9 and use Bill Keith and Winnie Winston's Pedal Steel Guitar Book since I've read it uses the copedent that's stock on the Maverick.

I've been playing around without pedals on the Maverick's rusty old strings (waiting for flat wounds to come in the mail) and the E9 feels good -- don't think I have to compromise anything to go the E9 route, plus there's a wide community of folks to learn from, so I realize you can play whatever you want on whatever you want.

Thanks again

[K Maul]

I do have to ask…why flatwounds? Most use nickle or stainless roundwound strings. You can buy them here on the Forum if there is no music store near you that carries them.

[Ivan Funk]

Hi Phil,
Where in Pa are you?
I can help you set it up if you're anywhere near Hamburg.
I added two knee levers to a Maverick and it works great.
The simplest approach is put any raises on LKL and/or RKL (pull), and put any lowers on LKR and/or RKR (release).

[Phil Iacone]

I do have to ask…why flatwounds?

I've been using flatwounds on all my guitars since 2016 when I got into Charlie Christian and Barney Kessel, plus the early Beatles records are all on flats so I just stuck with that.

In terms of steel guitar, when I decided I wanted to play I listened to the 1930s-40s players from the Hawaiian stuff to Alvino Rey, so I really like that warmer, mellow sound.

Plus I never have to change them, which is a major sell

[Phil Iacone]

Hi Phil,
Where in Pa are you?
I can help you set it up if you're anywhere near Hamburg.
I added two knee levers to a Maverick and it works great.
The simplest approach is put any raises on LKL and/or RKL (pull), and put any lowers on LKR and/or RKR (release).

Hi Ivan, I live in Philadelphia so I'm not a far drive from Hamburg.
I'd greatly appreciate your help!
What do I need to buy to have the right supplies?
Thanks

[Ivan Funk]

Cool.
The supplies needed depends on want you want to accomplish.
To just set it up good with the 3x1 that is on it requires no supplies probably. I have some parts too.
I'll send you an email with my info.