Electro-Mechanical Changer

[Geoff Noble]

Not push. Pull from the other side. Possibly with programming to allow for splits and compensators

Ah right. Still, would it be feasible to have it pull one end push the other, this would mean the fingers could be simplified to one kind of action.

I'd put all the electro-mechanics in/under the keyhead - keyed or "keyless", and focus entirely on tone when (re)constructing the bridge-end.

I think I understand what you are saying here. In effect the bridge end would become almost the equivalent of the keyhead end on a "normal" pedal steel, in that it would be passive. Since the pickup is down the bridge end that is more relevant to producing the tone and since there would be no changer there it would allow a different kind of arrangement that focuses on tone/sustain etc?

I suppose it would also isolate any noise generated from the servos or servo circuitry to the top end, far away from the Pup. This would be especially relevant for single coils.

[Geoff Noble]

I already have a PSG where the bridge/neck is partly floating free of the body - it interacts sonically different with the body compared to on regular PSGs, and that is an improvement in my experience (have had it for over 20 years now). It still has the regular mechanical all-pull changer at the bridge though, so it is still "mechanically restricted" in many ways. I certainly wouldn't mind getting rid of those restrictions too, but - for the time being at least - I am unable to throw the amount of money needed to make that happen, at PSG development.

That sounds really cool, is there a big difference in tone to a regular pedal steel?

I guess the main cost is in the development + a lot of work. Once it's cracked I guess the changer unit could be mass produced, as you mentioned previously the software development would be the thing. Like you I did a bit of machine coding and some higher languages back in the 70's, when it was still 8 bit processors

You could probably use a PIC controller these days though and I'm sure there are plenty of young whizz kids that would do the programming.

Anyway, hope you get around to it at some point, certainly a challenge