I Build my first Pedal Steel Guitar

Pat Comeau · Post by **Pat Comeau** » 19 Aug 2008 7:32 pm

Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum but been reading information on this forum for months and like to thank everyone who gives advice and tips about PSG, i been playing steel for about 16 years but was stuck on a Maverick all that time, i tried to duplicate licks and stuff but was always frustrated cause i only had a 3x1 so after alot of thinking i decided to build my own guitar, being a Singer and lead guitar and fiddler first i didn't had to much time practicing pedal steel as much as i would've liked so last spring i build my PSG from some parts off my Maverick (BL pickup,legs, bridge support,nut roller bridge, fretboard and endplates) everything else was bought or hand build by me , got the wood from my uncle who has a big wood lot full of bird eyed maple, i have to say that i'm very happy of how the guitar came out, there's a few flaws that i had to fix but nothing major it plays and sounds better and more sustain than my maverick sho-bud and now i got 3 pedals and 5 knee levers that is a whole new ball game for me and i'll have to start almost from scatch to learn how to use those new knee levers, so if any of you has some tips and advice about my PSG feel free to express yourself of what you think of it i would appreciated that...here's some pics of the guitar,it looks alot like a Sho-bud proI, that's why i called it (Sho-bud Style)cause there's still some sho-bud parts in it.

cost for building my PSG is around $400 more or less , i saved alot by building my own changer and bellcranks, pullrodes,pedals, pedals rodes and knee levers and everything else under the hood.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 19 Aug 2008 7:40 pm

I commend you on your efforts!!! Bravo

Pete Woronowski · Post by **Pete Woronowski** » 19 Aug 2008 7:55 pm

Pat, congratulations and I agree you are a brave man.
Take Care, Pete

Joe Smith · Post by **Joe Smith** » 19 Aug 2008 8:13 pm

Wow!!! Pat, that is one beautiful guitar. You are quite a craftsman.

richard burton · Post by **richard burton** » 19 Aug 2008 9:18 pm

Nice woodwork.

I hate to say this, but you have made
a fundamental mistake with the
tuning heads: they are the wrong way around
(The string pressure will try to separate the wormgear in the tuning head).

Hopefully you can turn them round the correct way without too many problems.

Doug Earnest · Post by **Doug Earnest** » 19 Aug 2008 9:24 pm

Good job! I would sure like to have some of that nice maple from your Dad's woodlot...

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 20 Aug 2008 4:12 am

Beautiful job! And, I must say, I've never known anyone to last 16 years on a Maverick before... It's a little hard to read clearly on the photos but does it actually say 'Sho~Bud' on it, or something else? (You could probably get away calling it a 'Faux-Bud'! LOL.)

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 20 Aug 2008 6:21 am

Jim Cohen wrote:Beautiful job! And, I must say, I've never known anyone to last 16 years on a Maverick before... It's a little hard to read clearly on the photos but does it actually say 'Sho~Bud' on it, or something else? (You could probably get away calling it a 'Faux-Bud'! LOL.)

The logo on the changer side of the front apron reads: "The Bud Style".

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 20 Aug 2008 10:08 am

richard burton wrote:Nice woodwork.

I hate to say this, but you have made
a fundamental mistake with the
tuning heads: they are the wrong way around
(The string pressure will try to separate the wormgear in the tuning head).

Hopefully you can turn them round the correct way without too many problems.

Yes a really superb job except for the mistake with the Tuners (Machine Heads) the design is such that they are intended to be mounted so that the string exerts a pull on the shaft (Capstan) tightening the wormgears into each other.
And the capstan is designed in such a way as to force the string to tighten upon itself. (Providing you've threaded the string correctly)
But of course we all know that don't we ?
Yeah !!

Pat Comeau · Post by **Pat Comeau** » 20 Aug 2008 10:11 am

Richard Burton said:

Code: Select all

I hate to say this, but you have made 
a fundamental mistake with the 
tuning heads: they are the wrong way around 
(The string pressure will try to separate the wormgear in the tuning head).

Thanks for noticing that...those keys are for a 6 strings guitar so i had to buy 2 set of 6 inline keys and when i first tried them on the way you say... they tight the strings clockwise so i install them that way to tight the strings the same as a 6 strings guitar, my maverick used to tight the strings counterclock, (is that the right way ?),if i build another one i will sure put some real PSG tuning keys, but for now the're working good .

Jim Cohen wrote:

Beautiful job! And, I must say, I've never known anyone to last 16 years on a Maverick before...

I know what you're sayin Jim...it's been a long and painfull frustrating 16 years with that maverick ,alot of time i wanted to throw the darn thing in the trash but being that Steel is not my main instrument and couldn't afford a Pro model i was stuck with it, but i did alot of studio work with it, did some steel work for dozens of local artist on their CD album...nothing fancy but did the job, i had changed the pickup on it years back with a Bill Laurence and it sounded alot better then the original.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 20 Aug 2008 10:20 am

if i build another one i will sure put some real PSG tuning keys, but for now the're working good .

There is no basic difference between regular guitar machine heads and steel guitar ones. You must have been putting the string onto the capstan the wrong way round.. looking down on the tuners, the string winds over not under..
You say "but for now" etc. Well trust me when I say that the gears will wear very quickly as you have it presently configured..

Pat Comeau · Post by **Pat Comeau** » 20 Aug 2008 10:32 am

basilh said:

Well trust me when I say that the gears will wear very quickly as you have it presently configured..

On a 6 string tele you tight the strings counterclock...right? , so it sounds like it's the other way around for a PSG ,you turn the key clockwise on a PSG to tight the strings?
thanks.

ps: strings are on top of the shaft.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 20 Aug 2008 10:52 am

ps: strings are on top of the shaft.

So therefore it stands to reason that if the strings are on the top of the shaft (Capstan) which is in an opposite manner to the Tele, that you'd have to turn the knob the opposite way way..

Does it not concern you just a little that they are mounted the wrong way 'round to how they were designed to be ?

Jacek Jakubek · Post by **Jacek Jakubek** » 20 Aug 2008 10:55 am

Nice guitar, Pat. I always like seeing people's homemade guitars here. Pat, I think what they are trying to tell you about the tuners is that you need to
reverse them, that is, put the tuners for string 1-5 where the tuners for strings 6-10 are and the tuners for strings 6-10 in place where the string 1-5 tuners are.

Basilh: The tuners on my guitar are mounted on properly, but I put on the strings so that they wind under and not over when looking down at the tuners. I do this because the extra angle of the string prevents my string 6 from buzzing. Turning my tuners clockwise loosens the string instead of tightening it.

Does stringing my guitar this way also wear out my tuners? or do they only wear out if you have the tuners mounted the other way, like on Pat's guitar?

Pat Comeau · Post by **Pat Comeau** » 20 Aug 2008 11:04 am

basilh said:

Does it not concern you just a little that they are mounted the wrong way

yes it really concerns me and i will fix the problem as soon as i can, but what i would like to know is wich way you turn the keys to tight the strings.

example:..when you sitdown playing your steel wich way you turn your keys to tight it...clockwise or counterclock.

thanks for your info, i really appreciate anyone's info on that.

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 20 Aug 2008 11:09 am

Pat,

Great job! I know you put a bunch of hard work into your new guitar and are very proud of it.

I hope we get a full report after you've had some time to play it on a few jobs.

I would be interested in tuning stability as I see you're using a wooden key head instead of steel and a wooden pedal bar.

richard burton · Post by **richard burton** » 20 Aug 2008 11:22 am

From this photo, it can be seen that
the gears will mesh together tightly
when the tuning head is mounted in
the correct orientation, strings over
or under doesn't make any difference.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 20 Aug 2008 11:42 am

richard burton wrote: strings over
or under doesn't make any difference.

Quite right Richard, eventually with time and use the gears will wear and strip.
But over or under DOES change the rotational direction, and the "Break Angle" to the nut.

All that aside, the guitar does look beautiful, which is more than can be said for my main workhorse Emmons.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 20 Aug 2008 6:19 pm

basilh wrote:...the guitar does look beautiful, which is more than can be said for my main workhorse Emmons...

Don't look now, but someone's swiped some of your pedal rods. Them rag and bone men will get anywhere.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 20 Aug 2008 6:26 pm

The rods broke and because someone stole the other neck (Whist I was fixing a pickup at a gig) I never bothered to get replacement parts. Anyway in those days (the 70's) it was quite difficult if not darn near impossible to get parts from the USA for Emmons.

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 21 Aug 2008 5:33 am

I bet the Tele player stole those particular rods.

David Higginbotham · Post by **David Higginbotham** » 21 Aug 2008 6:17 pm

Pat, I commend you on an excellent job! I have never seen a wooden keyhead routed into the neck as a single unit on a pedal steel. That must have been a great deal of trouble to get that pattern cut and sanded to that contour. The tuning machines should be no problem turning them around except that you will have small screw holes where they were previously.

I would have put aluminum braces on the inside of the front and rear aprons to mount the cross shafts and hardware into so as not to wear into the wood over time as well as greatly reduce cabinet drop.

Now I have a couple of questions if you have time.

1-Where did you get the Shobud inlays for the neck and front apron?

2-What type of lacquer did you use? Spray on or brush on?

3-How many coats?

4-What grit of sand paper did you use between coats and to get to the level of final finish?

I do a fair bit of woodworking and I have a guitar that I am about to build using parts from a MSA Semi-Classic and Shobud.

Again, great job!
Dave

Pat Comeau · Post by **Pat Comeau** » 21 Aug 2008 9:35 pm

Thanks David and everyone for the kind words ,i really appreciate the compliments coming from some Pro Player in this forum.

1. i bought the inlays on ebay
http://stores.ebay.ca/Acute-Marquetry_W ... idZ2QQtZkm

2.Lacquer is call (DEFT),i used the aerosol spray cans it's the best lacquer in spray cans that i ever used and i've used alot of different brand.

3.i don't really remember exactly how many coats but i think it was 6 or 8 thin coats, you really have to spray thin coat for a nice shine.

4.you don't really have to sand between coats, just before the last coat you sand with 600 or 800 grit, what i did is i sand between every 2 coats with a 400 grit just to make sure it was smooth and free of any dust that would have fall off and dried on the lacquer, if i would've buff it i would'nt had to sand between coats...just after the last coat ,Professional use a 3 step buffing with 3 different compound to get a mirror glass finish.

PS, Lacquer doesn't need to be sand between coats cause the key with lacquer is that you're trying to build up coats to make one thick final coat,lacquer is not like some other varnish like polyurathan...ect that just dries on top of every coat, Lacquer is unique because each applied coat "blends-in" with the previous coat. If you properly apply 20 (twenty) coats, you will end up with 1 (one) thick coat. All of the coats blend together to make one smooth piece of glass ( a mirror finish ).
so the difference between buffing or not buffing is that if you're not gonna buff it... then you need to sand before your last coat, and if you do gonna buff it you need to sand after your last coat with a 600 to 1200 grit.

i hope i didn't forget anything

oh... and the technic to spray well...mmm that's a secret

nah...just kidding, really it was with trial and errors that my secrets and practice makes perfect.

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 22 Aug 2008 5:01 am

That is one beautiful piece of handiwork!

I'm interested in how long the wooden keyhead frame stands up to the tension before structural creep sets in.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 22 Aug 2008 6:01 am

Hi Pat,
I too will join in and say great job! The level of finish is something else. You were smart to use Deft. I used it too and find that there is no yellowing - so far anyway.

I know a bit about the frustrations/rewards of building your own. I built one from scratch except key head and pedals, pickup and strings.
The frustration of making intricate parts with limited tooling is far outweighed by that first note you get to play with that first pedal bend! You are now bit by the bug. Before long, you will embark on #2.
As soon as I get some tools together, I will start my #2. Also, stay close to the builders and players here on the Forum. You will never get a better education anywhere!
I would love to stay in touch with you..email me any time through the forum.
I am in London Ontario
Bent