The Steel Guitar Forum

Hello,
I recently became aware that my neighbor works at a metal shop where Cnc mills and other metal working tools are readily available.
I also know that my uncle is a highly skilled wood worker. I figure my uncle could build the cabinet, and the neighbor machine the parts based off of diagrams that I provide.
Do you think that If I had diagrams of all of the metal parts that would need fabricating, that I could assemble a fully functioning steel pretty easily? ALso , Does anyone know where I might find diagrams/dimensions of changer fingers, bell cranks, cross shafts, necks, keyheads, etc?
Thanks for your help. I am not looking to recreate any specific steel model, just copy parts from various builds. I also don't want to anger any builders out there by stealing designs. If anyone has any information that might help me, please don't hesitate to send me any and all.
Thank you so much
Jeff

that I could assemble a fully functioning steel pretty easily?

With all due respect, if it was easy, every one of us would be doing it....and having done it, I can promise you that it isn't easy.

I'm most looking for advice, and blueprints. I'm fairly certain that I could handle the assembly. Thanks sir.

In my opinion, someone who has the ability to build a pedal steel, will also have the ability to design it as well. The two skills go hand in hand.

All you need to know is the scale length (usually 24"), how many strings (usually 10), and how many pedals and levers (usually 3 and 4)

The changer design is up to you, you could have a pull-release with its very simple single-finger design, or a more complicated 3-piece all-pull finger.

Expensive....

richard burton wrote:In my opinion, someone who has the ability to build a pedal steel, will also have the ability to design it as well. The two skills go hand in hand.

That assertion does not make sense to me at all. Being a good machinist is a different skill than being a good wood worker. Being either or both of those is a different skill than being a good pedal steel guitar designer. There are probably thousands and thousands of high quality machinists who wouldn't know where to begin designing a pedal steel guitar. It turns out that there are folks who have all of those skills but I definitely wouldn't say that all of those skills go hand in hand.


JSB

I also don't want to anger any builders out there by stealing designs.

One does not "steal" a steel design... What you do is study the scope and extent of what has been done so far, and then create your own interpretation of the methods and mechanics.

There is enough discussion, photos, and analytical research (Ed Packard's stuff comes to mind) in the archives here that with a little research all of the info needed to build one can be found.

Jeff - as far as I know there are no "blue prints" - I worked with Chuck Back at Desert Rose for several years so have had the opertunity to talk to several builders.

It really is not as easy as most think.

The wood is basically machined as near machined tolerances and there is a lot to it. I know of at least 6 or 7 that have started or tried and have not finished.

If you would like to give me a call feel free - I am not an expert but will give you some thoughts and maybe some people to talk to for help.

480-215-8853

Joe Naylor
www.steelseat.com

Been there done that and have the scars to prove it. I build at a D10 about 1968. Got the front neck to work good with 3 pedals. My first suggestion is just build a S10 E9th. Start with something you will want to finish. I had worked wood, Attended machinest school, Worked in a machine shop and was employed in a light bulb plant as a machine attendant. Working with complicated machinery every day. With about 10 machinist friends. Steel building was a thing in my area then. A Jimmy Walker from Parsons WV. (Passed on) made pickups and had a set of masters he had Key Head,Changer-Pickup Block,End Plates, Peddle Bars and peddles cast and sold them in the rough. I did not like the Changer-Pickup block had thin back that would not hold tune against the Adj. Screw. I ended up Making a master out of wax, Mould out of Plaster of Paris and Used junk alumnium from a Auto-Trans housing to melt to pour it with. When I got it poured and machined it worked great. It will take a bunch of tools just to assemble the guitar. Even if the parts are made you will need to drill holes in wood and metal,tap holes, custom fit bolts to length. A drill press and a buffer may be much needed large tools to have. Good Luck if You Proceed.

Jeff, I will echo Georg's reply and ask you to join the builder's forum.
It IS possible to make your own pedal steel.You do need to design it yourself, however.There are no shortcuts like asking builders to give/sell you their designs. You need to do your research. That you have access to neighbors in machine shops as well as an uncle woodworker is just a plus. However, half the fun is actually designing and making the parts yourself. Once those are made all that's left is the assembly.

buy a s10 shobud, then make all the replacement parts. levers, brackets, fingers, everything that you can replace the pot metal with. then, i might tackle the whole thing.

A recommendation that I read somewhere on the forum here was that "You are better of doing whatever job you do usually and saving your money to buy the steel of your choice (or have it made by your chosen manufacturer) rather than trying to build your own which will end up being extremely time consuming and expensive. And to use your time more wisely by spending it practicing your technique while you save for your dream machine."

Made a lot of sense to me. Building a steel from scratch is an incredibly ambitious project unless you have a mind to go into it as a business. And even then.........

Hello Jeff,

I would highly recommend joining the builders forum as mentioned above. I started a similar thread on this forum awhile ago, and yeah, friendly blueprints and diagrams are not going to be readily available for most parts.

Currently, I'm trying to compile info from the forums, and other resources, into a single manual I can print out for my building partner (the machinist) as a handy reference manual for questions as we come to them.

Trying to assimilate and organize this information into something I can refer to later has been a great learning process for me.

I'd say the first step is deciding what you want out of your new steel, and maybe start by showing your machinist a couple of changer designs, and seeing which one gets his boat rocking if he'll be handling all the fabrication.

$10,000 later...

I, for one, applaud your audacious undertaking Jeff.... Who knows, through your effort, you may come up with an innovation that rewrites the whole instrument....big thinking accompanied by action is cool....go for it!

While your uncle could likely build the cabinet to your satisfaction the machined parts by your neighbor would likely set you back more than the cost of a new guitar. When I undertook the support of the Sierra line of pedal steels I had a number of parts copied so that I could offer replacements to those needing them. The parts I ended up with cost me more than the nicest steel that money could buy primarily due to the small quantities involved. I have built a number of pedal steels from scratch and it was a great learning experience but one that will likely not happen again due to the many hours involved(the last one was about 1,500 hours). I loved the process but would not do it again knowing what I now know.

Jim put it well - I worked for several years with Desert Rose and learned a lot. First, I learned that I did not want to build pedal steel guitars.

A couple of years ago and after I had had steelseats for a few years. I had a guy or two ask, "why don't you build steels?" My answer is NO - they would go on and I said, "I build seats - maybe lots of options but seats." I tried building Road Cases and that proved to me to BUILD SEATS.

Even going back to the more basic seat - I have had several people order a seat and tell me that they started to build a seat but found that there is more to it than they thought. Well a steel guitar is 10 or more times the same - lot more to it than meets the eye.

It is more difficult than it appears - just for starters the changer - a changer is not a changer is not a changer - while most look similar there are big differences.

Joe Naylor
www.steelseat.com

how to build a pedal steel guitar ?????

1) buy one each, a 70's sho-bud red baron, a MSA sidekick and a D/10 carter .

2) disasemble all of the above down to the last nut,bolt and spring, place all pieces in in a pile and mix well,,,place all pieces into 8 piles and put in boxes,,,taking pictures is considered cheating.

3) PUT BOXES IN TRUNK OF AUTO FOR 9 MONTHS OR 25,000 MILES WHICH EVER COMES FIRST.

4) REASSEMBLE,,, IF YOU CAN MAKE THEM ALL PLAYABLE AGAIN ,,,,YOU ARE READY TO BUILD A PEDAL STEEL ,,,,

5) three other things you'll need is lots of beer, cigeretts, a nagging wife and at least 1 ex-wife...goood luck,,AT LEAST THATS HOW I BUILT MINE,,,JUST SAYIN' KEN

one mistake in that Ken - IT'S 2 x-WIVES

Joe

When you're done it could end up like this.

thanks joe i stand corrected...there are some not as futurnate as me with three.....LOL,,KEN

THANKS russ,,,whats really bad is I RECONIZE some of those parts,,,,now, thats scary,,ken....that has so many parts ,it should play itself....lol

That is a very modified Fender 400 from an old thread. The poster said in the hands of the player it sounded very good and that may be true ... but for most of us it wouldn't work.

I have my own machining and woodworking equipment, and I'm a mechanical engineer. I started out to build my own steel several years ago and made several parts. I got busy with other things for a while, and when I went back to it, I estimated what it was going to cost me to finish it, and it was more than a good used, late model steel would cost me, so I scrapped the idea.