The Steel Guitar Forum

Many years ago, an Emmons PP Monster Player, by the name of "Captain" Blythe (Midland, Texas) told me that I should NEVER remove all of the strings from a pedal steel at one time. I was playing a 1967 Emmons PP at the time. The reason (I was told)is to maintain the constant pressure on the changer mechanism provided by the strings.

Since then, I have changed one string at a time, working my way across the neck, from string #1 to #10. God only knows how many times I've followed that routine.

Does anybody else do this? Does this apply to PP only?

Bud Harger
2002 Emmons LL II D-10

I would like to hear his reasoning.Mechanicaly,I see no reason.I've always removed all strings to clean the keyhead under them.

Bill

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Bill Ford

There is no reason...it's hogwash. I've heard the same recommedation for flat-top guitars...that's hogwash, too.

Change strings? You guys change STRINGS? How come this ain't covered in the lesson plan, Mike? Bobby, you NEVER said a word about changing strings. NOT ONE WORD!!
Now I am confused.

You have to change strings on a fiddle one at a time, otherwise the soundpost could fall down.

That wouldn't have been Roger Blythe, would it? If so, I knew him when he was gigging in Corpus. Great player (better C6th than E9th), with a great command of chords usage.
Gary

Hey Bud, how you doing?. Yes in the days when I played seven nights a week, I would only change half a set of strings at a time. It made it easier for me to keep it in tune. I didn't own a tuner in those days.
Jim

Hi Bud,I think that is a very good idea with a PP(and maybe all pulls too,I don't know). I change no more than two at a time. Keeps me from tweaking it later.See ya,Bill

Gary Carriger:

Indeed, "Captain" Blythe is Roger Blythe. I used to spook him at his gigs as much as I could when I lived in Midland during the 70's. He was a great C6th player and a really nice guy. He played with Pepper Martin,among many others around Midland-Odessa.

Roger's PP was stolen in the late 70's and he was without a steel for a while. He borrowed my PP, until he could get another ax...a Sho-Bud, as I recall. As a dyed-in-the-wool Emmons guy, he wasn't the least bit happy about it.

I learned a lot from him.

JIM and BILL: Greetings!

Bud

I don't remember where I picked it up but, I was told that changing 1 string at a time applies to wooden instruments. Something about the stresses that strings put on them are part of the whole system. Taking that stress off causes the wood to "relax" and can cause like a warp or something. That's what I remember anyway! Take it for what it's worth.
I change mine one or two at a time just to keep tension on the pull rods. I've had a couple of them come off and drop down when I used to change them all at once. Usually because I stepped on a pedal or bumped a knee lever!
Whip

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Whip Lashaway
Sierra E9/B6 12 string
Sierra E9/B6 14 string
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Whip Lashaway on 31 October 2002 at 12:41 PM.]</p></FONT>