How Many Pedals is Too Many ?

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 12 Aug 2014 9:30 am

I marvel at those players who have twelve pedals and five or six knee levers and manage to hit the right ones without taking their eyes off the fretboard. For me, I find that with anything further than the third pedal I have to look down to see where my feet are, and even then, sometimes, I have to count across.

Buddy Emmons once said, and he may have been joking, that he rarely went beyond the third pedal.

Am I particular ham-fisted (footed) or do others find the same problem ?:\ $:\$

(Now where did I put my lap steel?)

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 12 Aug 2014 10:19 am

Alan Brookes wrote:Buddy Emmons once said, and he may have been joking, that he rarely went beyond the third pedal.

As much C6th as he played/plays, he was joking!

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 12 Aug 2014 10:28 am

Well that could still be true when he plays E9.
On a double-neck with the second neck tuned to C6 I think of the pedals as two independent sets that happen to be next to each other. Of course, there are copedants where players have set up some pedals to work on both necks simultaneously, and , in theory you could set every pedal up to work on both necks, but people don't normally do that because it increases the pressure needed on the pedals and causes joints to wear quicker. I have two Sho-Bud Crossovers that have ten pedals and one knee lever, where, with a flick of a switch, you can move the pedals over from one neck to another. It has the advantage that you don't have to move into an awkward position when playing C6. I don't know why the system never became standard, but that's another discussion.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 12 Aug 2014 10:38 am

Too many???

I would think it would be when you ran out of room on the pedal bar for any more.

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 12 Aug 2014 11:19 am

When I think of the monster players with NO pedals, I have to wonder,,,are the pedals/levers taking the place of dexterity???? Reece with his 12 string non-pedal,,,and that dexterous right hand with 4 picks,,,,Bobbe Seymour,,,,Tom Morrell,,,Chalker?? don't know how many old timers,,with beautiful full chords??? As far as I know Emmons and other speed single note pickers don't use pedals (maybe occasionally) for the lightning runs. Maybe the question should be,,,how many pedals/levers can we get by without???

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 12 Aug 2014 11:22 am

I have an old Doug Jernigan p/p Emmons with 11 foot pedals.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 12 Aug 2014 11:51 am

Muscle memory and practice can go a long way.
Universal players have little problem
How many is too many? I think Al Petty may have hit on the limit.

Tom Campbell · Post by **Tom Campbell** » 12 Aug 2014 11:53 am

I agree with you Sonny. I have a 12 string with 3 pedals and 5 knee levers and I can get dim, aug, maj & min7th, 6ths, etc...for any type of music.
I'm and old 6 string standard guitar player and lap player...so my past history hasn't relied on a large number of pedals.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 12 Aug 2014 1:23 pm

Yeah, I think Al Petty had 24... 12 heel and toe pedals, I believe.

Dickie Whitley · Post by **Dickie Whitley** » 12 Aug 2014 2:06 pm

How many raises/lowers were on each finger of that PSG? Maybe four or five of each? Wow.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 12 Aug 2014 2:28 pm

I should be interested in seeing a view of Al Petty's PSG underneath. There must be an amazing amount of hardware in there.

I'll bet he could throw away his tone bar and play all his gigs with just his right hand, his knees and his feet.

But seriously, with that many pedals how can he know which his foot is depressing? I don't think I would even remember what each of them did.

Dickie Whitley · Post by **Dickie Whitley** » 12 Aug 2014 2:33 pm

I have 5 pedals and 7 knees on my SD-10 Mullen so I have enough to do whatever is needed....lol....

Larry Petree · Post by **Larry Petree** » 12 Aug 2014 2:39 pm

I have seen Al Petty play with two bars, that was a sight to see. Thanks Red Rhodes for the trip.

Carl Williams · Post by **Carl Williams** » 12 Aug 2014 2:43 pm

I've been stomping/mashing pedals for 40+ years now and can barely manage the three narrow floor pedals I have now! When I mix in those pesky Knee "Leavers", well, let's just say I don't need anymore confusion!

p.s. More Power to those who are still dreaming for more pedals/levers, etc. Your eye/foot/knee IQ must be pretty good...

Dickie Whitley · Post by **Dickie Whitley** » 12 Aug 2014 3:05 pm

Carl, don't know if I'm really good on mine or not, but most times I'm really just 3 and 5. But some songs just need some special treatment from time to time and that's when I bring the others in.

Again, that's just me, probably others a lot better at it on a consistent basis than me.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 12 Aug 2014 3:07 pm

3 pedals and 4 knee levers are enough for me.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 12 Aug 2014 3:26 pm

If you have a pedal or knee lever that you have no idea what it does and you never use it, that pedal is too many.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 12 Aug 2014 3:35 pm

Pedals are not a substitute for talent, dedication, or seat-time. If you're going to have lotsa pedals (a decision most make very consciously) you'd better be a dynamite player! You'd better be oustanding in everything you do can do. And, you'd better be one of those held in highest regard by most other players.

(Now you know why every new guitar I get has fewer and fewer pedals!

)

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 12 Aug 2014 4:55 pm

The U-12 steels I had made were loaded for bear and I ended taking pedals and knees off.

Dickie Whitley · Post by **Dickie Whitley** » 12 Aug 2014 5:37 pm

Well, to each his own....as long as it works for you...

Kevin Raymer · Post by **Kevin Raymer** » 12 Aug 2014 6:01 pm

I had a derby with 9 and 9 and I couldn't figure how to get my knees under it...

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 12 Aug 2014 8:07 pm

I was working at Sierra in the 70's and helped build the "Al Petty" guitar. It was beastly, and heavier than a Barcalounger. I wish I would've taken a picture of the undercarriage at the time. The amount of hardware underneath was indescribable. As I recall, the pedal rack alone weighed about 30 pounds.

Geoff Noble · Post by **Geoff Noble** » 13 Aug 2014 1:55 am

Think if I tried to play one of these, I'd probably end up like this

It's not what you've got, it's how you use it, so they say $:\$

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 13 Aug 2014 2:05 am

Sonny Jenkins wrote:When I think of the monster players with NO pedals, I have to wonder,,,are the pedals/levers taking the place of dexterity???? Reece with his 12 string non-pedal,,,and that dexterous right hand with 4 picks,,,,Bobbe Seymour,,,,Tom Morrell,,,Chalker?? don't know how many old timers,,with beautiful full chords??? As far as I know Emmons and other speed single note pickers don't use pedals (maybe occasionally) for the lightning runs. Maybe the question should be,,,how many pedals/levers can we get by without???

I was told once, that pedals on the C6 neck, were there to eliminate slants, and pulls behind the bar. Lloyd's left hand must be mounted on a swivel.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 13 Aug 2014 2:08 pm

Stephen Gambrell wrote: I was told once, that pedals on the C6 neck, were there to eliminate slants, and pulls behind the bar.

Isn't it amazing what some people think others might believe?

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How Many Pedals is Too Many ?

How Many Pedals is Too Many ?

Re: How Many Pedals is Too Many ?

too many pedals?