The Steel Guitar Forum

Is this for real???? Never saw one!!!!
It is for sale in Markham, ON for $900.



Geo

Something happened that I didn't capture the whole picture. I'll try again.
G

My apologies, here is the whole pic.




Gep

George, first, you posted this in the "Steel Without Pedals" section - so maybe most who read that section don't know much about pedal steels? But, to answer your question, indeed, it is an early Fender pedal steel. They made single and double-neck versions with various counts of pedals, but no knee levers I don't think. They use a pulley and cable system to operate, and supposedly are easy to change the tuning around. Some people like them for the vintage vibe. And they often go cheaper than the same era Stringmasters or Deluxes.

Hi George! Compliments of the Season to you and yours. I had a Fender Pedal Steel exactly like the one you picture. Mine had a cover over the bridge. I ordered it from Peate Musical in Montreal in 1961. 8 stringer, 4 pedals, cables attached to changer, no knee levers. Owned and played it until 1969, then sold it for $125.00. Original price was $760.00 Can. I heard recently it was still "goin" down in Cape Breton.

If you should ever want to have or try to get the Mooney sound, this where you would have to start.
I had one exactly like this that I also sold for $125.00 and I really wish I had it back. As time has marched on I have learned that you could really play a lot of things on this guitar that I did not know how to find at the time.

Wayne Gailey played mine one Sunday night back in the mid 60's and it was amazing what he got out of 8 strings, no knees, tuned to D, instantly when he sat down.

I really liked that Fender steel, had an 800 after I sold the single neck but never found that magic sound on it. The tone on the 800 was good but not like the 400. No cabinet drop on that guitar if memory serves me correctly.

Thank you Doug, Roy and George. I really thought it was a lap steel converted. I paused before I posted it on the lap section. Goes to show you how ignorant a guy can be. Nice pic of you Roy!! Thanks for your Seasons wishes and the same to you and your family. I miss my trips to NS, seeing you and the steel club there. I turned 80 a few months back.

Geo

I own 2 of them, have had at least a dozen over the years, worked on a few dozen or so, ran the Fender Steel Forum for years....

Check out the Facebook "Fender pedal Steel" page. There are a whole bunch of members here that hang out there as well.

You could have simply used Google and looked up Fender 400 pedal steel. That one is a pre-1964 "long scale". There is also a "short scale" model with a different upper changer/bridge/saddles and a Fender "Jaguar" style pickup.

Most players prefer the longer scale models, which have slightly better sustain and (in the opinion of some) better tone, although the short scale models tend to have slightly easier pedal action.

There are also twin 8-string neck 1000's and 10-string 800's (single neck) and 2000's (double necks) in the cable-pull, scissor changer series made (officially) from 1958-1982.

And that's FAR more than you probably wanted to know!

here's what some of us do to the poor things. This is tuned to B6 (roughly a fourth down from E9 and a beefy sound great for country rock), has a 8+2 setup, dual pickups with a blend control, built-in active 2-stage clean boost plus upside down micro effects attached with industrial Velcro. They're literally "kicked" on and off with a knee.

And this one isn't all that unusual!

HA! I guess I scared everyone with those pictures!

Jim, I think it's awesome! Scary would be if I had to try and play it, but I would definitely enjoy hearing you on it.

--steve z.

Steve, most of it is so logically simple I was playing basic stuff (badly, but finding things that worked) inside of an hour after struggling/wrestling with E9 for quite a while (like several years in 2 separate attempts! on 5 different guitars).

Years later I still suck at B6, but I don't suck at cheating like crazy to cover up my decided lack of skill!

(pedal steel isn't my second or even third instrument - if that's a valid excuse. Although I think I may have just about used it up by now!)

Can't scare me! I own several Hotone pedals and love them. I have done similar built in effects,but not to that extent!
Have seen these? It is about 6" long and good quality.

What is that effect pedal?

I saw that - but with my setup I can arrange the order and position of each so the ones I need to kick in and out are in easy-to-reach positions; the order is also not R-L but skips around (again, so specific ones are in reachable spots) so that attack-reactive pedals are first in the chain, wititime-based ones last.

A multi-effects just isn't as physically convenient, nor do they include specific sounds I need.

This a Donner. It was $45. Not technically a multi effect but three individuals in one box. I find it very convenient. At the price, certainly worth it as part of an experiment.

Ah, Donner...

I was asked to try a few of their pedals. The sound wasn't bad, especially the analog delay. But if any of those particular effects is an integral part of your sound I'd be sure to have some sort of backup on hand.

Every one of their individual pedals I tested failed in a short time (and all were regular production items, not prototypes).

I've been offered deals on other gadgets but the Hotone efects I use get the sounds I want (that of specific vintage pedals), they're bit like tanks, and the size is perfect!

It works out well that Fender cable-pull steels have a clear, flat apron area where small pedals can be mounted upside-down with Dual-Lock Velcro.

Sneaky Pete had gadgets mounted in huge holes he cut in the body with toggle switches on top. I have a similar arrangement but they're actually easier to use - just lift a knee a bit and [click]. I can be using pedals and my hands aren't affected - the only "manual" effect is a 2-stage clean boost with mini-toggles next to the stacked volume/tone control (the other knob is a pickup blend control).

Most pedal steel players don't need setups like this, but for country-rock in particularI find it invaluable.

We've all heard many a song done with one of these guitars.

If I ever run across one, I'm gonna make it a great guitar.

In about 2 days , it won't have any cables under there & it may have a different Pedal bar too.

There's a fellow in Georgia I believe that has already done that. He says it's a dynamite Guitar...

In about 2 days , it won't have any cables under there & it may have a different Pedal bar too.

Why? Most of us playing them are just fine with cables and stock pedals - *if* the changer, large pulley and pedal levers are properly cleaned and lubed.

Swapping out cables for rods ruins much of the guitar's originality, and the changer is really the major component that affects the feel (I say this as someone that has owned a bunch and serviced at least a couple dozen).