The Steel Guitar Forum

I'm interested in your opinions on the ideal 8+4 setup, and why you would choose it.

That would be 4 women with 8 incomes!

or


RKR lower 2 to D and C#, lower 9 to C#, raise 7 to G
RKL raise 1 a whole, raise 2 a half and lower 6 a whole tone

LKL raise 4 and 8 a half tone

LKR lower 4 and 8 a half tone

Standard Emmons set-up on the pedals with the PF pedal on the 4th.

It's all there except the vertical lowering the 5 and 10 a half tone.

I forgot this one I have.

On pedal 8 I lower the 9th string a whole tone instead of one half and on pedal 4 I raise the 6th string a half tone instead of the 4th a whole tone on C6. That's my set-up for what it's worth. <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Frank Parish on 07 December 2005 at 08:19 PM.]</p></FONT><font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Frank Parish on 08 December 2005 at 05:10 AM.]</p></FONT>

Kevin, For what, Jazz? Pop? Rock? Hillbilly? To sell? Or the perfect country set up?

If country, which one? USA? Great Britian? So. Africa?

This set up needs to be the standard set up if at all possible, this is the "over-all" perfect set-up for the majority of the players of the world, standard is the only way this instrument will ever be legitament.
You are a great writer Kevin and a smart man, I will greatly respect your opinions on this, tell us what YOU think the "perfect" set-up would be,


Bobbe

Why, Fender's standard 8-string A6 tuning and 4-pedal copedent, of course. You can download it at Fender.com.

Dr. Seymour, I am a suck player. I only sound good with my band because I'm rehearsed. I suck at improv. One of the reasons is that I'm in a top 40 country rock band. If I sound good at all you are part of the reason for educating me on guitars and tone. Thats why I only play well maintenanced ZB's now. One of the reasons I started this thread it is because that I am in a country rock band that I don't need alot of the fancy changes that are good for ballad playing. I really wish I did, but I don't. If you listen to alot of whats on the radio its pretty basic. I am almost embarrased when people compliment me on my playing knowing what my friends in Nashville and Texas can do to a pedal steel guitar. I had a jazz guitarist come over to me the other night at a casino/dinner job after I did an instrumental version of "Mama Tried" complimenting my on my chops. I'm thinking to myself "Yeah man. You sure you got the right guy?" But thats okay. I'm doing my part keeping as many Brumley and Mooney licks alive here up in western N.Y. Bobbe, your question is valid. I guess I would say for country/country rock. Today's country rock does involve alot of blues licks so I would qualify that. I'm interested in your opinion as a dealer as to what you think the most popular 8+4 setups are. Keep it coming folks.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Kevin Hatton on 07 December 2005 at 10:24 PM.]</p></FONT><font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Kevin Hatton on 07 December 2005 at 10:36 PM.]</p></FONT><font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Kevin Hatton on 07 December 2005 at 10:38 PM.]</p></FONT>

Kevin, when I read a self-description like yours, I invariably think there's a good player behind that disguise.

It seems the PF pedal and Z lever are coming closer to being the 'standard' for setups.
I myself wonder about the use of the E->F lever; with its corresponding A pedal, it seems to produce the same chord as the C pedal with the E->Eb lower.

I'd propose changing the F lever to F#, using that with the A & B pedals to get F#m; substituting Ed Packard's Pedal X for the C pedal (for 13th series); and PF on pedal 4.

I've seen Kevin play, he's really pretty good. Watched him do Seven Come Eleven note for note. He's just bashful... <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 08 December 2005 at 05:48 AM.]</p></FONT>

Yes Kervin, I feel you have answered your own question, Set up and tune your guitar totally factory, "Buddy Emmons" standard and you'll be the happiest you could ever be.
You are a great thinker as I know because I have known you many years, intelligence is one of you virues, I think with some thought you will agree on the fact that there is great benifit in going standard, for many reasons.
Best wishes and good luck Kevin.

Kevin-Good advice from Bobbe. In the early years I played Standard basic C6 moved up two whole tones to E6 as being also a guitar player, it made me more comfortable with my chord positions.

This tuning is really more for pop ballads, big band, jazz and Western swing.
Although a lot of country and Hawaiian has been played on C6 in the early days, as well as A6.
But when "Country" E9 came along, we had to all play that to stay in the mainstream, so I got a my first MSA double 12 string. soooooo That way we put the standard E9 on the top neck and the standard C6 neck on
the bottom neck, and as Bobbe says,stick to the basic Emmons Standard.....al


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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

The 5 "standard" C6th pedals, along with the 1 knee lever will do more than you or I ever will on that neck. On the E9th, you need A,B,&C, and 2 knee levers, to raise and lower the E's.

Everything else is just icing on the cake.

Donny, thats interesting. Come on. Who else. I'm real interested in your opinions.

I'm pretty sure I'm hearing that 1st string F# to G# raise alot in the current stuff on the radio w/PF. Don't know which pedal or lever he uses but I put it on the 4th pedal and I feel its pretty easy to get used to there. I think it can go on any knee you have available.