The Steel Guitar Forum

Am a little unsure if this topic has been around here before but can my feeling that there may be different string distances on different guitar manufacturers instruments?
I have had four pedal-steel of completely different brands in 40 years and felt the difference in the strings gap each time I had a new guitar. This latest Williams 700 is very tight between the strings which makes you feel a little clumsy in the right hand. Of course, it is a habit, but it takes hours of practice to become confident in new technology and ways of playing. More sliding and less picking is just what I need.
Buying a new pedal-steel in my country doesn’t bring much oportunity to test before buy. Is this a common task?

The string spacing on the Williams is tight but it really improves your accuracy!
The traditional spacing is about 11/32" (8.73mm). Even the slightest variation from this feels like a lot.
Humans are very sensitive. For playing the trombone I normally use a mouthpiece with a 25mm inside diameter. If I pick up the 25.4mm by mistake it feels like a bucket!

The spacing on my new Sierra is wide.
(One point I had somehow missed all my years of playing is that the spacing increases from roller nut to the changer.)
I'd think you could check with builders to learn what spacing their steels have.

There is a chart on here... somewhere. Might be dated tho.

I remember when I went from a Gibson lap steel to a Fender Stringmaster. The string spacing was a lot tighter on the Fender but I got used to it.
When I tried to play the Gibson, I found it somewhat difficult.
Erv

Whatever the differences between guitars, whether string spacing or scale should not be a big deal. I've switched between brands, both pedal and non pedal, and just "play the guitar". Sort of like several threads on here over the years about what shoes to wear for pedal steel - for me its "whatever I have on" and I "play the guitar" I don't let it bother me.

I had a Pedal Master that I left at the job and played a Justice at home during the week. Every time I went to the job I made so many string misses on the first set, then wondered about the string spacing and indeed they were both different. I sold the Pedal Master and got another Justice guitar and now don't have any more issues switching from one to the other.

On a whim, I shot these, instead of just talking about numbers/measurements: Williams vs. Fessenden. The differences are real.

But I agree with Jack that it is a non-issue. It really did not present itself with my new guitar (Williams) until I measured it.

It's always good to ask when choosing a pickup with pole pieces if the strings align with them. You don't have to be concerned with a George L or blade type pickups.

wow, that's quite the difference twixt the Williams and the Fessenden.

Ake - I can see where that could cause problems with your picking fingers.

Here is an issue I have--->Click Here

That's an interesting one, Lee. I missed that post, first time around.
I've played nothing but SD bodies for the last 20 years. I've been considering picking up a single body guitar but I wonder if I need that parallax issue in my life.

I've been having a serious issue with spacing as I'm getting older.
My right hand has become far more shaky as the last few years went by making it very difficult to play my pedal steels. Often I hit the wrong string.
The issue is less a problem on my Clinesmith lap steels with wider spacing.
However my Clinesmith T8 has become very difficult with the closer spacing to the point I've thought I should just sell it.

My doctor put me on a medication to help with that, Betaloc. It had the side effect at first on harming my balance but that went away. It very much helped steady my hand for a couple of months and I loved it then, but now it no longer seems to work at all.

I wonder if others have delt with this very frustrating issue?
It is now even hurting my ability to play a standard 6 string rhythm guitar and I sometimes can't even finger pick that... Stopped playing almost all together now.

I have started to build my own PSG with wider spacing, but it will be a long time before I get that finished.

Pete Nicholls wrote:I had a Pedal Master that I left at the job and played a Justice at home during the week. Every time I went to the job I made so many string misses on the first set, then wondered about the string spacing and indeed they were both different. I sold the Pedal Master and got another Justice guitar and now don't have any more issues switching from one to the other.

Wonderful! Thanks for telling Pete. I was hoping for this answer, now I must keep on practice.
I am very pleased with my Williams. I’m 100% sure to develop my skills, not the guitar.

Ake, I find that my Williams needs more accuracy than my other guitar, but I hope it's making me a better player, and hope it does you too! It's a beautiful instrument and I love the sound

Thank you, Ian. You are so kind I’m overwhelmed.

Ian Rae wrote:The string spacing on the Williams is tight but it really improves your accuracy!
The traditional spacing is about 11/32" (8.73mm). Even the slightest variation from this feels like a lot.
Humans are very sensitive. For playing the trombone I normally use a mouthpiece with a 25mm inside diameter. If I pick up the 25.4mm by mistake it feels like a bucket!

Haha! It seems like not everybody is as sensitive as u and me Ian. Of course it all depends a lot on what style you’re playing in. I’m not a Curly Chalker rather a Sneaky Pete (although he fought with his 8 string). Hard picking between strings requires a slightly heavier precision than gliding around the neck yawning.
In my heydays 80’s I did everything on my Dekley S10. Twenty years later I found my new Carter S10 slightly tighter but I belived my clumsiness of age was the reson. Now with this Williams which is even tighter I realize with your help among others it’s this darned guitar that’s drives me mad.

The difference in string spacing between Mullen and Williams seems to be one mm or 5/16”. 9mm in total. A too huge amount of difference to me. I will be searching for a Mullen or maybe a WBS if Wolfgang knows what these figures are on his guitars.

I like the Emmons an Sho Bud string spacing.

Whatever the differences between guitars, whether string spacing or scale should not be a big deal. I've switched between brands, both pedal and non pedal, and just "play the guitar". Sort of like several threads on here over the years about what shoes to wear for pedal steel - for me its "whatever I have on" and I "play the guitar" I don't let it bother me.

What Jack Stoner said. From time to time I've noticed there seems to be a tendency here on the Forum to become too involved in the minutiae of playing steel...
Only my 2⍧.

My 2 cents about feel of different string spacings is like driving a different car or bicycle than what you're used to. Always feels odd at first but the more variety the less of an issue it soon becomes. I'm only 2 years a pedal steel player, but have worked weekends playing guitar, bass and strings for exactly 50 years now in 2020 (yikes!)..
So with my crappy eyes and nobbly fingers I prefer wider spacing if playing under pressures of gigging, but go towards narrower spacing at home and for fun mainly for comfort reasons.
For those of us with hands problems I also stopped using fingerpicks and flat pics about 20 years ago and learned to do without. Accuracy for me way easier as is with wider string spacing.