The Steel Guitar Forum

Just thought I would share a 10 string universal "type" copedent that I have been playing for the last little while on my single neck. I think it gives you a great deal of everything encompassed on a D10.


Tuning is standard C6 with a D on top. (Also I'm a lefty so that why i have 3 levers on my right knee) all you normal folks can reverse it.

Couple things to note with how i'm using the tuning:

RKR= C pedal on E9

RKV= E9 whole raise on the first string (for those whiny country licks)

Pedal 1= A pedal on E9

Pedal 2= B Pedal on E9

Pedal 3= Standard Pedal 5 for C6

Pedal 4= Almost standard Pedal 6 for C6 (However I chose to lower string two instead of raise it. This extends your diminished chord when using pedals 3 and 4 together so that it goes up to the second string as well). I've found this to work nicely and the new added "B pedal" gives you the second string raise anyways.

LKR and LKL= Act as both lowering and raising e's on E9/ are already common C6 levers so they work for both.

Pedal 5= 4 and 8 lower is usually a C6 lever and having it on a pedal isn't ideal and may require double footing but I only occasionally use that change so I've found it to work.

Ultimately the grips aren't that much different than E9 you just have to skip string 4 to accommodate for the tuning difference, and since that string is a diatonic note/or a unison of the Pedal 1 when engaged it doesn't seem to be that big of a deal if you accidentally hit that string sometimes.

Anyways just thought I'd share...

I assume, then, that your pedals are on the right and your volume pedal is on the left? And is your chart really reversed from how the pedals and levers are arranged on your steel? You're showing right knee levers on the left, left knee levers on the right, but your pedals numbered 1-5 left-to-right, which is kind of confusing. Assuming all this is the case -

Pedal 5= 4 and 8 lower is usually a C6 lever and having it on a pedal isn't ideal and may require double footing but I only occasionally use that change so I've found it to work.

Why not cyclically shift RKR, P3, P4, and P5 clockwise in your diagram - i.e., move RKR to P3, P3 to P4, P4 to P5, and P5 to RKR? That way, you'd have your C pedal in the usual spot and the 6=>b6 (A=>Ab) changes on a lever. Then you wouldn't have to mess around double-footing on the 6th side, not to mention standardizing your ABC pedals a bit more.

As you allude to, many including me would shift things around some. I'd keep 1=>#1 (F-lever equivalent) on LKL but move 1=>7 (E-lever equivalent) on RKL, putting the raise and lower on different knees, a la Paul Franklin and many othere - that is a totally personal choice. That leaves LKV and LKR open still - I always have a 3=>2 (in this case, E=>D) lever. I'd probably just dump LKV string 1 D=>E replace it with E=>D on both strings 2 and 6 via LKR. This solves a bunch of problems and leaves string 1 open for, perhaps, the normal E9 2 tone (in this case B), or perhaps I might prefer G for the alternate C6 string 1. That leaves LKV, which I'd just add your A=>Bb raises. You could do all of this or yet some different permutations with your lefty orientation.

I'm just thinking aloud - your overall setup looks pretty full-featured for a 5+5 10-string setup.

Dave,

Yes pedals on the right, volume pedal on the left. But the chart is not reversed. I realize it’s slightly confusing since I wrote the “right knee levers” on the left side of the page but they are the “right leg levers on the guitar”. Don’t really feel like re-writing the chart so I’ll just leave it. So for example I have my C changes (string 3 and 7 raises and lowers) on my volume pedal leg. Sounds like you’d want the C raise (F lever) in its traditional spot, and the lower in the other knee like old shobuds but as you said that’s just a personal preference.

I like your C pedal idea moving it to a pedal and then I could lower string 4 and 8 on my RKR (LKL) for you... I may do that, but I’ve gotten used to it on a lever at this point. Some of the other changes you mention I don’t use, but great ideas for other people.