Who invented the All pull changer ?

Doug Jones · Post by **Doug Jones** » 31 May 2020 12:49 pm

Just curious who gets credit for inventing the all pull changer and in what year. Also, on which steel did it first appear? Also, I believe Buddy Emmons invented the split tuning function on the Emmons LeGrande. Any insights, info, history, etc. ?

Franklin · Post by **Franklin** » 31 May 2020 12:58 pm

Bud Carter is credited by Reece as its creator and it was first introduced in the late 60's on I believe the first MSA.

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 31 May 2020 1:28 pm

The Sho~Bud fingertip Changer was an All-pull and came out 1963. If Paul Franklin asked his Dad; he would know who came up with that mechanically.
I don't know; I never asked.
Ricky

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 31 May 2020 2:22 pm

I called Zane Beck in 1983 to inquire about buying a steel (my first). I had gotten his number from the back of Winnie's book.
I tried to ask some smart questions, trying to sound like a shrewd buyer even though I didn't know an A pedal from a gas pedal.
I asked something like "why should I buy YOUR steel guitar?" He said "well, you know the changer design of the Sho-Bud?" Of course I didn't. But I think I said "um...yeah?" "Well I designed that".
Now I don't know what exactly he was referring to -- which part of the changer, what model's changer (or, frankly, whether he was telling the truth) so I don't know if it even pertains to the subject here.

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 31 May 2020 3:24 pm

David Wright's Dad- Chuck Wright- is often times credited with this as well.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 31 May 2020 4:19 pm

Technically, I'd have to give the honor to Jay Harlin. The changer on his Multi-Kord, being cable operated, had to be all-pull. Other early brands of pedal steels, including the Gibson, Fender, and even the Wright and Bigsby guitars, all came about after the Multi-Kord, but before the MSA, Sho~Bud, and ZB.

Ian Worley · Post by **Ian Worley** » 31 May 2020 8:25 pm

To add to what Donny said, there was another discussion a couple of years ago that sent me off searching google patents out of curiosity. They're kind of interesting. There was an oddball guitar that was sort of a Frypan on a tubular stand, the patent was filed in 1936, patent US2122396. It had two pedals but it seemed to be more pull-release in function. It's a little hard to decipher.

The oldest "all-pull" mechanism I found was the Gibson Electraharp, but its mechanism is of course nothing like the later scissor style all pull mechanisms in Fenders, or the '60s Sho-Buds, ZBs, etc. The Electraharp patent was filed in 1940, patent US2234874.

The Harlin Bros Multikord patent wasn't filed until 1947, patent US2458263, but I don't know the actual timeline of when they were first produced and sold relative the the Gibson or others. Things were a bit hectic in the early '40s. They may well have come first as Donny suggests.

I didn't find any patent info for Bigsby or Wright guitars in that search, nor have I ever seen one of those early changers up close, but those guitars were being built in the late '40s so they would seem to be likely suspects for the earliest examples of something vaguely resembling a modern all pull changer.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 1 Jun 2020 12:21 am

Great Question Doug!!

Johnie King · Post by **Johnie King** » 1 Jun 2020 5:43 am

Good question,
I think Mr Franklin, perfected the modern all pull changer.
His changer can lower several steps no problem.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 1 Jun 2020 1:08 pm

I always thought it was Gene Fields, at Fender.

Ian Worley · Post by **Ian Worley** » 1 Jun 2020 4:46 pm

Gene Fields designed the Fender PS210, but that wasn't until the late '60s. I don't know if perhaps he had a hand in designing the 1000 too, but the first patent for a Fender all pull changer was the 1000 in 1957, patent US2973682. It lists Clarence L Fender as the inventor. From the various discussions here on the forum it seems like the first prototype 1000s were not designed and built until at least '55 or '56.

Tom Sosbe · Post by **Tom Sosbe** » 1 Jun 2020 5:15 pm

Harlen Bros. sued Gibson for patent infringement and won so Harlen Bros. was fist. Jay Harlen told me how that all came about sometime when i have a little more time maybe i can share the story

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 1 Jun 2020 5:27 pm

Gibson built a pedal steel as early as 1939, but it copied Jay Harlin's changer design. And in a patent infringement case, Gibson (the wealthy "elephant in the room") lost to Jay and had to redesign it's changer to continue production. It would be logical to surmise that Jay had to have had his invention of the split-finger changer idea very well documented to win that case. I've found references that his guitar was completed in the mid '30s, probably between 1935 and 1937, when it was first publicized. As far as mass production and eventual distribution of Jay's guitar, little is known and verifiable, and the patent dates are rather meaningless as a gauge because the actual design and existence of an invention are more important than government documentation.

I'm probably the lowest face on the totem pole of pedal steel, but I feel that Jay's creations - the first split-finger all-pull changer design capable of both raising and lowering, the first guitar with a front-mounted pedalboard, the employment of string rollers to reduce friction, and the first really affordable pedal guitar, all merit far more credit than he usually gets. Pedal guitars will likely continue to be refined, but if it weren't for Jay, I don't think we'd be where we are today.

Ian Worley · Post by **Ian Worley** » 1 Jun 2020 5:39 pm

Interesting stuff. I just found a really old thread from the forum archives, circa 2000. It's actually a "Wanted to Buy" thread but there's an interesting off-topic discussion about this starting about a third of the way down the page: https://steelguitarforum.com/Archives/A ... 09047.html. It sounds like even though Jay Harlin had not yet patented his invention, he had sufficient documentation to prove that Gibson had stolen his idea.

EDIT: Donny's already way ahead of me

Dan Beller-McKenna · Post by **Dan Beller-McKenna** » 2 Jun 2020 2:15 am

Maybe the most important question for us as modern steel players is who invented the scissors style all-pull changer. The Harlin and early Fender systems may be all-pull but, as a modern player, it is the mechanism that Paul Franklin and Ricky Davis mention at the top of the thread that is relevant to me.

Doug Jones · Post by **Doug Jones** » 2 Jun 2020 3:42 am

Like Dan, I'd be interested in learning more about the evolution of the scissor type changer. My early recollections are of the single-single Sho~Bud rack+barrel type evolving to double-single, double-double and so forth into the modern era. The looks at the changer end seem similar on most modern steels, but I'm sure each maker has experimented with leverages, pivot points, length of fingers, adjustable return springs, etc. Do the builders make their own changers or out-source them?
Keep 'em coming!

Jerry Gleason · Post by **Jerry Gleason** » 4 Jun 2020 11:06 pm

I believe that Bud Carter is generally credited with the scissor changer mechanism as we know it today for all pull guitars, Though he didn't claim credit for it. I do remember him telling me that he basically modified and refined the design invented by Leo Fender, but I'm not sure exactly in what way. I'm not really familiar with the Fender changer for the early cable operated steels.

Johnie King · Post by **Johnie King** » 5 Jun 2020 5:59 am

Who makes a all pull changer that works flawlessly?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 5 Jun 2020 7:08 am

Who makes a all pull changer that works flawlessly?

I don't get the question. Just the changer, it either works or doesn't work. The changers on the Franklin I had worked. The changers on my current GFI work.

Ronald Moore · Post by **Ronald Moore** » 6 Jun 2020 5:51 am

A few years ago, at Scotty's Convention, I sat at a table having lunch with Tom Palmer of D2f covers and Bud Carter. They were talking and all I had to do was listen and learn. Bud mentioned he came up with what is now called the all pull changer and everyone told him there was no way it would work. Then it was proved to work well.

Franklin · Post by **Franklin** » 6 Jun 2020 7:50 am

Bud Carter's new changer on that 60's MSA is the "All Pull Changer" that revolutionized the industry.

I see it like this... "four to five men" attempted to fly jumping off the cliff...All but one crashed because their wings failed to do the job. Bud's 60's system is still flying high and nearing 6 decades of use - it took flight. I hope we all remember Bud Carter the next time we twist a nylon tuner.

John Brabant · Post by **John Brabant** » 7 Jun 2020 5:49 pm

...yes Paul, and... let's also remember what an amazingly kind guy Bud Carter was, a man who was very generous with his time and always willing to help you out by just giving him a call. RIP Bud.