The Steel Guitar Forum

Three years ago in the fall of 2019 I had a unique new guitar visit to the GFI factory in Marshfield MO. Custom ordering a new steel guitar is an important part of the pedal steel tradition. (Or tinkering and building one of your own or significantly modifying an existing older steel). Imagining your own model in your mind, choosing the features and the finish with the builder, making the down payment, waiting long months for a professional builder to send it back to you, and then finally getting to see a brand new pedal steel guitar that’s never been played before ….. I hope all steelers get to have this experience at least once in their life.



In my case, I got the equivalent of two brand new steels from GFI, set up with my own unique copedant in about two weeks. For the new guitar I approached GFI & asked them to configure a brand new special 5x5 with staggered pedals that would look as much as possible like my first GFI, which was a royal blue cabinet in a gold frame with 3 pedals and 5 levers that I used for playing out. This first GFI was a great sounding guitar that fits my body type, it is clean underneath and almost new in that respect, and the gold color appointments would shine beautifully under the lights. For the new custom guitar, I wanted an exact look alike if possible and but built with two extra pedals in a non standard 5x5 copedant.


When I called the factory directly Bob said that the gold frames had been discontinued............... That was disappointing !!!........ But he said he had some gold single neck frames still around, and since they were discontinued he would sell me for $500 less than list price on existing models. I said Yes to the discount and he built me a new one in the gold frame the color I wanted and with the unique copedant. When I went to pick up the new one, - which was just so great to see a brand new guitar precisely as designed - I dropped the other one off, and Bob cleaned and serviced the guitar and converted my 3x5 standard copedant into the 5x5 staggered model, we put a set of new legs on it, and he shipped it back to me in two weeks time. The result? Like having two new unique custom guitars at once. What a deal !! It was fabulous. 2 new guitars at once.





There are no issues having two identical guitars…… its sort of a good problem to have. One guitar gets packed up for traveling and playing out, sometimes it lives in the car, and I have the other set up permanently for practice. That way I am giving my best in public, the best I have to offer, but if anything were to happen to the gigging guitar, there is a back up ready to go, exactly the same as the first one.

Very handsome!!

I disliked their look years ago but they've grown on me. I sent Bob my proposed new 12-string setup and would have gone ahead (his delivery time was very competitive) when I realized that they only have a double-lower. I really need 3 up/3 down for my guitar.

I love that colour scheme!

What is their turn around time these days?

I don't recall, Bill, but only Excel were faster. Maybe 3-4 months? Certainly faster than any other US builder. Mullen were nearly as fast, I remember.

I sent my D13 chart to Bob at GFI and, although his changer wasn't versatile enough, he took the trouble to make a valuable suggestion about my LKs.

I had LKL1 lowering the Es and LKL2 raising 1,2 & 7. He said: 'Don't you find you can't avoid LKL1 when engaging 2?' Yes, I said - a constant problem.

'Switch them! That way, you can raise 1,2,7 with it's longer throw and not worry about touching the E lower as it'll be 'inside'.

I changed my Emmons and it works perfectly. I ordered it on my Williams, too.

Beautiful guitars!!!
Curious minds about the staggered 5 pedals?

Yes, Richard, what is your "unique" setup?

That is a fine brace of pedal steel guitars Richard!

I too am a huge proponent of the two guitar system and 5 X 5 setup as well. Great minds think alike!

Those look great.

I've always had a hankerin' for a GFI - I'm bummed the colored frames are not available anymore.

Nice you were able to grab one of the last ones!

I have enough parts to make my standard E9 GFI a 5x5....just curious what your 5x5 copedents are, if you wouldn't mind posting or linking. Thanks!

Thanks for the comments. Thank you John Drury. I will post the full copedant chart when I get a little time. Its a mainly standard set up, except for Bflat on the floor, and I am not necessarily recommending it to anyone. Its a Dan Galysh Derby 5x6 copedant transferred from my Derby to my GFIs but with one less knee lever. I have the normal A-B-C pedals, and E raises/lowers on the left, and 2nd & 9th string lowers on RKR, I lower both the sixth string G# & seventh string F# with RKL. I have the B to A lower on the fourth pedal, and the B to Bflat lower on the fifth pedal. They are staggered because I don't mind double footing, Mr. Drury has a more normal set up in that regard with all five pedals together. My left knee vertical raises 1st, 2nd, and 7th string.
All I was trying to do was recreate Dan Galysh's Derby copedant on my two GFIs, so that all three guitars that I had at that time, would all have the same copedant. Having the A lower and the B lower staggered is just a personal preference that makes those two pedals easier to find. I learned how to play E9th on a Fender 400 so I have been double footing since I first started. That's the drawback of staggering them.

I could change the copedant in the future as I learn more, but the main reason for doing it that way is I learned on a guitar from Dan Galysh with his copedant, and I wanted equal copedants on all three guitars so they would have equal capabilities.

If you have 5 pedals can’ you use 4 &5 to get Randy’s tuning by useing p 4 to get string 3 a 6a 10 a & p5 5 c# only Just wondering

Richard and Joe,

Here is my setup, this tuning sprang from the fertile mind of my good friend Duane Marrs many years ago.

He referred to it as his "FULL GOSPEL TUNING". Duane used to play his steel on Sundays at the Cowboy Church here in Nashville.

There is literally nothing that you can't play using this copedant.

JMOHO

Cool, thanks John & OP.

John Drury: what's the purpose for pedal D, it seems to be a one-pedal version of A+B pedals. Is there some other useful function I'm not seeing? Thanks for clarifying!

My question too John. Why the D pedal?

Great looking guitars! And to have a pair is simply decadent. Love it. Glad you got colored frames, but too bad they are discontinued.

John McClung wrote:John Drury: what's the purpose for pedal D, it seems to be a one-pedal version of A+B pedals. Is there some other useful function I'm not seeing? Thanks for clarifying!

Hmm. An A chord over a B on the 10th string...4/5.
Beautiful substitution for a 5 chord.

Also an A chord over a Bsus chord on strings 7, 8, and 10.

John and Larry,

Y'all must have some wide feet!

Even at that, Duane needed the A on the bottom. He didn't see any other way to do it, neither do I.

Not recommending this setup to others, just showing the O.P. my spin on 5 pedals.

It seem some just have 2 of anything.
When I got serious about playing steel guitar, And playing steel in bands, I had a pair of MSA's a S10 and a D10 both white. As I got older and they got heavy.
I now have 2 GFI's S 12 Universal tuned steels.
This is Marie Laveau 7P 4K


This is Miss BB 7P 5K. Time will tell about the 5th KL.

Here is the copedant.





I like some of the suggestions for further experimentation such as adding the 9th string D-C# lower to pedal 4 or exploring the Beavers set up with the extra possibilities that 5x5 provides.

Great pedal D!

The Isaacs change rules! I love 4/5 chords.

I get mine by canceling out the 10th raise on my RKR.

Dear Bobby - You know it !

Bobby D. Jones wrote:It seem some just have 2 of anything.
When I got serious about playing steel guitar, And playing steel in bands, I had a pair of MSA's a S10 and a D10 both white. As I got older and they got heavy.
I now have 2 GFI's S 12 Universal tuned steels.

If I ever get a 12 string, I think my first one is going to be a used GFI. Thanks for the pictures. Keep me in mind if you ever get tired of your rig !

...... But I think having two is a necessity. If you are committed and people are counting on you then you need back up, even a simple repair can come up at the wrong time.

I meant John Drury's D pedal - I've had that pull, but not raising the 3rd as well; that makes sense.

I know cancel out my 10th raise and bring it back to a B with RKR (along with the usual 2nd string stuff. Without the A pedal, RKR takes my 10th down to A.

If I had a space, I'd have John's P4 but that's where I lower 9 and 6.

Richard, Joe, Bobby,

You boys done flung a cravin on me! I went out this morning and bought a GFI ULTRA S-10.

They really are some fine guitars!

I am now using the three guitar system!

Just finished re-rodding my E levers (old school SHO~BUD), very easy to work on!

Fixin to plug her in now.

If I like what I hear I will change it to 5 X 5 as well.

L8R

J. D.

Sounds great! Its a keeper!