The Steel Guitar Forum

Updated:

1. Bye bye BC pedal minor chord -- I did away with the C pedal (the minor chord pedal when using BC). I did want to keep the C pedal's 4th string change-- the E to F# raise. So I put it on the LKV. When I step on A and B, I can raise my knee and hit LKV to get the same notes that I got with the BC pedal minor chord. I like it because the 4 string E to F# seems more useful when its not tied to the B to C# change like it is on the stock C pedal.

2. 6th String Split tuning on C pedal - C pedal now lowers 6th string G# to F# or if I step on BC together, I get a minor chord in the first position. This works great. Rock the pedals and the b3 on the 6th string changes to a 2 or a 4. Its very intuitive.

3. Getting rid of the chromatic notes on strings 9 and 7 -- This is maybe my weirdest change. The RKL lowers 7th string F# to E and 9th string from D# all the way down to B. (By the way, I tune my 9th string to D#.) With the RKL lever engaged, strings 10, 9 ,8, 7 are B, B, E, E in the first position.

The reason I'm doing this is I want to "country blues pick" (aka travis pick) the pedal steel and this change will be helpful in that maybe. It gets rid of the lower chromatic strings on 9 and 7 that are hard to work around when I'm plucking the bass notes back and forth in the first position. I haven't fully explored if but so far I like it. It gives cool new sounds in almost every position. Also that 2 step drop on the 9th string from D# to B gives a cool boo-wah sound.

4. That's about it that's different or interesting. There's also a standard split tuning on the 6th string so I can get a G note with the LKR and B pedal engaged. Thanks for looking.

3. Getting rid of the chromatic notes on strings 9 and 7 -- This is maybe my weirdest change. The LKL lowers 7th string F# to E and 9th string from D# all the way down to B. (By the way, I tune my 9th string to D#.) With the LKL lever engaged, strings 10, 9 ,8, 7 are B, B, E, E in the first position.

I think you meant to say RKL.
This is pretty radical! Good luck.

Good catch, Fred. I fixed the typo. And thanks for having a look at my weirdo copedent.

this is what I was trying to do by dropping the the 9th and 7th strings to B and E.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PinIPbX4neo

The LKV functionality has me thinking….thanks for sharing.

Cool Marty. I think the E to F# change on a lever independent of the B to C# change works great. Hit the lever with the AB pedals and you've got the old BC pedals minor chord. Let me know what you think if you try it out.

I tried it today, on LKV, and liked it very much instantly.

A friend of mine has E->F# on LKV. He’s played pro for 30 years. I have F#->G on that lever. I have played in my own room for 6 years. But I love that G lever and it stays.

I think since you have ditched your C pedal, then putting E->F# on LKV is a good idea, and maybe more necessary for you than F#->G.

I am not sure I understand the purpose of the G split with B/LKR, since it is combined with that D#.

Interesting setup! I’m also a Chet/Merle picker and set up my steels like this 30 years ago..