Day setup or Emmons setup?? Which do you prefer and why??

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

What setup do you prefer, and why?

I play Emmons, but mostly because that's the way my first rig came, and my mentors encouraged staying like that, so that's what I learned on. I have also played Day setup briefly, and was surprized I got along with it, too. But 99% of my experience playing pedal steel is Emmons setup.

Larry Strawn · From: Golden Valley, Arizona, R.I.P.

Emmons,,

I've had nothing but Emmons set ups on all my steels, it's what I'm used to.

That's my only reason, I'm sure we will hear some other good reasons for one or the other. Very Happy

Larry
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Bert Berthold · From: Peralta, New Mexico, USA

Day,it's what I started with.

Ron Randall · From: Dallas, Texas, USA

My left ankle was left kinda crippled from a wreck long ago.
My ankle likes the Emmons setup.

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

I use the T.S. set up.

Billy Carr · From: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

My first 10 years I played Day set up. I switched sometime around 80' or so to the Emmons because I could rock to the outside quicker than the inside for speed pickin'. My pedals have remained Emmons but my KL set up changes from time to time, when ever I want to have something a little different.

Doug Rolfe · From: Indianapolis, IN

Emmons. Again that's what I started with and I'm comfortable with the rocking action on and off of the A pedal. At my age, turning my ankle in without straining can be a little challenge.

Paul King · From: Gainesville, Texas, USA

In 1979 I started learning to play pedal steel. My first guitar came with the Emmons setup and I have stayed with it. Either way I go, I figure I am not going to play like Emmons or Day regardless of how the guitar is setup.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

I play "Day". For me, the ankle rolling inward feels far more comfortable. The "Day" setup also puts the most used (A&B) pedals closer to the center of the guitar, and that helps the comfort aspect too. I have to admit that some of the uhh..."contortions" I see a few players go through to hit certain combinations seem rather unnecessary, because their guitars are not being set up for maximum comfort.

Ken Byng · From: Southampton, England

Day - far more comfortable on the ankle of the two, especially when using the Eb & F levers. But its what you get used to. Both get you to the same destination. The downside of the Day setup is that the majority of pedal steels are set up in Emmons mode and its not so easy to play these guitars.

Ernie Pollock · From: Mt Savage, Md USA

I used to play the Day setup, but changed to Emmons with a universal 12 I had one time. I think I really like the Day a little better, but I am not going to change back again, it took me a week to get used to the Emmons & I am too old to switch again!!

Ernie Pollock Oh Well

http://www.hereintown.net/~shobud75/stock.htm

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

'Day' for me. It's how my first steel was set up, so I didn't question it (why would I?)

Over the years I've tried the 'other' method, but believe that, ergonomically, 'Day' is easier. My only regret is that 90% of steels that I encounter are set up wrong ( Very Happy

) so I'm unable to sit down at one and enjoy a different guitar.

I do know that I'm in good company - TW has his guitar set up right!!!

Smile

RR

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Emmons. My first pedal steel was a Fender 2000 and it had the Emmons pedal setup on it for E9th. Also, the Sho-Bud instruction book used the Emmons pedal setup so I started and stayed with the Emmons setup.

Don Sulesky · From: Citrus County, FL, Orig. from MA & NH

My first steel was a ShoBud with the Emmons setup and I've stayed with it. I see no reason at my age to change.
Don

Dick Wood · From: Springtown Texas, USA

Emmons because my first guitar was set up that way.

Maybe some of you would agree but the way I see it,is that we read left to right so pedals arranged in A,B,C etc. follows that same pattern which seems more logical than CBA.

In the end,to each their own.

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

But Dick....

That's because 'Emmons' is more common - THAT's why the 'ABC' code is applied to that set-up. If 'Day' was the predominant lay-out then CBA would actually be ABC, and we'd all be regarding the C pedal as the one that raises our two B strings to C#....

Smile

RR

David Doggett · Posted 27 Sep 2007 7:35 am

I roll both ways, so can't see how either system is more ergonimic than the other. On my uni, for blues, rock, jazz and classical, I spend a lot of time in minor keys with the side of my foot on the A pedal. That seems easier with the Emmons system, but that could be just because that's what I'm use to. Also, in B6 mode, the most used lever is my 8th string lower to D, which gives a IV9 chord (pedal 6 on standard C6) and is used as much as the AB pedals on E9. With the E lower that gives the B6 mode on RKL, it is easier to squeeze the left knee in also for that IV9 change than it would be to hold both knees over to the left. Again, that could just be what I am use to. Mainly I stay with the Emmons system because of the convenience of feeling comfortable with the way most pedal steels are set up.

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

It may just be me, David, but it's easier for me to lift the inside of my foot without moving my knee; if I try to roll the foot to my right, my knee involuntarily moves right with it.

That may of course just be Roger R's personal ergonomics... Very Happy

RR

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

'cuz it's what I play Winking

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Dan Burnham · From: Greenfield, Tennessee

I like the Day Setup because of my knee surgery. I play both. What is odd is Julian Tharpe and Zane Beck both played the Day Setup on the Floor but vary a little on the knees. I have reversed the Right knees on the ZB Setup because of my knees as well. For the ZB setup with Zane's las copedant he went into E9 by using Right Knee Left. To me that is awkward if you play E9 more so than B6. I switched back to his first setup which reversed this. The knees naturally want to go out anyway so for me to E9, just let the right knee go to the right and I'm there.
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Dick Wood · From: Springtown Texas, USA

Well Roger did you ever think that maybe that was the way Jimmy got his first guitar so he had to learn that way um-kay?

Ken Crisp · From: North Carolina

Emmons. Cause I can rock the B pedal on the inside of my foot easier. For me, makes single string fast pickin' and riffs a little easier.
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Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

It was my understanding that it's called 'Day' 'cause he invented it. I rather think that JD's first guitar - whatever it was - didn't have any pedals at all.

Am I missing something here?

Confused

RR

Dick Wood · From: Springtown Texas, USA

Hey Roger,

It was a joke.

Everyone here has said "that's the way I got it so that's how I learned" and I was making a joke about Jimmy getting it that way and learning it like we did.

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Sorry, Dick..

You'll have to excuse me - I just missed a four-foot putt and lost a match on the 18th green. Everything seems a little out-of-kilter ever since. I'll be better in a day or so....

RR

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