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Topic: Paul Redmonds' Beautiful Whitney S-12 E9/B6/A6/SS |
Cass Broadview
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Posted 18 Aug 2008 2:20 am |
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I would like to post these photos of Paul Redmonds' beautiful Whitney Pedal Steel. Paul is the builder of these fine steel guitars, and has been asked to post some photos, so i am doing the honors for paul. Paul would be glad to answer any questions you might have about these fine instruments.
Lowers & Tunes Here
Raises Here
2nd string lock back in D...in either position, string drops to C# on
RKRrear. D# lock is shown back in 'open' position...E.
It looks tight in places, but nothing rubs anything else.
Lock holding #7 in F#...when released, it drops to E. #7 pulls to F
with 4 and 8. When 4 and 8 are dropped to D#, #7 pulls to F#. When
lock is put back to this 'home' position, all above activity is
cancelled.
Lock in foreground holding E's to D#...lock in rear releasing D 2nd
string back up to D#.
Paul playing his Whitney
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Scott Swartz
From:
St. Louis, MO
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Posted 18 Aug 2008 9:25 am
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Is the body all aluminum? Looks like it was machined out of one billet of aluminum possibly?
Loooks like both ends operate in an all pull fashion (ie no hard stop at endplate) with stop happening on the front apron?
Can the bellcranks be moved/added/ etc without pulling the cross shafts?
What is the scale length?
_________________
Scott Swartz
Steeltronics - Steel Guitar Pickups
www.steeltronics.com |
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Johnne Lee Ables
From:
Minnesota, USA
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Posted 18 Aug 2008 9:55 am Re: Paul Redmonds' Beautiful Whitney S-12 E9/B6/A6/SS
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| Cass Broadview wrote: |
| ...Paul Redmonds' beautiful Whitney Pedal Steel...Paul would be glad to answer any questions you might have about these fine instruments... |
I'd love to read/see more of this beautiful PSG. I've never heard of a 'Whitney' PSG before. Are they built for sale to the public? If so, can we have details?
Thanks,
Johnne Lee
_________________
Justice S10-Pro 5x4 C6
Roland Cube 80GX
Wonderful Wife
"In the course of a long life a wise man will be prepared to abandon his baggage several times." |
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Paul Redmond
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 18 Aug 2008 5:11 pm
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The frame is all 6061 aluminum mitered on the corners, then TIG welded inside and out. Maple deck is 3/4" thick but sits inside the frame 1/4". Yes, it's all pull 4-raise, 4-lower. The cross-shafts usually have to be removed to add or remove cranks...that gets a bit testy at times. I designed this thing to be set once and forget it. The scale length is 24-1/8". Roller diameters are .742"....changer finger radius on right -end changer is .442". I doubt if I'll build any more of these style guitars. They are far too labor-intensive considered how they're made. I am finishing up on a S-10 right now and don't intend to build beyond that using this design. I have a different design in the works.
This guitar pictured turned 23 years old this week.
PRR |
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Micky Byrne
From:
United Kingdom (deceased)
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Posted 19 Aug 2008 2:02 am
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What a master builder Paul is....and an animal lover (Cats) in his case. I've had good informative information from him on various subjects. The Whitney was developed years ago and were for sale to the public, it was named after his daughter. It's just a beautiful steel, streets ahead of most brands IMHO.
Micky Byrne United Kingdom www.micky-byrne.co.uk |
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Johnne Lee Ables
From:
Minnesota, USA
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Posted 19 Aug 2008 7:09 am Thanks for the additional information, Paul!
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Paul,
Your instrument is truly a work of art! If you ever have one for sale to a public 'Newbie' please let me know.
Thanks again,
Johnne Lee
_________________
Justice S10-Pro 5x4 C6
Roland Cube 80GX
Wonderful Wife
"In the course of a long life a wise man will be prepared to abandon his baggage several times." |
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Cass Broadview
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Posted 19 Aug 2008 10:07 am
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I hope george doesn't mind if i share his beautiful Whitney with everyone. George hasn't taken this steel guitar out of his home in a long time. But i recall vividly how he never let it get out of his sight for a minute. Not even i can sit behind it, or even carry it for him. He keeps the steel in it's case, and that case, in a custom built road case. When george's steel was sitting on stage, a night didn't go by where everyone was either looking, or asking questions about it. Sitting there these whitneys have a type of "aura" about them. I think it's the fact that there are no other guitars like them in the world. Cass Broadview
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Paul Redmond
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 19 Aug 2008 5:31 pm
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A couple questions came thru emails, so I'll answer them here. The cross-shafts are made of heat-treated S-7 tool steel. They are 50-52 Rockwell C. They were then flash chrome plated .00010"/.00015" thick. Since that type of chrome runs around 80 to 85 Rockwell C, it provides for a good bearing surface against the bearing blocks on the frame which were made of 6061 aluminum. There are no plastic bushings on these and there is only .001" clearance between the shafts and the bearings...just enough for an oil film.
The corners of the deck are intentionally cut off at a 45 degree angle so that when the guitar is put in the case, the aluminum frame sits on four pedestals, one on each corner. There is no contact with any of the wood...the guitar is entirely suspended in the case.
PRR |
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Paul Redmond
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 19 Aug 2008 5:33 pm
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George's guitar was completed the week after Labor Day 1988. Happy 20th 'Little Red'.
PRR |
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Paul Redmond
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2008 3:05 am
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More questions answered. The neck on these guitars are made from rock-hard maple. The rails are actually angle aluminum which is cut to fit the underside of the wooden neck. Screws are then used to secure the rails to the wooden neck from the underside. The 'rails' are then attached to the roller nut with two screws, and to the right-end raise changer with four screws a la the early BMI's. Both housings sit on 'tie bars' which are attached fore and aft to the upper flange on the welded/fabricated aluminum frame. This type of assembly locks everything together mechanically and physically and eliminates the possibility of deflection. The primary tuning housing is screwed to the roller nut housing with hardened screws thru a custom-made spacer. That entire assembly is attached to the same upper flange of the frame, so everything is locked together mechanically. That entirely eliminates any detuning problems especially during multiple string raises.
I designed these things asking myself just how would I design these if a customer walked into my shop and laid down criteria as to just what it was the thing had to actually do. I went forth from there. It is NOT an easy guitar to change setups on...that I can say for sure. I designed it as a machine more than an instrument. Some folks have denied the fact that the pedal steel actually IS a mechanical device as well as it is a musical instrument. IMO if one loses sight of that fact, their efforts could wind up less than desirable. I held tolerances tight and close to what would be used on 'machinery' of similar types. The results speak for themselves. Tone? Well.....you gotta hear one!!!
PRR |
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Paul Redmond
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2008 3:08 am
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The fret 'markers' are actually inlaid ebony glued into milled slots, sanded flush, then coated with clear lacquer with 10% talc added for less 'glare'.
PRR |
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Johnne Lee Ables
From:
Minnesota, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2008 7:18 am I Hate To Sound Redundant....
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Paul,
Your PSG is truly a functional work of art! The engineering considerations that are demonstrated by the design execution of this instrument are truly a prodigious work.
I'd love to have one! (Shoot Fire, I'd just love to hear one and see one in person!) ; -]
Simply Beautiful!
Johnne Lee 
_________________
Justice S10-Pro 5x4 C6
Roland Cube 80GX
Wonderful Wife
"In the course of a long life a wise man will be prepared to abandon his baggage several times." |
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My bad.
