Nonpedal and Pedal steel in one

Tor Arve Baroy · From: Norway

Hi, posting some pictures of my newly assembled GFI Expo with a specialbuilt 6 string nonpedal back neck.

I built the same on my Shobud a few years ago, and now I built on this guitar too!

It is very practical since I play a lot of both non and pedal-guitar live.

Bridge and Nut built by Ryan Rukavina.

Cant wait to get this on the road Very Happy

Don McGregor · From: Memphis, Tennessee

Beautiful! This looks very practical.
I'm starting to play some pedal lately, after playing straight steel for a while, and the narrower string spacing of the pedal steel is taking some getting used to. Are you able to switch back and forth between necks easily?
Also, where did you get the 6 string key head? I would love to find someone who could make aluminum key heads in this stair step design to accommodate 8 and 10 string instruments using a 3/8" string spacing.
I am building a couple of steels right now using several of Ryan Rukavina's custom parts, including two of his wood topped pickups.
What pickup is on your 6 string side?
What tunings do you favor?
Hope we get to hear a clip of this baby soon.
Thank you for posting this.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

I read with interest, your post.

I have only one question: WHY is so much attention being made toward a "NON-PEDAL Neck"?

Can't one just play any pedal guitar WITHOUT smashing the pedals.........and get the same wonderful sounds?

Would be interested in your comments.

Mat Rhodes · From: Lexington, KY, USA

Ray, I'm not sure you'd get the right intonation when doing bar slants on the pedal neck because of the existing narrower string spacing. If the spacing was more like a non-pedal, then I could see how that idea would work.

Tor, I like this design. I had hoped to do something like this on my double neck S10 with pad but the labor was going to cost too much. Have you been able to get that distinctive non-pedal tone considering it's in the same body, etc.?

Tor Arve Baroy · From: Norway

Hi Don and Ray Smile

I never think it is awkward going back an forth between spacings...but I do also play mandolin, so if I had a problem with it, I would need either a really narrow pedal steel or a really wide mandolin Laughing

I drew the keyhead myself and had the local mechanic-school make it for me. Cost me one case of Coca Cola Oh Well

I have a Ibanez pickup on it right now, but the hole is very standard so I think I will put something else in there after a while, but I`ll give this a try.
(had it lying around)

I tune it in Dobro tuning:
GBDGBD

Ray:
Yes, you could do that, but the wider spacing suit my playing style on this neck better.
Also, espassially when I listen to these necks accoustically, there is a slightly better sustain when there are no Changer finger or roller nuts.
But of course I could do more or less the same on a standard double neck and not use the pedals....but then I wouldn`t get to use several manhours making it Very Happy

Its fun to make stuff Wink

Tor Arve Baroy · From: Norway

Hi Matt! Glad you like it!

I dont know about nonpedaltone, but I do get MY nonpedaltone in it...
Smile

I usually play nonpedal with overdrive...
Here is a link to a shobud I did kinda the same thing with.

:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE81-j8srfA

I can`t play that oldtimey nonpedalsound...wish I could. Sad

John McClung · From: Olympia WA, USA

My revered teacher Blackie Taylor here in Riverside, California, has a custom GFI, similar thing: a 10-string A6 back neck (goes to D9 with pedals down), and front neck is a 6 string standard guitar tuning, but has a guitar neck with a fretboard that he plays occasionally finger style, like Thumbs Carlyle used to do. Pretty cool idea!
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Al Terhune · From: Newcastle, WA

I've been trying for a few years to get Bob at GFI to covert the pad on my keyless S10 into a (keyless) 8-string nonpedal neck, but they're just too busy...

Yours looks great.
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Bob Simons · From: Kansas City, Mo, USA

I've recorded the same tune/arrangement with Zum pedal steel and identically tuned MSA lap steel, both with similar pickups. I do find a noticeable difference in my touch from one instrument to the other. I believe, however, it is an effect of scale length and string tension,and the different sound of a solid body instrument, and wouldn't occur with a simple opened tuned alternative pedal steel neck. THe second neck would need a completely different configuration to make any difference. and the difference is still slight...so I don't really see the point.

Can you enlighted me further?
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Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Cool idea. Fred Newell plays or did play a GFI similar to that. I believe GFI built it that way for him. He used the 6 string neck for edgy slide licks in other tunings.

That's one thing you gain here. Tune down to open D, E or open G for greasy rock and blues licks, clean up for "prettier" sounds or dobro tuning like you stated.

Many open tunings can be used with the same string gauges and can be tuned rather quickly between songs once you get used to it.

If I weren't playing a D10, I'd prolly have something similar to what you're doing. Best of luck with it. Cool

Al Terhune · From: Newcastle, WA

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

One of the non famous "road bands" came through our area a few years ago and had a steel player who played a S-10 Emmons with 4 pedals. He had a Marrs "CatCan" Dobro simulator attached to the back legs of his steel with a couple of brackets which I thought was pretty cool. I talked with him a little but I've forgotten what his name was. Does anyone know who that might have been. I think they were from the New England area.

Tor, that's a great idea you've got there and I know it'll get a lot of use. I'd like to have a six string neck tuned to open E for some slide guitar things. As far as using the "normal" neck without pedals I think you'll always have the "overtone" problem with the other strings than aren't the standard 1, 3 & 5 or the scale.

You mentioned that you may be changing the pickup on the six string neck. Have you considered a Seymore Duncan "Phat Cat". They're basically a souped up P-90. They look just like a humbucker except the screws are running straight down the middle of the pickup as opposed to one side......JH in Va.
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Tor Arve Baroy · From: Norway

I am gonna order this one maybe.....
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380144121449&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Only thing is that since the GFI pickup is humbucking, I may want a humbucker on the backneck also because of noise.....I have a similar guitar, a Shobud professional that is set up the same, but with single coils on both necks......
Not sure, have to try out this Ibanez thing a little bit first Confused

Tony Palmer · From: St Augustine,FL

After seeing Cindy Cashdollar recently with Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women, I've developed a whole new perspective on lapsteel. Cindy gets such a fat raunchy, yet melodic (no breaking up distortion) sound out of the three lapsteels she used. (The fourth was tuned "country")
I wonder if we'd be better off taking a LDG type model and simply attaching a lapsteel where the pad usually goes....best of both worlds on one instrument?
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William Steward · From: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Tony, Cougar guitars made an "add-a-neck" lapsteel designed to hook on to the back of a single neck pedal steel. I had ordered one and it may have been the manufacturer's last project before he (Freeman Cowgar) died a few years ago. I finally received the unassembled pieces from his family. It seemed like a good idea (at the time) and attached to the main neck with two brackets. I have Cougar's demo photo saved somewhere if you are interested.

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