Changing E9th to C6th on a steel???

Larry Haas · From: Morganton, North Carolina USA

I am just wondering if anyone has changed their S-10 E9th setup to a C6th setup on their pedal steel. I have a S-10 set up for E9th with the 3 pedals and 4 knee levers. I was thinking about trying the C6th setup and playing it like a lap steel. Or maybe use the 3 pedals, but don't know what raises to make them. Also the knee levers to just lower some or maybe not even use the knee levers. I like the sound of the C6th but can't afford to buy a lap or D-10 steel because of being very retired and broke. I like both sounds but am leaning more to the C6th sound and making the bar do some of the work.

I have a problem with the pedals and volume pedal since I have a bad left leg and just can't control it like it should be used with the pedals. I play it now without the volume pedal but I could use it if I eliminated the pedals.

Seems the older I get the heavier the steel gets. I have even had the thought of putting it on a diet and taking all the stuff out from under the body to lighten it up some with the changover.

Has anyone tried this before ??????

Thanks
Richard

Robert Jette · From: Dallas, Tx.

Larry,
I usually play a Fender Deluxe 8. I picked up a Maverick on the cheap, and strung the middle 8 strings low to high....G,Bb,C,E,G,A,C,E. No pedals, no knees. Slants are different due to the scale, but the closer string spacing is making me a more precise player. In short...go for it!

Larry Haas · From: Morganton, North Carolina USA

Robert
I sent you a PM message.

Thanks
Larry Haas

John Allison · From: Austin, Texas, USA

I've heard of stripping the pedals and levers off of the C6 neck of a D10 to save weight.

There's a couple of ways you can convert your S10 without stripping. One way would be to restring and convert your 3 pedals to the 5,6,7 pedals of the C6 and maybe have a lever or two to lower your C's or raise your A's for B and Bb notes. That would allow you to play around with some of the most used changes on pedal C6 - plus, of course playing it straight without pedals.

Another way would be to use a "universal" tuning for your E9 by changing your lowest 2 strings from B and D to A and B. That way, with your AB pedals down, your lowest 7 strings are a straight A6 lap tuning.

Neither of those suggestions saves you any weight, but the latter one, at least, is very quick and easy and doesn't require restringing.

Good luck with it...
_________________
John Allison
Allison Stringed Instruments
Austin, Texas
www.allisonguitars.com

Larry Haas · From: Morganton, North Carolina USA

Thanks John
I'll give it a try and see how it sounds before I start stripping and restringing.
If I don't run out of time, age wise, I can get this idea in my head figured out. I like both sounds but can't afford a D10. Maybe my best bet would be to just get an 8 string lap steel and use it for the little bit of playing I do with a bunch of old friends from my highschool days. We had a band way back then and still get together quite often just to hangout and play some.
I have heard about playing the C/6 sound on the E/9 setup but haven't tried any adjusting or string changes to get this sound.
Being retired and just been playing the steel for a year now, I am still in the learning stage. I am just trying to adapt to my physical and mental abilities. There is nothing better sounding to my ears than the sound of a steel in a band. I just wish I had started playing the steel about 20 or 30 years ago.

Thanks for the advice and tuning setup and I will try it today.

Larry Haas

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