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Topic: Rebuild a right handed steel to lefty? |
Wolfgang Mrazek
From:
Sweden
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Posted 18 Feb 2012 5:49 am |
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Hi!
I'm new here and this is my first post... I have searched for this info but not found it so I will just ask you.
I'm a reso guitar and lap steel player and I feel it's time now to start with the pedal steel guitar (psg). For me it must be a lefty due to a handicap in my right hand.
So, to get started my idea was to get a right handed psg as they are much more common than leftys and rebuild it to a lefty. At this time I have very little knowledge about the constuction of a psg but I want to learn and I have a workshop so I belive it's worth a try...
Later on I may order a lefty, I've seen that there are several builders that make them on request. Right now I just want to get started in this wonderful world of steel guitar playing... :0) ...and have some fun while learning and building...
If you have any advise or helpful info I would be very thankful.
Best Regards,
Wolfgang |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 18 Feb 2012 6:29 am
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I can see problems Because the most common and most affordable used pro model guitar would not work.
MSA mounted all of their right moving levers on the rear apron, and I don't see the front apron hosting them easily
basically, you will have to move the pedal bar and the pulls that attach the pedal rods to the cross shafts from front to back.
And the knee levers from back to front. some guitars will probably be easier to modify than others
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 18 Feb 2012 8:52 am
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What Crowbear said. Unless Characitus Potts and Gyro Gearloose are your heroes and role models, you've got better uses for your time.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 18 Feb 2012 9:36 am
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You could do it relatively easily on a single body, centered neck, flat deck guitar without a step down.
Sit on the other side and swap the pedal cross rod, pedal rod connection orientation to the rear apron, the KL mechanics toward or at the front apron. Depending on how the pedal board is designed, you might encounter some problems positioning the pedals where you want them and whether you want to play the pedals left or right footed.
I'm looking at an old Emmons S8 and it doesn't appear to be too difficult a project on that.
Depends on the guitar. Certainly no D10, SD10 with step downs or offset necks unless you moved everything, had new endplates made, and reworked the body for swapping the changer and keyhead end for end.
Last edited by Jerry Overstreet on 18 Feb 2012 12:08 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Ransom Beers
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Posted 18 Feb 2012 9:54 am
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It's been a number of yrs. since I last talked to Roy Thomas but at that time he told me he was building so many lefty's that he almost for got how to build a righty,maybe give him a call.Or go to the links tab on this forum & click his link to his website.
Pedalmaster Steel Guitars |
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Wolfgang Mrazek
From:
Sweden
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Posted 18 Feb 2012 11:10 am
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Thanks for your comments, I really appreciate it! Thanks for the links, very nice instruments and at reasonable prices. For me it gets a little more expensive as it has to be shipped to Sweden and the customs will probably stop it and charge me taxes.
The best option for me would be to find a good "starter" steel that is lefty, that would save me both time and work as you said. I'm interested about building and learning about the construction but it would be nice to start playing as soon as possible :0)
Pedal steel guitars are very rare over here and I have never seen or heard of a lefty.
Ransom Beers, nice that you mentioned Roy Thomas, I have been in contact with him some months ago and he offered me to build a lefty SD-10. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 18 Feb 2012 1:30 pm
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| Jerry Overstreet wrote: |
You could do it relatively easily on a single body, centered neck, flat deck guitar without a step down.
Sit on the other side and swap the pedal cross rod, pedal rod connection orientation to the rear apron, the KL mechanics toward or at the front apron. Depending on how the pedal board is designed, you might encounter some problems positioning the pedals where you want them and whether you want to play the pedals left or right footed.
I'm looking at an old Emmons S8 and it doesn't appear to be too difficult a project on that.
Depends on the guitar. Certainly no D10, SD10 with step downs or offset necks unless you moved everything, had new endplates made, and reworked the body for swapping the changer and keyhead end for end. |
Huh?!? You shouldn't need to do that, I think it'd be easier to engineer fittings to move pedals to the rear apron, move the knees to the front and rerod it. then hide the access port under a piece of Formica.
If you wanted it to look factory, cut off front and rear aprons and swap them.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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James Holland
From:
Alabama, USA
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Posted 18 Feb 2012 8:34 pm
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| What about just moving the pickup to the nut end, and reversing the fretboard? Or maybe using a slim pickup near the nut, and reversing the fretboard? |
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vf14
From:
south hadley, ma, usa
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Posted 19 Feb 2012 2:28 pm lefty conversion
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Hello Wolfgang,
I converted a righty MSA to lefty. It started out as a 10 string. Now it's a lefty 12 st universal with 7 pedals and 4 knee levers. I was lucky to have 2 friends with machine shops to help. If you send your email address I can send you some pics..
greg |
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Wolfgang Mrazek
From:
Sweden
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Posted 29 Feb 2012 2:57 am
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Hi again!
For others that might be interested, I also found this lefty
http://simmonspedalsteel.com/?page_id=10
Right now I haven't decided yet to rebuild or buy a new one. I have one "rebuild-option", a S-10 AWH Viking (made in Sweden) that seems viable to rebuild.
I have find out that used leftys are rare to find on sale.
New ones is perhaps my best option, but it may get expensive with shipping and Swedish tax.
To be continued.... :0) |
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James Holland
From:
Alabama, USA
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Posted 29 Feb 2012 4:26 pm
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Here's an idea, that works, although a bit cludged:
The pickup is for a six string guitar, and therefore doesn't pickup all 12 strings, so you'd need to invest in a proper 12-string pickup, ~$100. The fretboard is a fascimile which you can buy for around $20. This might get you by until you locate a lefty. Good luck! |
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