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Post new topic Fender 8 string pedal steel
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Author Topic:  Fender 8 string pedal steel
James Taylor

 

From:
United Kingdom
Post  Posted 3 Jun 2013 12:34 pm    
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How many people have a Fender 8 string pedal steel and what tuning do they use? JAMES TAYLOR Smile Smile Smile
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b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 3 Jun 2013 1:20 pm    
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It's very easy to change the tuning on those guitars. The best resource for info about them is The Fender Steel Forum.

I think most people use E9th and leave off the top two strings.
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Roger Guyett


From:
San Francisco, Ca.
Post  Posted 3 Jun 2013 8:24 pm    
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Here's one previous thread discussing possible copeds:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=118504&highlight=fender+mooney&sid=57177cc349f6d96e048bf432c2b0560b

and another:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=205484&highlight=400

And as b0b said, I tune mine to the lower 8 strings of the E9th tuning....
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Dave Zirbel


From:
Sebastopol, CA USA
Post  Posted 3 Jun 2013 11:31 pm    
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I have an older long scale 400. Right now I have an E9 tuning minus strings 2 and 3. The long scales don't handle the high G# to A pull and string breakage is a problem. The later short scale 400s don't have that problem.

I have two pedals .1 pulls high B to C# and 2 pulls G# to A. I have a knee lever that pulls high F# to G. I can still play the intro to Jukebox Charlie with out the high G#! Very Happy
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Sierra S-10 (Built by Ross Shafer),ZB, Fender 400 guitars, various tube and SS amps
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James Taylor

 

From:
United Kingdom
Post  Posted 4 Jun 2013 1:37 pm    
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Thanks everyone for the input of expert knowledge. I have my one tuned to E9 chromatic to get the proper feel of this tuning, as I have on order an Encore which I expect soon. However, I was thinking of keeping the Fender as it is also very, very light and may change it to C6, B6, or some of the ideas that you all have kindly floated. Thank you so much you have all been very helpful . JAMES TAYLOR SCOTLAND Smile Smile Smile
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George Macdonald

 

From:
Vancouver Island BC Canada
Post  Posted 4 Jun 2013 1:49 pm     Fender 8 string
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James, When I bought my Fender 400 new in the 60s, it came from Fender tuned to A6th with E as the high string. I ordered it with 6 pedals and later added an improvised knee lever to lower the Es to Eb. I enjoyed that guitar for several years before going to a 12 string MSA universal [ B6th/E9th ] I still use that tuning today on my Carter universal. By the way, on that A6th tuning, the first two pedals lowered C#s and As to B and G# to get me into the E tuning, just the opposite of todays first two pedals raising the G# to A and B to C#.
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James Taylor

 

From:
United Kingdom
Post  Posted 5 Jun 2013 6:03 am    
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Thank you George I will take note of your kind information.It all looks so interesting and I just hope my very small BRAIN can cope with it all. Thank goodness there is such a bright lot in this form; I do love the banter sometimes. YOURS AYE JAMES TAYLOR Smile Smile Smile
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Paul Redmond

 

From:
Illinois, USA
Post  Posted 20 Jun 2013 12:19 am    
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I use the same "short Uni" tuning I use on all my other guitars minus the front two strings. It has 6 KL's on top of the four original factory-installed pedals. Then I tuned the entire works down to D# rather than E. It also has the Sacred Steel lock and changes on it. That guitar draws more comments from more people in the audience than anything I've ever played in my life!!!
PRR
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Roman Sonnleitner


From:
Vienna, Austria
Post  Posted 20 Jun 2013 1:30 am    
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I just got a Fender 400 - still experimenting around with copedents; mine is tuned in C6 (ACEGACEG lo to hi) - currently I have th 1st two pedla set up to mimic the AB pedals on an E9 PSG, the third one raises strings 3 and 5 a full tone, and the fourth pedals lowers both E strings to Eb (for diminished chords).
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James Taylor

 

From:
United Kingdom
Post  Posted 22 Jun 2013 12:58 pm     Fender
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Keep it coming it is all so interesting. I wish I had been into this many years ago. Many thanks to you all JAMES TAYLOR
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Ronnie Boettcher


From:
Brunswick Ohio, USA
Post  Posted 22 Jun 2013 5:05 pm    
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My first pedal steel was a Fender 400. I had no clue about anything. I found a E9 basic tuning, and set it up omitting the 9th, and 10th strings. Piddled around with it for about 6 months, sold it and bought my LDG. I sold my 400 to a woman who knew nothing about pedal steels, and I showed her some simple country licks, and she was impressed. She said it will be a challenge, and loved it. This is all I need till I refuse my harp, and keep my LDG, (and hope a good 5-string banjo too), if they have any up there.
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Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 23 Jun 2013 3:27 am    
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I played an early 1000 for many years, but now my "simplistic cravings" are done on an early model 400. I chose a D-based tuning, but decided that since I play mostly classic country, that the chromatic top strings were far too useful and popular to do without. Instead, I've dropped the 7th and 9th and am quite happy with just two major triads.
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James Taylor

 

From:
United Kingdom
Post  Posted 23 Jun 2013 10:33 am    
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Hi Ronnie, I am sure they have all the sweet sounding instruments up yonder . I'll bet the were actually invented up there before we got the ideas in the first place. I would not exchange a good pedal steel for a harp in any case. JAMES TAYLOR
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Herb Steiner

 

From:
Spicewood TX 78669
Post  Posted 23 Jun 2013 2:38 pm    
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Missing from my collection of steel guitar instruction stuff is the Ernie Ball Steel Guitar Method book series that dealt with the pedal A6 tuning. I'd love a copy of those.

I almost bought a Fender 1000 from Ernie himself back in the late 60's when he had a music store in Tarzana CA. He showed me a bunch of A6 stuff which was probably great western swing, but I had my head too full of E9 country in them days to pay much attention. I was NOT in my Spade Cooley period. Wink
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