6 string pedal steel

Matt Lange · From: Wisconsin, USA

hey, i'm a 6 string guitar and lap steel player, and know almost nothing about PSG. But looking through ebay this peaked my interest: http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Pedal-Steel-Guitar-Unusual-6 -St (there's another 6 string similar to this that's in disrepair: [url=http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-HARLIN-BROS-Steel-Guitar-needs-work-1950s_W0QQitemZ7391122341QQcategoryZ119094QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)]http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-HARLIN-BROS-Steel-G uit[/url]
i'm just curious what you guys know about 6 string pedal steel. what would it be used for? is it played more like a contemporary lap steel? what tuning would you use? what exactly do the pedals do?
they seem to be going pretty cheap, i'm just wondering what it would be good for.

[This message was edited by b0b on 21 February 2006 at 11:27 AM.]

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

A 6 string pedal steel hasn't been mass-produced since the 1950's. The Harlin Bros. and Gibson models really don't work very wel, by today's standards.

I have an imaginary 6-string in the works - the prototype hasn't been built yet. www.pedalcaster.com

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basilh · From: United Kingdom

With the pedals you can have the equivalent of an EIGHT necked "Lap" steel.
(Eight tunings E6, A6, C6, D9, A9, Amaj7, Cmaj7, A7)
The three inversions of a major triad. E (Root on top) C ( third on top) A (Fifth on top). Greater scope than that of a Triple neck.

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Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Great idea b0b. "BLAK Guitars Sound Best". Bob Lee ? ? Any hints on the A and K?

Lee

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

I actually like the idea, b0b. I hope you make it look like a steel, and not a guitar.
Makes me wish I'd kept the Multi-Kord I had.

John Steele · From: Renfrew, Ontario, Canada

I know zilch about MultiKords, so correct me if I'm wrong, but;
The thing appears to be left handed, the way the pedals protrude. Either that or the photo is reversed or it's set up backwards.
-John

Jon Zimmerman · From: California, USA

Does look confusing. The player would be seated in the same position as the green plant; it's the changer/keyhead that've reversed sides on a Harlin. The pedals would be under your left foot...or, in my case, under both my left feet.

Roy Thomson · From: Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada

It has a National Dynamic Fretboard?

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

BLAC is Bob Lee And Company.

Frank Verdone · From: Schaumburg, Illinois, USA

Freeman Cowgar made a slide master aimed twards the guitar player. Bobbe Seymour had one, do not know if it is still there. Just my 2 cents. Frank

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

A buddy of mine in Alaska plays one of the 6-string Cougars.

Gerald Pierce · From: Maydelle, Republic of Texas

Hey b0b...didn't you get one of those skeleton 6-strings from Lone Star? I thought I saw a post once that said one was on it's way to you. I guess I missed any follow-up posts about it.
G.P.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Matt, the pedzl steel guitar is a different animal than a standard guitar or even a lap steel. There is a reason why everybody uses at least 10 strings.

Do youself a favor and get a Carter Starter. If you get a 6 stringed instrument, you'll only regret it later as you learn more and find that you want to play things your instrument won't let you play.

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

"There is a reason why everybody uses at least 10 strings."

That's not correct. Quite a few of us use 8 string steels. I refer you to the many threads regarding Fender 400's and 1000's. Sneaky Pete would likely get a real giggle out of that statement.

10 string is certainly the majority choice - but it's not used by "everybody".

Jack Mansfield · From: Reno, NV

I posted 0n 2-14-06 in the wanted section about looking for a cougar 6 string psg but no response. I have been looking for a cougar slidemaster 6 string psg for quite a while. If anyone knows one for sale, I would very much appreciate it. You can send email at JMansf1249@charter.net or my phone # 775-827-5530. Thanks
Jack Mansfield

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

Jack. How would you set up a 6 string when you find one.

Jack Mansfield · From: Reno, NV

Bill, the three floor pedals would be the basic set up, have two knee levers, one would raise the e's to f#, one would lower the e's to eb,

Jack Mansfield · From: Reno, NV

Bill, I forgot the tuning would be
E B G# E B G#

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Jussi Huhtakangas · From: Helsinki, Finland

A-ha now, careful Mike...

Willis Vanderberg · From: Petoskey Mi

The Multi-Kord was set up for right handed pickers. It required both feet to work the pedals. The pedal cluster was located on the left front leg as you sat behind the guitar. The keyhead was on your right end and the pedal tuning mechanism or changer was on the left end right above the pedals.
As you look down from the top at the guitar there was a bar drilled with small tapped holes for each pedal. The changer fingers layed horizontally or flat under these bars. Ther were small screws with a lock nut to adjust the length of the pull.You could actually put a screw in for every string. none of the folks I knew used a volume pedal. Most of the Multi-Kords had a red button between the volume control and the tone control. This was the so called
" shot gun button ".
The weakest part of the guitar was the pedals. They were cast aluminum and had a tendancy to break right where the cable eye bolt ran thru.The legs with the pedal cluter folded up and the two right end legs were screwed in. I hope this will help clarify the Multi-Kord.By todays standard it is a relic but in it's day it was a great improvement over a drilled hole with a bent spike like a lot of us tried.It also saved a lot of nice Fender , Gibsons and Rics from have their cabinets mutilated.
If I made any Errors in this, it's cause I picked too much this week...

Bud

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

"Aside from Smeaky pete, name one important pedal steel guitarist who still uses an 8 string."

About 20 or 30 members of this forum at least.

You do consider members here important, right?

Regardless, even one means not "everybody" plays 10 string.

There are quite a few 12 string players as well.

[This message was edited by Jim Sliff on 21 February 2006 at 06:15 AM.]

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Folks, I lost my cool and said some harsh things to Jim that should have been left unsaid, which I'm now editing out. But the inplication that an old 8 string is a viable alternative to a modern 10 or 12 string is simply bad advise to a newbie.

If Jim chooses to play an instrument that most of us consider to be obsolete, that's his choice. But to Matt and anybody else starting out, I stand by my recommendation that tney get a guitar with 10 or 12 strings, 3 floor pedals and at least 3 knee levers, preferaby 4 or 5.

The Carter Starter has 4, making it an ideal student guitar. One should also consider a used pro model.

But whatever you buy, if you get less than the recommended minimum, there will come a point where you want to play something that your guitar won't allow you to play.

It is better to have things on your guitar that you don't need, than to need things that you don't have.

[This message was edited by Mike Perlowin on 21 February 2006 at 02:03 PM.]

John Fabian · From: Mesquite, Texas USA * R.I.P.

Hey Mike and Jim,

Your remarks help to answer Matt's question how???

You both should take b0b's frequently posted advice to "attack the issue NOT the person".

[This message was edited by John Fabian on 21 February 2006 at 08:32 AM.]

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