| Visit Our Catalog at SteelGuitarShopper.com |

Post new topic Mounting Car Nameplates to Pedal Steels?
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  Mounting Car Nameplates to Pedal Steels?
John McClung


From:
Olympia WA, USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2021 11:55 am    
Reply with quote

On my backburner of to-do projects is mounting metal automobile emblems/nameplates to the front of a pedal steel cabinet.

I have obtained several, most come with metal spikes that fit into auto body holes for that mounting purpose.

Anyone have clever ideas for mounting my nameplates: without cutting off the spikes; that don't damage the psg cabinet; are easily interchangeable (possibly using a velcro or other clever mounting system)?

As a professional graphic designer I've always lamented the rather poor logo designs of virtually all pedal steel brands, and would love to add a beautiful and classy ID badge, even if it's not the steel's actual brand name! See photos of the Volaré (Plymouth, 1976) emblem I have to work with. I also have a Skylark (Oldsmobile) nameplate, and hope to eventually get an Avanti nameplate, that car being my all-time favorite American auto.

I feel the Emmons logo is the best we've ever seen, primarily because its chevron below the rather generic script logo at least gives it an identifiable SHAPE, easily recognized from any distance, in videos, etc.

While we're at it, please nominate other psg logotypes you feel stand out that I may have overlooked, and include photos please.

Also, anyone know a reliable vendor that can create chromed metal or plastic nameplates? That Avanti nameplate may be hard to source, as it was only produced by Studebaker in 1963 and 1964.




_________________
E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Clyde Mattocks

 

From:
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2021 12:13 pm    
Reply with quote

When Al Collins was building his Capri pedal steels, he used Chevy Caprice badges and cut off the the last C and E.
_________________
LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Andrew Goulet


Post  Posted 10 Apr 2021 12:19 pm    
Reply with quote

I love the Marlen logo!Smile
_________________
Marlen S12 and a ZT Club
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Chris Lucker

 

From:
Los Angeles, California USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2021 12:20 pm    
Reply with quote

Buddy Emmons said he going after the Cadillac look with the V below "Emmons".

I added a ROADMASTER badge to an AJ Smith pedal steel. I used contact cement, which of course would melt the lacquer finish, but the finish was flaking off anyway.

I always thought that the 1966 Ford Ranchero longhorn badge that was on the tailgate around that time would look good on a Fessenden.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Pete Burak

 

From:
Portland, OR USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2021 12:32 pm    
Reply with quote

David Wright mounted a Sierra truck logo to the pedal bar of a Sierra Steel. You might ask him how he did it.
For the Volare, I would mount it to
Plastic or Wood backing, then mount it onto the Steel with a removable Mounting Putty like LokTite Fun-Tak.
Or maybe use a clip like you use to hold a tape-measure to you belt, to clip it to the front apron.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Fred Treece


From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2021 2:03 pm    
Reply with quote

Speaking of Sierra, the new logo is a vast improvement over the old one, although it does borrow something from the Emmons. And why not.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Pete Burak

 

From:
Portland, OR USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2021 2:13 pm    
Reply with quote

Fred Treece wrote:
Speaking of Sierra, the new logo is a vast improvement over the old one, although it does borrow something from the Emmons. And why not.

This one?
I was thinking... New Riders album-cover looking Smile
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
J Fletcher

 

From:
London,Ont,Canada
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2021 2:34 pm    
Reply with quote

Hey Volare ! I built an amp and have that exact nameplate on it . I epoxied two machine screws to the nameplate , and then fed them through the grill of the amp . Then attached with nuts on the machine screws . So far it is holding , though it doesn't go anywhere much . Jerry
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Jack Hanson


From:
San Luis Valley, USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2021 3:35 pm    
Reply with quote

If I was gonna do that, I'd merely chop off the studs and attach with double-stick tape. It's not like those nameplates are particularly scarce; most every junkyard on the planet is teeming with 'em.

For years I had the logo from a Jackson commercial dishwasher (it looked like an overgrown R2D2) on the front panel of my old Emmons D-10. I attached it with double-sided carpet tape. In the eighties, people would make comments like "I didn't know Jackson made steel guitars, too." Well, neither did I! I had never heard of a Jackson guitar. Did a little research and discovered they were typical 1980s pointy-looking Stratty-like things. So I pulled off the Jackson logo, and reinstalled the Emmons badge.

Probably wouldn't get away with it for long nowadays, because there actually are beautiful steels marketed as Jackson guitars.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Fred Treece


From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2021 3:53 pm    
Reply with quote

Pete Burak wrote:
Fred Treece wrote:
Speaking of Sierra, the new logo is a vast improvement over the old one, although it does borrow something from the Emmons. And why not.

This one?
I was thinking... New Riders album-cover looking Smile

Ha, maybe more that than the Emmons now that you mention it, Pete. Much better, at any rate. Of course, EVERYTHING about the new Sierra appears to be an improvement over some aspect or another of pedal steel design and construction.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Brendan Mitchell


From:
Melbourne Australia
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2021 4:41 pm    
Reply with quote

I made a couple of speaker cabinets and also dropped a small amp head into a vintage speaker cabinet . On both of these I put the Bronco name plate and the bucking horse logo . I only had 1 of the horse logos but was able to buy an after market one on eBay . Good thing is the aftermarket one had no spikes just peel the paper off and press on .
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
John McClung


From:
Olympia WA, USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2021 5:22 pm    
Reply with quote

I KNEW all you smart guys would have great ideas, even stories to tell! Keep 'em coming!...
_________________
E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Scott Denniston


From:
Hahns Peak, Colorado, USA
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2021 5:33 pm    
Reply with quote

I've got a red Peterbilt emblem off an old truck hood I've often thought about mounting to a speaker grill. I don't think I could do that to a steel though.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Per Berner


From:
Skovde, Sweden
Post  Posted 10 Apr 2021 10:12 pm    
Reply with quote

Just design your own vectorised logo in Illustrator (or similar software) and send a pdf file to any reasonably capable signmaker. They can rout your logo from a sheet of aluminum. That's what I did for my Ben-Rom #009. Since I originally designed the logo for Bent Romnes, I already had the file, and it wasn't very expensive; around 30 dollars or so. Have it polished or brushed or whatever, stick on with double-sided adhesive tape.



BTW John, I totally agree that the majority of pedal steel logos are dreadful. Especially those that include "Steel Guitar" – you don't see that as part of the logo on ANY other products. And using decals on a $5000 instrument – what a joke! If you buy a $500 6-string guitar, you will often get a neatly inlaid logo. Granted, it won't be real MOP, but it will look nice anyway.

Acceptable-to-good ones in my not so humble opinion (after 37 years in advertising and design): The present-day MSA in 3D, Emmons, Bigsby, Clinesmith, Excel and Sho-Bud. The rest need redesigning, some more urgently than others.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Stu Schulman


From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
Post  Posted 11 Apr 2021 12:53 am    
Reply with quote

I thought that Avanti's were Canadian?
_________________
Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Glenn Suchan

 

From:
Austin, Texas
Post  Posted 11 Apr 2021 5:58 am    
Reply with quote

Chris Lucker wrote:
Buddy Emmons said he going after the Cadillac look with the V below "Emmons"....


I remember reading something about Buddy being inspired by the logo on Viceroy cigarette packages:
https://steelguitarforum.com/Forum5/HTML/010459.html

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn
_________________
Steelin' for Jesus
View user's profile Send private message
Jack Hanson


From:
San Luis Valley, USA
Post  Posted 11 Apr 2021 7:49 am    
Reply with quote

Stu Schulman wrote:
I thought that Avanti's were Canadian?

Nope. Matriculated from the Studebaker assembly line in South Bend, Indiana in 1962 and 1963 only. Weren't they just lovely?
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 12 Apr 2021 8:02 am    
Reply with quote

They were still being built in Indiana a few years ago.
I don't know about at present time.
There was a dealer for them in Austin, TX when I was down there. Very Happy
Erv
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Bill Sinclair


From:
Waynesboro, PA, USA
Post  Posted 12 Apr 2021 10:10 am     Re: Mounting Car Nameplates to Pedal Steels?
Reply with quote

John McClung wrote:

Anyone have clever ideas for mounting my nameplates: without cutting off the spikes; that don't damage the psg cabinet; are easily interchangeable (possibly using a velcro or other clever mounting system)?


The "without cutting off the spikes" without damaging the cabinet is the hard part. Only thing I can think of would be to make a nice little chamfered hardwood block that is at least as deep as the spikes and mount the nameplate to that. Then you could attach that to the guitar with a thin double faced tape.

Here was my automotive tribute to my Sano amp that was missing the badge from the grill. I took half of an Alfa Romeo logo and stuck it on there (with the spikes).

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Colin Swinney


From:
Wisconsin, USA
Post  Posted 12 Apr 2021 10:39 am    
Reply with quote

Per’s list is definitely the best of the best. I’d add Linkon as well, love the top of the “L” dotting the “i”.

Nothing makes an otherwise perfectly good guitar seem so undesirable than a cheap looking logo. You designers should reach out to some of these modern manufacturers with some prototypes, if only as a service to the rest of the pedal steel community. Winking


View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Per Berner


From:
Skovde, Sweden
Post  Posted 12 Apr 2021 10:56 am    
Reply with quote

Colin Swinney wrote:
You designers should reach out to some of these modern manufacturers with some prototypes, if only as a service to the rest of the pedal steel community.


Yeah. why not? Bring it on. No charge! But be prepared for something 21st century, no curly scripts!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
John McClung


From:
Olympia WA, USA
Post  Posted 12 Apr 2021 11:35 am    
Reply with quote

To Per, Colin, Bill Sinclair: it might be fun to collectively redesign the poorest of PSG logotypes, just for fun. I once offered to redesign Carter's original hideous design with the letters all stretched to fit inside an oval, but couldn't come to terms with John Fabian. They come up with at least better typography for their final logo, and at least the oval is a shape to help you know what brand it is.







Infinity logo with oval:



To Stu: I have an undying love for 2 cars from when I was 11 years old in 1963; that year's Corvette Sting Ray with the split rear window; and the Studebaker Avanti. The latter had a sad and weird history of many owners when Studebaker folded; but man, that car has looks that still make my heart sing!
_________________
E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 12 Apr 2021 11:54 am    
Reply with quote

Studebaker hired an Italian designer to come up with the looks of that car. Very Happy
Erv
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Dave Mudgett


From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
Post  Posted 12 Apr 2021 11:54 am    
Reply with quote

Plymouth Volare? I had an early one - I was working at Chrysler at the time. Worst car I ever owned. First new car for me, too - what a disappointment. Should have bought a Duster with a 318 or 360, it was the last year for the model. But it was "the latest and greatest" compact. Sure.

On attachment without messing up the front of the guitar, this -
Quote:
The "without cutting off the spikes" without damaging the cabinet is the hard part. Only thing I can think of would be to make a nice little chamfered hardwood block that is at least as deep as the spikes and mount the nameplate to that. Then you could attach that to the guitar with a thin double faced tape.

On logo aesthetics - beauty is strictly a matter of taste, and there is no accounting for taste. I have no interest in being dragged into the 21st century, with respect to that kind of stuff. Definitely nothing Goth. YMMV, and that's the point.

For car logos on a guitar, this is more to my taste -

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
John McClung


From:
Olympia WA, USA
Post  Posted 12 Apr 2021 4:58 pm    
Reply with quote

Dave Mudgett: ha! I love guitars with personality like that.

Erv Niehaus: Raymond Loewy was the designer. He did the Coca Cola bottle, and some famous logos. Such a beautiful car the Avanti!

In my fantasy world I'd have these 3 cars parked in my driveway:

Studebaker Avanti
Corvette Sting Ray
Oscar Mayer Wienermobile

There's no accounting for taste!
_________________
E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  
Please review our Forum Rules and Policies
Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction, and steel guitar accessories
www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

The Steel Guitar Forum
148 S. Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425 USA

Click Here to Send a Donation

Email SteelGuitarForum@gmail.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for Band-in-a-Box
by Jim Baron