What exactly is the push-pull sound?

James Inkster · From: Ukee, BC

Sorry for the daft question, but I'm not around many pedal steels and I'm unsure what people refer to when they speak of the unique pp sound... Can anyone point me to a good example/comparison, please?

Also, which years of Emmons steels were pp?
Did any other makers have pp?

Thanks

Bill C. Buntin · From: Cleburne TX

James, this is a big question and you are likely to get a lot of answers. First…tone and sound are highly subjective to each person’s ear. So this is MY opinion only.

The push pull sound is a full, rich warmth or tone that the guitar produces. The vibrations throughout the guitar body. The push pull Emmons changer is always “engaged”. It never releases. Compared to all pull or pull release. The changer moves against stops. The pedals or knees must be adjusted to stop when the string hits the changer stop. Because of that, it can be tedious to adjust. However, once a person understands the push pull emmons then adjustments are fairly easy.

Again my opinion….the tone is produced most vibrant and alive because of how the changer works. Another way to put it, is that the changer transfers string vibration all over the guitar body.

Properly set up pp will just feel vibrant and alive while being played.
The tone is then picked to the amplification and that is then broadcast by the electronics.

The result is a full rich fat sound all the way up and down the neck.
The best way to experience it and compare to other guitars is to go to steel show and listen to them up close when in the hands of a really good player.

Doug Palmer · From: Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

Listen to Buddy's black album. Push Pull D-10 cut tail.
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Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

The biggest thing about my Emmons PP was the sustain. The strings sustain for a long long time.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

The Emmons push/pull has a sort of "growl" to it.
You can get somewhat of the same sound with the Zum Hybrid.

James Inkster · From: Ukee, BC

Awesome, great answers -- thanks so much!

Dave Magram · From: San Jose, California, USA

Here's Mr. Emmons playing a push-pull Emmons guitar...

Danny Boy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBbzvS1uuF0

At E's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRasZw8ZVyE

Night Life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wXPiOnX4ls

- Dave

Lee Rider · From: Fort Bragg, California, USA

I have a push pull SD-10 3x5 that was built by Bobby Bowman. I had a Mullen PRP from around '96 and I can really tell the difference. Much more sustain, growl and indescribable tone. Many of the pickers here on the forum can tell the difference between a modern all-pull guitar, push pull, ZB and ShoBud tones from recordings. That is a skill I have not acquired (yet)...
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Bowman SD10 push pull 3x5, Modified Hudson PedalBro, Sarno Tonic preamp, Evans FET 500. with Altec 418B, Standel Custom 15, '67 Showman with D-130F in cabinet, Ganz Straight Ahead, custom Wolfe 6 string dobro, '52 Gibson Century 6.

Thom Gustafson · From: Mount Vernon, Washington, USA

I always thought "Wichita Lineman" from the collaborative Suite Steel album was a wonderful example of both Buddy and the E9th Emmons sound. Very present and slightly crunchy. A masterful take by the big E. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T23Z1e8UnPM

Jim Cooley · From: The 'Ville, Texas, USA

The push-pull sound to me is a combination of growl in the lows, more pronounced mids than all pulls, and silky highs. Tone, as with any steel, is affected by several factors, pickups, amp settings, players' hands, environment... I have heard push-pulls that sound like mud. A peek at amp settings usually reveals that the player has significantly dialed back the highs and killed the mids on the amp.

This is iconic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM11nQZHacU

I am privileged to hear several very accomplished players in Texas. For example

Tommy Detamore with Jake Hooker:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaLdxHZdzHs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOOkWKj1OEw

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

Listen to the studio work of Mr. Emmons in Los Angeles. Notable examples would be Rainbows All Over Your Blues by John B Sebastian and Someday Soon by Judy Blue Eyes. That's the sound of a push/pull as defined by the guy who designed it.

Karen Sarkisian · From: Boston, MA, USA

to my ears the push pull guitars have an extra dimension that you dont get with all pulls. i think of it like a tube amp vs a solid state amp.
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Emmons, Franklin, Mullen

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Karen,
That's a good description. Very Happy

Erv

Karen Sarkisian · From: Boston, MA, USA

scott murray · From: Asheville, NC

now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s discuss the nuances of the wraparound, bolt-on, and cut-tail sound. Winking

what other brands built push-pull guitars? Promat pops to mind but aren’t there others?
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1965 Emmons S-10, 3x5 • Emmons LLIII D-10, 10x12 • JCH D-10, 10x12 • Beard MA-8 • Oahu Tonemaster

Lee Rider · From: Fort Bragg, California, USA

Bill C. Buntin · From: Cleburne TX

Bobby Bowman—was the best. Friends, Bobby personally taught me over the phone how to setup and adjust a push pull. I miss him.

Also, the late Bobby Rains..Bobby and I spent hours and hours together comparing push pull vs sierra vs carter vs Mci vs Legrande. He built the most fantastic sounding guitars I ever heard. The SKH Legrande he built that I bought from him sounded almost identical to the push pull that I had. In fact , the prototype Rains guitar was the result of all of these comparisons. Bobby had the secret. And he was able to reproduce a guitar that sounded more like a push pull than some push pulls…

Another analogy- I compare the push pull sound to that of audiophile grade stereo equipment vs average stereo equipment. Average stereos are ok. But listen to a good vinyl LP on a high end turntable through a McIntosh system with original speakers such as Klipsch LaScala…believe me you can tell the difference.

The push pull sound and feel when playing is almost as evident when compared to an average guitar.

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

Another aspect of playing a pp is how it feels and reacts to touch. They are a bit harder to play so you need to mean it when you hit the pedals. They also react to touch. You dig in and you get more. There is a visceral aspect that is unique to them. Sometimes it feels like driving a tractor instead of a Porsche but a tractor will always pull you out of the mud !
You can get a great sound out of all sorts of pedalsteels but I enjoy how it feels to create that tone with a pp while I'm playing. It's become part of my musical expression.
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Bob

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Interesting discussion. For many years I owned a Push Pull along with my All Pull Legrande. I played them both on and off for my gigs, not at the same gig LOL, one or the other.

Here's my take on this HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE discussion. All Instruments have a tonal sweet spot, make that most quality instruments do. We hear it when playing, its a tonal spectrum that we recognize by ear. Its that spot on the fretboard that we know the instrument comes alive, for whatever reason and for various reasons. I believe it comes from instrument construction, materials, and how they all interact.

My Legrand II has it ( my opinion) in a few locations on the fretboard, but not the entire fretboard, a few spots ring out in the total tonal spectrum. The other locations are very good but in a few locations the sweet spots are apparent. The sweet spot talks to me while playing, I hear it, I don't know if others do, maybe.

The Push Pull on the other hand has a much wider SWEET SPOT where the full tonal spectrum is recognized, by ear of course. In some cases while playing, the entire song is in the sweet spot. Many call it a growl, I just call it a tonal spectrum sweet spot. When Buddy played Danny Boy in F, the low end stood out. I asked him about it one time and he said that the key matched the Instrument.

All this being said, not all Push Pulls have that extended sweet spot. As Bobbe Seymour once said, some Push Pulls don't have ANY sweet spot. All of this is not cast in concrete because some of us can't hear any sweet spot and some of us are chasing instruments with much stronger sweet spots !

Sweet spots can also be revealed from fresh strings. string gauges, bar weight and picking style , attack etc. How many times have we heard players say, I have a Push Pull and mine doesn't sound anything like yours ! Now we also have to consider amps, speakers and that dreaded MID range .

I loved my Push Pull but when I downsized to 1 Steel, I kept the Legrande II. It has more than enough quality tone and playability to keep me happy until the end of the road !
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Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website

Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

What Bob said, An often over looked aspect is that you can feel it even with the guitar unplugged.
Bobby Bowman was a very cool and generous guy.

Mike Fried · From: Nashville, TN, USA

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

Push pulls got a bad name on how they play because people adjusted on them that had no idea what they were doing. A properly set up push pull plays really close to most all pulls.
Now I personally like the sound of the bolt on over the cut tail or wrap arounds. Seems to have more sparkle and better mids to my ears, especially the metal neck bolt ons but the later wood necks are great too. The wrap arounds are a little thinner sounding to me or at least ones I’ve played.
I’ve owned over 60 guitars in my life and though some have been great, but they don’t come up to the worst push pulls I’ve had. I always go back to the push pull not only because of tone but the feel when playing too.
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

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