Fender 400 add pedals.

Terje Brattsveen · From: Nashville, TN. USA

I recently purchased a 1964 Fender 400. I love the tone and "fly by wire" feel of this thing. It came with 6 pedals, and I need to add at least one more. Where can I purchase parts for these things, and what else do I have to do to it to add another pedal? Please keep in mind..I am NOT REALLY a steel player, but I play one in my basement!
Thanks for any advice and help.
Terje Brattsveen.

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

Terje - if it's a chrome-pedal model (which is doubtful - most '64's have black pedals) all I can say is good luck. There were not nearly as many of the short-scale, black pedal models made and parts show up very rarely. The most practical method is to replace ALL the pedals with a set from a current manufacturer, and cut a new pedal rack to drill out the correct mounting holes.

I'll be happy to fill you in on the procedure for adding a pedal if you really want it, but will need to see the existing large pulley type (it might also need replacement) and top/bottom photos to ensure there are no mods that might interfere with a new cable, which has to be made with different parts (the original small pulleys and turnbuckles are no longer made).

Feel free to email if you like.

Jim
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Any machinist could make a very reasonable facsimile of the old-style pedals out of a piece of aluminum. (In fact, I'm surprised no one does that?) Polish it up good, lacquer it, and few would notice the difference. The other parts necessary could be made by hand, with a little work.

If anyone needs ideas or details, email me. Cool

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

Donny, I've checked with a few machine shops and while they can duplicate the pedals they want an arm and leg to do it - the cost becomes a bit impractical.

We're building a full machine shop in our equipment maintenance area, so I may be doing some things in a few months...we'll see.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional

Terje Brattsveen · From: Nashville, TN. USA

Thank you for all your expertice! I will hold off for now on the 7th pedal. I had no idea it would be this complicated. I guess it should have been a clue when i searched for "Fender 400" at (www.fender.com) , and a bass amp came up, and no mention of any steel guitars ever being built at Fender. Did Gene Fields (GFI) design these early steels for Fender?
Thanks again for all your help and insight.
Terje Brattsveen.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Terje, as you discovered, Fender totally ignores the owners of their old pedal guitars. They offer no replacement parts, and they're not even sharp-minded enough to provide history and information on them. That would cost them little and provide much good will, but the company probably feels it's best not to get involved in anything that won't return a profit. (Many American companies companies are like that, nowadays.) Anyhow, since Fender introduced their cable operated pedal guitars in the mid '50s, and Gene Fields didn't start at Fender until the '60s, it's likely he played no part in the original design. No doubt he was the source of some improvements made later, and he WAS the designer of their short-lived PS 210 pedal guitar.

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

FWIW I have had discusions with Fender regarding their pedal steel line and the parts unavailabiliy. There's been a *little* headway, but not much yet. There's no way they will produce parts - the big question is whether they can/will provide working drawings for parts duplication. Race & Olmstead (a machine shop in Fullerton CA) made almost all the metal parts for Fender up to the CBS era and possibly a bit beyond. The two questions are 1) WHO has the design drawings, and 2) WHO actually owns the designs. If Fender has the stuff there's a chance they may release it more or less into the public domain, since the actual "intellectual property" value is minimal. If R&O had all the designs the whole idea is probably toast, as they've been gone for years.

My primary contacts on his subject recently left Fender, so I'm essentially starting over. But - IF we can get hold of engineering drawings for both types of 400 and 1000 and the 800/2000 models, it would really simplify having parts machined (having actual parts duplicated is much more difficult and expensive).

It may happen - but it's going to be a while.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

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