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Topic: Why and when "modern" steels last evolved |
Zachary Walters
From:
Maryland
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Posted 15 Feb 2011 11:14 am |
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In a technological sense, what contributed to the "modern" manufacturing process for the pedal steel guitar undergoing its latest evolution, and during what year or time period? Were there advancements in the practices of machining, woodwork and luthiery, or precision measurement and calibration that pushed the pedal steel to what may be its (current) modern form? Essentially, what did the best manufacturers consider to be the important changes they made to their process, and about when did this happen? I don't mean something like making all-pulls instead of push-pulls, because that's a simplification of the mechanics of the instrument. And I'm also not suggesting that there is a time when "machine replaced man." Custom and handmade craftsmanship will always be essential to the process. My intent is to shed light on technological aspects of the manufacturing process.
Thanks,
Zach
_________________
1981 Push-Pull
2009 Super Glide Custom |
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mike nolan
From:
Forest Hills, NY USA
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Posted 15 Feb 2011 11:47 am
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| You have to take the players into consideration. Players and the music they make push the technology of the instrument. Many of the great PSGs have been the product of a collaboration between players and manufacturers. The different changer types, Push Pull, All Pull, Pull Release have strengths and weaknesses... but the all pull system is the dominant system because it can support a lot of pulls, splits, and is easy to work on. Hearing and having to have those changes will determine what players buy, hence what manufacturers will build. Some have issues with the tone of all pull vs push pull, etc. so some manufacturers try to invent something that works like an all pull but sounds like a push pull. I think that musical issues rather than manufacturing issues drive the current state of the instrument.... otherwise we are talking about things like CNC machines and CAD systems. Advances in manufacturing technology don't set the standard for what people will play....IMHO. |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 15 Feb 2011 12:31 pm
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| It seems like this hasn't become really applicable to pedal steel guitars, at least yet. The majority of them are still built by a single person or a few people working in a small shop. There is one guy who a number of builders use when they want a cabinet with real high-end woodworking, so in a sense that's "division of labor." Carter outsourced some of their machining, but it was still a business dependent on just a few people. If there is any one thing that has led to changes, it might be that improvements in the quality and (relative) price of shop tools have made it possible for the small builder to turn out a good guitar. |
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