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Topic: Pedobro |
Edward Meisse
From:
Santa Rosa, California, USA
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Posted 2 Jan 2008 7:28 pm |
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I've only heard one. It was on a CD called, "The Resocasters." Anyone have any idea who makes them and/or why they're not catching on? It seemed like a great sounding instrument. But recording technology can hide a multitude of sins.
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Amor vincit omnia |
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Bob Blair
From:
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Posted 2 Jan 2008 7:48 pm
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| The Pedabro was made by Paul Franklin Senior. As I understand it a relatively small number were made, and they are no longer in production. You can hear some fine examples of Paul Franklin Jr. playing a Pedabro on some of the later Don Williams material, and I'm sure there are many other recorded examples of Paul's playing. Forumite Peggy Green used hers to great advantage in some of her original material. In all my years of watching buy/sell on this Forum I've only ever seen one for sale, and I wish I would have pounced on it! Great idea, great instruments, but the market for such a special instrument has to be pretty small. They are not very loud, and very tricky to use in a live context from what I've heard. |
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Jerry Erickson
From:
Atlanta,IL 61723
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Posted 2 Jan 2008 7:52 pm
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| Paul Franklin Sr. used to make them. I heard that they were priced around $5K. Paul Jr. played the pedabro on some early Lyle Lovett and Randy Travis LPs. Also Dire Straits and an LP by Glen Duncan, "Sweetwater". that has some very tasty playing on it. |
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Bo Borland
From:
South Jersey -
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Posted 2 Jan 2008 8:16 pm
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The Resocaster album is very very good, it's Hal Rugg, Mike Auldridge & Jimmy Heffernan with a little help from a couple of amateurs like Brad Paisley & Joe Diffie. Hal plays a couple of tunes on the Pedabro... Buy it.. you will dig it.
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Bo Borland
Rittenberry SD10 , Derby D-10, Quilter TT12, Peavey Session 400 w/ JBL, NV112, Fender Blues Jr. , 1974 Dobro 60N squareneck, Rickenbacher NS lapsteel, 1973 Telecaster Thinline, 1979 blonde/black Frankenstrat
Currently picking with
Mason Dixon Band masondixonband.net |
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Brett Day
From:
Pickens, SC
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Posted 2 Jan 2008 9:50 pm
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The Pedabro made its debut in the 80s on Randy Travis's song "Forever And Ever Amen". Paul Franklin was the first steel player to ever play pedabro and it was also played by Mike Johnson on Josh Turner's "Long Black Train". You can also hear Paul playin' pedabro on "The Eagle" by Waylon Jennings.
Brett |
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Marc Friedland
From:
Fort Collins, CO
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Posted 2 Jan 2008 10:13 pm
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMikXQ3_Lzc&feature=related
The above link will hopefully take you to Pete Grant playing Peggy Green's Ped-a-bro at a steel jam in San Jose, CA in November, 2006. Unfortunately, it's dfficult to hear it very well.
I've also enclosed some pictures from that same day, one
 of which is Peggy playing it.
Marc |
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Edward Meisse
From:
Santa Rosa, California, USA
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Posted 2 Jan 2008 10:43 pm
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Thanks. I had never had a good view of one before. And when playing the Pete Grant clip, a clip of Dave Zirbel at a steel jam showed up. I'll be condemned to Hades if there wasn't a pedabro right next to him.
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Amor vincit omnia |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 2 Jan 2008 11:48 pm
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| Bo Borland wrote: |
| The Resocaster album is very very good, it's Hal Rugg, Mike Auldridge & Jimmy Heffernan with a little help from a couple of amateurs like Brad Paisley & Joe Diffie. Hal plays a couple of tunes on the Pedabro... Buy it.. you will dig it. |
I'll second Bo, The Resocasters is a great CD! It came out in 2003, so it was one of the last recordings on which Hal appeared. And by the way, he plays the Ped-A-Bro on 10 of the 12 tracks. So without having to track down isolated songs featuring the instrument as played by Paul Jr., Mike Johnson, etc. - you can get a full dose by the late Hal Rugg on one album, and of course some amazing reso playing by Auldridge and Heffernan. My favorite track is the Hoyt Axton tune, "Evangelina" with Dennis Parker and Joe Diffie on vocals - Hal plays an exquisite lead break on that one, and when I'm playing the song in my car, I have to hit the "rewind" (search button) and listen to it 3-4 times before I continue with the rest of the song.
One thing I noticed at that jam (Edward, it was the same San Jose jam, in Nov. 2006, with Pete Grant where you saw Dave Z. playing next to one), is that when played acoustically, the Ped-A-Bro isn't nearly as loud as a good modern dobro. Nice tone, but kind've subdued in a way.
Peggy Green has two of the things, and Paul Sr. hasn't built one for some time - and as Jerry wrote above, it was my understanding as well that he was selling them for ballpark $5,000.
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Mark |
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Rick Johnson
From:
Wheelwright, Ky USA
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 3 Jan 2008 6:51 am
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| As far as I know the "underneath" is standard Franklin mechanics. The top is where the difference is. |
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Mike Headrick
From:
South Pittsburg, TN, USA
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Posted 3 Jan 2008 7:14 am Hal's Pedabro
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| Fortune is smiling upon me these days. Hal's Pedabro now belongs to Leon Page, and it is at present in the care of Larry Sasser. Leon has graciously volunteered to leave it here at my studio for a while, and I plan to use it on a couple of steel guitar instrumental projects in the near future. Larry dropped by here yesterday and he plans to bring the Pedabro by on his next trip to Nashville. Needless to say, I'm excited! |
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Rick Johnson
From:
Wheelwright, Ky USA
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Posted 4 Jan 2008 5:33 am
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Jack
I was wondering if the vents or
the spider/basket went through the body.
Rick
www.rickjohnsoncabs.com |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 4 Jan 2008 5:58 am
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Rick, the Ped-a-Bro was Patented and a Patent search should turn up all the technicalities and design. There was a thread that b0b posted once time with the link to that patent.
I never looked completely underneath so I can't say if the resonator cavity is just on the extra wood on top or if it goes all the way through. But, what mechanics that I saw were standard Franklin. |
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James Collett
From:
San Dimas, CA
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 4 Jan 2008 10:07 pm
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Here's another style...
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Posted 5 Jan 2008 11:10 am
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| How many PedaBros were made before Mr Franklin stopped makin' them ? |
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Theresa Galbraith
From:
Goodlettsville,Tn. USA
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Posted 5 Jan 2008 12:59 pm
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The Ped-A-Bro has been on many #1 records by many pedal steel players.
The first artist it was used on was Randy Travis "Forever & Ever" Paul played on.
The other pedal steel players were Hal Rugg, Peggy Green, Sonny Garrish, Danny Tyack, Mike Johnson and I'm sorry I'm leaving out many.
I'm proud of my Dad & Paul for thinking this up & making this extreme instrument. |
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 5 Jan 2008 1:52 pm
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Check this one out..at 50 secs. into the video.
Maybe Theresa can tell us how many of this model were made, I was told only a very few.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnFxE2Yzl70
_________________
Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!! |
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Theresa Galbraith
From:
Goodlettsville,Tn. USA
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Posted 5 Jan 2008 2:09 pm
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Bill,
That's Carson Chamberlain playing the Ped-A-Bro.
I believe my dad made 25 in all. I could be wrong.
I miss Keith! |
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 8 Jan 2008 7:53 am
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Saw this one in Knoxville around early 90s (i think) along with a couple of my PSG heroes. Didn't realize the significance of the moment at the time. Jeff yelled at me for sneaking up on them.
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Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!! |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 8 Jan 2008 12:10 pm
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If you are interested in a Ped-a-bro, just buy a dobro simulator and play like a pedal steel player instead of a Dobro player. I've heard live recordings of me with my Bo-Bro, and it sounds identical to the records I have heard with the Ped-a-bro. If others can hear the difference without knowing ahead of time if it was a sim or the real thing, then they have much better hearing than me.
Still, it's a beautiful concept and instrument and wouldn't mind having one for myself.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Dag Wolf
From:
Bergen, Norway
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Posted 8 Jan 2008 1:52 pm
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I would love to see some more pics of the Pedabro.
Specially how the bridge and changer looks.
Thanks.
Dag |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 8 Jan 2008 2:27 pm
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Dag Wolf
From:
Bergen, Norway
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Posted 8 Jan 2008 5:07 pm
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Thanks. Great photo 
Dag |
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Edward Meisse
From:
Santa Rosa, California, USA
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Posted 8 Jan 2008 6:31 pm
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That's alot more than I ever expected to find out. I'm a big fan of the Resocasters as well. Roly Poly and Charmaine are my two favorite cuts.
_________________
Amor vincit omnia |
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