Harlin versus newer pedal guitars

Felix Wolfe · From: Corvallis,oregon, USA

There is an old Harlin pedal guitar in a music store in town, and I am toying with the idea of buying and learning to play it.

I have searched this site looking for information on the old Harlin pedal guitars, and I found a LOT. But I still have one question -what is the main difference between Harlins and newer pedal steels ?

Here is my confusion. The old Harlin guitars were nicknamed "chord changers." But when you press a pedal on more modern pedal guitar, are you not also changing the open chord to something else ?

Thanks in advance for your answers, but I play by ear and know only basic music theory, so I hope the answer isn't too complicated Smile

Andrew Goulet · Posted 31 Dec 2020 9:26 am

I'm not an expert, but the Harlans, as far as I know, were the early predecessor to the modern pedal steel. The way the pedals are arranged and the mechanisms are different than "modern" pedal steels from Bigsby and Fender on. It seems unlikely that you'd be able to apply most common techniques to that instrument (certain pedal combinations, changing what the pedals do, etc...) Technically a modern pedal steel is also, at it's most basic, a chord- or tuning-changing device, but modern pedal steels also use the pedals in much more sophisticated way that may be difficult or impossible on a Harlan. Also, repairing it or getting parts could be very difficult or impossible.

Like I said, I'm not an expert. All that being said, you don't have to play a steel in any particular way, and a Harlan could be really cool, have a good tone, and give you what your looking for in terms of tuning flexibility. Just don't expect it to do everything a modern pedal steel can. Smile

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Tom Keller · From: Greeneville, TN, USA

I would strongly advise you not to do it.

Roy McKinney · From: Ontario, OR

Seems like a hundred years ago I had a Harlan Multi-Kord D8 with 4 pedals.
You don't have to change the whole chord with a pedal, just the strings you want to change. It is an all pull cable mechanism and was fairly easy to modify to pull one string more then one time.
I don't remember the complete setup I had, but my first two pedals were set up like AB pedals on the current PSG's. My 3rd pedal just pulled my 1 string E up to an F#. Can't remember what I did with the 4 pedal, but I think I lowered the first string to Eb.
Couldn't afford to buy a Fender 400 then.

Richard Alderson · From: Illinois, USA

Here are a couple of main differences I can think of between a Harlin Multi-Kord and a newer steel. The newer steel will match all the E9 instructional material available; The Multi-Kord wont, because it wont have enough strings and pedal changes. The MultiKords are an antiquated instrument or proto type steel that Progress has left behind, and I would wager a good deal of money the instrument has lots of issues and may barely be functional.
I would never buy one. Better to get a decent lap steel or a basic used pedal steel.
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Roy McKinney · From: Ontario, OR

I agree with Richard and Tom.

Chris Brooks · From: Providence, Rhode Island

I agree with Richard, Tom, and Roy.

This is a collector's item, very special-interest. Unless you are a music historian or museum conservationist, go for a modern pedal steel.

Model T Fords are fascinating and historic; but for day-to-day travel, you need a modern car. Same deal here. Buy a used S-10 from someone on the Forum or from a real steel guitar shop.

There are lots of steelers in the PNW, like John McClung. Get with them, read all you can here on the Forum--then make your decision.

Chris

Larry Phleger · From: DuBois, PA

I believe the pedals on a Harlin pedal guitar were intended to enable the player to change between non-pedal tunings, and were not intended to function like the pedals on a modern pedal steel. If you are a non-pedal player, you may be pleased with one of these guitars, but they will not do the job if you want the modern pedal steel sound.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

They have their following and users, but they are antiquated as it pertains to modern pedal steel guitars.

No pedal steel players I know use these old Harlin Bros./ MultiKords anymore.

Roy McKinney · From: Ontario, OR

Larry is correct, the setup allowed full chord changes.
Open tune key E, press a pedal and have a full A chord etc, etc.
If I remember correctly that is what Speedy West was doing with his Bigsby at the time when Webb Pierce recorded Slowly. He used it to change "chords" and didn't rock or squeeze the pedals.
That same era, the Bigsby steel was cable pull also but the pedals were in a different location, ie the front vice the left side, on the Multi Kord, you had to decide which pedals you wanted to use both feet on or if you were going to use the VP.

John Haspert · From: Illinois, USA

I agree with the other replies in that it wonâ€™t do what a modern psg can do. It seems the best use for one if you got it for a really inexpensive song is to use as intended...sorta. Meaning, think of it as a lap steel with 4 to 6 tunings on a single neck. Instead of a 3 or 4 neck console, it is a lighter and more compact version. They are not the most stable beast on the planet since they wobble. I have one that I resto-modded. Parts are not readily available any more, so you have to make them. Paul Quarterman used to have some parts, but not sure if he them any longer. Btw, tone is rather variable based on materials were used in construction over the years. Some were average wood, but some were pretty poor quality since the instrument was intended to be used by the Harlan brothers students. I would go with a modern psg unless you just want a project to play around with.. Good Luck on your Journey.
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Ron Pruter · From: Arizona, USA

No solidity in the pedals. Mushy. Imagine stepping on hand brakes on a bicycle. You have to use two feet on the pedals which won't allow you to have a foot on the volume pedal. Stay away from that museum piece.!
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Dick Hitchcock · From: Wayne, Nebraska

It was my first steel....Not much I'l, admit, but all I could afford at the time.(late 60's)..$10 for the pawn ticket, and $16 against it....I used it like a pedal steel...A & B pedals...Crude? Oh yes, but it was my start in the PSG world....After that, a Fender 400, Sho Bud Fingertip, and my Justice pro Lite now...That ugly old Multi Kord will always have a special place in my heart!!
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Joe Cook · From: Lake Osoyoos, WA

My first steel guitar was a Multi-kord. I didn't know how to use it so I played it as a pedal steel and could get some pedal steel sounds, but it was wobbly, hard to tune, 6 strings, etc. I eventually "graduated" to a MSA Red Baron. The Baron was better by far! I outgrew the baron in 6 months. It was gone in favor of a MSA classic. I should have just bought a real PSG ,like the classic, right from the start. I wasted a lot of time with those inferior instruments, but not much money! Smile

Ron Pruter · From: Arizona, USA

Sneaky Pete told me he started with a Multi Chord when both our bands played at the Aragon ballroom in Chicago. I was playing a two neck Multi chord at the time. Smile

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Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

The short answer is that early pedal guitars were intended to give quick inaudible chord changes whereas modern ones give you expressive slow ones.
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