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Topic: Another newbie with an obscure PSG: Johnny Pitts |
Gary Patterson
From:
Gallatin, TN
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Posted 17 Aug 2010 2:11 pm |
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Hello members. I recently acquired a PSG after many years of pining and planning to possibly build my own. I repair and build "regular" guitars, etc.
A couple months ago, I perused virtually every entry on the Pedal Steel forum (took me a week) and found this picture, identical to mine. The collective wisdom is that it's a Miller Custom student model.
I hope to equip it with 3 more knee levers in order to have something to match the instuction material I have found.
My unit differs from the one you see in the pic in that it has a small stick-on nameplate on the front reading "Johnny Pitts Custom Guitar". I'm presuming this is a private-label deal. There is no other ID on the guitar anywhere - no serial no., no reference to Miller.
Does anyone know who or what Johnny Pitts was? I have only found a couple vague references to that name as a local Chicago musician, perhaps.
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George Rozak
From:
Braidwood, Illinois USA
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Posted 17 Aug 2010 6:24 pm
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Gary...
Here's a link to an article that briefly mentions Johnny Pitts icw the old Chicago country music scene...
click here
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Sho-Bud: Professional & Fingertip |
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Gary Patterson
From:
Gallatin, TN
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Posted 18 Aug 2010 5:43 am
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Thanks, George. Actually, I had come across that article via a previous Google search. It doesn't really say much about him, though.
We know of two of these guitars, so there must have been more. Anyone have any experience with them?
Although it's a simple pull/release design, it appears to be ruggedly built, and stays in tune. It seems much more substantial than the occasional Carter Starter I come across.
The "endplates" are actually integral with the front and rear aprons, apparently a single aluminum casting. The only wood part is the top, which appears to be a 3/4" maple flat board bolted to crossmembers in the casting. All of the mechanical parts are mounted on the bottom of the board (not the cast aprons).
It's a 23" scale. Not sure of the significance of that. |
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Bill Dobkins
From:
Rolla Missouri, USA
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Posted 18 Aug 2010 6:52 am
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Gary, It sure looks like a Miller to me. I had one. Its a pull release system. They were built in IL somewhere by MR Miller, I can't remember his first name but I think he is still living. If you understand the mechanics of it you may be ok if not it could be a nightmare as mine was. If I could see the undercariage I could tell for sure if its a miller.
_________________
Custom Rittenberry SD10
Boss Katana 100 Amp
Positive Grid Spark amp
BJS Bars
Z~Legend Pro,Custom Tele
Honor our Vet's.
Now pass the gravy. |
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Gary Patterson
From:
Gallatin, TN
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Posted 18 Aug 2010 7:27 am
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Mr. Bill,
This pic is another I lifted from another post on the forum, of a known Miller. These bellcranks, pedal cranks, and rod/shaft collars are identical to mine, so I'm sure Miller had a hand in my guitar.
The mechanics look very simple to me. The only challenge I see in adding KLs will be the need to add some kind of "center stop" for strings that need to be raised and lowered. I've seen some valuable design ideas for this elsewhere on the forum.
The bellcranks and spring return cranks appear to be made from the same basic casting. I'll need to fabricate mine from barstock unless I can find someone who has similar parts laying around.
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Bill Dobkins
From:
Rolla Missouri, USA
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Posted 18 Aug 2010 8:06 am
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Gary, thats a miller. Have fun, sounds like you got it together.
BD
_________________
Custom Rittenberry SD10
Boss Katana 100 Amp
Positive Grid Spark amp
BJS Bars
Z~Legend Pro,Custom Tele
Honor our Vet's.
Now pass the gravy. |
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William Lyon
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 5 Feb 2016 2:49 pm
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| To those of you asking about Johnny Pitts of Chicago. He is alive, if not particularly well, and still living in Chicago. Johnny got his start playing music by winning a year-long series of monthly contests for my dad's country music shows in central Michigan (radio WCEN, Mt. Pleasant). My dad, Bill Lyon, is of Bundy Mountain Jamboree fame, having fronted his band for about 11 years 1950-1961 including radio shows, stage shows and a TV show on WPBN-TV ch 7 (Traverse City, MI) 1954-1961. Johnny won a spot in the band and worked for dad for several years, moving to Chicago in 1956. Johnny worked with several Chicago bands, playing lead guitar, 5 string banjo, fiddle and peddle steel guitar. He owns Gretsch guitar #6120 given to him by Chet Atkins when Johnny played on the Grand Ole Opry. Johnny worked for David Wexler & Co.in Chicago before owning his own music store. He did build pedal steel guitars in 1965 and 1966. He played for Buck Owens once in place of his friend Tom Brumley who went on vacation. Mark Guarino (Chicago Tribune) was to have written a book about Johnny (Simon and Shuster), not sure if it is published yet. |
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