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Topic: Pedal and string spacing |
Jack Rydeen
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 27 May 2017 5:22 am |
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I've read a few topics talk about different steel guitar manufacturers have smaller and larger string and/or pedal spacing.
I'll be shopping soon for my first pedal steel guitar and because of being 6'5" I most likely need pedal rod and leg extensions. But with big hands and long arms would string and pedal spacing be something for me to think about, or is it simply adapting myself to the instrument?
Any advice of brands that would be more conducive for a "vertically challenged" rookie? |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 27 May 2017 5:27 am
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Unless you're larger than 4E wide, I'd ignore the pedal spacing.
Unless you have serious banana fingers, I'd also just adapt to the standard. If you custom order a non-standard spacing, it may well be hard to sell on when the time comes.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Jack Rydeen
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 27 May 2017 5:39 am
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| Just a normal size 12 and skinny fingers. Thanks for the advice. |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 27 May 2017 7:50 am
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Definitely get an adjustable height chair. I am 6'3, got the lift kit for rods and legs, everything else about my guitar is standard. But when I sat down in a regular chair my legs were all bent over at a bad angle and I could not get my feet into any kind of position where they could work pedals, and knees were too far forward to work the levers. I got an adjustable keyboard bench from Guitar Center for about 50 bucks and it works great.
I also have to sit a little farther away from the console in order for knees and toes to not hit the pedal rods. Sitting at proper height helps with the arm length too, being able to bend the elbow at 90 degrees.
I'm also a size 12 shoe. Once you get your ankle in shape for all the rolling and bending, you will have more of a choice in footwear, but start by settling on one pair of whatever you feel comfortable in and can still move around the pedals accurately. Seems like a trite thing, but it is huge at first. My left foot was all over the place. Don't be afraid to adjust your pedal height.
Big hands...well, my fingers are long and skinny, and I have been finger picking guitar forever. Spacing is an issue, but so is picking a set of horizontal strings instead of vertical, and 10 instead of 6, and blocking, and the funny tuning...in other words, you won't be thinking about string spacing after about 3 minutes and it won't be your biggest hurdle by a long shot.
But oh what fun! Good luck! |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 27 May 2017 12:02 pm
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| Fred Treece wrote: |
| You won't be thinking about string spacing after about 3 minutes |
________ 
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Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 27 May 2017 12:40 pm
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some people make a big deal out of all that, I personally never cared or even paid attention to that, I just tried to play the dang thing lol... but I'm 6'5" so extensions are a must on almost all guitars I play...
_________________
https://steelguitarsonline.com/ |
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Jack Rydeen
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 27 May 2017 1:11 pm
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| Damir Besic wrote: |
| some people make a big deal out of all that, I personally never cared or even paid attention to that, I just tried to play the dang thing lol... but I'm 6'5" so extensions are a must on almost all guitars I play... |
Are certain guitar brands easier to get ahold of pedal and leg extensions? |
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John McClung
From:
Olympia WA, USA
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Posted 27 May 2017 2:04 pm
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In my experience, the closer-than-normal spacing of Emmons LG pedals was hard to adapt to, mostly messed me up on C6, E9 not so much.
I tried a Pedalmaster Uni-12 a while back with slightly wider string spacing, longer scale length of 25 inches and almost no taper from bridge to nut, and actually loved the feel of that steel, adapted without issues.
Where pedals and levers fall is far more critical, at least for me, Fred.
_________________
E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net |
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John Goux
From:
California, USA
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Posted 29 May 2017 9:38 am
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Does the Pedalmaster have wider than standard string spacing? What is the measurement?
J |
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John McClung
From:
Olympia WA, USA
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Posted 29 May 2017 11:03 am
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John Goux, I'm fairly sure it was 3/8" string spacing, like a lap steel or close to a Sho-Bud. I especially liked the almost no taper at the roller nut, made hammer ons and offs much easier.
_________________
E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net |
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John Brabant
From:
Calais, VT, USA
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Posted 29 May 2017 3:06 pm
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Huh, I never gave much thought to the taper and its effect on playing. Why are most steels set up with a taper? And what is the logic for other steels to not taper from one end of the neck to the other John?
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John Brabant
1978 Emmons D-10 P-P |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 29 May 2017 6:51 pm
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| John McClung wrote: |
Where pedals and levers fall is far more critical, at least for me, Fred. |
Agree with you 100%. That's why I went on so much about seating and footwear and lift kits and pedal height adjustment. I didn't think my ankle was ever going to roll off one pedal and on to another without my knee hitting a lever or my foot nudging the adjacent pedal just enough for the chord to sound like crap. |
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Jack Rydeen
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 29 May 2017 7:21 pm
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Fred, thanks for the information. It has been helpful to hear from a player that has experienced the same difficulties of being too tall sometimes  |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 29 May 2017 7:38 pm
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Speaking as another tall guy with large feet and hands:
You may be fine with a standard seat.
You'll need leg spacers and pedal rod extensions.
String spacing just requires time to adapt.
Some guitars are going to feel better, height aside. They're all different. I can't stand the feel of an Emmons LeGrande, which is a fine guitar. YMMV
Get a guitar, and get used to it, then decide if you need something different. |
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Jack Rydeen
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 30 May 2017 3:30 am
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| Ken Pippus wrote: |
Speaking as another tall guy with large feet and hands:
You may be fine with a standard seat.
You'll need leg spacers and pedal rod extensions.
String spacing just requires time to adapt.
Some guitars are going to feel better, height aside. They're all different. I can't stand the feel of an Emmons LeGrande, which is a fine guitar. YMMV
Get a guitar, and get used to it, then decide if you need something different. |
Thanks Ken! |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 30 May 2017 6:23 am
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| How much extension you'll need on the legs and pedal bars is partly a function of the way your legs are built (upper to lower length ratio) and partly a function of how the guitar is built. Getting your right leg between a volume pedal and the bottom of the guitar is usually the rate limiting step, but vertical knee lever proximity is another issue. A wild guess given your height is you probably want a 2" lift. Satisfaction guaranteed or none of your money back. |
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Jack Rydeen
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 30 May 2017 6:29 am
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| Thanks again Ken |
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