The Steel Guitar Forum

Ryan Barwin · From: Hamilton, Ontario

I just had an idea...
Palm pedals have been put on dobros before...it's a very simple changer design, but it works. The problem is that using the palm pedals interferes with the right hand technique.

There have also been pedal steels designed to sit on your lap, with something like bicycle brake cables attaching the changer to floor pedals. I know Linkon made an S-10 that worked like this.

Couldn't these two concepts be combined? Somehow, the brake cables could attach to the palm pedal changer. There's a lot that could be done with just the A and B pedals, and 6 strings. Would this work? Has it been attempted before?
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Ryan Barwin
http://myspace.com/ryanbarwin
Excel D-10 8&5, Fender 400, National Dynamic, Gold Tone PBS, Gretsch lap steel, MatchBro, Fender Strat, Gibson LPS, Music Man 115 RP

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Dave Borisoff told me that he tried a lot of these things 30 years ago, but there was too much cabinet drop in the acoustic resonator guitars. So he reinforced the guitars but by the time he got them strong enough, they didn't sound like resonator guitars anymore. I guess this is because there has to be some flexibility in the cone if you want the reso sound.

Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Years ago MSA had a cable pedal board for sixstring. Phil Baugh used one. And really knew how to use it.Remember hearing him do The Shadow Of Your Smile with it.Wonderfull.Maybe someone has a clip of it they could post. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
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David Griffin · From: Jimmy Creek,Arkansas, USA

Ryan: Here's some pics of my"Pedalcaster". I installed 3 fingers from an old Maverick PSG in a PV tele copy. I used lawn mower throttle cables attached to floor pedals. Works like a charm! I say go for it! Whatcha got to lose?

Here's how they attach to the pedals.This was the most difficult part of building the Pedalcaster.Good Luck!>>>dg

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http://www.myspace.com/davidagriffin S10 Carpsteel(live)'77ShoBud LDG(studio)ProFexII(st) TC Nova Sys(live)Amps:PV LTD 400,NV112,Groove Tubes Space Station(live)Oahu 6str.lapsteel,various homemade devices.

Ryan Barwin · From: Hamilton, Ontario

That's awesome, David. What tuning do you use on the Pedalcaster?
Do you have a recording or anything?
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Ryan Barwin
http://myspace.com/ryanbarwin
Excel D-10 8&5, Fender 400, National Dynamic, Gold Tone PBS, Gretsch lap steel, MatchBro, Fender Strat, Gibson LPS, Music Man 115 RP

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

Many years ago, I took a Hipshot tailpiece off my Telecaster (the B bender, not the Trilogy) and mounted it on a metal-bodied Dobro. It worked okay in a round-neck fretted-guitar mode, but I was using string gages that were too big to get the most use out of it.

I also tried it in a lap-style mode. Mechanically it was okay -- working like a RKR -- but I didn't know enough about tunings at the time, so I didn't get anywhere with it that way, either. I don't remember bad tuning issues with that bender, but maybe I was not as picky in those days.

I also tried a Hipshot Trilogy tailpiece more recently, and it was not satisfactory for a Dobro because of the body/cone flexing and tuning/retuning issues.

David Griffin · From: Jimmy Creek,Arkansas, USA

Ryan: I tune & play it just like a regular guitar,but I think the basic principal would work w/ a dobro.You would have to figure out a way to tranfer the pull of the cables to the "down" push of the palm pedals.Also,friction @ the bridge & nut would be a problem,I'm sure. I used a graphlon(sp?) nut & bridge pcs. on the Pedalcaster to get around that.I have a tune on my player on my MS music pg(link below)called "Tha Bends" that I played the pedalcaster on.Keep us posted on your progress,OK?Thanx>>>dg
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http://www.myspace.com/davidagriffin S10 Carpsteel(live)'77ShoBud LDG(studio)ProFexII(st) TC Nova Sys(live)Amps:PV LTD 400,NV112,Groove Tubes Space Station(live)Oahu 6str.lapsteel,various homemade devices.

Pete Honychurch · From: British Columbia, Canada

years ago I had a Palm Pedal on my dobro and it was cool except for the fact that there was mechanical noise generated every time you engaged the pedals. It makes a clunk noise which is heard (metal on metal). I tried using rubber and wood in the stops but eventually put the pedals back on the electric gtr (and lap steel) where they belong.
As far as the Palm Pedal getting in the way of right hand technique, I shortened the inner pedal to take it out of the pathway of my technique, but still accessable. I would highly recommend this for anyone wanting to use Palm Pedals.

Dennis Brown · From: Florida, USA

Heres one I made with lexan pedals, cable and a designed bridge mount that used the guitars bridge holes. (no guitar damage) This was in the mid 80's on a G&L guitar. It worked great, totaly tunable and was as fast as you could play it. It was a thirty dollar investment and fun to build. Dennis

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GOT STEEL APPEAL?

Ryan Barwin · From: Hamilton, Ontario

That's really cool. Got any recordings of it?
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Ryan Barwin
http://myspace.com/ryanbarwin
Excel D-10 8&5, Fender 400, National Dynamic, Gold Tone PBS, Gretsch lap steel, MatchBro, Fender Strat, Gibson LPS, Music Man 115 RP

Dennis Brown · From: Florida, USA

Sorry Ryan, that was in the 1980's some twenty years ago. But what I used might help in your pedaling adventure. Dennis
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GOT STEEL APPEAL?

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in the San Francisco Bay Area

I've been thinking along the lines of automobile brake cables to put regular pedals onto a MultiKord, to avoid the left-facing position.
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