rebuilding a "fuzzy" PSG ? possible ?

Maxime Ledon · From: Steelopolis, France

Hello forum.
I found an offering for an incomplete 10 string fuzzy psg in my country where these are pretty rare. The thing is that the guitar is missing its pedal mechanism and is used as a 10 string lap steel as advertised.
I wanted to know if it is possible and worth it to rebuild it to its original specs and get the use of pedals and levers. I don't really know if these parts would be available, I would aim to an E9 setup.

Here is the link to the ad : https://www.zikinf.com/annonces/dispannonce.php?annonce=1571201

Thanks for reading and your advice !

David LeBlanc · From: New Brunswick, Canada

Bonjours Maxime! First, I love the fuzzy head stock. Cool factor. Are you familiar with the undercarriage of pedal steels? I recently dismantled a Linkon steel ( basicaly a canadian Sho-Bud). When putting her back together, I had my Carter side by side. Made it easier. You can probably make or get a machine shop to make parts for you. How is the tone? Is the changer still functioning ? Has it been tampered with? I know here inCanada, steels are rare also. Not sure if I helped or not. Bonne chance ( good luck) ! Dave

Maxime Ledon · From: Steelopolis, France

Thanks a lot David.
I am not that familiar with the undercartriage of pedal steels and it can get pretty complicated to my eyes. I can be a handyman though and I found that wensite that has parts : https://www.psgparts.com/ don't know if it could fit the fuzzy.

Here are some more pics to narrow the problem down :

mtulbert · From: Plano, Texas 75023

Maxime,

My 2 cents for what it is worth is to pass on this. You are looking at 850 Euro's to get this guitar to be a functioning pedal steel in my opinion. Given the year of the guitar unless you can get parts from Fuzzy at Excel, this would be a test for even an experienced renovator of guitars.

For 1200 Euros, you can buy a decent sd-10 steel guitar fully functional and ready to go.

Again just my opinion.

regards,
_________________
Mark T

Rittenberry Laquer D10, Rittenberry Prestige SD10, Revelation Preamp,Revelation Octal Preamp,Lexicon PCM 92 Reverb, Furlong Cabinet

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

K Maul · From: Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL

I agree that it would be a difficult job. If you like a challenge and want to learn, do it. It will take a lot of time finding and making parts and assembling them. Or...you could tune it to C6,maybe put one or two knee levers on it and have a nice rig for playing swing and 40s-50s country.
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Kevin Maul: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Decophonic, Evans, Excel, Fender, Fluger, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Williams, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing.

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

Some modern pedal steel guitars use parts that are somewhat interchangeable. It requires a certain degree of experience and expertise to understand how the mechanism works and to determine what will and will not be compatible.

This is not a modern pedal steel. It will require extreme familiarity with how a PSG works. I think it would be futile to think that you could buy this and gain the necessary expertise just by looking at it or asking questions. It would be a daunting project.

For what it's worth, here is the website for Fuzzy (Excel).
http://www.fuzzypsg.com/int/

Maxime Ledon · From: Steelopolis, France

Again T H A N K S a lot for your advices extremely valuable. I will follow them, I'll pass, I'm not familiar enough with how a psg works and this look like a lot of work without being certain with the results and reachnig my pirmary goal : playing "nightlife" (well and others !) on a psg.

I'll then keep looking for a budget carter starter or Zum stage one. I also found a german manufacturer WBS, could be easier in europe but a bit more high end/high dollars for a beginner.

K Maul · From: Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL

Be advised: you mentioned having an E9 interest . â€œNightlifeâ€ CAN be played on E9 tuning,but the original was done on C6 and is what most use for that tune.
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Kevin Maul: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Decophonic, Evans, Excel, Fender, Fluger, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Williams, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing.

Maxime Ledon · From: Steelopolis, France

yeah Kevin I didn't know that thank you. In fact I already play nightlife on 8 strg lapsteel in A6 tuning and surprsingly that works pretty ok. I assumed that since B.Emmons played it on psg it was in E9 ... what a nice song !

Bas Kapitein · From: Holland

Hi Maxime, that Fuzzy used to be mine in the 70's
There is a reason that all the inside was cleaned out.
Do not try to restore it> it is only usefull as a lap steel on legs. The pickup sounds pretty well

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I would not attempt it.
Erv

Gary Spaeth · From: Wisconsin, USA

you could try just slapping some knee levers made out of big barn door hinges and hook some rods (coathangers?) to them along with some form of tunable stop. put the b's to c# on one leg and g#s to a on the other for your basic e9 sound. if it's too far gone you haven't lost much.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Upon closer examination of the pictures, there's no way this guitar is worth fooling with. The most valuable, important, and necessary part (the changer) , has a broken finger! Sad

Johnie King · From: Tennessee, USA

Donny your right if you could make some parts your self it would be a fun project. No problem to make a pedal steel from this Steel I would love to have it. For less
Than $200 in parts she would make a good pedal steel. Know you would need to make your own parts or buy some used parts.This would make a super fine pedal steel.

Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

I added three knee lever and a bunch of bell cranks and longer legs to my Excel a few years ago. They are easy to work on but the price of parts is extremely high unless you machine your own. Definitely pass on trying to make this a pedal guitar!