Adding 4 pedals to acoustic guitar: Help!

Jack West · Post by **Jack West** » 1 Aug 2004 4:03 pm

Howdy Everyone,

I've been playing with long-time Forum member David Phillips for years and he turned me on to this site (our CD together is mentioned on here somewhere).

I play a custom Traugott 8-string acoustic flattop fan-fret guitar (low A below and high A above normal gtr http://www.curvature.us/gear.htm). I play a lot of slide guitar and pedal envy has got the best of me! I'm looking into having maybe 12 pedals installed on a remote box connected to my guitar with 4 bicycle brake cable type things which operate a changer for my 4 high strings!

I just got back from meeting with Gene Parsons (inventor of the original B-Bender who has a really cool new acoustic bender http://www.stringbender.com/Bender/acoustic.html) and he's working on some stuff for me. Do ya'll know anybody else that I should be talking to for such a project??

My goal is to create a hybrid acoustic pedal guitar that I can play standing up (unlike the pedalbro, etc.). Gene's bridge-pin bender solves the dampening of the top issue, but my biggest question is how to use a pedal steel type changer and send the energy out over 4 cables. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Jack West

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 1 Aug 2004 5:20 pm

Doesn't seem wise to me; why mess up a perfectly good custom guitar? Plus you're playing slide which is a lot more limited in terms of what you can do in comparison with the steel guitar. I don't think you're going to get the answer you seek in the No Peddlers zone. Try the Pedal Steel section. Roy Thomson had a custom console acoustic built, without pedal, I think. Do a search for Roy's posts--this was about 6 months ago.

Why not just get an 8 string steel on legs and learn to play that, sans pedals?

Are you pulling our legs?

Denny Turner · Post by **Denny Turner** » 1 Aug 2004 8:12 pm

I have often thought that a bigsby palm pedal affair could be modified or built to accept flex cables and adjustable stops. Due to the flex dynamics of flex control cable sleeve casings, ....I would look to light aircraft grade control cables rather than bicycle. Specialty car racing cables might also be a high-quality source to investigate. ...IMHO.

If you or someone on the SGF here knows someone who can communicate with Jr. Brown, ...I understand Jr. has been working on a flex cable affair for his guitsteels.

Aloha,
DT~[This message was edited by Denny Turner on 01 August 2004 at 09:13 PM.]

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 1 Aug 2004 8:23 pm

Test it on a Sears guitar first.

Tom Keller · Post by **Tom Keller** » 1 Aug 2004 9:55 pm

It would be worth your time to look at one of the old MSA steel guitar pedal boxes. These were designed to interface with standard electric guitars. They were 6 pedal units.

Jack West · Post by **Jack West** » 1 Aug 2004 10:51 pm

No, Mike, I'm not pulling legs...and getting an 8-string steel would be way too easy! Plus I'm an acoustic guitar freak--never have been able to find my voice through an amp!

Thanks to the rest of ya'll for some good suggestions. My search continues!

Jack

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Jack West
www.curvature.us

Travis Bernhardt · Post by **Travis Bernhardt** » 1 Aug 2004 11:00 pm

Interesting. You should ask HowardR about this, as I think he had a guitar with a bender on it which connected to a pedal. It might have only done raises...

EDIT: Found it. Scroll down until you see the picture. Turns out it's a lower only, not raise.

-Travis[This message was edited by Travis Bernhardt on 02 August 2004 at 12:05 AM.]

Wally Davis · Post by **Wally Davis** » 1 Aug 2004 11:24 pm

Try putting your post in the Pedal Steel section. Phil Baugh, who passed away several years ago, had this on an electric. If time serves me correctly, I believe it was a Fender Strat and he had 6 pedals hooked to it and did some amazing stuff. He played quite a bit with Buddy Emmons in the 70's and the last time I saw him play live in around 84, he was playing at the Hall of Fame in Nashville, TN with Paul Franklin. This system also worked on cables that were hooked to the pedals that he played while setting down and I think they were made by MSA. Someone will probably have more information in the Pedal Steel section as he was quite a well known player.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 2 Aug 2004 6:31 am

Check with Chas Smith--he has modified some guitars heavily and is quite brilliant. He even modded an acoustic flattop, I believe.

Jack West · Post by **Jack West** » 3 Aug 2004 12:16 am

Thanks fellas. Hey Mike do you know how to get in touch with Chas Smith? His email is unlisted on his profile here.

Thanks,

Jack

db · Post by db » 7 Nov 2004 3:55 pm

What is the tuning?
What are the pitch changes?

I can/have made four pedal assemblies.
An currently have resophonic guitar tailpiece mounting brackets available.
It is attached just like the STD tailpiece, making it a "reversable" installation.
So, the instrument can easily be returned to "Stock".

It is used for the new DOBRO 'G' three pedal assembly that:
Lowers the 3rd string down a half step to F#
Raises the 2nd string up a half step to C
Raises the 1st string up a whole step to E
for a standard GBDgbd tuning.
It also comes with a Graph Tech "String-Saver" saddle blank
to insure proper pitch return (good tone too).
Click on the "R & D Department" link @
Bigsby Palm Pedals
To find pedal function & copedant charts.

That is if you would concider Palm Pedals.
(The advantage is that you are not tied down to the floor.)

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Dan Balde
U-12/8&5, S-7/D 3&1, S-6/E&A
[This message was edited by db on 26 December 2004 at 09:31 AM.]

db · Post by db » 14 Nov 2004 4:41 am

Have you checked out what Higgins could do for you?
I they have made floor pedals for their "Head-Stock" pitch benders.[This message was edited by db on 14 November 2004 at 04:53 AM.]

Pete Grant · Post by **Pete Grant** » 15 Nov 2004 7:33 am

What's the contact info for Higgins?

db · Post by db » 16 Nov 2004 8:50 pm

Bradivarius Violins By Bradley D. Higgins
http://www.bradivarius.com/
PegBender:
http://www.bradivarius.com/pegbender.html
Let us all know about your results on how they could fulfill your requests.
Thanks,
db[This message was edited by db on 16 November 2004 at 08:59 PM.]

db · Post by db » 15 Dec 2004 10:32 am

OK . . . It's now released!
The DOBRO 'G' Palm Pedal Assembly
I've got copedant & chord charts and some photos "up" on the website now.
Check it out:
Bigsby Palm Pedals [This message was edited by db on 26 December 2004 at 09:32 AM.]

db · Post by db » 13 Feb 2005 6:54 pm

Hey Jack,

What are you up too?
Have you found a way to go?

db

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Dan Balde
U-12/8&5, S-7/D 3&1, S-6/E,A & G3

Jack West · Post by **Jack West** » 14 Feb 2005 5:08 pm

Hi Dan,

Thanks for checking in. I'm working with Gene Parsons on some benders for my acoustic. He's building prototypes for me now. I'll post some photos when we've got it all done and working. Hopefully by summer.

Jack

Jennings Ward · Post by **Jennings Ward** » 14 Feb 2005 6:34 pm

INTERESTING POST......GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO USING SELONIDS HOOKED TO THE STRINGS WITH PULL RODS , SWITCHES ON THE FLOOR........TRY IT,,MAY WORK......JENNINGS......

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EMMONS D10 10-10 profex 2 deltafex ne1000 pv1000, pv 31 bd eq, +