Odd pedal configuration...

Dave Burr · Post by **Dave Burr** » 7 Jun 2007 9:51 am

These two Conway Twitty clips were posted over in "Steel on the Web". Someone stated that it was Lew Houston.

It looks like the pedals are located all the way to the right on a single neck Sho~Bud. I wonder if this was a custom build or a retrofit? I can't tell how many pedals there are... I guess there could be more than three and he may be playing some kind of Mooney style setup. Certainly has a pedal mashing Mooney feel to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT7AzS-PwPU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OG7Xa4LFGs

Cool stuff!!

db

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 7 Jun 2007 10:34 am

Looks to me like he's playing two pedals, one for each foot!

Dave Burr · Post by **Dave Burr** » 7 Jun 2007 10:42 am

Yeah, and notice the absence of a volume pedal as well...

I guess it's not so strange because it obviously worked very well for him... It's just peculiar to me because I've never seen an E9th setup like that.

Maybe a carry over from something he "got used to" when the pedal craze hit and since it worked for him he stuck with it?

Mike Wheeler · Post by **Mike Wheeler** » 7 Jun 2007 11:23 am

Very interesting. It sure sounds as if he has a volume pedal, or control somewhere. At first I thought it might have been attached to the far right pedal, like that one student model had at one time (can't remember the brand, MSA?) I think there were 3 pedals.

Anyway, he did some nice stuff in that clip.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 7 Jun 2007 3:33 pm

On the first clip, watch his right hand closely during the steel ride. It looks to me like he's working a volume knob with his right pinky. I'm with b0b. It looks like the guitar just has 2 pedals, one for each foot.

Lee, from South Texas

Emmett Roch · Post by **Emmett Roch** » 7 Jun 2007 3:39 pm

I think it was the MSA Red Baron that had the built-in volume pedal.

He played a couple of Mooney-like licks in the video, for sure.

Fred Bova · Post by **Fred Bova** » 7 Jun 2007 6:22 pm

Soneone said is is "Lew Houston" on PSG, Wow what a great style ! No Tele player needed in this band. Anyone know any other details ?

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 8 Jun 2007 12:54 am

A few years back, Lew was at the Lamar booth demoing a new guitar. It had a volume control on top that he manipulated with his right pinky as mentioned.

I don't know much about his playing, but I hear this method was common for him.

Mike Wheeler · Post by **Mike Wheeler** » 8 Jun 2007 4:05 am

Lee, you're right. I see that pinky riding a control.

Also, on the second verse of the first song, notice how it almost sounds like a Fender Rhodes piano! Great technique.

One last thing...it looked like he's using only two fingers...thumb and index...he sure got a lot of music out of two fingers. Very simple, but very effective.

Scott Howard · Post by **Scott Howard** » 9 Jun 2007 3:29 am

I may be wrong but it looks like 3 pedals to me. At about 36 seconds on the slow song when he picks his feet up it looks like 3 pedals on the pedal bar. Also at around 1 min and 35 seconds it looks like 3 pedal rods. I had to go to full screen to see it.Interesting and thanks for posting them.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 9 Jun 2007 8:53 am

You're right, Scott. When he lifts his feet, you can see three pedals there. Later on, when you say you see three pedal rods, I think I see four of them. Could be my old eyeglasses, though!

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 9 Jun 2007 9:10 am

I just did a Google search on Lew Houston. It looks like he passed away in 2001. Here is a previous discussion from the old Forum:

CLICK HERE

Perhaps Forumite Gene Jones can offer some more info on Lew.

Scott Howard · Post by **Scott Howard** » 10 Jun 2007 4:05 pm

I was showing the slow song to my son today and he pointed out it is a 8 string. I don't know if any body else caught that.I was so busy looking at the feet I never noticed the strings. It can be seen at about 2 min ,19 seconds clear as can be. I really enjoyed these clips.

mike nolan · Post by **mike nolan** » 10 Jun 2007 6:26 pm

Can anybody identify the amp that Lew Houston is using. It looks sort of like a Standel variant.... and how tall is that bass player?

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 10 Jun 2007 6:56 pm

That is a Sho-Bud Compactra. Three power tubes. The bass player is taller than Conway.

Michael Hardee · Post by **Michael Hardee** » 10 Jun 2007 11:49 pm

Great clips, wish there were more. I counted four pedal rods, had to blow up to full screen, briefly visible at the end of the turnaround. Also noted a toggle switch mounted in front of the neck, about the sixth fret.

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 11 Jun 2007 2:06 am

Notice that both Conway's tele and Lew's steel going through the Sho-Bud amp, and they both sound great.

Fred Bova · Post by **Fred Bova** » 11 Jun 2007 5:06 pm

Ok, so I have done some digging and here is what I have found.

Lew played an 8 string D9, no chromatic strings.

He had 4 pedals connected but only 3 worked, no knee levers.

In these clips when they show his feet he is only using two pedals, the two closest to the right, #3 & #4.

On Working Girl he plays in the Key of (G) with his Bar on the 3rd fret (in D9 remember)

His Right foot holding the #4 pedal down 90% of the time,

and, he Pumps his Left foot on pedal #3.

He is effectivly in the " B & C Pedal, Minor " position.

In D9

In the Key of (G) with Bar on the 3rd Fret;

His Left foot on the #3 Pedal;

Raises the 2nd string, the 7th of the Key, a full tone up to the Root of the Key.

and,

Raises the 3rd string, the 4th of the Key, a full tone up to the 5th of the Key.

This is a typical "C" pedal

Holding down the #4 Pedal;

Raises the 1st string,(and 6th=?) the 2nd of the Key, up 1/2 step to the (-3), minor 3rd, of the Key.

This is a typical "B" pedal.

Ok,so good so far,but,...

In the other Clip "Mine to Lose" when they go to a close up of Lew playing the Solo, you can not see his feet, but you can hear all the changes while he holds his Bar in one position.

You can not play that Solo without moving the Bar with just the 2 pedal listed above.

What is the other Pedal pulling ?

Is the #2 Pedal lowering the Root note ( 2nd string)1/2 step ?

Lew used to play a Fender 400, with just 4 pedals.
Single Raise, Single Lower.

If he used the same Copedent on the Fender, then all three of the pulls listed above could have been possible on the Fender 400.

What do you think?

AND, more clips of Lew Playing, Please...

Fred

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 11 Jun 2007 5:43 pm

Great stuff on both clips! All the moves on both clips can be done with just the A,B,&C pedals.

I'm always somewhat befuddled; when anyone does anything other than just normal "A&B pedal mashin'", other players look for "trick tunings" and "trick pedal setups". Haven't heard it played that way before? "That must be a new pedal pull or new tuning he's using?"

Nope, it's called "style", and it means doing something in a memorable or unique way.

It's NOT about having a funny tuning or different pedal changes, it's how you approach and play the instrument!

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 11 Jun 2007 5:50 pm

C'mon Donny. You're takin' all the mystique out of it!

Fred Bova · Post by **Fred Bova** » 11 Jun 2007 6:22 pm

Donny,
I'm not trying to add any Mystery at all. I thought I heard a passing tone in the Solo in "Mine to Lose" that would call for a 1/2 step lower,that is not avail with "A,B,C", without moving the bar. I thought he might have a Knee Lever type Pull on one of his pedals. But I will recheck, I may be adding a note that he does not play.

Anyway, if all this is so simple then someone please do me and others a favour, and TAB these two songs out for us in 8 string, no Chromatics, and no knee levers.

From the Chicken Pickin' Tele stuff, to the Fender Rhodes Piano style, these two songs are great lessons in style and taste.

Fred

The Steel Guitar Forum

Odd pedal configuration...

Odd pedal configuration...

Wow!

Lew Houston Copedent

Mine to Lose Solo