I thought this would be a funny post but true.
Last nite I was changing some of rods and bell cranks around on my Steel. I thought how hard this would be if I didn't know about mechanics. I have worked with people who can't change a tire so i wonder how hard it would be for them to work on a Steel.
I guess thats where Bobby Bowman and Gary Rittenberry
Come into play.
I think everyone should be able to change a spark plug, but I haven't done so since I had a car that you could get to the plugs.
So I understand why some folks would rather have a steel that plays right out of the box.
But I like to play with my gui as much as I like to play it.
An understanding of the mechanics gives me a better idea of the limitations; each little thing I do gives a smoother response.
Those that say don't know; those that know don't say.--Buddy Emmons
Since I read this thread I've been trying to find the spark plug in my Mullen with no luck. It still runs pretty good but once in a while I hear a sour note,is that from a bad spark plug?
Howard, that sounds like a gummed up injector.
All jokes aside, I worked a the University here for several years. I have know people ( students and teachers alike) who couldn't change a tire or a spark plug. Were very smart about some things, but no commom sense. I think common sense should be a manditory class in order to graduate, If they had such a class....
Location: 1/2 & 1/2 Florida and Tenn, USA (old Missouri boy gone South)
State/Province: Missouri
Country: United States
Postby Stan Paxton »
Bill, how right you are...when I lived in Missouri, we called it "horse sense". And after many years in the work place as trainer, supervisor, one-to-one teacher, I found that "common sense" couldn't be taught; you have to be born with it. JMHO
It's one thing to be "under the steel" by having it turned upside down on a table. It's another to be actually laying on your back under the thing with arms raised to the sky, shoulders gettin' tired, teeny allen wrench in hand, flashlight poised skyward, and parts falling all over the place.
I just haven't found a comfortable spot to lay my head on the pedals yet...
I invested in a workbench from Sears and cut a piece of carpet to cover it with. It has a couple of drawers for tools, spare parts, soldering gun and etc.
A very good investment for "changing spark plugs".
The green steel is a Chevy S12. It misses. Mostly it's missing its rods and plugs.
I bought it from a guy in California.
Very little rust.
It's back on the road now.
Those that say don't know; those that know don't say.--Buddy Emmons
Those blue tubes look like a good idea. One steel I had was noisy underneath, it needed damping of some sort.
Actually, I think sometimes I can get more daring then I should when it comes to working on things. It always comes out ok, so far anyway. But steel players seem to require more mechanical skills then any other instrument as far as I know.
Bill Dobkins wrote:...I have know people ( students and teachers alike) who couldn't change a tire or a spark plug. Were very smart about some things, but no commom sense...
Call me dense, but I fail to see a connection between the learned skill of working on a car, and knowing to come in out of the rain.
Bill Dobkins wrote:Howard, that sounds like a gummed up injector.
All jokes aside, I worked a the University here for several years. I have know people ( students and teachers alike) who couldn't change a tire or a spark plug. Were very smart about some things, but no commom sense. I think common sense should be a manditory class in order to graduate, If they had such a class....
....we got lots of them smart folks around here where I work...and some are really smart (with book sense)....we call them PHD's..post hole digger or better than that...Piled Higher & Deeper..the bs that is
most are nice...a few are arrogant..and some just plain dumb/stupid when it comes to what was referred to as "common horse sense."..
I promised myself long ago to stay away from the mechanics. I just wanna play.
I have college degrees in engineering, and sometimes it is tempting to look under there.
Then,...I remind my self I gotta go practice.
Even though it seems most of us are somewhat "into" the mechanics of our guitars, I don't think being able to change copedents or add levers/pedals should be a "prerequisite" (sp?) for owning a PSG. A newbie steeler should know how to tune their raises and lowers but anything more complicated should be rarely needed and then be handled by someone who knows what they are doing or whoever built the guitar. A well built steel shouldn't need to be "tinkered with" on an ongoing basis!
My pal, PSG builder Ray Morrison used to do PSG modifications/rebuilds in his shop and the guitars that came in "FUBAR" from owners "getting under the hood" was amazing......
Before one takes a notion to rip their steel apart, be sure to have the ability to put it back together! Know "what" you are modifying and "why".....
A PSG is somewhat more intricate than your typical lawnmower engine!
Sometimes I think that I am more of a mechanic than a musician. I really enjoy working on my guitars, both lap and pedal. It gives me a great deal of satisfaction to be able to figure out the mechanics of a pedal steel and improve on it.
But I guess it's a case of: "different strokes for different folks".
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