String Spacing & Neck Width: Do they vary?

Adam Ollendorff · Post by **Adam Ollendorff** » 8 Mar 2006 1:02 pm

A friend of mine -- a very accomplished pro lap steel player -- is interested in buying a pedal steel, but he'd like to continue playing without picks, as is his style on the lap.

Are there steels out there with greater spacing between strings that might facilitate "pickless" playing? Is there somebody who might custom build them?

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 8 Mar 2006 2:01 pm

Yes they are different on pedal steels,I'm not sure of the measurements but the spacing on my Carter was closer together than my Desert Rose which seems to have the same spacing as a ZB,or Sho-Bud.

Dr. Hugh Jeffreys · Post by **Dr. Hugh Jeffreys** » 8 Mar 2006 2:45 pm

You have an important point. The last steel I had made and customized has string spacing of 7mm which is too close for me; I play with 4 bare fingers and a th. pick. I have a MultiKord which has far greater spacing, also my single 10 Sierra has a spacing of about 8.5mm--a little better, however, the next guitar I have made will have 10mm spacings which is what I'm most comfortable with. My friend, Bill Stafford says that the Excel Company (Japan) will build exactly what the player specifies. Next time I'll probably go that route. ----j----

Mark Vinbury · Post by **Mark Vinbury** » 8 Mar 2006 3:32 pm

Seems like the current thinking on Lap Steel string spacing is 3/8" while most modern pedal steels are 11/32".
The requirements are different for each.
Slants are easier on the wider Lap Steel spacing.
The PSG, with it's 10 or more strings,and narrower spacing trying to have as many strings as possible under the hand and bar.
<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Mark Vinbury on 08 March 2006 at 03:36 PM.]</p></FONT>