Show us your keyless pedal steel

Johnie King · Post by **Johnie King** » 28 Jul 2019 3:30 pm

Here’s one that belongs to Zane King, Zane Becks first Keyless build that he played for years. An passed on to Zane King. I’ desasembled an cleaned an buffed the aluminum for restoration.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 28 Jul 2019 3:38 pm

I love this guitar!

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 28 Jul 2019 3:45 pm

This Sierra Session started life as a D-12/10. I removed the back neck out of frustration and then gigged with it as Extended E9th for a long time. A very good instrument.

I no longer own this guitar.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 28 Jul 2019 3:51 pm

The Williams D-12 crossover has 5 pedals and 5 knee levers, with a lever that switches them all from one neck to the other. A wonderful instrument!

I no longer own this guitar.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 28 Jul 2019 7:19 pm

Click Here

Norbert Dengler · Post by **Norbert Dengler** » 28 Jul 2019 10:03 pm

my Schild S10

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 29 Jul 2019 4:35 am

Here are mine, all uni 12s, starting with my homemade one - it was ugly but it sounded surprisingly good.

What they all have in common is that RKR lowers the Es on a half-stop, then pushes string 8 on down to D. That way I don't need P6 on the floor and I can have 5 & 7 next to each other.

I'm surprised no-one has stolen my tuner design. It arose because I didn't know how to make a roller nut so I did without and made a miniature pull-release changer, which is permanently in release mode with the fingers resting on the tuning screws. They have a mechanical advantage of about 5:1 so are very positive and light to tune. Here it is assembled

and here it is nickel plated and fitted on the guitar

Perhaps there's a builder out there who hasn't yet dipped their toe in the keyless water and is attracted by the low parts count.

K Maul · Post by **K Maul** » 29 Jul 2019 4:54 am

My EXCEL S-11 + GFI 12 Universal

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 29 Jul 2019 6:00 am

Old and long gone.

Now I'm old and too far gone.

John Goux · Post by **John Goux** » 29 Jul 2019 8:48 pm

Just 4 weeks old. Still not sleeping through the night.

SD 12 with half pad, Ext E9, B6 lock, tone knob with bypass mini. 6x7.
John

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 30 Jul 2019 3:53 am

David Ball · Post by **David Ball** » 30 Jul 2019 4:56 am

K Maul · Post by **K Maul** » 30 Jul 2019 5:29 am

David, I like your mix of â€œnew schoolâ€ and â€œold schoolâ€ there with that Bud. I do the same thing. Is that a Permanent?

David Ball · Post by **David Ball** » 30 Jul 2019 5:49 am

Yep, an early sixties Madison. Love it.

Dave

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 30 Jul 2019 7:53 am

K Maul wrote:David, I like your mix of “new school” and “old school” there with that Bud. I do the same thing.

Me too.

Jeremy Threlfall · Post by **Jeremy Threlfall** » 8 Sep 2019 9:51 pm

Mine just turned up
My first ever keyless steel
Im liking it already
Built new 2006 and never played
So, Im pretty happy

Jeremy Threlfall · Post by **Jeremy Threlfall** » 8 Sep 2019 11:06 pm

Jimmy Gibson · Post by **Jimmy Gibson** » 9 Sep 2019 5:18 am

Sounds and plays as good as it looks...

Jimmy

Jack Goodson · Post by **Jack Goodson** » 9 Sep 2019 6:30 am

here are my 2/14 string sierra crowns, and my one of a kind zum..this zum is as close to zero cabinet drop as you canget....thanks jack

Mike Vallandigham · Post by **Mike Vallandigham** » 9 Sep 2019 8:51 am

Twist my arm.

Jeremy Threlfall · Post by **Jeremy Threlfall** » 10 Sep 2019 4:48 am

Quite a different feel, this new keyless. First pedal is half way between where the 2nd and 3rd are on the ‘Bud. No problemo, though. I have to think more about where my bar hand is, it’s like there’s three extra frets (big ones) happening behind where I expect the nut to be. Nice solid chunky baby too - 37.5lbs to the ‘Bud’s 30.5 (it is 4&5, though, with compensators and stuff)

Jeremy Threlfall · Post by **Jeremy Threlfall** » 10 Sep 2019 5:14 am

Mike Vallandigham wrote:Twist my arm.

Thatâ€™s beautiful

It looks like the changer fingers each have their own tuners

What happens up the other end?

Mike Vallandigham · Post by **Mike Vallandigham** » 10 Sep 2019 8:34 am

Jeremy,
Those are for winding up and clamping the string at at teh changer end.

The other end had "regular" keyless tuner, worked with a tuning wrench.

Cool thing about the post at the changer is that you can re-tension the string if needed. I never do, cause I pre-stretch the strings.

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 10 Sep 2019 9:57 am

Is that a straight pull (ala Lamar)? or does it rotate?

Georg Sørtun · Post by **Georg Sørtun** » 10 Sep 2019 9:58 am

The Steel Guitar Forum

Show us your keyless pedal steel

Show us your keyless pedal steel

2017 Sierra prototype by Ross Shafer

Sierra Session SD-12

Williams D-12 Crossover

My toy

my keyless