posted 23 March 2000 07:45 PM         

I never seen any Rickenbacker pedal steel guitar but I happened to be looking through some of my old steel guitar brochures and price lists and I found the following listing:

Price List: January 10, 1973

Hawaiian Steel Guitars: Pedal models - Available in Maple or Walnut wood, finished in natural color

# 790 - Two 8-string 25" necks - 6 pedals, switchable to each neck; $1,895.00

# 785 - One 10-string 25" neck with six pedals; $1,295.00

# 780 - One 8-string 25" neck with six pedals; $998.00

Can you please post comments about your experiences with these or any other model Richenbacker pedal steel guitars.

I'm courious about the type of pedal changer these guitars used. On the double neck model, do the pedals work each neck at the same time or separately (like the Fender PS 210 and the Sho-Bud Balwin Crossover models)? Where were the pedals located in the front or on the side (like on most of the Gibson Electraharps)?

I hope that others will be interested in both reading and contributing to this subject thread.

posted 23 March 2000 08:20 PM         

In the book titled "Rickenbacker" by Roger McGuinn copyright 1987, there are several pictures of a pedal steel with 6 pedals. It sure looks like a nice one too.

There are also pictures of single and double necks with pedals. And one picture with the pedals affixed like on the old Multi-Kord. That is between the left two legs.

The others are like modern PSG's with the pedals on a bar attached to the two front legs.

The book barely mentions them. So I can't tell you anything about them. Except to say they look great.

God bless you,

posted 25 March 2000 11:27 AM         

It was a lap steel that Jerry found someplace, built a sound board and a frame, put legs on it, made a roller bridge, got some old model A Ford pedals, bent some coat hangers for pedal rods, went to an auto parts store and got some metallic blue paint…and made a pedal steel guitar. Oh yea, he also built a case about the size of a coffin for an NBA player to lug all that stuff around in. Then he gave it to David Zettner. After David graduated to a better guitar, he kindly sold that thing to me for $50.

I really don’t remember much about that guitar, other than it was the one I learned my first few licks on. I also remember that the tone of that thing was very sweet and the string spacing was very wide. All things considered, it was a great “first” steel guitar.

posted 25 March 2000 12:43 PM         

Like another member mentioned, I never knew Rickenbacker made a pedal steel guitar.

I have had my "Ricky" since 1985. It turns out it lay resting for manny years in a guys closet in Florida. I purchased it from Scotty when I first noticed it in his store. Several have tried to buy Ricky, but he has went into semi-retirement, resting on an Ozarks farm. I did use him my new Gospel tape coming up in the near future. He sounded great with the studio delay and reverb.

Back to the topic, I would like to know more about the pedal Rickenbackers.