|
Author
|
Topic: Hollow Bodied Acoustic Pedal Steel?
|
Fred Glave
Member From: McHenry, Illinois, USA
|
posted 30 January 2004 05:39 AM
profile
Has anyone ever heard of this before? I'm not talking about a Dobro, or Resonator. I was thinking that it would be cool to jam with "around the campfire", or the front porch type get- togethers. It's probably not very practical from an engineering standpoint. What do you think one of these would sound like? |
Jack Anderson
Member From: Scarborough, ME
|
posted 30 January 2004 06:03 AM
profile
I have longed to build one of those myself -- maybe sometime in the next decade. Meanwhile, here is what the pundits have said: (click here) And here is what someone, at least, has done:
(click here) [This message was edited by Jack Anderson on 30 January 2004 at 06:09 AM.]
|
Fred Glave
Member From: McHenry, Illinois, USA
|
posted 30 January 2004 06:14 AM
profile
Jack, that is a cool picture. I would have thought that the tuners would be more secure mounted on the end of the neck. I did a search on this topic here, but didn't come up with what you got. Now I'm really curious. [This message was edited by Fred Glave on 30 January 2004 at 06:17 AM.] |
Jack Anderson
Member From: Scarborough, ME
|
posted 30 January 2004 06:23 AM
profile
My own idea is to build a long rectangular box, resembling a flat top acoustic guitar, with a conventional flat top bridge, and a combined changer and "keyless" tuning head. The "undercarriage" would be under (and outside of) the box, whose sides would extend down as an apron. If I ever get around to it, I am going to need some advice from a luthier as to how to brace the top and place the sound hole. I am sure that someone could build a sweet-sounding instrument that way -- maybe not loud, as with the Pedabro, but great in recording, or "chamber" settings. I don't know about that campfire, though.... |
Fred Glave
Member From: McHenry, Illinois, USA
|
posted 30 January 2004 06:58 AM
profile
Well you could put a resonator on top, maybe that would help with volume. You know, if I were to build one, the campfire might be the right spot for it's eternal resting place. |
Keith Murrow
Member From: Wichita, KS, USA
|
posted 30 January 2004 07:39 AM
profile
..[This message was edited by Keith Murrow on 26 October 2004 at 03:52 PM.] |
Fred Glave
Member From: McHenry, Illinois, USA
|
posted 30 January 2004 08:23 AM
profile
Check out the Franklin website, they have a "Pedabro". A little more streamlined than Jack's picture, but basically the same thing. |
Bob Blair
Member From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
|
posted 30 January 2004 08:53 AM
profile
In addition to the Pedabro, I once saw a photo of an acoustic pedal steel that Franklin made - no resonator. I think I read somewhere that they only made one of those. It looked real cool. I understand Pedabros do not have the kind of volume that is required for outdoor campfire jamming. |
David Doggett
Member From: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
|
posted 30 January 2004 09:00 AM
profile
Apparently this idea is older than we thought. Check this out.
http://www.markvanallen.com/history.html |
Tom Campbell
Member From: Houston, Texas, USA
|
posted 30 January 2004 09:02 AM
profile
Check out the LONE STAR STEEL web site, page 5. The have a stand up lap steel with pedals. It has a pick up, but the concept might work for a square hollow body version; especially the pedal setup/configuration. |
Jack Anderson
Member From: Scarborough, ME
|
posted 30 January 2004 09:40 AM
profile
Yes, David -- and I thought I would use some nice furniture legs like that, too.I believe the Franklin instrument in question is called "the box." Check out Paul's web site. By the way, Fred, HowardR has a Benoit resophonic with a pedal connected to the key head with a flexible bike-like cable, which connects to something like a Keith tuner that changes one note, although I think it is used primarily to alter the tuning, vs. "moving" changes. You could have several pedals connected with several cables, and have something a bit more pedal steel like, but more flexible (!) and portable than a Pedabro or "Frankensteel."[This message was edited by Jack Anderson on 30 January 2004 at 09:41 AM.] |
Franklin
Member From:
|
posted 30 January 2004 09:52 AM
profile
Some of you may have seen my name listed for playing "the box" on records. The Box was the nickname given to my Fathers acoustic lap steel. Shortly after dad built the first Pedabro, he also built one without the resonator to capture an acoustic guitars sound. Mark Knopfler calls it the "Pedabox". It is a beautiful work of art as is the Pedabro. On Dire Straits, "You and your friend" the acoustic "Box" steel was used on the intro and solo if anyones curious to how it records. Patty Loveless, Lorrie Morgan, George Strait's (Bowen period) earlier records all used the acoustic box instrument.....Paul[This message was edited by Franklin on 30 January 2004 at 09:56 AM.] |
Fred Glave
Member From: McHenry, Illinois, USA
|
posted 30 January 2004 12:58 PM
profile
Was it the "Pedabox" that was used on that song? "You and Your Friend" is on a studio album "On Every Street", and a live album "On the Night". Is it used on both cuts? |
HowardR
Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.
|
posted 30 January 2004 04:17 PM
profile
The pedal dobro ("Frankensteel") was built by Brad Higgins who is really a violin builder. He is a very good steelist also.According to Brad, the neck was the only place he could mount the changer and so the keyhead had to go behind the coverplate. It also had to do with string length. The Pedabro is completely different and it has aluminum fingers that are attached to the changer by cables. The strings are then strung through the fingers. The pedal dobro is an actual dobro made from a Paul Beard kit. It has a good acoustic sound, unplugged, whereas a Pedabro does not.
It is a 10 sting 6&4 with a universal tuning. This is an extremely well made and thought out guitar. Check out his site
http://www.bradivarius.com/ The peg bender on my 8 string resophonic is a half step lower. The idea was for the tuning change (which works very well) and I certainly have nothing against sliding changes (once I find them). BTW, you can ony mount one on a keyhead. [This message was edited by HowardR on 30 January 2004 at 05:02 PM.] |
Larry Robbins
Member From: Fort Edward, New York, USA
|
posted 30 January 2004 05:46 PM
profile
Yes that pedabro was made by my good friend and former band mate Brad Higgens and Yes he is a fine steel player as well.Buck Owens tried to buy the pedabro recently for his museume,but Brad says "NO SALE".BTW it plays like a dream! |
Bill Ford
Member From: Graniteville SC Aiken
|
posted 30 January 2004 06:27 PM
profile
Waaaay back when Buddy and Shot were doing the pedal steel/dobro thing on Johnny and Jack sessions also Kitty Wells,Shot used a pedal dobro,it sounded pretty good back then,some said it didn't look that great tho. Maybe Buddy will see this and comment. ------------------
Bill Ford |
Keith Murrow
Member From: Wichita, KS, USA
|
posted 30 January 2004 06:35 PM
profile
..[This message was edited by Keith Murrow on 26 October 2004 at 03:53 PM.] |
HowardR
Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.
|
posted 30 January 2004 07:22 PM
profile
quote:
"Pedabro". A little more streamlined than Jack's picture, but basically the same thing.
Not basically the same thing. The Franklin Pedabro is an acoustic box on top of a laminated mica box, as opposed to an actual resophonic guitar. I think the Pedabro is an amazing instrument and requires amplification. The pedal dobro has more volume and you can play it unamplified. In an unamplified jam situation though, it will be overshadowed. I believe it is (an MSA changer) as well as other MSA parts. I met Brad and his pedal dobro at the 2002 PSGA show. Hal Rugg seemed to be quite impressed with it as everyone who sat down with it was.
If I'm not mistaken, Roy Thomson also built an "acoustic box", a 10 stringer. I don't think it has pedals though. If you're gonna be at a campfire, you may want to re think the pedals and knee levers. Until they make a "backpacker Pedabro", take up the uke, mandolin, or harmonica. [This message was edited by HowardR on 30 January 2004 at 07:37 PM.]
|
Franklin
Member From:
|
posted 31 January 2004 11:15 AM
profile
Howard,
The Pedabro does not have the acoustical volume of a regular dobro. But, the Pedabro does not have to be amplified to be recorded. A microphone is sufficient for recording the instrument. It requires the use of contact microphones the same way Douglas and Ickes do, when playing with an electric band and drums. I use my mounted steel pickup to send to a tuner. I was able to be heard with Dire Straits using only contact microphones. No feedback 'cause we had a great sound team.The only situation where the Pedabro is not sufficient in volume is in an acoustical house type jam where a PA system is not present. Otherwise the pedabro uses a microphone just like the dobro does to be heard in a club setting.....Paul |
HowardR
Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.
|
posted 31 January 2004 11:43 AM
profile
So, the campfire idea is out then...  Thank you for that info, Paul. The Pedabro is a hauntingly beautiful sounding instrument. My favorites are your "Acoustic" album, Hal Rugg's playing on "The Resocasters", and Peggy Green's little gem of an album, of unaccompanied Pedabro, "Songs of Naka Peida". |
David L. Donald
Member From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand
|
posted 31 January 2004 02:59 PM
profile
The Pedabro cut on Players just gets me stoked everytime. What a great sound.. and awsome playing too, of course.Paul do you have that baby TAB'd in one of your courses? |
The Steel Guitar Forum
