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  Tone control mounted on pedal steel

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Author Topic:   Tone control mounted on pedal steel
Drew Howard
Member

From: Mason, MI, U.S.A.

posted 19 April 2004 06:51 AM     profile     
I'd LOVE to get the wah-wah sounds on my pedal steel like you can get on a Stringmaster or a Tele by rocking the tone knob back and forth, a la "Lovesick Blues".

Anyone add this mod to their guitar?

thanks,
Drew

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Drew's Website


C Dixon
Member

From: Duluth, GA USA

posted 19 April 2004 07:32 AM     profile     
Drew,

Used it for years to get JB's "wahwah" on both my P/P and LeGrandes. Emmons' from day one has had a tone control.

carl

Roger Rettig
Member

From: NAPLES, FL

posted 19 April 2004 08:15 AM     profile     
Would there be any advantage to taking the tone control OFF my LeGrande? I never use it, and I'm wondering if there'd be any tonal improvement to be had by simplifying the circuitry on the guitar.

RR

Rick Schmidt
Member

From: Carlsbad, CA. USA

posted 19 April 2004 08:19 AM     profile     
A defeatable tone control always seemed like a great idea anyway just for normal subtle tone changes on our typical one pickup axes.
C Dixon
Member

From: Duluth, GA USA

posted 19 April 2004 08:23 AM     profile     
No Roger,

On Emmons, the tone defeat switch completely removes the tone control from the circuit. Even with the switch on, there is little effect when the tone control is wide open. Certainly nothing that a slight clockwise movement of the amp's treble control could not regain.

carl

Tim Whitlock
Member

From: Arvada, CO, USA

posted 19 April 2004 11:09 AM     profile     
You can get the wah effect with an old Fender tone/volume pedal like this one currently available on e-bay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=41422&item=3717373281&rd=1

Works great for the gentle Jerry Byrd wah and also for cool Speedy West doo-wah bar crashes.

PAUL WARNIK
Member

From: OAK LAWN,IL,USA

posted 19 April 2004 07:37 PM     profile     
Joliet,Illinois finest steel player Dusty Nall plays a D-12 MSA that has been modified with volume controls added to the treble side of each neck so that he uses his pinky curled around the knob in same fashion-consequently he does not use a foot volume pedal which allows him more use of both feet on the foot pedals-I spoke with Dusty in person just this evening-this is the second MSA that he had modified in this fashion-the first one was stolen-so if anybody knows of a MSA double neck with such a modification other than the one he plays now-it is probably HOT
Al Marcus
Member

From: Cedar Springs,MI USA

posted 19 April 2004 08:36 PM     profile     
Drew- a very good point.

I think the builders should put one on their guitars, with a bypass switch if a player didnt want to use it.

I had that setup put on every MSA I ordered for years..

They are not on Pedal Steels, but they are on every non-pedal lap steel in the country. Go figure...al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

[This message was edited by Al Marcus on 19 April 2004 at 08:40 PM.]

Jim Smith
Member

From: Plano, TX, USA

posted 19 April 2004 09:15 PM     profile     
We put a tone control and bypass switch on the SlimLine Dekleys. I don't recall anyone complaining at the time, at least no one ordered a guitar without them. Admittedly though, I rarely used mine.
John Bechtel
Member

From: Nashville, Tennessee,U.S.A.

posted 19 April 2004 09:24 PM     profile     
I've been using a Tone-Control w/by-pass toggle on my PSG's for several years, however; mine were constructed at home using a small Black Project-Box from Radio Shack. I installed one of the new design Switchcraft Right/Angle Plugs out the top and plug it into the end of my Steel. The box contains a 500K Audio-Pot and cap. and an Out-Put Jack to the Volume-Pedal, and also an ON/OFF toggle-switch to the Pot. Comes in very handy, depending on what Amp. you're using! Years ago I actually put one together for Buddy Emmons for his teaching purposes! I don't know if he ever used it or not. He was looking for a faster Boo–Wah effect, which I learned how to do better since then!

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“Big John” Bechtel
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Rick Schmidt
Member

From: Carlsbad, CA. USA

posted 19 April 2004 09:26 PM     profile     
Jim...first of all, glad to see you back here on the steel farm!!!

I've got one on my D12 Dekley, and I love it!
The only problem is it's starting to get pretty scratchy, and the only way to replace it is to take out alot of the rods on my C6 neck. Ouch!!! Got any trade secrets for this?

Jim Smith
Member

From: Plano, TX, USA

posted 20 April 2004 05:17 AM     profile     
Thanks Rick. I'll admit that was a design flaw, as replacing the neck switch is a pain too. Looking back, I guess we could/should have designed the center of the changer endplate to mount from the outside.

I changed mine the last time I pulled my changers for cleaning. It wasn't scratchy, but I was looking for a faster boo-wah type tone change. I ended up with values that didn't work well, but I just continued putting it back together anyway.

I saw someone at the Dallas show a few years ago using a Goodrich clip-on box that was either stock or had been modified to be a tone control only. It worked very well.

Jim Ives
Member

From: Los Angeles, California, USA

posted 20 April 2004 03:14 PM     profile     
I use a wah-wah pedal in addition to the volume pedal, and that sounds really good for selected songs. When I engage the wah-wah pedal, I find I don't need to use the volume pedal during the song, as the sharper sounds from when the wah is advanced (down or forward) carry better. Check out some of Robert Randolph's work, not that I am in his league...
-Jim

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