Steel Guitar Builder

Hi guys,

This my latest baby, my Sheffield Black Pearl, 4+5, powerd by a George L PF1, LUVLY JUBLY.

Dave.

Eye candy, Dave! Your work is second to none. The blue bell cranks...is that the anodizing? Likewise the black knee levers?
What type of material do you make the scissors plates and the fingers from?
The back apron...this looks like you have a piece of angle to form the apron. Then the other part of the angle is part of the structure I take it.
It looks like wood in the front and top. What type of wood and what type of finish?
Detailed and plain gorgeous in every way my friend. You don't want to quit after this one.

Man, I want to apprentice with you!

real pretty guitar . Russ

Woah! If you don't want it.....

Hi Bent,
These are the features of the Sheffield, I do hope that this information helps.

Dave.

The all-new “SHEFFIELD PEDAL STEEL GUITAR” is very unique, not only in it’s construction, but also in the materials used.

Over 25 years of research and development into building pedal steel guitars has provided me with the knowledge that has culminated in this latest generation of the Sheffield Steel. This invaluable experience has lead to the latest design features to minimize string breakage, cabinet drop and any physical de-tuning problems associated with the pedal steel guitar. All metals are aerospace grade 6082 T6 or 5356 aluminium and 316L stainless steel, including screws, bolts, bearings; even the legs are polished stainless steel. I use sealed bearings instead of rollers at the peg head, also sealed stainless steel bearings in the changer mechanism and cross shafts. This creates a low coefficient of friction (drag) which makes for a super smooth and fast mechanism, with a very light positive action on all pedals and knee levers.

STUNNING WOODS and INLAYS beautifully protected with an acrylic lacquer that is more durable than the old cellulose lacquer. Couple all of this with PRECISION ENGINEERING and you have a Bespoke Steel Guitar with INCREDIBLE TONE, SUSTAIN and LOOKS which is BUILT TO LAST A LIFETIME.

FEATURES INCLUDE:

Hard Rock Maple and Aluminium Composite Body
High Gloss Lacquered Finish with Inlays as standard
24-inch scale
Wood Necks as standard
Customised Fret Boards
George L pick-ups
Triple Raise, Triple Lower
All Pull Mechanism
Super Smooth – Fast – Light and Responsive Action
Sealed Stainless Steel Bearings at the Changer, Peg Head and Cross Shafts
Square Cross Shafts in Stainless Steel
Hard Anodised Aluminium Changer Fingers
Minimal String Breakage
Tuneable Half Stops
Tension Adjustable Springs
Sperzel Tuning Pegs
Unique Changer Mechanism, CNC Laser Cut Stainless Steel Ensures Accurate Tuning
Centre Pull on All Bell Cranks
One Piece Changer and Pick Up Housing
Choice of Wood Stain or Solid Colours
Custom made Flight Case

KEVAN BARTHOLOMEW “Quote”
“This is the best I have played in thirty-five years of road steel playing with top name artists. 30 shows with No string breakages, No de-tuning, and No cabinet drop, an attractive guitar with great tone and sustain. Top steelies at my performances agree”.

Thanks for the info Dave. A true engineering marvel indeed!
In your experience, what does stainless steel do to the tone of a pedal steel guitar?

This is indeed some beautifull craftmanship and design, i'm on my 3rd build and still learning as i go , my last build got a great tone and sustain, super easy pedal and lever action, unfortunately i have no other top pro steel guitar to compared mine with so i can't say 100% if it as sustain to die for (like they always says) but to my professional ears of playing music professionnaly for over 35 years i really think she can stand against alot of pro steel without any dout, alot of folks ask me if i took a special course or something to be able to build pedal steel and they are stunt when i tell them that as of today i have never examen a professionnal pedal steel guitar up close except of my old student maverick model, i bought a CD on Ebay 2 years about building PSG and learned alot about how it works and joined the forum and meet guy's like Bent who i consider a good friend who helped me alot in my journey and asked alot of questions and read alot about PSG, i know i still have a long way to go because of lack of good machines to make the parts but i'll keep doin it by hands for now and maybe in the long run i will have all the nesessary tools to speed up the process and build the parts more precise.

Keep up the nice work Dave cause i'm really a big fan of your work.


Pat C.

Pat, I am humbled.
I agree..Dave does some beautiful work and we'd be smart to learn from him.
Your total is like my total - 3 so far. Soon as I get the mill going there will be possibilities for both this and that part that needs to be made for whomever.
Just need to get the electrical hooked up.
All we need from you now buddy, is a clip so we all can hear what your machine sounds like. See if you can put something on youtube like you did with your first build. Good luck on #3, buddy!

Hi guys,

Thank you for your very kind comments, they are much appreciated.
Bent, as for using stainless steel for the scissor fingers, I just thought that it would be better for wear & corrossion resistance, I don't think that it affects the guitar tonally to any great degree (but I'm open to suggestions on this).
Pat, like Bent your guitars look fantastic! IMHO we all want a guitar that looks pretty, but I am with you on this one because most importantly it has to have great tone, sustain & stay in tune (No cabinet drop!) the looks can come later through experimentation & I'm STILL learning. We all know that a PSG is very heavy, so as we know that some manufactures have cut down the size/thickness of certain components, ie the thickness of the wood for the cabinet, I would rather have a heavier PSG that had ALL the qualities than a light weight one that only had some of the qualities (UTOPIA!).
Pat I did have a look on your you tube site NICE 1, I left you a comment.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE BLACK PEARL IS SOLD, KEV BARTHOLOMEW IS BUYING IT (HE HAD THE FIRST SHEFFIELD THE BLUE ONE).

Dave.