Width of a Single Neck Guitar - Bent??

[Eldon]

I have a chunk of aluminum channel for my ends but I fear it is too narow. How wide is a "normal single neck"??

[bobby burns]

Most single necks are around 8 inches. A Sho-Bud, Marlen, and Emmons push-pull I just measured are all just under 8" across the wood inside the endplates.

[Bent]

Thanks Bobby. I didn't know that.

[Eldon]

Just as I thought, I may to have to rethink my end plates a bit. Too bad there would have been minimal welding. I wonder if anyone has ever drilled and tapped their end plates together. Maybe it would all loosen over time ...................just thinking.

Thanks Bobby

[Bent]

This one may be too little too late, but here goes: I would recommend that if you plan on building a single neck pedal steel, that you build it on a double body (SD)
There are some advantages to this, for example:
- Wider footprint,heavier weight and a bit more stability
- The pad on the c6th part improves on looks(IMO) as well as being a support for your right arm, instead of having it hang there in mid-air. The extra width underneath makes it easier to fit everything.

I realize the disadvantages too..slightly heavier, more materials needed, bigger case needed. But, IMO again, the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages.

[Bent]

Just as I thought, I may to have to rethink my end plates a bit. Too bad there would have been minimal welding. I wonder if anyone has ever drilled and tapped their end plates together. Maybe it would all loosen over time ...................just thinking.

Thanks Bobby

Eldon, first off, there is nothing wrong with welding. The main thing is to find a good welder. I lucked out there. Found one 3 minutes from where I live

Since I will be getting this big mill , I will be milling my end plates out of a solid 2X4 piece

As you your second question: Yes! I have been looking at the old Dekley I have had sitting here. It has alum blocks(about 1X1" by 3" long, that are drilled and tapped for the leg. Then it has mortises routed out on two sides: One to receive the aluminum apron and the other to receive the end plate. the bock is wide enough to hold screws which gives a solid fit. You've heard the expression "Built like a Mack truck" . Well that's the Dekley for you.

I'll get a pic up as soon as I can

[Eldon]

Thanks Bent,

Now that I'm re thinking my end plates I'll take your advice and make it wider but baybe not quite as wide as an SD.

[Georg]

You've heard the expression "Built like a Mack truck" . Well that's the Dekley for you.

Good thing a Dekley doesn't sound like a Mack truck - except when the player wants it to.

[Eldon]

I've been accused of using spikes in place of finnishing nail before it didn't come apart anyway. Ardox nails are even better. OK that's enough.

[bobby burns]

I've been thinking about having some endplates cast that would be about 10" or maybe 10 1/2" wide, with the step like an SD but a little narrower on the pad side. I like having the extra knee room, but I'm a big fan of making things lighter and smaller to carry. I had also toyed with the idea of a single neck body 10" or so wide, just one level, with the neck closer to the knee lever side. I'd put the coil tap switch and a switched tone control on the other side. I like the idea of the extra leg and knee lever space, but the pad isn't that big a deal to me.

I often play single neck guitars. I like the portability. I have made some knee levers that angle back away from the guitar, so that when they are folded up they go in the normal space for packing in the case. When they are folded down in playing position, they angle back to the player a little so that the part that hits your leg is about 2" outside the box of the steel guitar body. I did this so that the levers still look like Sho-Bud teardrops, but hit my leg in about the same place as the Emmons levers with a flag.