My 12 string prototype....in progress

[mac639]

Finally got some pictures set up for the "unconventional" pedal steel I've been working on in my spare time since before Christmas.

You can have a look by going to my website

http://www.mkguitars.com/proto/proto.html

Guess you'll have to copy/paste....don't know how to make the link thingee work

Enjoy,
Mac

[mac639]

Hey.... after I submitted the post I see that the link is working.

Mac

[Allan]

Interesting! Very interesting.
Mac, there is a current thread in the other forum about 'that Fender' - perhaps you would like to cross link to here? Just wondering because there seems to be a lot of interest in it over there.
A question, which side of the changer is the vertical 'hinge' at? Is it at the bass side or the treble side?

Thanks for posting this, it is fascinating.
Regards, Allan.....

[Bill Ladd]

Holy cow, that keyless tuning head is awesome!! I've been pondering a simple (fabrication- and operation-wise) design, and that, sir, is brilliant.

Hope you don't mind, but I will be stealing that idea, yessir I will!

[mac639]

Allan.. The cross levers are 7-1/4" long and they are "hinged" on a 3/8" vertical axle. I chose the bass side because bass strings generally don't need such a long pull to change pitch. Yeah...maybe I should link it on the SGF as well. Funny how things work, I had totally forgot that I'd seen some stuff about the old PS210 a long time ago. I never knew that it was sort of the same idea. But looking at the pics today on the SGF that guitar undercarriage seemed to be awfully complicated.

Bill.....feel free to use the keyless head design. I didn't invent it, I saw a similiar setup somewhere on the SGF awhile ago, can't remember when or where but anyway seems to work pretty good. I suppose you could even groove the finger portion to resemble guaged rollers as well if you wanted to. I have enough adjustment to tune most of the strings from limp to pitch without having to stretch them too much first before attaching them to the anchor bolt.

Thanks,
Mac

[Scott Howard]

The keyless design is close to the bela by Larry Cummings.
I have had 2 over the years.

Keep us posted on your progress. Looks great so far.

[Bent]

Mac that is brilliant The KISS method was used here and that way always seems to work the best.
Just a question, NOT a criticism. Could be I am seeing this totally wrong, but...
The bar holding the tuning screws...What is the thickness? It would seem that there would be a danger of cabinet drop here. When pedals are activated and stress on the bar is relieved, it might affect strings not activated by that pedal pull.

[mac639]

Bent....which bar are you talking about? The keyless head tuning screws? Or is it the bar at the head end that raises/lowers notes?
The keyless head tuning screw bar is 1/2" wide and just over 1/4" thick, pretty rigid stuff.

Mac

[Bent]

Hi Mac, I was talking about the keyless head tuning screw bar. By the way, is it steel or aluminum?

[mac639]

Hi Bent...
The tuning screws bar is aluminum. It's hard to test for cabinet drop just yet as I haven't got actual pedals on it yet and have to pull the pedal arms by hand. By pulling either the A or B ones I don't notice any of the other strings changing pitch though. Anyway if it's a problem area, I have some 3/4" bar stock that I could replace that bar with and that would certainly eliminate that problem if it exists.
I probably won't be doing too much more steel work for awhile as I got a bunch of things in the last couple of days to fix for folks. 3 fiddles to work on and I'm also working on replacing the fretboard on a 60+ year old Martin D28. This is not something I relish doing....too scary
Talk to you later,
Mac