Question 1

How can I purchase a GFI pedal steel guitar?

Accepted Answer

GFI pedal guitars are sold worldwide through our Dealer  network and available to be ordered directly from the GFI factory for  orders in the United States.  You can get in touch with one of our  dealers regarding further purchasing information from them or visit the Purchasing page for further information about purchasing directly from GFI.

Question 2

What is the cost of a GFI pedal steel guitar?

Accepted Answer

The list prices of the products GFI has available are published on the Pricing  page of our website.  Dealers will set their own retail prices which  are generally discounted somewhat from the list prices.  Contact a  dealer for their specific retail pricing information. GFI factory direct  pricing is also listed on the Pricing page.

Question 3

Do you have any used pedal steels or take trade-ins?

Accepted Answer

No, we don't deal in any used instruments at all at  the factory.  Most of our dealers do, though. Get in touch with them  regarding the possibility of trade-ins or what used instruments they might currently have in stock.

Question 4

Where can I try out a GFI pedal steel guitar?

Accepted Answer

Some of our larger dealers will have GFIs in stock and  it would be possible to try one out there.  There are also a number of  steel guitar conventions throughout the year and we usually attend the  larger ones  and bring steels for potential players to try out.  You can  also try one at the factory if you find yourself in the area, though  what we may or may not happen to have available at the time is subject  to change.

Question 5

I don't live near a dealer, what do I do?

Accepted Answer

Steel guitar is a pretty small niche market especially when compared to the standard 6-string  guitar world.  There just aren't that many full time steel shops, and  if you happen to live near one, consider yourself lucky.  However, it is  not really necessary to live near a dealer to be able to purchase a GFI  pedal steel guitar; our dealers will ship worldwide and will be happy to answer any questions you might have.  You can also order an instrument directly from GFI.

Question 6

What is the difference between the Ultra and the Expo?

Accepted Answer

The Ultra would be considered the GFI top of the line  and the Expo a more affordable professional level pedal steel guitar.   While they share virtually all of the same mechanical features, the  main difference is their appearance.  The Ultra has a brushed aluminum  finish and clear coating as standard on the frame, pedal board and some  body parts.  The Expo has a gray hammertone coating on those parts  instead, and the main cost difference is not having to do the brush  finishing work.  Additionally, the Expo features angled rails, a wrap-around endplate look and is limited in how many pedals and knee levers are available (3 pedals 5 knees max. on an S-10 E or S-10 PE, 8 pedals and 5 knees max on a D-10 E).  The keyless tuning system is an option only available on Ultras.

Question 7

What is the difference between the Pro models and the Student model?

Accepted Answer

The GFI Student Model is our entry level steel and  while more affordable, it is very capable of performing at a  professional level. Entry level steels are generally more limited in the  types of tunings and setups they will do and how those may be changed,  if at all.  There will also likely be some other aspects of design or  component choices that help keep the cost down and they are often  lighter in weight than comparable professional models.  However, entry  level pedal steels can provide excellent musical value for the money,  and this is especially true of the GFI Student Model.  It has the same  basic tone environment as our Pro models, uses the same pickup and most  of the mechanical linkage parts are the same.  The main difference  between the GFI Student and Pro models is the changer design.  The Pro  Models utilize a triple finger, "all pull" changer mechanism and the  Student Model utilizes a single finger, "pull release" changer.  The  tuning procedures between the two changer designs are also somewhat  different and with the single finger Student Model changer, lowers can  only be accomplished on right moving knee levers, which limit its  capabilities to the standard E9 tuning with the "Emmons" setup.

Question 8

What is the warranty on GFI pedal steel guitars?

Accepted Answer

All GFI pedal steel guitars have  a limited lifetime warranty against defects in materials and  workmanship.  It does not cover normal wear and tear or any issues due  to abuse or neglect.  If we determine a particular issue is covered  under the warranty, GFI will repair/service the guitar at no cost and  will also pay for any shipping costs.  All warranty work is done at the  GFI factory.

Question 9

How can I adjust the knee lever angles?

Accepted Answer

There is a set screw on each knee lever that can  adjust the angle.  On the Pro models and the RR of the Student models,  the set screw can be found on the face of each knee lever that contacts  the leg, near the bracket.  For the other knee levers on the Student  model the set screw is located on the rear of the lever near the bracket  and is secured by a 1/4" nut.  A vertical knee lever on a pro model  will also have a locking set screw on the side face of the lever that  locks into the knee lever bracket connector that will have to be  loosened before an angle adjustment can be done.

Question 10

How can I adjust the pedal height?

Accepted Answer

Each pedal rod connector is held in place on the pedal  rod by a 5/16" nut.  Simply loosen the nut, turn the connector up or  down as desired and that will change the resting angle of the pedal.  Be  sure the pedal can travel its full range and won't be obstructed by  hitting the floor.

Question 11

How do the pedal rod connectors work?

Accepted Answer

Our pedal rod to pedal connection design is a feature  unique to GFI.  The pedals have delrin studs so there is no metal to  metal contact at the connection for quiet operation.  Each connector has  rod number stamped on it and there is more room for pedal height  adjustment than the connector used by most other steel companies.  There  is a small knurled thumbscrew that holds the connector in place on the  pedal stud.  When tightened down, the end of the thumbscrew will  protrude slightly into the hole of the connector.  Around the delrin  pedal stud there a small groove or channel that the slightly protruding  end of the thumbscrew will ride in to keep the connector from slipping  off of the stud.  When the pedal rod is hooked through the pedal crank  and oriented correctly, the connector thumbscrew should be angled toward  the player.  It takes a couple of  revolutions of the thumbscrew to  retract it enough to be able to remove the pedal rod from the pedal.   When the pedal rods are stored in the case or leg bag, we recommend  tightening the thumbscrews down to prevent losing them.

Question 12

Can I adjust the pedal/knee lever action?

Accepted Answer

When we set up the pedal steels here at the factory we  feel they have an excellent balance of pedal/knee lever travel distance  versus the force it takes to move them.  Pedal steels change the pitch  of strings using the mechanical advantage of the lever which basically  translates to the more distance a pedal or knee lever must travel to  accomplish a pitch change, the easier it is to push it and vice versa,  the shorter the travel the harder it is to push.  We don't recommend  altering the action of the pedals or knee levers unless you are  experienced working on pedal steel mechanics.  Things can easily get out  of adjustment enough to keep the guitar from performing properly if you  don't know what you are doing.  We can perform pedal or knee lever  adjustments here at the factory, which would be subject to our hourly  shop rate and the customer would be responsible for the freight charges  both ways.

Question 13

Do I need to lube/oil my GFI pedal steel guitar?

Accepted Answer

The moving parts on GFI pedal steel guitars are either  designed to need no lubrication or have been sufficiently lubricated at  the factory to last the lifetime of the guitar.  More specifically, the  parts like the pedals and pedal rod connectors have no metal to metal  contact as they move and need no lubrication at all.  Other parts like  the changer fingers are lubricated at the factory with a heavy duty  synthetic lube.  Adding oil to those parts will have the effect of  washing the heavier lube out.  Occasionally a squeak or creak can  develop in the moving parts as they settle in and dealing with that  situation is discussed in the Common Issues page.

Question 14

How do I tune the Student Model?

Accepted Answer

The GFI Student Model follows  the same basic tuning procedure as the Pro Models, though the procedure  for a string that is lowered is a little more involved.  Since that  procedure is not quite as straightforward or intuitive, a tuning chart  is included with every new Student Model that goes over the specific  tuning procedure.  The chart is also available on the Documentation page of this website.
 Here is a more in-depth explanation of what is going on mechanically as we tune the Student Model:  The Student Model  changer is a single finger “pull release” system and this single finger  (per string) has to accomplish both the raises and the lowers, unlike  the Pro changer that has a three finger mechanism to do the same job.    The single finger can only move in one direction to raise the pitch of  a string and the opposite direction to lower the pitch.
 Strings that will only  be raised or not changed in pitch at all by a pedal or knee lever are  tuned to their open pitch using the keys.  The resulting string tension  forces the changer fingers to stop against the back side of the hole  routed in the wood body that the changer mechanism is mounted through.   The back side of the hole functions as a stop that keeps the fingers  from moving in that direction and allows us to increase the string  tension as we tune it to pitch.
 When a raise is  activated by a pedal or knee lever, the mechanical linkage ends up  pulling the nylon nut which in turn pushes the end of the changer finger  away from the stop of the back side of the hole and toward the keys.   As the one end of the finger is being moved by the nylon nut, the other  end that the string ball is hooked through is simultaneously rotating  around an axle which results in the string stretching and raising in  pitch.  The amount the pitch is raised by a pedal or knee lever is fine  tuned with the nylon nut.  When the raise is released, the finger  returns to rest at its open pitch or neutral position against the stop  of the back side of the wood hole.  Since the changer  fingers can only move one direction to raise and the opposite direction  to lower, on the strings that we want to lower, the finger is set so  that its open pitch or neutral point is partially engaged or raised.   This then gives the finger room to move backward and lower the string’s  pitch before the its motion is stopped by the back side of the wood  hole.  For example, strings 4 & 8 (normally tuned open to E an  octave apart) would be open tuned to D# with the fingers at rest against  the wood changer hole.  Then those strings are additionally set with a  half tone raise from a D# to an E by moving and fixing the fingers.   This results in a raised neutral position, allowing room for the  fingers to move backward and lower the half tone back to D#.  So on the Student Model  when you tune the strings that lower, the procedure is to engage the  lowering knee lever which releases the finger from its open pitch or  raised neutral point back to the stop against the side of the wood hole.   Then tune the open string with the keys to the pitch that it should be  lowering to (which would be D# for strings 4 & 8).  When you then  release the lowering lever, spring tension actually raises the strings  to what would be the normal open pitch or raised neutral position (E for  4 & 8).  That raised open pitch is fine tuned by using the  appropriate red colored nylon nuts.  The E's are also raised  a half tone to F by the LL and those raises are simply tuned with the  nylon nuts with the LL engaged like the other raises.
 The tuning principle is  the same for the lowers of string 2 & 9 by the RR.  With the RR  engaged and held in place, strings 2 and 9 are tuned to their lowered  pitch of C# using the keys.  The RR is then released and the open pitch  of string 2, which is a D#, is tuned using the appropriate red colored  nylon nut, and likewise string 9 is tuned to its open pitch of D using  the appropriate red colored nylon nut.
 One of the limiting  factors of the student model pull release changer is that the backward  motion needed to lower a string can only be accomplished by a right  moving knee lever, meaning any lowering has to be done on the LR or the  RR which limits it to the "Emmons" setup of the E9 tuning.

Question 15

How do I tune the E9 2nd string half stop feel?

Accepted Answer

On GFI Pro models, the half stop feel for the E9 2nd  string is accomplished by the RR knee lever beginning to pull the 9th  string as the 2nd string reaches a half tone.  The 2nd string full whole  tone lower is tuned with the nylon nut, then the 9th string half tone  lower is tuned also with the nylon nut.  The resulting half stop feel  for the 2nd string works out due to the choice of lowering spring  tension, string gauges, and leverage ratios in the linkage.  Altering  the lowering spring tension for the 9th string can change the feel of  the half stop but will also slightly affect the pitch of the half stop  as well.

Question 16

How can I change the height of a GFI pedal steel guitar?

Accepted Answer

Our leg design is different than the microphone stand  style legs used by most other manufacturers.  The front legs are not  adjustable and the back legs can be adjusted about plus or minus about  1/2 inch to level the guitar (just one back leg is adjustable on the  Student model).  To accommodate different sized players, we make leg  sets and pedal rods 1 or 2 inches taller or shorter than the standard  height (26 1/4" from the floor to the bottom of the back rail).  There  is no charge for a non-standard height leg set at the time of a new order.  Non-standard height leg sets for existing GFI pedal steels are available and will include the appropriate-sized pedal rods.

Question 17

Where/how can I get parts for my GFI pedal steel guitar?

Accepted Answer

You can order parts for your GFI directly from the factory, by email, phone, or through the website store.

Question 18

Can I get parts from GFI for other steels?

Accepted Answer

While most pedal steels today accomplish the same  things in similar ways, the specific parts are different enough that  they are not interchangeable.  It is our policy to make our parts  available only for GFI pedal steel guitars and we do not offer parts for  custom builds or project guitars.

Question 19

Where/how can I get my GFI pedal steel guitar worked on?

Accepted Answer

Most of our larger stocking dealers can also work on  our guitars and it's best to check with them regarding their particular  capabilities and charges.  We can always service your GFI pedal steel  guitar here at the factory.  We charge an hourly shop rate for  repairs/service and the customer is responsible for the freight costs  both ways.  The exception to this is repair/service that is covered by  the warranty.

Question 20

How old is my GFI pedal steel guitar?

Accepted Answer

If you get in touch with us here at the factory with  the serial number of the GFI pedal steel guitar we can tell you when it  was built.

Question 21

Where is the serial number located?

Accepted Answer

The serial numbers on GFI pedal steel guitars are  stamped into underside of the back rail near the changer.  If you are  looking at the guitar as it would be in the case, upside down, with the  front of the guitar away from you, the number would be in the lower left  corner of the guitar.

Question 22

How do I pack a pedal steel guitar for shipment?

Accepted Answer

When packing the steel for shipment, make sure nothing  can move around in the case.  Newspaper, cardboard, towels, etc. can be  used to make sure that when the lid is shut nothing inside the case  (guitar, pedal board, leg bag) can move when it is jostled about, as  will likely happen during shipping.  The case itself will then need to  be covered in cardboard that is usually secured with packing tape.   Different shipping companies will have different requirements for  packaging a shipment, and how you have the guitar packaged will likely  have a bearing on how the shipping company will handle an insurance  claim for shipping damage if that occurs, so check with them for  specifics.  Most shipping stores can package the guitar for you for a  fee if you choose.  You should insure the shipment for what it would  cost you to replace it should it be damaged during shipment.

Question 23

What is a pedal steel guitar?

Accepted Answer

The pedal steel guitar is a  relatively recent development in the guitar family, a direct descendant  (or mutation) of the lap steel and is most often a ten stringed  instrument.  It is supported by legs, set up in a horizontal position  with the playing surface facing upward, and played from a sitting  position.  Strings are plucked with one hand, usually the right hand and  usually with the aid of finger and thumb picks.  The other hand "frets"  notes with the use of a tone bar which is usually made of steel and is  the source of the name "steel guitar."  Pedals and knee levers are used  to change the pitch of the strings which provide more possibilities for  chord construction and melody line playing.  The pedal steel guitar  has most often been associated with American country and western music  in which it was a prominently featured instrument particularly in the  1960's and 1970's.  An extremely versatile instrument, its performance  has expanded far beyond its country roots, being used for nearly every  style of music conceivable.  Its use in the future will only be limited  by the imagination of present and future players.

Question 24

How is a pedal steel guitar played?

Accepted Answer

The pedal steel guitar is like  any stringed instrument in that the choice of what pitches the strings  are tuned to will allow certain chords and even melodies to be played  using the open strings alone.  When the bar is used on a steel guitar, a  player can now change the pitches of the strings by moving the bar up  and down the neck.  This allows much more freedom for melody playing,  but chords will still be limited to the relative intervals and voicings  available within the open strings (though slanting the bar can provide  some more options).  Pressing a pedal or knee lever changes the open  pitch of a string, allowing even more freedom to play melodies and far  greater options for chord playing.  Using certain pedals and knee levers  in combinations adds to this even further.  The speed at which a pedal  or knee lever is engaged and thus the pitch is changed becomes a manner  of musical expression as well, and this ability of the pedal steel to  bend notes in a musically expressive manner is an integral part of its  unique sound.
 Playing the pedal steel  really involves almost the entire body.  One foot pushes the pedals, one  foot controls the volume pedal (and may occasionally push a pedal as  well), both knees move levers in multiple directions, one hand controls  the bar, the other hand does the picking, the rear end provides a  foundation and all of this is controlled by the ears, eyes, and brain  (and maybe even a little heart).

Question 25

How is a pedal steel guitar tuned/set up?

Accepted Answer

The pedal steel guitar is an  evolution of the lap steel.  Lap steels can be very expressive  instruments but the particular open string tuning will somewhat limit  the choice of notes that are available, especially regarding the playing  of chords.  One direction lap steels took to provide greater musical  flexibility was the use of different open tunings on different necks.   Three and four neck lap steels were not uncommon and gave players the ability to play music in a wider variety of styles and keys on the same instrument. Players also began to experiment with homemade attachments that could change the pitch of a string and thus the open tuning.  Eventually an instrument was designed that would change the pitches of the string through the use of pedals.  Early pedal steel tunings were generally variations on the common lap steels tunings.  Knee levers were a later innovation and the open string tuning and pitch change choices for the pedals and knee levers has continued to evolve.
 E9 Tuning (See Documentation page for a pdf chart of the E9 Tuning)  Today, most pedal steel guitars are 10-string instruments and open tuned to what is called the E9 tuning, which is based on an E major 9 chord:  Notice several pitches are  repeated as octaves and there is not a completely linear progression in the different open pitches in the higher register.  The choice of the  two outside string pitches and their positions assists in certain melody line playing and chord voicings.  The two outside strings are often referred to as the "chromatic" strings, even though strictly speaking they are part of the E major scale.
 The E9 tuning is most often played using 3 pedals and 4 knee levers and 3 & 4 would be considered "standard," though some variations can include 4 pedals and/or 5 knee levers.  The fifth knee lever is usually a vertical knee lever for the left leg which is activated by upward or vertical movement of the knee rather than left or right movement.
 Which strings each pedal or knee lever changes in pitch is also fairly standardized.  The chart of the open tuning and what pitch changes the pedals and knee levers make is referred to as a "copedent" in the steel guitar community.  In the GFI standard E9 copedent, the functions of pedals 1,  2, and 3 (sometimes also referred to as A, B, and C) in combination with both left leg knee levers are known as the "Emmons" setup, developed by  steel guitar great Buddy Emmons.  An alternative but less common setup  is known as the "Day" setup, developed by another pedal steel great Jimmy Day.  On the Day setup, the functions of pedals 1 and 3 (or A and  C) are reversed as well as the functions of the two left leg knee  levers.
 Knee levers can have  letter designations as well, though what letter corresponds to what lever is not particularly consistent amongst all steel players and teachers, though the specific functions of the pedals designated A, B,  and C are pretty well universally agreed upon. Pedal steel players who are performers of American country music use the E9 tuning almost exclusively.  The tuning is versatile enough to be useful for really any style of music but the typical country style of pedal steel playing is  what it has been most associated with.
 C6 Tuning (See Documentation page for a pdf chart of the E9 Tuning)  The next most common 10-string tuning used on a pedal steel guitar is called the C6 tuning:  This tuning is based on the C major 6 chord. The characteristic voicings it offers tend to be used for  styles of music like jazz, western swing and blues, though like the E9,  it is capable of being used in most any style of music.  You will almost always find the C6 as the second neck of double neck 10 string  pedal steel (or D-10), with the other neck being the E9.  Typically on a D-10  the outside neck, or neck furthest from the player, is the E9 and the  inside neck is the C6.  On the factory standard GFI C6 setup, there are 5 pedals that are used (for a total of 8 on a D-10) and the RL knee lever, shared by the E9 neck, is also used for a C6 pull. Some players will add C6-specific knee levers for more options.  Another common C6 variation is to tune the first string to a D, which would be between string 2 and 3 in pitch and affords similar advantages as the outside two "chromatic" strings of  the E9.  A more recent development and far less commonly-utilized pedal steel string guitar tuning is the 12 string "Universal" tuning,  which is an attempt to combine elements of the E9 and C6 into one "universal" tuning.  The specifics of the universal copedents are not quite as standardized as the E9 or C6 but usually will utilize 7 pedals  and 5 knee levers.
 Less common still is the 12-string "Extended E9" tuning, which is basically the 10-string  E9 tuning and setup with 2 extra bass strings.  There are additional pedal steel tunings and setups developed and used in specific musical styles like the "Sacred Steel" tunings, and there are a few players that use other variations like 14-string pedal steels and 8-string pedal steels.

Question 26

Choosing a Pedal Steel Guitar

Accepted Answer

Choosing a pedal steel guitar is  similar to choosing a particular brand or model of any other musical instrument or most anything else we may want to buy.  A certain product will be expected to perform a certain function, and there will usually be some slight variation in that function between brands or between different models of a particular brand.  Musical instruments are designed to produce certain sounds, and most musicians will choose their instrument based on their perception of the quality of the sound or "tone" produced and how it "feels" to physically play it.  Though usually a secondary consideration, musical instruments will also be designed to look a certain way and that factor usually also plays a role  in instrument choice, especially regarding color options.  Weight is often a consideration in pedal steel choice as they can be relatively heavy instruments, especially double necks.  Other more pedal steel  specific considerations may include the design of the instrument itself and how that relates to its stability, how well it handles detuning issues, the feel of the pedal and knee lever movement, how it responds across the entire range of playable notes, and the pickup choices.   Other important considerations would be regarding the manufacturing company and/or dealer itself, how long it has been in business, its reputation for service, and the type and length of warranty coverage.

Question 27

Student Model or Pro Model?

Accepted Answer

The answer to this question will mostly depend on how serious you think you will be about learning pedal steel and the budget you have to work with.  If you are new to playing a musical instrument, are moderately interested in seeing first hand what pedal steel is about, will likely be playing for your own enjoyment at home or have a limited budget, an entry-level instrument like the GFI Student Model would be a good choice for you.
 Entry-level steels  are generally limited in the types of tunings and setups they will do and how those may be changed, if at all. There will also likely be some other aspects of design or component choices that help keep the cost down, and they are often lighter in weight than comparable professional  models.  However, entry-level pedal steels can provide excellent musical value for the money, and this is especially true of the GFI  Student Model.  It has the same basic tone environment as our Pro  models, uses the same pickup, and most of the mechanical linkage parts are the same.  The main difference between the GFI Student and Pro models is the changer design.  The Pro Models utilize a triple finger,  "all pull" changer mechanism and the Student Model utilizes a single finger, "pull release" changer.  The tuning procedures between the two changer designs are also somewhat different.  With the single finger Student Model changer, lowers can only be accomplished on right moving knee levers, which limits its capabilities to the standard E9 tuning with the "Emmons" setup.  Someone with more serious aspirations on pedal steel may want to dive into a professional  level instrument right straight away, saving the likely step of upgrading from an entry-level steel later, and take advantage of the more sophisticated design elements. 
 Like most any other purchase, there will be no right or wrong choice but the one that you decide is best for you.  A little research should be in order to help you make your best choice and with musical instruments in particular, physically trying out a potential purchase is highly recommended if you are able to do so.

Question 28

Strings

Accepted Answer

Obviously the strings play a major role in the sound and performance of pedal steel guitars.  There are a number of different brands of pedal steel guitar strings available in a variety of gauges and materials.  The strings will have one end that is securely wrapped around a small bushing or cylinder,  usually made of brass.  That end of the string is usually referred to as the "ball end" and the bushing or "ball" is hooked through the changer finger of a GFI pedal steel through slots.  The other end is either inserted through a hole in the key post and then wrapped around the post to secure it or secured by a screw on the GFI keyless tuning system.   The keys (or keyless tuning knobs) are rotated to increase the tension  of the string and bring it to its desired open pitch.  On the pedal steel guitar, strings can be referred to by pitch, gauge, or number. The strings on a 10-string  are numbered from 1 to 10, starting with the outside strings or those furthest from the player and increasing in number as the gauge or  diameter increases.  String diameter is more often referred to as the  "gauge" of the string, with the larger diameters or gauges producing the lower pitches.  The diameter or gauge is expressed as a three place decimal which will be the actual diameter of the string in inches.  The gauge of a string affects how the string responds to being bent and stretched as the pedals and knee levers change its pitch.  Generally, a smaller gauge string will need more movement of the pedal or knee lever, or "travel," to reach the same relative pitch change.  For example, on the GFI  standard E9 tuning, string 3 is a .011 gauge string tuned to G# and string 6 is a .022 gauge string tuned to G# one octave below string 3.   Pedal 2 is set up to raise both of those strings a half tone to A.   When set up properly both strings should start to change pitch and arrive at A as close to the same time as possible.  So if we want one  pedal to make the two strings start and stop changing at the same time  and we know the smaller .011 will need more travel to get to its pitch  than the .022, we use a different leverage ratio in the linkage to balance the pulls.
 For the wound strings, the diameter of the core string will determine the travel needed to get to pitch rather than the overall diameter.  Again from the E9 tuning, string 6 is usually a plain .022 and string 7 a wound .026.  The .026 wound string with its small core wire will require more travel reach the same relative pitch change than the plain .022 even though its overall diameter is larger.  Altering the string gauges can have an adverse effect on how the pedals and knee levers are able to change the string's pitches since the pedals and knee levers  will be set at the factory to travel a certain distance to precisely change the pitches of certain gauge strings.  The larger strings, especially the plain strings, can be more susceptible to various  detuning issues and some players may experiment with wound strings of the same gauge to help alleviate those issues. They must be aware that  even though they may be the same overall gauge or diameter, the wound string will require significantly more travel to accomplish the same  pitch changes and so will require an increase adjustment in the travel  of the pedal or knee lever to accommodate it.  GFI uses a .022 plain string as standard since most players seem to prefer its sound to the  wound .022.
 String material is the factor that will most affect the way the string sounds.  String material and its variations really refer the material used as the cover wrap on wound strings as the plain strings and cores of the wound strings are all plain steel, usually with a tin coating.  The most common cover materials favored by pedal steel players are either stainless steel or nickel though there are some other alloys available.  Stainless steel is generally brighter sounding than nickel, more resistant to corrosion and will therefore tend to stay brighter sounding longer.  There are also a few variations on how the cover may be shaped that can affect the sound.  Some strings are round wound meaning the cover string is completely round and this type provides the brightest sound.  The cover string can be flat wound or half wound where the resulting wrapped string surface is flattened either completely or partially.  Those  styles are usually favored in a desire to minimize excess bar or finger noise and will be overall less bright sounding than the round wound cover.  The choice of string material is a matter of a player's personal preference and the type of sound they are trying to achieve.

Question 29

Tuning

Accepted Answer

On GFI pedal steel guitars, basically the strings are tuned to their open pitches using the tuning keys or keyless knobs, and the pedal and knee lever changes are fine tuned using the nylon nuts, accessible through the window at the changer end of the guitar (The Student Models have a slightly more involved tuning procedure).
 At first it can be difficult to tell which nylon nut to turn for the pedal or knee lever you are tuning, but if you watch the nuts move as you move or wiggle the pedal or knee lever you should be able to see which ones to turn.  The nylon nuts can be turned with a specifically made wrench (a new wrench is included with every new GFI pedal steel) or a 3/16" socket.  Turning a nylon nut into the guitar (clockwise if you are facing the nut looking through the changer window) will make that pull do more of whatever it  is doing, that is if the nylon nut is raising a string, turning it in will make it raise more and turning it out will make it raise less.   Likewise with a nylon nut that is lowering a string, turning the nut  into the guitar will make it lower more, turning it out, lower less.  The Pro "All Pull" Changer  On the GFI Pro Model's  "all pull" changer, for each string there are three fingers that are connected which end up moving the string and changing its pitch.  The first is a stainless steel finger that the ball end of the string is hooked through and rides over.  The other two are stamped steel fingers that are riveted together, one for raises and one for lowers that the pull rods go through and the nylon nuts push.  Due to the way the three fingers are connected and pivot, the same motion direction of the pull  rods can accomplish both raises and lowers, or “all” of the changer fingers are “pulled” by the pull rods to change pitch.  All of the open pitches are tuned by the keys (or keyless knobs) and all of the raises and lowers are fine tuned with the nylon nuts as the pedal or knee lever is  engaged.  The Student Model "Pull Release" Changer  The GFI Student Model follows the same basic tuning procedure as the Pro Models though the procedure for a string that is lowered is a little more involved.  Since that procedure is not quite as straightforward or intuitive, a tuning chart is included with every new Student Model that goes over the  specific tuning procedure.  You can also find a pdf of the chart on the Documentation page.
 Here is a more in depth explanation of what is going on mechanically as we tune the Student Model:
 The Student Model changer is a single finger “pull release” system and this single finger (per string) has to accomplish both the raises and the lowers, unlike the Pro changer that has a three finger mechanism (per string) to do the same job.   The single finger can only move in one direction to raise the pitch of a string and the opposite direction to lower the pitch.  Strings that will only be raised or not changed in pitch at all by a pedal or knee lever are tuned to their open pitch using the keys.  The resulting string tension forces the changer fingers to stop against the back side of the hole routed in the wood body that the changer mechanism is mounted through.   The back side of the hole functions as a stop that keeps the fingers from moving in that direction and allows us to increase the string tension as we tune it to pitch.  When a raise is activated by a pedal or knee lever, the mechanical linkage ends up pulling the nylon nut which in turn pushes the end of the changer finger away from the stop of the back side of the hole and toward the keys.  As the one end of the finger is being moved by the nylon nut, the other end that the string ball is hooked through is simultaneously rotating around an axle which results in the string stretching and raising in pitch.  The amount the pitch is raised by a pedal or knee lever is fine tuned with the nylon nut.  When the raise is released, the finger returns to rest at its open pitch or neutral position against the stop  of the back side of the wood hole.  Since the changer fingers can only move one direction to raise and the opposite direction to lower, on the strings that we want to lower, the finger is set so that its open pitch or neutral point is partially engaged or raised.   This then gives the finger room to move backward and lower the string’s pitch before the its motion is stopped by the back side of the wood hole.  For example, strings 4 & 8 (normally tuned open to E an  octave apart) would be open tuned to D# with the fingers at rest against the wood changer hole.  Then those strings are additionally set with a  half tone raise from a D# to an E by moving and fixing the fingers.   This results in a raised neutral position, allowing room for the  fingers to move backward and lower the half tone back to D#.  So on the Student Model when you tune the strings that lower, the procedure is to engage the lowering knee lever which releases the finger from its open pitch or raised neutral point back to the stop against the side of the wood hole.  Then tune the open string with the keys to the pitch that it should be lowering to (which would be D# for strings 4 & 8).  When you then release the lowering lever, spring tension actually raises the strings to what would be the normal open pitch or raised neutral position (E for  4 & 8).  That raised open pitch is fine tuned by using the appropriate red colored nylon nuts.
 The E's are also raised a half tone to F by the LL and those raises are simply tuned with the nylon nuts with the LL engaged like the other raises.  The tuning principle is the same for the lowers of string 2 & 9 by the RR.  With the RR engaged and held in place, strings 2 and 9 are tuned to their lowered pitch of C# using the keys.  The RR is then released and the open pitch of string 2, which is a D#, is tuned using the appropriate red colored nylon nut, and likewise string 9 is tuned to its open pitch of D using the appropriate red colored nylon nut.
 One of the limiting factors of the student model pull release changer is that the backward motion needed to lower a string can only be accomplished by a right moving knee lever, meaning any lowering has to be done on the LR or the RR which limits it to the "Emmons" setup of the E9 tuning.

Question 30

Basic accessories

Accepted Answer

Besides the pedal steel itself, there are a few things new pedal steel players will need.  Some are absolutely necessary, others not as much.  There really are no right or wrong answers when choosing accessory brands/models/materials, etc.,  that is always a matter of personal preference.  If you are able, you may want to do some experimenting in that regard and while you may seek  out the advice of others on such things it's always best to decide on what sounds, feels, or works best for you.      Bar -  This is an absolute necessity.  You can't play any notes other than the open strings without one.  Most are made from either chrome-plated or polished, stainless steel, though there are some made from other materials like ceramic. There are a variety of brands, diameters, weights, and lengths available.     Picks -  The vast majority of players use finger picks, though there are a few who do not.  Most will use a thumb pick and 2 or 3 finger picks.  Picks are made in varying sizes and thicknesses, with thumb picks generally made of plastic and not adjustable while finger picks are usually made of metal and are able to be bent to fit.     Seat -  Also a necessity.  There are storage seats made specifically for pedal  steel players, which have an inner compartment to store gear and legs that fold up for transport.  Some players use a drum throne for a seat, some use keyboard benches or you can use a chair or really anything else you can get stably seated on.  Keep in mind the height of whatever seat you choose will have some bearing on how you are able to reach the  pedals and knee levers and how your arms and hands align with the top of  the guitar.     Amplifier -  While you can hear a bit of what's going on if you play a pedal steel unamplified, they are not intended to be acoustic instruments, and you will need an amplifier of some sort to hear the sounds the instrument was designed to produce.  There are amplifiers designed and made specifically for pedal steels, and those are what the vast majority of  players use.  However, most any amplifier/speaker configuration will work, including those designed for standard guitar, keyboard or even bass, though they will produce a different sound or tone.  You will also need an instrument cord to connect the guitar to the amp.     Volume pedal -  The vast majority of players would consider this a necessity and an essential component to the pedal steel "sound," though you are able to play the instrument without one.  It is used to control variations in attack and overall volume as well as to sustain notes.  There are volume  pedals designed specifically for pedal steel players that tend to have a  lower profile to allow the leg to fit under the guitar as the foot remains on the pedal.  They will also have the input/output jacks on the side of the pedal, as most players will situate their volume pedal close to the pedal board, making jacks at the front of the pedal impractical.  There are also brackets some use that will attach the volume pedal to the pedal board to keep it in a consistent position.     Tuner -  Fine tuning a pedal steel guitar can be a skill in itself.  Due to the many variables that can affect whether a pedal steel sounds in tune or not, a specific tuning procedure can vary from player to player.  An  electronic tuner will provide a common reference point between instruments and show exactly how close a played pitch is to a particular reference point, but much of the fine tuning of the pedal steel guitar,  especially the blending of certain intervals and the decision of  whether you are playing "in tune" with other instruments will need to be  judged by your ear.  Hearing and recognizing slight variations in pitch  is a skill that all pedal steel players need to develop.  With experience, players will likely find they consistently tend to tune certain strings and/or pulls a little flat or sharp to compensate for their individual playing style, and the mechanics of their instrument  and still allows them to sound "in tune."  A tuner can be a very useful tool as the individual's method of tuning is established and can even be necessary if you find yourself in a particular playing situation where tuning by ear is not possible.  The bottom line is you will want to have  a tuner, but your ear needs to have the final say.     Effects -  Most players will use some effects like reverb or delay, though again,  you are certainly able to play the guitar without them.  The types of effects used generally reflect the style of music being played.     Instructor/Instructional Material -  Not really an accessory per se, but highly recommended for new pedal  steel players especially ones new to musical performance in general.   While pedal steel is a relatively small niche market/community  especially when compared to the world of the standard 6 string guitar,  it is pretty widespread across the US and many other countries.  It's  possible you may have an instructor not too far away and taking lessons  from someone would be our most highly recommended way of learning to  play.  There is a large amount of pre-produced instructional  material available as well, like CDs DVDs, online tutorials, etc., and a new player that is motivated can certainly learn a lot that way too.

Question 31

Tight nylon nuts

Accepted Answer

The nylon nuts are designed to be somewhat hard to  turn so that they will stay in place once they are adjusted.  However,  some can be harder to turn than others and can usually be loosened a bit  by turning the nylon nut up and down the length of the thread on the  pull rod a few times.  If it is still too hard to turn, you can remove the nut completely and add a drop or two of a thin oil to the threads of the pull rod and then replace the nut.  A toothpick works well as a way to apply the oil.

Question 32

Noise or squeaks in the linkage when pedals or knee levers are engaged

Accepted Answer

There will always be some noise made by the mechanical  linkage as the pedals and knee levers are engaged.  Pedal steel guitars  are not designed to be acoustic instruments, so unless the noise is  somehow getting into the electric signal path, it is generally not  considered a problem.  However, as the various parts settle in,  occasionally a squeak or creak can develop in a moving part that doesn't  enter the signal path but can still be annoying or distracting.   Tracking down exactly where the noise is coming from can be tricky, but  once found, a drop or two of oil or even a  dab of most any type of grease, will usually work.  Use the minimum  amount necessary to silence the noise as excessive oil or grease will  attract dirt and other contaminants that can cause problems later.  We  recommend not using WD-40 for any noise type issues as it tends to get sticky or gummy over time and can inhibit the proper movement of parts.

Question 33

Buzzing nut rollers

Accepted Answer

Occasionally due to slight machining variation there  can be a bit of extra space between a nut roller and the side walls of  the nut housing which can result in a buzzing sound when the string is  plucked.  This is usually more noticeable on the middle 4 strings that  have the longest string length beyond the nut and less break over the  nut.  Sometimes lifting the string off of the roller and slightly  rotating the roller may fix the buzz.  If not, a drop or two of oil between the side of the roller and housing will  stop the buzzing.

Question 34

Mica or laminate starting to detach

Accepted Answer

Occasionally the mica or laminate can start to detach  from the frame rails or pedal board, for a variety of reasons.  The glue  we use to attach the laminate at the factory is a commercial rubber  contact adhesive specifically formulated for laminates and not readily  available to the pedal steel player.  We have heard of others having  success re-gluing laminate using other contact cements or even  super glues.  However we would recommend using a spray adhesive called  Super-77 which is made by 3M and usually available in most hardware  stores.  You can prop the end of the loose mica up off of the rail or  pedal board with a small piece of toothpick to expose the area needed to  be sprayed.  Mask adjacent areas with tape to keep the glue overspray  to a minimum.  Coat both parts with a fairly generous spraying and then  let the glue dry till you can touch it without it sticking to your  finger.  Remove the prop and firmly press the mica back onto the rail or  pedal board.  If you have a way of carefully clamping the pieces  together, that will help as well.  Naphtha works very well as a cleaner  for the glue and won't hurt the finish on the frame or laminate.

Question 35

Tuning/Detuning Issues

Accepted Answer

One of the first lessons a pedal  steel guitar player will learn is that the pedal steel guitar is not a  perfect string pulling machine. One that could be designed in such a  manner would likely be far too heavy and far too expensive for most  players to want to get involved with.  It takes somewhere around 30  pounds of pressure to get each open string up to pitch so there are  approximately 300 pounds of force a 10 string instrument must handle  just to tune the open strings.  Raising the pitch of one or more strings  adds to this and simply moving the pedals and knee levers exerts  additional pressure on the instrument, especially if excessive force is  used at the stop points.  Creating a musical instrument sturdy enough to  handle those kinds of forces and still light enough to transport  relatively easily is a definite design challenge.  This is the nature of  pedal steel guitars and thus there are a few tuning (or detuning)  challenges that all pedal steel players must deal with.  Electronic  tuners can reveal the extent of some of these issues, but the final  authority on how to deal with them and whether they have been  sufficiently managed should be the player's ear.  Being able to hear and  recognize slight variations in pitches, intervals and chords is a  musical skill that is essential for players of variable pitch  instruments like the pedal steel guitar to develop.  It is safe to say the  state of the art in pedal steel guitars today is mechanically superior  compared to when it was first developed, yet steel players of that  earliest era were still able to make beautiful music that was in tune.   They had no electronic tuners either, so any tuning issue you may  encounter has already been successfully dealt with by other players.   You can do it too!  With that said, here are a few of the more common  tuning issues facing pedal steel players:
 Tuning problems due to no slack in the linkage  You may find yourself in  the situation where once the open string is tuned and you then tune the  pulls with the nylon nuts, you find the open pitch has changed.  That  is likely due to the slack being tuned out of those pull(s).  There  should always be a little bit of slack in the mechanical linkage to  allow free movement of the nylon nuts for tuning and for temperature and  humidity changes. You should be able to wiggle one of the bell cranks  of any pedal or knee lever back and forth slightly, which will tell you  there is some needed free space between the nylon nut and the changer  finger before the nut begins to move the finger.  Without the slack, the  changer fingers may not be returning completely to their starting open  pitch or neutral position and may even be partially engaged when the  pedal or knee lever is released.  This makes proper tuning next to  impossible but is easy to fix as long as the travel of the pedal or knee  lever hasn't been changed.  Simply back off the nylon nut until it  doesn't affect the changer finger at all when the pedal or knee lever is  engaged.  Tune the open string to its proper pitch.  Then turn the  nylon nut back in until it changes the pitch of the string the  appropriate amount.
 Slack in strings  New strings that are not  "stretched in" can cause tuning problems.  With new strings we  recommend pressing the string around the playing side of the radius of  the changer and the nut to help form the string.  It is also recommended  to stretch the strings by lightly pulling them upward a few times in  the middle of the string, retuning and repeating as necessary until the  tuning stabilizes. This will help settle in the new strings and take up  the slack in the windings around the key posts.  Defects in the string  manufacturing process can cause tuning/detuning issues; sometimes a new  string or different brand may solve a problem.  "Cabinet Drop"  One of the detuning  issues pedal steel guitars will show is when pressing a pedal you might  notice that some strings that are not being pulled may slightly drop in  pitch.  This effect is commonly known in the pedal steel community as  "cabinet drop" and is due to the change in the forces or stresses in the  instrument when a pedal or knee lever is engaged, which can then affect  the open tuning of strings not being pulled.  All pedal steel guitars  will exhibit this to some extent, though some will show it more than  others, and the way a pedal steel is designed and constructed can help  minimize it.  GFI pedal steels have a number of design elements related  to addressing this issue.  "Hysteresis"  Another tuning anomaly seemingly peculiar to the all pull, scissor-type  changer finger system connected by rivets (used on GFI professional  models and most other pedal steel brands) is when a string that is being  lowered will return slightly sharp of its open tuned pitch.  This seems  to be more noticeable on larger gauge strings like the .022 plain  string commonly used as the 6th string of the E9 tuning.  This  phenomenon is known in pedal steel community as "hysteresis," and while  that may not be an accurate use of that particular word, most steel  players will know what that term refers to amongst each other.  Some  players opt for a slightly lighter gauge string or even a wound string  in place of the plain string to help minimize this phenomenon.  Equal Temperament vs. Just Intonation
 There are also tuning  issues a player will face that are related to equal temperament tuning  vs. just intonation tuning.  This is not unique to the pedal steel and  very basically boils down to certain intervals may sound in or out of  tune depending on which method one chooses to use and is especially  relevant in the context of chord voicings and sounding in tune when  playing with other instruments.  Here are links to Wikipedia articles on  Equal Temperament and Just Intonation for further reading.
 Tuning/Detuning Solutions  The design and  construction of the pedal steel itself certainly have some bearing on  some tuning/detuning issues and we feel the GFI design features help  minimize these as well or better than any other brand available.  Still,  no pedal steel guitar is perfect in this regard and there are various  methods employed by pedal steel players to deal with tuning issues.
 The pedal steel itself  can have a "compensator" added, which is an extra pull to slightly  change the pitch of a string that may be altered by detuning.  However,  slight strategic bar movement or even bar slanting is most often  employed by the player to stay in tune.  Additionally, certain strings  and/or pulls can be tuned slightly flat or sharp to help compensate for  various tuning issues. There are some who advocate the use of charts  that recommend tuning certain strings and pulls a very specific amount  sharp or flat.  While every steel player most likely will end up  employing similar principles to different degrees, there are far too  many variables for any one particular chart to work for all players.   Differences in design, construction methods and materials will prevent  steels of different brands from responding in exactly the same manner,  and there can even be slight variations between two steels of the same  model and manufacturer.  Players may make different choices regarding  string brands, gauges or material. No two players will have the exact  same touch and technique, which gives everyone their unique musical  voice, but also means a particular player's bar pressure, bar slant,  vibrato, plucking pressure, string blocking, pedal and knee lever  pressure, etc., will all affect whether the playing sounds in tune or  not.  On top of all this,  there is no universal consensus on what exactly "in tune" is either,  especially among pedal steel players. Depending on the circumstances,  there is generally a small gray area around a particular pitch that can  still sound acceptably in tune, though the range and limits of that gray  area can be somewhat subjective.  A certain interval tuned slightly  sharp may be the answer to a particular issue for one player, while  another may find that same choice grating and unacceptable.   Playing a pedal steel guitar in tune is sometimes a matter of artistic  choice and is a skill all pedal steel players will constantly strive to  improve upon.

Question 36

String breakage

Accepted Answer

This is an issue all pedal steel  players have to deal with.  As a pedal or knee lever is engaged to  raise or lower a string, the corresponding changer finger rotates and  bends the string by either stretching or relaxing it to its new pitch.   The act of bending the string actually hardens the metal and makes it  more brittle.  Continued bending will eventually cause it to break, a  condition known as metal fatigue.  So strings have a limited number of  times they can be bent by the changer before they will break. Generally  speaking, the smaller gauge strings will be susceptible to this more  quickly, especially the .011 gauge string commonly used as the third  string on the E9 tuning.  Larger strings will usually last longer and  the player may need or want to change those strings before they break  because of a loss of brightness or tone due to the accumulation of dirt,  oil from the skin, bar wear, etc.  Where a string breaks  can be a clue as to what caused it.  A break at the top of the changer  is usually an indication of metal fatigue and simply the end of the  useful life of the string.  A break in the mounting slot of the changer  finger could be the result of a small burr or sharp edge.  Likewise, a  break at the key end can possibly indicate a small burr or sharp edge in  the hole of the key post.  A fine sandpaper (600 grit or finer) can be  used to smooth out any sharp edges that are found.  When installing a new  .011 gauge string, we recommend leaving around 6 inches of string length  beyond the post and wrapping the excess length to ensure the end of the  string that will be slightly moving as the pitch is changed will be  away from the key post hole.  Some players will use a slightly larger  gauge to help with breakage, like a .012 gauge for the E9 third string  for example, though that will usually also result in a slightly  different tone or sound for that string.  Some players find some brands  more or less susceptible to breakage and it's possible a certain run or  batch of strings will not be quite up to the quality standard they  should be and may cause tuning issues or break before they should.

Pedal Steel Guitars

GFI Musical Products Marshfield, MO USA Phone: (417) 859-2161

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