Harlin Multi-Kord

[Jif]

There's an interesting discussion going on atm on the US forum regarding who invented the first pedal steel, which on reading leaves the answer very open ended and open to dispute.

However there was a link to a Youtube video of Rick Jecker playing a Harlin Multi-Kord, I've obviously heard of these and seen pictures but this is the first time I've actually heard one played and it sounds pretty good

So I thought I would share this with the forum, perhaps some of the more experienced players on the forum could give a bit more detail on how this was setup, the copedent etc, it would be interesting to find out more about the early developments which led to today's technically advanced pedal steels.

[Jif]

This is an interesting article re the Gibson Electraharp, some great pictures of the instrument and the mechanics.

http://collections.nmmusd.org/PluckedStrings/Guitars/Gibson/5918/Electraharp.html

From what I've read, the Harlin Bros sent their original design to Gibson to see if they were interested in producing it, Gibson rejected the idea then a couple of years later started producing their own version which was blatantly copied from the Harlin Bros design. I think the Harlin Bros sued Gibson and won their case.

You can see from the pictures that the Electraharp is almost identical in mechanical design to the Multi-Kord.

[Uncle Roy]

Nice interesting find Geoff.
I have read up on the Harlin brothers many times and heard of the Multi Kord but like yourself had never heard one being played.
Thanks for posting.

[Danny Mitchell]

Shorts! Barefoot!! Plectrum!!! What's the world coming to? Standards are most certainly slipping, Rees-Mogg will be feeling faint!
That apart, I really like the sound from this early version of the pedal steel, and playing with the plectrum gives a hammer on vibe. Sweet. Though having the pedals bunched in the corner wouldn't do your back much good in the long term, I'd imagine.
Great piece of detective work there, Geoff. It definitely looks like Gibson lifted the concept.
I echo Roy, great post.

[Tony Russell Davis]

It was a great design. I had one some years ago, a double-8 that somebody had sawn off the pedal end! It was a cheap and interesting D-8 which stated me on non-pedal guitars. I would love another - WITH the pedals
As far as I have found out, the Multi-Kord was made in 6 and 8 string single and double versions and some "interesting" speckled colourways - the double had only one neck pedal-activated and the general idea was to engage a pedal or two in order to change the basic tuning from one to another (e.g. A6th to B11) to simulate a multi-necked guitar. The idea of "pedalling in" changes came much later when more developed mechanisms were available to handle that technique. However the video shows that they had the potential had anyone thought of it back then.

[Jif]

It was a great design. I had one some years ago, a double-8 that somebody had sawn off the pedal end! It was a cheap and interesting D-8 which stated me on non-pedal guitars. I would love another - WITH the pedals
As far as I have found out, the Multi-Kord was made in 6 and 8 string single and double versions and some "interesting" speckled colourways - the double had only one neck pedal-activated and the general idea was to engage a pedal or two in order to change the basic tuning from one to another (e.g. A6th to B11) to simulate a multi-necked guitar. The idea of "pedalling in" changes came much later when more developed mechanisms were available to handle that technique. However the video shows that they had the potential had anyone thought of it back then.

Hi Tony, yes one of the reasons the original poster on the US forums posted this link was to show that note bends on this instrument were possible as the guy in the video demonstrates. Whether anyone used this technique at the time is anyone's guess though!

[Tony Russell Davis]

Geoff - The "most accepted" history that "Slowly" (recorded 1953, Webb Pierce with Bud Issacs on steel guitar) was the first recorded use of a pedal glissando on some strings against a sustained chord as a deliberate musical effect. That was the forerunner of the pedal shifts that later became so common. "Traditional history" then tells of splitting the shift to A and B pedals by Emmons and Day - all of it being most probable rather than set in stone.
There had been recordings of pedal glissandos before 1953, Alvino Ray in 1946(?) "Stormy Weather", but those shifts are to carry the melody and do not appear to be a deliberate effect like Issacs'. There will, no doubt, be others I haven't heard. The guitars available back then would be Harlins and (later) Electaharps - until Bigsby around 1949 (pedals added to Speedy West's guitar, again, maybe others). There were also many Fender String-Masters and the like, tinkered with by (inter alia) Shot Jackson to add a pedal or two - generally a hole drilled through the tuning pan to accommodate a rod or cable to bend string(s) behind the nut is the clue.
The whole story is surrounded by rumour/claim and counter rumour/claim so nobody can do more that stick with your personal favourite version

[Jif]

Thanks for the info Tony, very interesting, I'll check out the songs you have mentioned.

Later - Checked these out, I see what you mean, following the melody rather than using it as an effect.

If anyone is interested here is a link to the discussion on the US forum.

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=380270&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&sid=93a9a45316535cd6eceed3764bd501b2

Last edited by Jif on Thu Apr 21, 2022 11:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Mcneilwaeasteel]

A very interesting post regarding the history of pedal steel guitar and it makes interesting viewing, thanks for reposting this Jiff.
Would I be correct in thinking that the nice tone from this instrument, comes from the longer scale length in comparison to shorter scale “Modern” pedal steels.
Regards bare feet and tippy toes, very little pressure would be required to raise the strings as string tension would be the only resistance met, with that pedal arrangement bunions might become a problem!

[Tony Russell Davis]

Robert - It's a while ago but if I remember right the scale was pretty short at 23In.