PSG --- an example of Mature Design ?

[Zebedee]

Like the bicycle, I contend that the pedal steel guitar is an example of Mature Design, ie it isn't going to drastically change any time soon.

Like a bicycle, it has to fit the human body, and mechanically it is very simple, in the grand scheme of things.

I can get the same sounds out of my old (1960's) pedal steels as I can out of any current models.

My playing does not improve when I play a current model, in fact, my playing is exactly the same, no matter how antiquated my steel is, just like when I ride a bike, it doesn't matter if the bike is 100 years old, it still performs the same function.

Has the PSG reached its design peak?

Opinions, please

[Ken Byng]

Its basic design - yes. Arguably, very often older pedal steel guitars sound better than modern ones. Old 'Buds and push pulls are revered by many for their tone, although there is the odd exception to the rule. The Show Pro guitars sound great, as does the Rittenberry.

Richard - as long as there are strings on a pedal steel and rods or cables changing the tension, and a bar is used to slide up and down the strings then its design concept will not change. There will be inroads into mechanical improvements with better and more accurate machine technology, but what was in place 50 years ago has changed very little in its functionality over the years.

[Rick B]

I’m going to argue both yes and no, just for a laugh

I like the term ‘mature design’. Another one: ‘appropriate technology’. Nuts, bolts, rods and levers can be fixed on the job, both at home and down the Dog & Duck.

After all what use is a space-age computerised steel if you find yourself having to try to borrow a Firewire lead from the drummer

As for tone... I’m with you on that. I also can't imagine the pedal steel IS going to drastically change anytime soon.

But...

Onboard automatic guitar tuners are already with us and they work. Imagine strumming all 10 strings and having the steel fine-tune to your exact preferences in a split second. Press a pedal or lever, and it tunes the pulls and lowers too. Maybe with as much development money as in the general guitar market, someone could have that up and running by next year and in production the year after.

Another thought (American accent: "Hey let's, like, think blue skies, guys"). Have the pedal steel’s design limitations influenced the commonly accepted playing style to such a degree that we only THINK that antiquated technology is all we need? For example: a crank can pull a string up a tone or so and no more... not safely. What if a new system came along that offered far more string travel, or an infinite number of pulls on one lever with no increase in stiffness? What if (yeah, a BIG 'if') that helped steel playing take off in other genres and styles? Would we still consider ‘Buds and ZBs and Emmons sufficient for the task then?