Unusual Modifications

[Tony Russell Davis]

Calum - I've seen a photo of an early Chuck Wright guitar with two rows of pedals; if I remember, there was a row of "normal" pedals and another row in the gaps between the first lot, extending further out: to the player's heel I think. And the pedal pads were at different heights(?). I'm sure it's in one of the Tom Bradshaw "Steel Guitarist" magazines, but I can't find it (and my scanner isn't working anyway). The article is about the Wright brand that eventually morphed into Sierra. Someone on here must be able to find and show the photo?

[Ken Byng]

That was Al Petty with the double bank of pedals. Al was a fine player but he was the Ron Steenwijk of his day, running a Ponzi scheme and a pyramid scheme. He was given a substantial period of imprisonment. He had a very innovative brain but he should have kept it at pedal steel level. I think that the most innovative company building pedal steels today is MSA. The company has a brainstorming meeting each week to try to come up with radical game changing ideas. It shows just what a genius Buddy Emmons was to come up with a shedload of ideas on the development of pedal steel and its tunings - not just one make of guitar but two.

[Haddock]

That sounds like quite a machine, Tony, and interesting background from Ken too! I wonder what all the pedals did?
MSA do indeed make a fine machine and its the little things, like being able to set pedal height from the seat when you change to different shoes for instance, that make it so good. Having said that, there’s some great ideas in my Sierra too and the new ones seem to be even better, though I very much doubt I’ll ever afford one…..

[Tony Russell Davis]

Thanks Ken - yes that's the name, but I didn't know the story.
Steenwijk died a couple of years ago didn't he? Left a load of grief behind by all accounts, I'm sorry to find that another steel player was a scallywag too.