Left handed PSG?

[ossettjohn]

In the middle of the night I woke up with a thought. Building a left handed PSG from scratch is a big undertaking and simply swapping the strings round, as you could do on a normal guitar won't work. What about simply moving the pickup to the nut end and moving the fretboard down to the changer end? I know it would look odd but would it play OK? All the pedals and levers would operate on the same strings as before so why not?

Anyone out there with any thoughts on this idea?

[Will C]

In principle John I don't see a problem. Some types of PSG even have two changers, one at each end - one for raise, one for lower. The electronic servo-operated one I breadboarded had the changer at the left hand end, so as to get the magnetic noise from the servo motors as far from the pickup as possible. There is no immutable law says the changer has to be at the same end as the picking hand, just convention.

There is one practical drawback, though. PSGs tend to taper. The string spacing at the changer is greater than the nut end. No special reason why though AFAIK. If your changer is at the thin end, then every component of each changer finger has to be that bit thinner. That might cause problems in manufacture, or in tuning, or just mechanical reliability.

My Curnow steel started life as a leftie, but was rebuilt t'other way round.

Will C

[Jason Lynch]

thinking out loud here, but-
If you turned the pedal board round the other way and fixed it to the rear legs rather than the front, so its still facing in to the guitar, the only obstcle would be the pedal rods.
perhaps you could install a set of bell cranks so that the rods, in their new position, would in turn pull the original cross shaft in their old position. (space underneath allowing) re-rod the knee levers as required.
then, you would be sitting at the front of the guitar, not the back. put a sticker on the back depicting the name of manufacturer.

[Tony Russell Davis]

OK, seeing you already have a GFI, I'm guessing that this is an academic thread - so here's some more thoughts: -
Before the 70's many right handed console steel guitars (i.e. with legs) were made with the pickup at the peghead end, Gibson for instance. Some of these (like the Harlin Bros. MultiKords and Gibson Electraharps) also had a changer at the left end and often covers were fitted over both the tuners and the changer so the ends were symetrical.
So it's possible (taper permitting, or finding one with a parallel fretboard) to do what you first suggested and swap the ends over. That could entail still pedalling with the left foot. Otherwise the guitar will have to be substantially re-built to make it totally lefty - a BIG job. Also remember that many guitars are different in front to the rear design; the apron might be deeper at the front and cut away behind for the knees, the deck of a standard single neck can be wider behind the neck and so on.
There was an article years ago about self build v buying, and buying won out hands down unless you have a well stocked workshop and ability.
Regards, Tony

[Will C]

Jason's idea of turning it round is good, until you try to implement it! You'd have to move the cranks on the end of the cross-shafts from one end to the other, and the stops. You couldn't just pull them from across the underside of the guitar, the pull would not be at right angles to the shaft. You'd most likely get binding, tightness and accelerated wear in the cross-shaft bushes. Not to mention whether pulls would now become pushes, but it's much too early in the morning to think about that!

Will C

[Jimmy Gibson]

I converted a lefty to a righty I admit I cut a few corners BUT I did it and it worked great and ended up a real nice looking steel I used it on several gigs it was great to play light and it sounded great with no tuning problems, I am not sure but It may be the blue Curnow steel that Will has and I wish I still had it.Maybe Will can put some pics up.


Jimmy.

[slimbo]

Best way to get over being a lefty, is to do a Lloyd Green, he's a lefty who learned to play as a righty.

[Basil Henriques]

All a complete waste of time even trying to change a steel to left handed IMHO.
Do you not realise that a left handed player has an incredible advantage on a right handed steel ?. His dexterity in his right hand has to be developed BUT the accuracy and strength of his bar hand will more than offset the apparent disadvantage, Like wise with a left handed person learning on a right handed regular guitar, they already have the strength where it really matters.

I my experience, any left handed person that I've taught has reaped the benefit of using a right handed guitar.