Wooden Pedal Bars

[Colin Boutilier]

I've been doing a deep dive into all things un-affordable, and I've spotted a couple of steels that had strikingly beautiful wooden pedal bars that matched the cabinet.

Is a good hardwood sufficient to fight off pedal bar flex, or are these actually aluminum bars with some hardwood inlay work? I'm debating building one for myself someday at work to see how it performs. I'm a sucker for a pretty wood grain.

[Erv Niehaus]

I think the wood pedal board was used to save costs on some of the cheaper steels.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Sure, some pedal bars I've seen are pretty flimsy only being constructed from some lightweight alum channel.

Hardwood would be fine and sturdier than some alum pedal racks. Only downside I can see is weight and subjectability to nicks, dings etc., but if you're just leaving the guitar in your music room/locale should be just fine.

I like your idea of custom building with inlay and engraving etc.

Keep us posted.

[Jack Hanson]

For what it's worth, I've had two Emmons GS-10s from the 1970s that were factory equipped with a hard maple pedal bar. One was lacquered, and the other was clad in Formica, to match their respective instruments. Neither exhibited any negative issues from flexing or anything else.

[David Ball]

And don't forget the old Fender guitars. I always thought their wooden pedal bars looked pretty elegant.

Dave

[Colin Boutilier]

Sure, some pedal bars I've seen are pretty flimsy only being constructed from some lightweight alum channel.

Hardwood would be fine and sturdier than some alum pedal racks. Only downside I can see is weight and subjectability to nicks, dings etc., but if you're just leaving the guitar in your music room/locale should be just fine.

I like your idea of custom building with inlay and engraving etc.

Keep us posted.

Weight is of no concern to me. I'm carrying a Twin Reverb in the other hand anyways...

I'm modifying a Carter Starter until a real steel lands in my lap someday. The stock wood bar might as well be a pool noodle.

I'm a high school shop teacher, so I have the tools to do whatever I feel like. I might fool around with some lengths of hardwood flooring I have left over from my father's house.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Oh definitely an improvement over the stock starter bar.

Hardwood flooring is oak far as I remember, so it will be heavy.
My hat's off to you lugging around a Twin Reverb. Back in the day, I used to tote 2 Nashville 400s, one in each hand, but no more.

[Colin Boutilier]

Oh definitely an improvement over the stock starter bar.

Hardwood flooring is oak far as I remember, so it will be heavy.
My hat's off to you lugging around a Twin Reverb. Back in the day, I used to tote 2 Nashville 400s, one in each hand, but no more.

I'm still young (by pedal steel player standards)

[Dennis Detweiler]

I think Oak or Hickory would be stout? You could also inlay a piece of 1/8" thick steel or 1/4" thick aluminum across the back of it?

[Colin Boutilier]

I think Oak or Hickory would be stout? You could also inlay a piece of 1/8" thick steel or 1/4" thick aluminum across the back of it?

My original idea was to simply affix the original wood bar into the webbing of some aluminum channel, until I spotted some pretty figured wood ones on the internet.

[Donny Hinson]

The downside is that, being at floor level, they get scratched and scuffed very easily. Boots and mic stands were the biggest offenders, but they also get damaged in the case sometimes. That's why I got tired of it looking worse and worse, and covered my old Fender 1000 pedalboard with contact paper. (The Fender 400 I have now has a hard plastic finish, so it's a lot more durable than varnished or lacquered wood.)

As long as it's wide and thick enough, maybe at least 3" x 3/4", I wouldn't expect a problem with with flexing if you used any hardwood.

[Colin Boutilier]

The downside is that, being at floor level, they get scratched and scuffed very easily. Boots and mic stands were the biggest offenders, but they also get damaged in the case sometimes. That's why I got tired of it looking worse and worse, and covered my old Fender 1000 pedalboard with contact paper. (The Fender 400 I have now has a hard plastic finish, so it's a lot more durable than varnished or lacquered wood.)

As long as it's wide and thick enough, maybe at least 3" x 3/4", I wouldn't expect a problem with with flexing if you used any hardwood.

I just cut one at 3" x 3/4" out of some hardwood flooring leftover from my parents' house.

[Erv Niehaus]

I believe it was MCI/EMCI that had an aluminum pedal board with a slot in it that they slide a piece of Formica in to match the Formica on the guitar.

[Bobby D. Jones]

GFI Guitars have a space for insert in front side of pedal bar.

A pedal board to stiff could be a problem also.

A real stiff pedal board with zero flex, Could cause tuning problems. If the pedal bar is stiffer than the front apron.
When pedals are engaged, The front apron could/would flex and cause problems with detuning on certain strings.
Good Luck on this project, Happy
Steelin.