Pedal Steel Guitar | How to Change Strings and Routine Maintenance

[@johnmcclung4736]

Aaron, can't believe I've been playing and changing strings for 50 years yet got some great tips for string changing from this video. One trick that deserves highlighting is to insert the string into the keyhead post hole from the BACK side, furtherest from the changer, to get an easy crimp. Thanks, brother in steel!

[@SteelPicking]

Great to hear! Thanks for watching and your comments!

[@lukeorianamusic]

This video was very informative, and you explained everything so clearly. Thank you.

[@SteelPicking]

You are so welcome!

[@freeroamvideomagazine8714]

This video and many of your others helped me tons!!

[@artbaker82]

Thanks! Helped me to change my first set of strings on my pedal steel. One thing to warn others about, the previous owner of my guitar used windex to clean and smeared a small portion of the paint on the guitar. It's the Stage One with hammered steel finish so different than what is common for most guitars, in case others have the same one.

[@SteelPicking]

That's great that the video could help you out! Thanks for sharing; that is great information to pass along! Keep picking!

[@williammitchell5201]

Thanks very much for this video. This is very helpful information and really appreciated!

[@DannyRussell-l6c]

Thanks so much. You sure showed me some easier methods to put on strings. I use the same products but this helped a lot!

[@SteelPicking]

You are so welcome!

[@Junior-jw1bb]

I took your advice and bought the Mother’s Metal polish and it worked great. It removed the tarnish and the guitar looks really nice again. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@SteelPicking]

Joey, no problem. I am really liking this product and how well it works. Thanks for letting me know! Aaron

[@Steelplayer59]

Reassuring to see you use the same products and procedures I've been using over the years to maintain my own guitars. Thanks so much for your excellent videos. You have re-sparked the drive to learn again after a long period of staleness, both in my playing and progress. God bless!

[@SteelPicking]

Mike, thank you and God bless! Aaron, Keep Picking!

[@oldbootband]

Thank you for taking the time to make this video, I learned a lot!

[@SteelPicking]

JD, glad to help. Keep Picking! Aaron

[@billybellino9697]

This helped out a lot! Thank you for making this video!

[@SteelPicking]

Glad that it could help, Billy! Thank you and keep picking!

[@arisxanthos6758]

I would like to take a minute and express my appreciation and gratitude for this and your other videos. In my corner of the world, people who know how to play or maintain a pedal steel are really, really rare, so having access to the knowledge you’re sharing through videos like this is invaluable for me. Thank you so much! By the way, do you happen to have a video on how to maintain and in particular lubricate the undercarriage and changer? Maybe it’s very dependent on the model though.

[@SteelPicking]

Aris, you are welcome. I am glad to help and share. Thanks for your kind comments. Keep Picking! Aaron

[@lancemartin8465]

Thanks so much for the video! I really appreciate you taking the time for it. It's been really helpful for me.

[@SteelPicking]

Lance, thanks glad you checked out our channel!

[@PedalSteel-by2hx]

Great video with a lot of good tips. Thanks and God bless!!

[@SteelPicking]

Shawn, thank you and glad it helped. Keep Picking! Aaron

[@TheDive25]

thanks so much. Fantastic video that every steel guitar owner should check out.

[@SteelPicking]

Thank you for watching and the kind comments!

[@deepwater2652]

Thanks for the great video - very helpful!

[@SteelPicking]

DW, glad to help. Keep Picking! Aaron

[@jonathanlee5907]

Thanks for this. I have just bought a filthy Carter Starter guitar and this is really helpful knowing the right products to use without damaging it. Next to work out how to adjust the pedals and levers because they're a mess (one of the knee levers doesn't do anything at the moment...)

[@SteelPicking]

Glad that the video can help! Hope the setup goes well! I think there might be some videos on KZbin to help with the pedal setup. If not, the pedal steel guitar forum is a great resource as well. Keep picking!

[@SteelPicking]

Tom Bradshaw might have some videos on KZbin or his site covering pedal setups.

[@jonathanlee5907]

Thank you again Steel Picking!

[@AntoineLoiselleMusic]

Thank you!! It was really helpful

[@SteelPicking]

Antoine, no problem glad to help. Keep Picking! Aaron

[@ivanpainter357]

thanks for the jnformation sounds like good advice ivan from illinois

[@SteelPicking]

Glad that it could help, Ivan! Keep picking!

[@albanantonarnold]

this is great info for me (rank beginner!)

[@SteelPicking]

Jonathan, glad to help. Keep Picking! Aaron

[@KountryCuz1]

I use Windex on My Guitars also It works Great and None Grease Thanks

[@SteelPicking]

Yes , I like it. I just do not let it set long before I wipe it off. I also like the fact it gets into the tight areas around the key heads. Thanks and keep picking! Aaron

[@Kapperman]

Very useful,thanks 👍

[@SteelPicking]

Roland, thanks. Keep picking! Aaron

[@allensells5654]

Do you have a video on cleaning / oiling the undercarriage / linkage and pedal adjustment?

[@SteelPicking]

No but sounds like a great idea for a future video. Keep Picking! Aaron

[@darrenboedeker2045]

When you do the 5th string, you can grab at the key and pull it back 2 keys to eliminate guesswork

[@SteelPicking]

Darren, thanks for sharing. Keep Picking! Aaron

[@psycoticreaction9135]

I like your BMI, I have one and really love it!!!!

[@SteelPicking]

A really well made guitar. I was restringing this one for a friend of mine.I had a good time playing it and they do sound good! Keep picking! Aaron

[@mssippijim]

I've owned two of these, unfortunately they were very high mileage when I got them and needed a rebuild. They are great guitars though.

[@maverickdallas1004]

That cleaning cloth is better known as a "steel guitar rag"!

[@SteelPicking]

Lol Keep Picking! Aaron

[@randolphpatterson5061]

Nice video! Do you have a video showing how to do routine maintenance on the underside? I have a ZB that sat for a while, and I'd recently monkeyed around on it & now I'm getting the clunks from the pedals feeding into the pickup & out the amp. It didn't have this problem when I first got it, and I'd played it immediately in my theater gig for a full season with no issues. I read some advice on a few forums and have a few ideas in mind, but first I'd prefer to bring the instrument into good mechanical order per factory setup before I attempt any fixes. The two areas I'm looking into are possibly applying some silicone sealer to where the pickup mounts, to help isolate it mechanically from the body, maybe even potting the pickup, and also looking into some way of attaching some dampening material to the places where hard parts make contact, such as the pedal stops etc. Any advice would be terrific. I studied luthiery under Mark Hendrickson in the 1980's and instrument electronics & acoustic science at Red Wing College in the 1990's. I got the ZB in 1993, but after my season in theater was over the thing just never got much use, as I went on to play lead guitar in a traveling band. I restore vintage amps and do repairs on guitars, but I worked a variety of other jobs until retiring this last spring. I'm gonna get into the repairs full-time now, and want to learn as much as I can. I liked & subscribed.

[@SteelPicking]

Randolph, thanks. Check out the steel guitar forum for some insight on this. Sounds like you are on the right track. Thanks. Keep Picking. Aaron

[@IvesMarcelin]

Good evening. Nice model 😊👍 i watch this vidéo and i see than you use the oil 3 in one ? She is not so ...dry ? for those mecanic (slack) and all rod and the Bell crank etc ?i wich is the right way for the strings inside the exe round head because i don't see well the part turning hen you do that ...... ok the same way than the clock-wise Tank you very much for that video you give the good information 👍

[@SteelPicking]

Thank you; glad that it helped! Keep picking!

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Now you can use D'addario Nyxl Pedal Steel Strings

[@SteelPicking]

I will have to try those some time!

[@mssippijim]

Would some type dry lube be ok, I am in a fairly dusty environment and would be a bit concerned about the oil attracting dust.

[@SteelPicking]

James, yes that will work. A dry graphite or lithium should be ok. The main thing is not putting excess. Keep Picking! Aaron

[@mikedavis7733]

I have 70’s Sho Bud Maverick And I’m looking fingers that’s where the strings hook too also the rods. One side of the claw that’s holds the string off. If anyone can help I would really appreciate it . Thanks

[@edwardkujawa]

do you clean changer see Jeff Newman use sae 30 weigtt oil not 3 in one or wd-40 either on Sae 30 wt

[@SteelPicking]

Thanks for sharing.

[@rrobb786]

How often would you recommend changing strings? I know the answer to that might differ depending on how much you play... I'm new to pedal steel but an experienced guitarist. What should I be looking for to know when it's time to swap them out?

[@SteelPicking]

To me if you start having tuning issues or braking strings. Also losing sustain. When I played out a lot I usually changed one time a month and my 3rd every time before I went to the gig. Hope that helps!

[@davidmorgan3450]

Sir can you help me with my pedal steel guitar I have a Mallons d10 Royal precision eight pedals eight knees rosewood formica can you post a video on KZbin how to set your pedal action your height I seen the one video you had but it didn't tell me how to set the height how high or how long and I need to know something else how do I put a 22 round on the 6th string and give it pedal travel and take the 20 plane off there more like a show bud metal sound on the guitar like Lloyd Green if you can help me I sure would appreciate it thanks Dave

[@SteelPicking]

Hey David. I'm not sure what you mean by the height exactly. Do you mean how to adjust the pedal rod height? Also, we have two videos talking about string gauges that discusses wound vs plain as well as the 6th string: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJnOgZRmeturnJI and kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYazfKJ6dtqan68 Also, if you live close to us, we might be able to look at your guitar. Feel free to email us more information at [e-mail] Let us know if you have any further questions and keep picking!

[@klinger5303]

i am in an equally isolated territory Spent most of my days batching concrete String changing is an equal challenge Lets call it a string theory

[@SteelPicking]

Wayne, the guitar is a little challenging and I hope the videos are helping. Keep Picking! Aaron

[@pedalsteel5]

thumbs up

[@SteelPicking]

Tom thanks for looking at our channel!

[@pedalsteel5]

Aaron, thanks for the hints on cleaning...I have never tried to wine my strings without over lapping them....I do break my 3rd and 5th strings about every two shows...so I take them off when I know I'm getting close...one more thing : what gauge do you use for your 3rd string..??? thanks, tom

[@SteelPicking]

Tom no problem glad the video was helpful! I have tried several different gauges on my 3rd, but always seem to come back to an 11. If you continue to brake strings make sure you do not have a bur on the key shaft were you insert the string through the hole. Also you might try an 11.5 are a 12 next time and see how that works for you. Thanks ,Aaron.

[@VidarLund-k5q]

Isn't the tip of the string pointed rather than sharp? A knife and blades are sharp ... Sorry, just wondered. Great video. Think about how time consuming those old four neck steel guitars are. Just changing strings and then tuning them.

[@SteelPicking]

Yes you are correct. Just want everyone to know that you can get a painful poke on the string end. Thanks and keep picking!

[@DrivingHousecat]

What is Zum's website called? I can't find it.

[@SteelPicking]

I am not sure, actually. I couldn't find it either. Maybe try looking on the steel guitar forum? That is the main place that I can think to look for Zum information. Hope that helps! Aaron

[@stevec8851]

Zumsteig retired a couple years ago. He's done building guitars.

[@psycoticreaction9135]

I usually only take one string off at a time. clean under the string. replace string. tune string. I have found that all guitars respond to this method. Taking ALL the strings off at the same time radically stresses the truss rod neck force relationship. I know that this is a pedal steel, but maybe, just maybe you might………...

[@SteelPicking]

Thanks for sharing. I never really thought of this, but it makes sense. I will check it out. Thanks! Aaron

[@randybird9979]

pedal steel guitars don't have truss rods

[@THELONIOUSMONstertrucK]

Glass Plus is better. It doesn't contain alcohol or ammonia and won't harm metal, pain or finish.

[@SteelPicking]

That is good advice; thanks for sharing!

SUCESSO.

[@SteelPicking]

Thanks for checking out our channel! Thank you so much and Keep Picking!

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Recycle your strings

[@jonathanklass9768]

OK Video except for taking off all the strings before the video starts.............

[@SteelPicking]

Good point.

[@gregduncan5281]

NO NO WINDEX NOT UNLESS ITS AMONIA FREE USE DAWN DISH SOAP

[@SteelPicking]

Thanks for sharing, Greg!