At the same time, a good design also will increase weight where it is needed for improved performance, tone, or reduction of cabinet drop. A good steel guitar design will reduce weight where it is not needed for strength or functionality. Most steels have excess weight in places and parts that have nothing to do with causing cabinet drop. Wood does not make a major contribution to the weight of a steel guitar. Many players are surprised to learn that the amount of wood used in the cabinets of most steels is very close to the same from brand to brand. Increasing the thickness of material in the cabinet (in the correct places) will reduce detuning.
Using a lighter foot will cause less detuning.If less pressure (easier action) is required to activate them, the pedals will detune less.This is because the A and B pedals are farther from the center of the guitar on the Emmons setups. Emmons pedal setups will detune less than Day setups.The amount of pressure used and/or required to activate the pedalsĪll things being equal, detuning will decrease in each of the following 4 cases:.
#EMMONS STEEL GUITAR PICKUP ACTIVATOR#
Construction and design of the pedal activator and stop mechanisms.Volume and type of wood or metal used in a cabinet.The amount of cabinet drop is basically a function of any one or a combination of these 4 things: Is this accurate? What causes cabinet drop, anyway?Īll pedal steel guitars have some cabinet drop (physical detuning). I heard recently that a manufacturer is claiming that lightweight steels have compromised cabinet design, leading to the "dreaded 'cabinet drop'" (detuning as the pedals are depressed). If the hum still does not go down to what you deem to be a reasonably acceptable level, you should contact your pedal steel guitar builder and see what kind of humbucking pickup they recommend.Also, try doing the tests mentioned (in #1 and #2) above after moving your steel and accessories away from various sources of light, such as fluorescent lighting, black lights, stage lights, and so on.
The purpose of this is to change the direction of the flux field from the power transformer(s) in the amp and/or rack so as to reduce 60-cycle hum from being induced into the coil of the pickup. Then, try moving and reorienting the amplifier head and/or effects rack, which you keep near the guitar (keyhead and/or pickup end). If your cords, volume pedal and effects are all fine, then reconnect all of them.