fender pedal steel

rosett · August 4th, 2004, 07:24 PM

today i bought an old fender pedal steel. i've been looking on the internet, and i'm going to join the steel guitar forum, but i'm too impatient to wait.
it has two 8-string necks, one raised higher than the other. the logo stamped on the tuner plate looks like a late 60's- early 70's logo. the pickups are kind of oval shaped, and the covers are heavy, chrome plated steel pieces that look like the old richenbacher pickups. it has 4 pedals, but looks like it used to have 5. all the linkages have been monkeyed with, but they kinda work. the wooden parts have all been painted, but the two metal ends that have the leg mounting sockets have what looks like the original red to black burst finish. the volume and tone controls as well as the selector switch and jack are mounted on the end. the only identifing marks are the logos on the tuner plates.
anybody got any ideas?
thanks, john

jwhitler · August 4th, 2004, 10:25 PM

a Fender 400 or 800

JJ · August 5th, 2004, 08:30 AM

or maybe a Fender 1000. I had one of these at one time. As you will soon find out, they arent much as far as a "modern" steel goes. If it is the steel that I am thinking about, it has cables instead of pedal rods. The guys at the steel guitar forum will have all the info you need. Good luck

jwhitler · August 5th, 2004, 02:08 PM

i'm sorry, the 400 and 800 were single necks.
the 1000 and 2000 were double necks

Mark Davis · August 5th, 2004, 02:26 PM

Fender pedal steels have alot of problems.

rosett · August 5th, 2004, 06:06 PM

it has rods, not cables, but the whole thing looks like it has been messed with repeatedly. it has 4 pedals now, but it looks like there used to be 5. i'm also wondering about those pickups. they have horseshoe magnets like a richenbaker, and it's highly possible that they aren't fender, although the actual pickups look alot like tele pickups, except that they're oval.
i paid $200. for the thing, and i went into it thinking it was a good price for a double neck table steel, but the pedals actually working is a benefit. steel will never be my main thing, i'm just trying to have a little more fun...

oh, and by the way, i can't find any mention of fender ever making a d8 guitar with less than 8 pedals
john

Silverface · August 5th, 2004, 06:31 PM

It's a Fender 1000. It should have at least 8 pedals, but there are some floating around with less.

They're quirky pedals steels, but lots of fun and have great tone. It's not that they are full of "problems" - the cable-pull system is just different and a bit limited.

But Sneaky Pete has played one for decades and done pretty well....

August 4th, 2004, 07:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
rosett Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: montana Posts: 217	fender pedal steel today i bought an old fender pedal steel. i've been looking on the internet, and i'm going to join the steel guitar forum, but i'm too impatient to wait. it has two 8-string necks, one raised higher than the other. the logo stamped on the tuner plate looks like a late 60's- early 70's logo. the pickups are kind of oval shaped, and the covers are heavy, chrome plated steel pieces that look like the old richenbacher pickups. it has 4 pedals, but looks like it used to have 5. all the linkages have been monkeyed with, but they kinda work. the wooden parts have all been painted, but the two metal ends that have the leg mounting sockets have what looks like the original red to black burst finish. the volume and tone controls as well as the selector switch and jack are mounted on the end. the only identifing marks are the logos on the tuner plates. anybody got any ideas? thanks, john

August 5th, 2004, 06:31 PM	#7 (permalink)
Silverface Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Hermosa Beach CA Age: 56 Posts: 1,884	It's a Fender 1000. It should have at least 8 pedals, but there are some floating around with less. They're quirky pedals steels, but lots of fun and have great tone. It's not that they are full of "problems" - the cable-pull system is just different and a bit limited. But Sneaky Pete has played one for decades and done pretty well.... __________________ “No Chops – Great Tone” ©

August 4th, 2004, 10:25 PM	#2 (permalink)
jwhitler TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Bloomington IN Posts: 55	a Fender 400 or 800

August 5th, 2004, 08:30 AM	#3 (permalink)
JJ Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lubbock, TX Posts: 348	or maybe a Fender 1000. I had one of these at one time. As you will soon find out, they arent much as far as a "modern" steel goes. If it is the steel that I am thinking about, it has cables instead of pedal rods. The guys at the steel guitar forum will have all the info you need. Good luck

August 5th, 2004, 02:08 PM	#4 (permalink)
jwhitler TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Bloomington IN Posts: 55	i'm sorry, the 400 and 800 were single necks. the 1000 and 2000 were double necks

August 5th, 2004, 02:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 58 Posts: 12,480	Fender pedal steels have alot of problems.

August 5th, 2004, 06:06 PM	#6 (permalink)
rosett Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: montana Posts: 217	it has rods, not cables, but the whole thing looks like it has been messed with repeatedly. it has 4 pedals now, but it looks like there used to be 5. i'm also wondering about those pickups. they have horseshoe magnets like a richenbaker, and it's highly possible that they aren't fender, although the actual pickups look alot like tele pickups, except that they're oval. i paid $200. for the thing, and i went into it thinking it was a good price for a double neck table steel, but the pedals actually working is a benefit. steel will never be my main thing, i'm just trying to have a little more fun... oh, and by the way, i can't find any mention of fender ever making a d8 guitar with less than 8 pedals john