On a pedal steel, the open strings and the changes are tuned separately. The open string is set at the keyless tuner. Each raise or lower is set at the changer end, with its own tuning nut or screw. If those are tuned in the wrong order, or the strings are past their best, changes won't land.
Tune in this order:
- Tune every open string with a tuner.
- Engage one pedal or lever and tune the strings it changes, using the nut or screw for that change.
- Release it and recheck the open strings.
- Repeat for each pedal and lever.
- Play your common combinations, like A and B pedals together, and listen for anything that sounds off.
Other common causes:
- Cabinet drop. Pressing a pedal can make the body and changer give slightly, so other strings go a little flat. Some drop is normal on many guitars. Tuning the changes while the guitar is set up the way you play it helps.
- Worn strings. Old strings, especially the plain ones under the most pedal work, don't move cleanly and don't return to the same pitch.
- The wrong gauges for the guitar. Different pedal steels want different gauges, and a set that's off by even a couple of thousandths may not tune back.
- Friction. Dirty or worn bridge rollers and nut slots can let a string hang up.
We cut sets for Emmons guitars (EM) and Sho-Bud guitars (SHO), such as EME9TH and SHOE9TH on E9, and EMC6TH and SHOC6TH on C6. If you play another make, the EM sets are the more common starting point. All are in Pedal Steel Guitar Strings.