How to build a pedal steel guitar from a kit

Building a pedal steel guitar from a kit is a practical way to enter the instrument without paying the full price of a finished professional model. You will learn how the cabinet, changer, pedals, knee levers and undercarriage work together, while gaining an instrument that can be adjusted to suit your playing style.

For Australian players, a kit can also make sense when local second-hand options are limited or expensive. Whether you are chasing the bright sound of classic honky-tonk, modern Texas country or western swing, careful assembly matters as much as the timber and hardware. A patient build will give you better tuning stability, smoother pedal action and a clearer understanding of how to maintain the guitar.

Kit or approach	Best for	Main advantage	Main caution
Complete pedal steel kit	First-time builders	All major components supplied	Instructions and hardware quality vary
Partly assembled kit	Players with basic workshop skills	Less mechanical work	You still need to align and regulate the instrument
Custom parts build	Experienced hobbyists	Maximum control over sound and layout	Higher cost and compatibility risks
Used guitar restoration	Budget-conscious players	Often cheaper than new hardware	Worn changers and pedals may need repair

Choose the right kit and setup

Start by deciding how many strings and pedals you actually need. A ten-string E9 pedal steel is the most useful format for country, honky-tonk and contemporary Nashville-style playing. Eight-string models can be simpler and lighter, but they offer fewer familiar chord positions and may make future lessons or tab harder to follow.

A beginner-friendly kit should include the body or cabinet, endplates, changer, keyhead, tuning machines, pedal rack, pedals, pull rods, bell cranks, knee levers, legs and a pickup. Confirm what is missing before ordering. Some suppliers sell a “kit” that excludes strings, a case, wiring, tools or even the knee lever hardware. Shipping from the United States or Europe to Australia can also add freight, GST and customs charges.

Think about transport and climate. A compact single-neck instrument is easier to move between a Sydney rehearsal room and a gig, while a double-neck model offers more musical range but adds weight and adjustment work. In Brisbane or Darwin, humidity can affect timber and metal parts, so store the finished guitar in a stable indoor room rather than a hot car or damp shed.

Prepare the workspace and tools

Set up a clean bench with strong lighting and enough room to turn the cabinet over safely. A padded work surface protects the lacquer or veneer, while small containers prevent screws, springs and E-clips from disappearing. Photograph each stage of the build; those images are valuable when you later need to trace a pull rod or replace a return spring.

The basic toolkit usually includes metric and imperial Allen keys, small spanners, screwdrivers, needle-nose pliers, side cutters, a ruler, a string winder and a digital tuner. A multimeter is useful for checking the pickup and jack wiring. Use a thread-locking compound sparingly on suitable metal fasteners, but never apply permanent adhesive to parts that may need adjustment.

Read the kit instructions before tightening anything. Pedal steel hardware often uses fine tolerances, and forcing a screw into the wrong thread can damage an expensive part. Keep a notebook with the original measurements, pedal changes and tuning readings. This record becomes your reference during setup and future servicing.

Assemble the cabinet and changer

Begin with the cabinet, endplates and legs. Check that the cabinet sits square and does not rock. Install the legs firmly, but avoid excessive force against threaded sockets. If the kit uses wooden components, inspect every joint for movement before adding the undercarriage. A small alignment error at this stage can make the pedals feel uneven later.

The changer is the heart of the pedal steel. It contains fingers that raise or lower individual strings when the pedals and knee levers move. Install it exactly as directed, checking that each finger pivots freely and returns to its neutral position. Do not flood the mechanism with oil; a tiny amount of appropriate lubricant on the correct pivot points is generally enough.

Fit the keyhead and tuning machines so the string paths remain straight. The nut rollers should turn freely, and the strings should leave the rollers without sharp side angles. Mount the pickup with even spacing across the strings, then connect the output jack with the correct polarity. Before closing access panels, plug into an amplifier and tap each pole gently with a small metal object to confirm that every string position produces a signal.

Fit pedals, knee levers and pull rods

Turn the cabinet over on a padded surface and install the pedal rack according to the supplied measurements. Pedal spacing should allow your foot to move naturally without catching adjacent pedals. Most E9 setups place the common A, B and C pedals in a familiar order, but follow the kit’s recommended layout if the bell cranks and pull rods are designed around it.

Attach the bell cranks to the cross shafts, then connect the pull rods to the changer fingers. Leave adjustment threads loose at first. Each rod needs a clean line of travel, with no contact against the cabinet, neighbouring rods or the pedal rack. When a pedal is released, the return spring should bring the mechanism back to a reliable neutral position.

Knee levers require careful positioning. Sit at the instrument and check that the levers fall naturally under your left and right knees without forcing your hips forward. Tighten the hardware only after confirming the playing position. If you are building a left-handed or unusual configuration, check compatibility before drilling any new holes, since many kits are built around standard right-handed layouts.

Tune and regulate the instrument

String the guitar with a suitable E9 pedal steel set rather than ordinary electric guitar strings. The gauges and wound-string construction affect both the open tuning and the amount of travel required from each pedal. Bring the strings gradually up to pitch, then stretch them gently and retune several times. A fresh set may take a little playing before it settles.

Tune the open strings with a reliable chromatic tuner, preferably in the same room where you will practise. Next, test each pedal and knee lever separately. If a note raises too far, shorten the relevant pull or adjust the stop; if it does not reach the target pitch, increase the travel carefully. Make small changes and retune after every adjustment.

Pedal steel tuning is a balance between open notes, pedal changes and cabinet return. Some players use a tempered approach, while others tune selected intervals by ear. Listen to the instrument through the amplifier at performance volume, because a change that seems minor acoustically may become obvious in a band. Regularly check that the changer fingers return to the same position and that no rod is binding.

Shape the tone and learn the instrument

Once the mechanics work, set the pickup height, amplifier EQ and volume pedal. A clean amp with moderate treble, controlled bass and enough midrange will reveal tuning problems without hiding the instrument’s character. Use a proper steel guitar volume pedal if possible; smooth swells are central to the sound and help sustain notes without excessive distortion.

Practise blocking, bar control and accurate intonation before attempting fast pedal changes. Start with simple two-string harmonies, slow slides and major chord grips. Listen to classic recordings and compare how the bar, volume pedal and vibrato create expression. The honky-tonk covers that crossed into the charts provide useful examples of country phrasing, even when the pedal steel is supporting rather than leading the arrangement.

Australia has an active country scene stretching from Tamworth to Melbourne, Perth and regional Queensland. A home-built instrument can be tested at a local open mic, country jam or steel guitar gathering, but transport it in a padded case and allow it to acclimatise after moving between air-conditioned rooms and hot outdoor venues. Keep spare strings, a tuner and basic Allen keys in your gig bag.

The instrument will need occasional maintenance. Wipe the strings and changer area after playing, inspect the pull rods for looseness and check pedal travel every few months. If you become interested in the wider honky-tonk community, you can volunteer with Roothog and stay close to music programming, listeners and independent country culture while developing your own playing.

A pedal steel kit rewards methodical work. Assemble the mechanical parts without rushing, record every adjustment, and give yourself time to learn how the instrument responds. With a stable setup and regular practice, your DIY guitar can become a dependable voice for Australian country bands, home recording sessions and late-night honky-tonk playing. Explore the radio schedule, put on a few classic tracks, and use your finished steel to bring those sliding harmonies into your own music.