Brisco Steel Guitars 

Introduces the ⚡Brisco-Bolt ⚡ A quality entry-level pedal steel guitar

The well-made ⚡BRISCO-BOLT⚡functions much like a professional pedal steel yet is priced more affordably like a student model. Although it’s a no-frills instrument, it sounds good, is easy to play, & having an ‘All-Pull’ mechanism makes it easy to understand the tuning method. And unlike past student models this guitar can definitely be taken out on a gig.

About

The BRISCO-BOLT is a single-neck, 10 string, set-up with the E9th Chromatic tuning, which is the standard tuning choice for many players. This tuning is extremely versatile and can cover any musical genre you can imagine. (Even though professional pedal steels are offered in a single-neck 10 string E9th tuning, double-neck (E9th & C6th tunings) & single 12 (E9th/B6th tunings), the vast majority of the steel playing you hear is done on the 10 String E9th tuning).

The BRISCO-BOLT has 3 foot pedals & 4 knee levers (see tuning chart Fig. 1).  As on any pedal steel, the pedals and the knee levers are used to bend the pitch of selected strings or pairs of strings: both the foot pedals & knee levers can raise or lower the selected strings by a Half or Whole Step (one or two frets). Although there is no absolute standard for the pedal & knee-lever setups on a pedal steel (many players adopt slight variations). The BRISCO BOLT is designed with what’s considered the most commonly used E9th configuration, & that its setup works with virtually all of the teaching materials on the market, which is important.

Important Feature

The BRISCO-BOLT is an ‘All-Pull’ pedal steel, which is the easiest & simplest pedal steel mechanism to understand & tune. The open tuning is tuned with the top tuning keys, while the foot pedals & knee levers are tuned with the nylon hex tuners in the changer (right-hand) endplate. 

Another Bonus!

Most other student model pedal steels use another form of tuning which results in more complications in understanding the tuning method, & usually have a ‘fixed mechanism’ (copedent). The BRISCO BOLT is set up with what the industry refers to as the ‘Emmons Set-up’ with regards to the foot pedal layout plus having the E’s lowering (4th & 8th strings), the most important Knee Lever located in the LKR (Left Knee Right) position. The RKL is set up to raise strings 1st & 7th  which is a common change. Alternatively this Knee Lever can also be switched to lower just the 5th string a half tone. Both these changes are commonly found on professional high end guitars on either an extra vertical Knee Lever or foot pedal.