Common Steel Pedal Mistakes to Avoid

Because a steel pedal guitar is mechanically unlike almost any other instrument, it also creates a specific set of ways to get it wrong that a general guitar-buying checklist simply won't warn you about. Here are the mistakes I see most often, from a first purchase through to years of ownership.

1. Buying a Lap Steel Thinking It's a Pedal Steel

This happens more than you'd think. A lap steel or console steel shares the flat body and bar-playing technique but has no pedals, no knee levers, and no changer mechanism underneath — meaning no mid-note pitch changes at all. If a listing doesn't clearly show working pedals connected to a mechanism, ask directly before you buy, not after.

2. Starting on Too Complicated an Instrument

A double-neck instrument with extra pedals and levers looks impressive, but for a genuine beginner it usually just means more moving parts to coordinate before the basics have settled. A standard single-neck E9 setup with three pedals and two knee levers is the sensible starting point for almost everyone — see our beginner's guide if you're not sure where to start.

3. Ignoring the Mechanical Condition of a Steel Pedal Guitar

It's easy to judge an instrument on its finish and forget that the real value sits in the pull rods, changer fingers and pedal geometry underneath. A guitar with sloppy, imprecise pedal travel will fight you constantly, no matter how good it looks. Before buying, especially secondhand, check that each pedal and knee lever gives a stable, repeatable pitch change rather than assuming it's fine because the guitar looks well cared for. It's also worth checking the legs and pedal rack are complete and sit level — a wobbly base makes consistent pedal pressure much harder to judge, and that inconsistency can look like a playing problem when it's really just an unstable stand.

4. Skipping Proper Maintenance

Strings stretch, pull rods develop slack, and pedal travel drifts out of adjustment over time — none of that is a fault, it's normal wear that needs occasional attention. Tuning only the open strings and never checking the pedal and knee-lever changes is a common shortcut that leaves an instrument sounding progressively worse without an obvious cause. A proper setup routine checks each change individually, not just the strings at rest.

5. Pressing the Bar Too Hard

New players sometimes press the steel bar down hard against the strings, as if trying to fret them. This can pull notes sharp and make smooth bar movement considerably harder than it needs to be. The bar should glide across the strings under light, even pressure rather than being forced down onto them.

6. Underestimating the Supporting Gear

Spending an entire budget on the instrument itself and treating the volume pedal, amplifier and case as afterthoughts is a common way to end up disappointed with a perfectly good guitar. The volume pedal in particular isn't optional — it's central to how the traditional sound actually swells and sustains, not a nice-to-have accessory.

7. Assuming Local Repair Shops Understand the Mechanism

General guitar technicians are often unfamiliar with pedal steel changers specifically, and an unfamiliar repair attempt can do more harm than good — tightening the wrong rod can throw an entire copedent out of balance rather than fixing the original problem. It's worth finding someone who genuinely understands this instrument's mechanism, even if that means travelling a little further or working with a specialist by post.

Avoiding These Mistakes Overall

Most of these come down to the same underlying habit: treat the mechanism as seriously as the sound, and don't assume a general guitar-buying instinct automatically transfers to a steel pedal guitar. Our complete buyer's guide covers what to check in more depth, and our full guide to how the instrument works is worth reading if any of this still feels unfamiliar.

The Bottom Line

None of these mistakes are complicated to avoid once you know they exist. Slow down, check the mechanism properly, and budget for the supporting gear alongside the instrument itself, and you'll get years of reliable use out of it — and, if you're weighing up which tier actually suits your budget, our roundup of the best options for the money is worth a read too.

Frequently Asked Questions