Carry-On Pedal Steel

[Paul Strojan]

I have had an idea for a pedal steel that would be able to be put into an overhead bin. Southwest and Frontier carry on size is 24”*16”*10”. Using Pythagoras, I figure that there is room for 26 inch long guitar. With a 22.5” scale length that would allow for 3.5 inches for a keyless tuner and changer.
The essentials of the pedal steel are the A and B pedals, and the E lowers and raises, If we limit ourselves to two pedals and two knee levers, I think we can get away with playing on the lap and using a cable mechanism to actuate the pedals. I would like to have an extended E9 to be able to cover armpit guitar parts.

[Larry Allen]

Aloha I fly Alaska and Hawaii with an Excel S-10. 24 1/4” scale, guitar 27” long. Ext E9 7/5..soft case, 22 lbs..

[Peter J Birch]

Never seen this one, does star Sid James and Kenneth Williams?

[Steve Lipsey]

The successor to the Excel, the Shoji pedal steel, even comes in a suitcase!!
https://www.shoji-workshop.com/en/light ... itar-case/

[Paul Strojan]

Thanks for the replies. I am sure the Japanese guitars are great instruments but what I envision is having a guitar that is something that you can take out of your bag while waiting and just be able to play.

[J D Sauser]

I have a very compact Keyless Excel Superb with the 24" scale. I had a padded bag made just for the guitar. The rack and pedal fit diagonally in a suit case. So, for trips I don't trust "checking" her in, that's how she travels. Never had more than some raised eyebrows and a bet I won at a Caribbean country''s customs check where they claimed this was some "machine" when they saw it upside down and I insisted it IS a guitar. We agreed that if I could prove it was a guitar, I could just go, no more questions and BS about paying duty... turned it over, strummed it once,, put it back and said "Gentlemen, good day!" and waltzed out chin up.

... J-D,