The Pedal Steel Synthesizer Is A New Guitar/Synth Hybrid Instrument

Here’s another demo of the Pedal Steel Synthesizer – a new hybrid instrument design that combines elements of traditional synthesizers and pedal steel guitars.

It’s designed by Merkaba , which already sells a $35 guitar sustainer, the Sound Stone. The Pedal Steel Synthesizer incorporate the company’s Sound Stone sustainer technology into a pedal steel design. In addition, it adds analog delay, filter, and a string bending pedal that lets you play minor and major chords.

The video features the prototype of the Pedal Steel Synthesizer. Merkeba expects a production version would cost around $1,200 USD. They’re starting to share previews to determine if there would be a market for the Pedal Steel Synthesizer.

8 thoughts on “The Pedal Steel Synthesizer Is A New Guitar/Synth Hybrid Instrument

  1. Man it sounds really cool, but $1200 is steep. Who knows what the finished product will look like though, maybe it will be worth it.

  2. If it looks and sounds amazing, the USD1200 price would not be unusual for a guitar… But, how many steel guitar players are looking for this? I love the sound of steel guitar and have often been tempted to try to learn. If this were around USD500, it might tempt me.

    1. Hello! I’m the creator of the instrument, and to be honest I have no idea what the price will be. Hopefully we can make it as affordable as possible – closer to $700. But, since it’ll be hand built by my brother and I, we will have to make it worth the time for us.

  3. Pedal steel guitars are very cool and not just for country or “Americana”.

    Three strings may be enough but I don’t like that the bar is on rails, making it impossible to tilt or use diagonal placement for different chords or single line work. They could reduce the cost probably by going with a lap steel (no pedals but right hand palm levers for pitch changes).

  4. Cool sounds but I don’t understand why it is described as pedal steel. I don’t hear any strings changing pitch relative to others.

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