Emmons

Emmons

Also known as: Emmons Guitar, Emmons Guitar Co., Emmons Guitar Company, Emmons Steel Guitars

Unclaimed

Emmons Guitar Co. is a pedal steel guitar maker based in Sevierville, Tennessee. The company traces its origins to 1963, when physics professor Ron Lashley partnered with pedal steel virtuoso Buddy Emmons to produce an instrument based on Emmons' design ideas. The resulting push-pull changer mechanism — in which separate rods raise and lower individual strings — became one of the most influenti...

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Emmons Guitar Co. is a pedal steel guitar maker based in Sevierville, Tennessee. The company traces its origins to 1963, when physics professor Ron Lashley partnered with pedal steel virtuoso Buddy Emmons to produce an instrument based on Emmons' design ideas. The resulting push-pull changer mechanism — in which separate rods raise and lower individual strings — became one of the most influential designs in pedal steel history and gave rise to the term "Emmons push-pull."

The company's catalog has centered on double-neck D10 and single-neck SD10 and S10 configurations, with the LeGrande model introducing a split-tuning feature that allowed a string to be both raised and lowered with tunable stops between pitches. Ownership has passed through several hands, including Jim Aycoth of Aycoth Machine Company, which long manufactured parts for the instruments. Present-day production is led by Darin Shiflett and Kelcey O'Neil, who have reissued the classic push-pull design as the ReSound'65, offered in D10, SD10, and S10 variants along with a Custom lacquer-finish line and a Sacred Steel model.

Emmons instruments have long been a standard in country, Western swing, and sacred steel circles, prized for their tonal character and mechanical feel. The brand's identity remains tied to Buddy Emmons' influence on the instrument and to the enduring push-pull changer that distinguishes its guitars from all-pull designs used by most competitors.

Emmons has 2 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Lap & Pedal Steel Guitars. Their gear is featured by 3 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Electronic, and Pop. Notable users include Ronnie Wood, Doug Pettibone, and Smith Curry.

Artists Who Use Emmons

Ronnie Wood uses 1 Emmons product

Ronnie Wood

Guitarist · Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes

Doug Pettibone uses 1 Emmons product

Doug Pettibone

Singer, Guitarist · Burlesque

Smith Curry uses 1 Emmons product

Smith Curry

Guitarist · Erasure

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