JCH Steels: Some Questions About These

[Don Mogle]

Hello Everyone,

I have some questions about JCH steel guitars for current or past owners.

1) JCH Pedal/Pedal Rod Configuration: There were two types. One mounted to the pedal on top. The other mounted the pedal from the side.

For the pedals that mount on top, did you ever have any problems with the pedal being too short once your feet hit the rod? Once your feet hit the rod, that's as far as you can go. I wish builders would make longer pedals to deal with this issue.

2) How did you like the sound, build quality, ability to make small repairs and changes, etc. Would you purchase one again given the opportunity to?

3) Do you have a source for parts such as bell cranks, etc.?

4) Was there ever a chart of serial numbers online somewhere? I know there was a JCH registry out there but that is not longer viable or active it seems.

All comments are welcome...and show us you pictures if you can or still have them saved. I'd like to especially get some closeups of the bellcranks and other mechanical sections. Were there many changes through the years?

Thanks in Advance,

Don

[Wayne Brown]

The registry is right here. In regards to your question "would I get another" YES IN A HEART BEAT
viewtopic.php?t=124207
Thanks
wayne

[scott murray]

John Hughey referred to JCH as the Rolls Royce of pedal steels even years after leaving the company. he’s the H in the name along with Jimmie Crawford who did most of the building and Harold Jenkins (aka Conway Twitty) who helped them get started financially. Jimmie teamed with Russ Park for several years in the 90s and the name changed to CP but eventually reverted back to JCH.

other pros who’ve owned and played JCH include Lloyd Green, Buddy Emmons, Sonny Garrish, Russ Hicks and Buck Reid to name a few. Buck also worked with Jimmie for the last few years of his life.

I’ve owned 3 total with both types of pedals mentioned and never had a problem with either. Jimmie was a master builder who built Emmons guitars for many years before starting JCH. he did continue improving the JCH design over the roughly 25 years of its existence. in fact, John Hughey grew somewhat weary of the constant innovations which led to his departure.

I don’t know that JCH parts are still available but I know other brands often have compatible parts. Rittenberry sometimes uses JCH fretboards which they inherited after Jimmie passed on.

as for serial numbers, Jimmie’s wife Elsie kept records of every guitar built (only around 200 I believe). she’s still with us but I don’t know the state of her records

[Marco Schouten]

Emmons Legrande and GFI bellcranks work fine.

I have been trying to keep a copy of the JCH registry and keeping it up to date, using info that I find on the Forum. It is not online though.

[Don Mogle]

Thank you to all of you who have responded.

I wonder if Elsie is still living? If yes, she must be getting close to age 80-90.

Thanks again!

[scott murray]

as I said, Elsie is still with us

[Douglas Cresanta]

I have a question, concerning the JCH Guitars:

Are there any schematics or drawings, of the wiring, for the pickups and selector switches?

Anyone, have any information on this, for the JCH double necks?

It would be helpful to know.

Thank you,

Doug C.

[Brett Day]

Three players I know who are still playing JCH steel guitars are Buck Reid with Lyle Lovett And His Large Band, Randy Hess, who played steel with Trace Adkins, and Steve Sturm, who played steel in Travis Tritt's Country Club Band. Steve still plays his white JCH D-10 that he played in Travis's band. Buck Reid still plays his red JCH D-10 in Lyle Lovett's band, and Randy still plays the JCH he played in Trace's band. In 1998 and 1999 Brook Langton played a JCH steel while in my friend Danni Leigh's band

[C J Fox]

As for Elsey, I spoke with her on the phone back before this last Thanksgiving and she does have her JCH inventory book available. I had D10 # 1009 and she confirmed it was built for John Hughey. It has since sold and I have a SD 10 red JCH at this time.

[Don Mogle]

Can someone PM or email me Elsie Crawford's contact information please?

Thanks.