Zum Steel splits

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

What is the bar (on the changer) on the lowers of a Zum that has screws in it for. I imagine it's for splits of some kind but can't figure out too set them on the lowers. Thanks -Henry
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Marvin Born · From: Ohio, USA

Go to Bruce's web site.

http://www.zumsteel.net/

Click on the manual tab and download his manual. There is a section on split tuning adjustments. It on page five or six.

Basically, It allows you to have two pitches on the same note. For example, If you have a vertical knee lever on string 5 (assuming E9) and you tune the the B note at the key head as normal, and then move the lever to lower the B to Bb, you would tune the Bb with a end plate tuner.

However, if you press the pedals A and B, then and pick string 5, the B note is raised to C# by the A pedal. If you hold the pedals down and move the vertical lever, it still lowers string 5 one half step and the note becomes a C. (lowered from C#).

The C may not sound in tune. So the spilt tuning screw allows the lowered B string to be in tune with the pedals up or down when the vertical knee lever is used.

Try this, tune your guitar as normal, I use a strobo tuner.

make sure the pedal tuning is also correct. string five will be C#

press the A & B pedals,
lower the b vertical knee lever hold all three and tune the note on string five to pitch using the Nylon tuner at the side of the guitar. Tune to C

release the pedals and knee lever.

press only the knee lever, pick the string and tune that note to pitch, using the allen screw for string five at the end of the changer. This note is Bb.

If you have a Franklin pedal, it will lower string 5 to A and the allen screw will not allow that to happen as it stops the lower. So you can't use the split screws with the Franklin pedal notes.

If this is wrong, someone speak up, as I do have aFranklin pedal and did the above set up from memory.

Marvin

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

This is the part I was talking about. I think you were refering to the other splits Marvin. Thanks alot-Henry

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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

i think, if it's like mine, that those are balance adjustments on each string which help you get the raise/lower function to settle at the proper pitch. basically they will adjust out over or under return.

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

That makes sense so how are they adjusted? My guitar only has then on the E strings on E9th and 10th string on C6th.---Henry
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Jerry Jones · From: Franklin, Tenn.

I think if you search "return compensators", you will find what you are looking for.

Here's one:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=128310&highlight=return+compensator

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

henry..i can't see well enough in your picture, but i think what your talking about is the set screw going through that metal bar at the bottom of the changer area. mine has screws on all strings, but probably only necessary on the strings that both raise and lower..if even on those. if the screws are there on..say your #4 string, E...plug in your tuner...you probably can't 'hear' the discrepancy. engage your raise and let it off...check where the returned note lies on the meter. then engage your lower and let it off..check the meter again to see where the open string note reads. if it is sharp or flat open , try turning the screw to adjust the open note to your chosen pitch. the screw just slightly alters the resting point of the changer finger. experiment a little until you get the resting position as consistent as you can.

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help and think I've got it now.----Henry
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

....the intended purpose is to get the raise to return to the same place as the lower return point.
email me if you have any questions..but i think i've said about as much as i know.

Marvin Born · From: Ohio, USA

Your picture was a lttle hard to see much detail, but I thnk the adjustments you are asking about are return compensators. Take a flash light and look directly behind the nylon tuner and the changer finger. Look for a small black rubber O-ring. many manufacturers place those on the return comps.

As the other gentlemen have said, when a string is lowered, it has a tendency to return sharp compared to what it was before it was lowered.

Once you are sure this is a compensator, choose string four to start and lower the string with the knee lever, verify that there is another nylon tuner that moves, which is the actual tuner for Eb. It should not be on the bottom row, probably in the middle, if you have a 3 over 3 changer. The bottom may move only so slightly.

On the bottom row and back off the nylon tuner (that has the o-ring) until it is not touching the changer finger.

Tune the string at the key head for E.

Raise the E via the pedal, and tune it on the upper half of the changer to F#. While you are there tune the E to F on the knee lever also.

Re check the open position for E. This has to be perfect.

lower the string via the knee lever to Eb and tune it with the nylon tuner that moved in the lower half of the changer (but not the bottom row).

Let off the knee so the string can return to E.

Raise briefly, verify that the string returns to E again.

Lower the string to Eb and then let off. It should return to E, but be a little sharp. Do this a couple of time to make sure it always return the to same place, (but sharp)

pick and raise the string then let off.

pick the string open and then lower the string to Eb and adjust the compensator nylon tuner until it just begins to touch the changer finger.

let off, raise the string, let off and pick it open and lower the knee lever again. adjust the compensator until it is Eb exactly.

raise the string, pick it open and then lower the string and verify that it returns to exactly the same as the open position.

Check the key head.

Your done.

The object is to get all four notes to be in tune, especially after returning from a lower.

Jeremiah Wade · From: Bladenboro, NC

Marvin,

My rains is set up very similar to the scenario you described. I use use the split tuning allen screws to tune the low A's of the Franklin pedal, tune my C's (AB+V) with the nylon for the vert lever. But I had to add an extra raise rod to tune the Bb. Just add an extra rod from the vertical bellcrank to an open raise finger. Cheers, Jeremy
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I'd rather be pickin'

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

Henry that guitar in the picture has a fairly old changer on it ... my 2001 Zum doesn't have that bar across the bottom, and return compensators go through the "Lower" changer holes where required. My Hybrid doesn't have that bar either of course.
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14'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
08'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
94' Franklin Stereo D10 9+8
Telonics, Peterson, Steelers Choice, Benado, Lexicon, Red Dirt Cases.

Danny Letz · From: Old Glory,Texas, USA 79540

Henry, I believe those are return compensaters like the others are telling you. They are normally used on strings that raise and lower. On the 84 that I ressembled for a friend, there were tiny coil springs in the hole behind the screws that contacts the finger. The guitar I worked on returned true enough that we didn't activate them. Bruce said they didn't work very well, but usually not very well to Bruce is still pretty good by most everyone else's standards. By the way, the slits are just above the body of the guitar on the back of the changer. They are just installed on the strings that commonly use splits. Th Zum manual will tell how to set them.

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