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Topic: Need Steel tech somewhere along tour route... |
Jonathan Lam
From:
Brooklyn, NY
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 5:32 am |
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My zumsteel started breaking G# strings at an astounding rate this weekend (6 in a row), snapped another last night right before a gig. I am leaving town for a few days and return on friday afternoon only to head out on a 3 week tour on saturday. I am looking for a tech somewhere along my tour route... Obviously sooner rather than later.
Under normal circumstances I would go to John Widgren, but I am not sure it can happen in my time frame.
Please advise!
July 10th Fredericksburg, VA
July 11th Chapel Hill
July 12th OFF
July 13th Athens
July 14th Baton Rouge
July 15th New Orleans
Jul7 16th OFF
July 17th Austin
July 18th Dallas
July 19th OFF
July 20th Santa Fe
July 21 OFF
July 22 LA
July 23 San Diego
July 24th LA
July 25th Santa Barbara
July 26th OFF
July 27th SF |
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Jim Park
From:
Carson City, Nv
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 6:26 am Re: string breakage
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If you can wait till the end of July, I would take it to Jim Palenscar in Oceanside Ca. Its between LA and San Diego. It sounds like a bad batch of strings to me.........but make sure you are only pulling your A up to 440. most .011's wont tolerate much past that. Here is his Link. www.steelguitars.me/ I'm not too familiar with the fellas on the East coast but I bet if you dig you can find a good tech along the way if you can't wait
Jim |
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Bobby Boggs
From:
Upstate SC.
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 6:51 am
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Yes, what Jim says. Sounds like a bad batch of strings unless it's pulling too sharp. Make sure the roller nut turns free. You didn't mention where the string is breaking.If it's not bad strings? Could be a number of things. I'm about 1/2 way between Chapel Hill and Athens. Just 8 miles off I-85. If you don't find a fix. Just drop me a line. But give me as much notice as possible..
bb |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Jim Hollingsworth
From:
Way out West
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 10:02 am Steel tech...
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If you are still in need by the time you get to San Diego you absolutely have to go to Jim Palenscar's Steel Guitars of North County in Oceanside. He is "the Best in the West." His shop is about 30 minutes north of San Diego. He is online - steelguitarsofnorthcounty.com.
Good luck,
Jim Hollingsworth |
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Bill Ladd
From:
Wilmington, NC, USA
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 11:49 am
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| If none of those suggestions work out, Billy Knowles is a bit less than two hours east of Chapel Hill. |
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Bobby Bowman
From:
Cypress, Texas, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 11:56 am 16'th
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If you havn't got it fixed by the 16'th, on your way through Houston, give me a call and we'll fix 'er right up.
BB
281-856-9453 hm or 281-382-9661 cell
_________________
If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!
http://www.bobbybowman.com |
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richard burton
From:
Britain
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 12:15 pm
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| Put a 10 thou string on it, and you won't have to worry about it. |
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Jonathan Lam
From:
Brooklyn, NY
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 1:38 pm
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| I use a 12 on it. But I snapped 11s. It got fixed for a few days after John Widgren walked me through a fix, but the changer is stuck in a pull, when no tension is on and I have to manually move the changer when I put new strings on. The strings are snapping on the tuner, but its not a brr on the tuner and the roller moves freely. I will try to get to Johns on friday after I come back from the airport to get this taken care of otherwise, I will see one of you out there on the road. |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 1:50 pm
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| Jonathan Lam wrote: |
| The strings are snapping on the tuner, |
Try wrapping the string around many turns (more than 10). |
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Jonathan Lam
From:
Brooklyn, NY
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 2:00 pm
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| Tried it. Full lengths of string. |
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Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 3:01 pm
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Jonathan,
Are you sure the pedal stop screw isn't missing (at times) the pedal stop?
That could allow that cross shaft to be jammed from the stop screw, being wedged where it's not suppose to be. That could then, cause the problem you're having of getting the finger to come back, (after the string breaks) as you say it's doing.
So you tune up, and the pedal stop hits the screw and it's in tune where it needs to be. But then, we'll say within a few pushes of the pedal, it doesn't hit the stop, (where it's suppose to) and bingo. It allowed it to pull the string much sharper, and it would have to break.
The above is only a possibility, but I can't be certain, since I don't own a Zum. It's Just a theory, but you might want to check into that area.............. |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 3:18 pm
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| Don Brown, Sr. wrote: |
Jonathan,
Are you sure the pedal stop screw isn't missing (at times) the pedal stop?
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Zum steels don't use a screw as a stop. The stop is fixed and can't be missed IMO. I don't see how the cross shaft could rotate too far. |
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Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 3:22 pm
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Thanks Earnest,
I'd say that pretty well Negates my theory huh!!  
At any rate, that's the area I'd start out looking into, after reading all he's done in the string wrap area of the tuning keys.
That is, along with finding out why it is that he has to pull the finger back by hand. When he finds out exactly what that problem is, that will (no doubt) also be the fix for breaking the strings too. |
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Carson Leighton
From:
N.B. Canada
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 4:44 pm
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Jonathan,,if the changer finger is not moving freely,,there has to be something causing this resistance,,such as a short piece of a broken string with the ball end still attached, lodged between the fingers..They can be hard to find.. Do a thorough search and use a flashlight if you have to..
As far as the strings breaking at the machine head,,it could be caused by too much side bearing pressure on the nut..When you replace the string, put the last turn on so the string travels straight to the machine head, even if you have to overlap the windings with the last turn..Sometimes the rollers will move freely when there is no pressure on them,(no string) but not when pressure is applied they can seize..Put a drop of light oil on each side of the roller nut so it runs down on to the shaft,,and try putting drop or two on the changer finger where it makes contact on each side of the finger...It could be a number of things,,but always look for the most obvious things first....Hope you get it fixed....Carson |
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Billy Carr
From:
Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 6:10 pm psg
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| Sounds like the ball end of a broken string may be wedged in between changer fingers somewhere. I use a small piece of foam just below the ball ends on each string to prevent this. Then again, may not be the problem. |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 6:11 pm
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| Ball end stuck in changer is a good possibility. |
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Bobby Boggs
From:
Upstate SC.
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 8:58 pm
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| Quote: |
| but the changer is stuck in a pull, when no tension is on and I have to manually move the changer when I put new strings on. |
Not uncommon if has a helper raise spring on that string. Most Zums do. A raise spring will pull the raise finger forward on any make guitar. Unless it's really loose. |
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Jody Sanders
From:
Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 10:06 pm
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| I suggest you try a different brand or batch of .011 strings. The only time this happened to me, it was bad strings. At the time this happened to me, Buddy had the same problem on a trip to England. It was the bad strings. We were using the same brand. Good luck as I know this is real frustrating. Have a good tour. Jody. |
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Jerry Roller
From:
Van Buren, Arkansas USA
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Posted 3 Jul 2010 10:42 pm
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OK, here is my suggestion. Back the raise tuning nut off, tighten the lower return spring a few turns and retune the raise checking as you go to be sure you don't over tune. It is possible that it is being pulled up past pitch then settling back to an intune A. Pullng past pitch will break it but if it don't break then the lowering finger might be moving causing it to lower back into tune. I do believe if you slowly engage the pedal you are going to see the lowering finger move and it should not. A jammed string end could be causing this to happen also as the fingers might be jammed and not working independently.
Jerry |
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Jason Hull
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Jonathan Lam
From:
Brooklyn, NY
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Posted 4 Jul 2010 3:57 am
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It is not the strings, several brands have been used. String is on it now resting peacefully but would rather not deal with string breakage while out.
I am getting into fredburg area after billy's is closed and they are not open on Sundays. |
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Colm Chomicky
From:
Kansas, (Prairie Village)
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Posted 4 Jul 2010 6:21 am
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Did you try to call Bruce? If his phone is busy just try again. He might be able to walk you through a few checks in the meantime.
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Bobby Boggs
From:
Upstate SC.
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Posted 4 Jul 2010 7:27 am
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Just a heads up. Jerry Rollers post is a must read. If the lowering member is moving forward and or sticking. That's you problem. Remember, the lowering member should line up with the others when all are not engaged.
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Richard Park
From:
Alexandria, Virginia
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Posted 4 Jul 2010 2:06 pm
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Billy Cooper in Fredericksburg, VA
billycooperssteelguitar.com |
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