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Topic: Help for newbiein NW Missouri |
Jeff Shaw
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 5 Feb 2011 6:19 pm |
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First hello. OKay now to buisness
Just got my first steel today. An old rusler from what i can tell. Nothing fancy at all. Amp, v-pedal, effects pedal, blah,blah,blah.I am trying to tune it and was able to get it in tune open. The pedals are all out of whack. I can't get them to tune . A pedal 5 string could only get it as high as C. I need someone to show me how to set this up.Is there anyone in NW Missouri that would be willing to meet? |
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Jeff Shaw
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 5 Feb 2011 6:35 pm
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| oh and one of my tuners broke. Look like they say Klauson deluxe on them...Know where I can get one? |
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Mickey Adams
From:
Bandera Texas
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Posted 5 Feb 2011 8:16 pm
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Jeff Ive got some Klusons...Are they all metal?..."Butterfly" type like on old gibson Les Pauls?...
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Paul Sutherland
From:
Placerville, California
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Posted 5 Feb 2011 9:42 pm
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Tell us more details about your steel; photos of the underside and problem pedals and levers would be good. Also, what is your copedent, and which pedals and levers are you having problems with?
I assume you are trying to get the A floor pedal (commonly the first floor pedal on an Emmons set-up) to raise the fifth string from a B to a C#, and its only going up to about C. That whole tone raise should be real easy for the steel to do, unless you have a major restriction due to dirt, gunk and grime in the linkage or changer. It's also possible there is a broken string ball end struck in the changer.
Turn the steel over and using a bright light, examine the linkage and changer as you move the various levers and pedals. You may see something obvious. You may also see a need for some cleaning and lubrication.
Common wisdom on the forum seems to be; clean with Ronson's lighter fluid; lube with Tri-Flow Superior Lubricant, dry formula, & do all this outside or in a well ventilated area, as they are flammable/toxic, etc. That just might solve your problem(s). Don't get the lighter fluid on the lacquer finish as it could ruin the finish.
You may also want to consider putting a new set of strings on the guitar just so you know what gauges you have and that some funky old strings aren't causing the problems (not likely but new strings are always nice). When the strings are off, clean and lube the rollers at the nut.
Sometimes a steel is so far out of adjustment that the changer is already partially engaged even when you are not activating any pedals or levers. In other words, someone really didn't know what they were doing. In that situation, the changer doesn't have enough travel left to make the raise or lower that you want. It's not the steel's fault; it's operator error.
A good course of action would be to back off all the raises and lowers at the nylon tuners at the end- plate. By doing this the levers and pedals temporarily do nothing to the strings. Then tune all the strings open at the keyhead. Then tune each pedal or lever using the end-plate nylon tuners.
This process assures you that the changer has the full range of travel that it was designed for.
If you have done this and the steel still won't make the whole tone raise, you may have a different kind of travel issue. The pedal (or lever) may simply be out of adjustment and need more travel. In other words, the changer is not bound up, and is capable of making the full travel necessary for the change, but the linkage simply doesn't activate (push) the changer enough to do the job completely. If that's what's going on, the only solution I know of is to increase the travel in the pedal or lever linkage.
It would be surprising that such an essential pedal would be so far out of adjustment, unless this steel's copedent has been converted from something else without properly revising the pedal and lever travel stops. Surprising but not impossible.
On your Rus-ler there should be a set screw adjustment for each pedal on the front apron of the guitar. Using an Allen wrench you can increase the travel of the pedal.
Hope this is of help. Your Rus-ler should be a real reliable steel that tunes up and holding it's tuning very well. Keep us posted.
PS: Welcome to the forum. |
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Jeff Shaw
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 6 Feb 2011 6:18 am
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Well I feel honored to be able to speak with Mickey Adams. I have been studying your you tube videos for a solid year in anticipation of getting this guitar. I traded an old motorcycle for This instrument with a carlsboro 100w amp and a box full of brand new acc.
I could tell it was in disrepair when i got it, but am confident it can all be fixed. It had a regular bronze wound guitar string in place of the 3rd string. and all the pedals were stiff. with some tinkering I am managing to get them to move. I will try to get some pictures up today. I also orderd A set of strings. As for my codependent I'm not sure. I am tuning straight from my "Mel Bay" instruction book. Yes the tuner Is a Kluson. Two hole with a small metal button, the mechanisim is covered by a metal shroud that says Kluson Deluxe and the number stamped on the back is 169400, but I think that is the paten number. what I am finding is I tune the string to "b" Then depress the pedal I was able to tune the top bolt to a little above "C" but cant get to "C#" with out effecting the open tuning. IN fact the pedal just gts stiff. I also notice that I have to knee levers. the knee left only moves left and the right lever only moves left. the only placethe guitar says "Rusler" is at the bottom of the Aluminum fret board. Which I found a Rains fret board on ebay that I will probably put on. |
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Bob Simons
From:
Kansas City, Mo, USA
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Posted 6 Feb 2011 6:20 am
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There are a number of very knowledgeable guys in your area who are happy to assist new players or direct you to the assistance you need. I suggest you contact the newly formed Heartland Steel Guitar Association centered in the Kansas City Area. Many fine players, (also many of the rest of us including beginners,) all good guys, and extremely generous with their time and encouragement.
Good luck!
http://heartlandsteelers.org/Index.htm
_________________
Zumsteel U12 8-5, MSA M3 U12 9-7, MSA SS 10-string, 1930 National Resonophonic, Telonics Combo, Webb 614e, Fender Steel King, Mesa Boogie T-Verb. |
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Jeff Shaw
From:
Missouri, USA
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Larry Baker
From:
Columbia, Mo. U.S.A.
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Posted 6 Feb 2011 9:09 am
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Jeff, welcome to the forum. I'm in Columbia, Mo., probably not to close to you, and I'm certainly not a tech when it comes to repairs. I would be happy to help if I can with my little amount of knowledge. Larry.
_________________
Mullen G2 SD10 3 & 5 The Eagle
NV112 amp===Earnie Ball V.P. |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 6 Feb 2011 9:25 am
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| Jeff pack up your steel and come on down to Lebanon Mo. and spend a few days with me and Stuart in the studio at Beth Eden, getting your Steel fixed up, pick a little with Band in a Box and have some fun. Email me. |
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Jeff Shaw
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 6 Feb 2011 2:36 pm
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| would love to come down, I will send a pm. I am a watch and learn guy, dont read much music or tab. I do play guitar and sing so i'm sure we could have fun. I just don't want my first experience with a steel to be a bad one due to mechanial crap. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 7 Feb 2011 3:15 am
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| Chuck Abend is in Gladstone (KC North) and can probably help you with the mechanical end. He's rebuit and modified several steels. |
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Jeff Shaw
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 9 Feb 2011 9:16 pm
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| does anybody have a number I can contast george abend at? |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 10 Feb 2011 2:59 am
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It's Chuck Abend, not "George".
I found a number doing a white pages search that looks like it could be Chucks number as its the only one listed in Gladsone: (816) 436-8449 |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 10 Feb 2011 5:43 am
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If you are you near St. Louis, you could take it to Scotty's to have it set up properly.
Here are your pictures from photobucket.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Jeff Shaw
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2011 6:17 pm
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| Well Chuck was a smash hit. Thanks for the great advise. He said he hadn't seen anything like it. The pedals are mounted in the center which threw him. I figured it would take a couple weeks, it took him two days. Disassembled, cleaned, tuned and he also found the fret board was mounted a 1/2" off. Sounds great, and he plays a mean steel. He loved the sound and did't see why I couldn't play it to the top. Now if I can only learn to play this thing:) |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 18 Feb 2011 3:17 am
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| I've known Chuck for years as I only lived a couple of miles away. Chuck has rebuilt and modified several steels, including a push pull Emmons and his Zum. This was probably "a piece of cake" for him. |
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