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Topic: MSA Red Baron: Adjusting the behavior of the middle pedal? |
Stephen Van Dahm
From: Minnesota, USA
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Posted 18 Jun 2012 2:21 pm
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I want to fix up an old MSA Red Baron so I can start learning to play. I know that the Red Baron has a number of significant limitations, but it's all that I have to work with for the time being.
I've strung the Red Baron using the Emmons E9 configuration I found on this Wikipedia page, but I've run into a problem: the middle pedal (which raises the G# strings to A) raises the 6th string up an entire whole step to A#. It handles the 3rd string correctly.
Is there a way to tune the pedal so that it only raises the 6th string by one half-step?
Thanks for your time,
Stephen Van Dahm
Saint Paul, Minnesota |
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Jerry Overstreet
From: Louisville Ky
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Posted 18 Jun 2012 2:28 pm
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I'll try to hunt you up a link to the owner's manual for that guitar but in the meantime, here's how you adjust the raise on the Red Baron guitar. Tune the middle pedaled G# string 6 to A using the tuning key. The open no pedals note will then be flat. It takes an allen wrench at the row of screws on the end of the guitar to tune open notes. Locate the one that corresponds to the 6th string and use the wrench to tune that note back up to G#.
Hope this helps. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From: Louisville Ky
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Posted 18 Jun 2012 2:39 pm
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http://www.steelguitar.com/manuals/MSA_Sidekick_OwnersManual.pdf
Here's the link to the manual. It's pdf. format so it takes a few minutes to load.
It's for the Sidekick, but it's the same guitar with perhaps a couple different string pulls. The tuning procedure sequence is the same for both guitars however. Good Luck! You can learn a lot on these guitars. |
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Stephen Van Dahm
From: Minnesota, USA
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Posted 18 Jun 2012 7:18 pm
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I looked at the manual, followed your instructions, and got the pedals tuned. I can already play a few simple chords now that the pedals are working. Thanks for your help and encouragement! |
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Jerry Overstreet
From: Louisville Ky
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Posted 18 Jun 2012 8:04 pm
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....and off ya' go! Sounds like you're on your way. This was my first pedal steel 30 odd years ago. Enjoy the journey.
Credit for the manual should go to the late John Fabian and the crew at Carter Steel Guitars for posting these manuals, probably Bud Carter's engineering and mechanical prowess and Reece and company at MSA for making a manual available to start with. |
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