pedals tense on GFI

Daniel McCombe · From: Pennsylvania, USA

Hey anybody know a simple a quick way to relive the tension on my GFIs pedals. Im assuming it has to do with the rods placement on the fingers on the crossrods. I changed strings to the same gauge and my pedals are really tense. The GFI has seven holes on each finger. Will moving the position of the rod towars or away from the body of the guitar relive tension?

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

What are meaning by "tension"?

Ken Pippus · From: Langford, BC, Canada

You're in over your head. Call GFI, they're very helpful.

http://www.gfimusicalproducts.com/index.htm

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

I agree, let GFI help you. Mine is setup "factory" as far a hole placement and plays like butter...
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Daniel McCombe · From: Pennsylvania, USA

Thanks Mine is also set to factory specs. But over time the pedals have gotten increasingly tense and just want a simple fix to lighten them up a bit.

Daniel McCombe · From: Pennsylvania, USA

Hey Erv by tention I mean they are hard to press down.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

You should be able to correct that by changing the positions in the changer and bellcranks. However, that will lengthen the distances on the pedals and knees. The shorter the action, the harder the action and vice versa.

Daniel McCombe · From: Pennsylvania, USA

thanks Erv. so on the Bellcranks I should move the rod futher away from the body to make the action Lighter?

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Daniel,
No it's just the opposite.
The closer you position the pull rod to the cross shaft, the easier the action. However, if you position it too close, you might not be able to make the change, not enough travel.

Joe Hensley · From: Boise, Idaho, USA

I have found these two little graphics have come in handy...

Daniel McCombe · From: Pennsylvania, USA

thanks fellas. ill give it a go.

ROBERT MYERS · From: HEDGESVILLE, W.VA. USA

Daniel you say over time they have gotten harder to press? Sounds like you need to check the pedals on the shaft and make sure they are not binding. If it played good before but over time the problem started I don't think changing the pulls will help.
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Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I agree with Robert: the changer might need to get lubed LIGHTLY. If you've been lubing it but have been oiling the nylon bushings at the ends of the cross shafts, the bushings may have swelled up and need replacing. Had that happen to an MSA.
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Ken Pippus · From: Langford, BC, Canada

If it played well before, and doesn't now without making any mechanical changes, messing with the bellcranks is the exit pointing to the road to disaster.

John Sluszny · From: Brussels, Belgium

Ken Pippus · From: Langford, BC, Canada

I suspect something fundamental is wrong, maybe even something pretty simple.

A historical automotive analogy. Your carburetor is falling off, and you want to fix it by changing the plugs and adjusting the timing. Without a timing light.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

When I have a pull stiffness problem, or an all-pull not going all the way to the desired pitch, I start with the fingers and work back, step by step.
If you have a pro model (all-pull), push the raise and lower fingers with a pen, pushing in from the endplate.
Then make sure the rods aren't binding (you may wanna add nylon bushings at the bellcranks),
Then make sure the crossrods move right, no binding.
Then make sure the pedals aren't stiff on their axles.
I like Ken's metaphor.
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More amps than guitars, and not many effects

john widgren · From: Wilton CT

The past, the present, and the future, walk into a bar;

It was tense.
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Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I (my wife) have a GFI Expo S-10. According to GFI, it never needs any lubrication, other than what was applied at the factory.

For the original poster, did you happen to change to a different brand of strings and/or different string gauges? That could cause a change in how the pedals feel.

Ours is stock, with no changes, other than I moved the pedals slightly to the right (toward center of guitar) so they were in line with the Left Knee Levers.

It is not as easy as my Franklin or a Zum but it is not overly hard to push the pedals.

I'm not a "tinkerer" so I haven't tried to change any leverage on the GFI. (My Franklin is 32 years old and except for 1 change addition its the same as it was when delivered in 1981).

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

the bartender says, how come one of you is always late while the other is always early?

Fred Glave · From: McHenry, Illinois, USA

Daniel, you indicated that this started happening imediatelay after changing strings, and that the replacement strings are identical to the old ones. It sounds like you may possibly have an old string part, maybe the ball-end stuck in the changer
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