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Topic: BMI Pedal Action - New Steel Player |
James Wistrom
From:
Kentucky, USA
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Posted 24 May 2014 8:32 pm |
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| I just began playing pedal steel and just got my first guitar, a BMi. I really like it a lot, but I am a little confused on the playability of the pedals. I don't know if its me or the guitar, but I seem to have a difficult time pressing the A and B pedal together as well as the B and C pedals together. In order to get the right change in tune, I have to press down the pedals pretty hard. Is there an adjustment that I should make to fix this? Or is this pretty typical for pedal steels? Thanks! |
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Edward Rhea
From:
Medford Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 25 May 2014 4:07 am
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Welcome to the forum James! Would you post some pictures of your BMI? Perhaps some "more experienced" players, other than myself, will give you a viable solution or suggestions on how to get that psg more friendly to play. So many variables. It could be one or more things binding. I will say, I've experienced a similar problem with a steel guitar I have...a thorough cleaning and lubrication on pivot points made a considerable difference. You see my guitar had sit unplayed for a time and needed some TLC.
_________________
“TONESNOB†|
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 25 May 2014 4:13 am
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I agree with Eddie. Have a player look at it, lube it if needed, and adjust it if needed (adjustments are unlikely, unless it has been "adjusted" before).
I'll also say that learning to play these things require muscle functions unnatural to daily life. Even if you have a properly functioning guitar, it MAY take awhile to get used to what you have to do to wring music out of these machines.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 25 May 2014 4:13 am
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I agree with Eddie. Have a player look at it, lube it if needed, and adjust it if needed (adjustments are unlikely, unless it has been "adjusted" before).
I'll also say that learning to play these things require muscle functions unnatural to daily life. Even if you have a properly functioning guitar, it MAY take awhile to get used to what you have to do to wring music out of these machines.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 25 May 2014 4:49 am
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It is impossible to know if your guitar has anything wrong with it or if you simply don't know what to expect in the way of resistance.
My BMI has stiffer pedals (and very light levers) than any of my other steels. It's just what it is. Not at all difficult to play. Just requires a firmer touch.
Although no steel wants to be abused, any decent instrument (and that definitely includes BMI) is intended to take real, human stepping on. Do not fear putting your foot into the pedals and definitely take the pedals down to their stops.
If you remain concerned that there may be something wrong, you will have to get an experienced steel player to check it out. No other way to know. |
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Henry Matthews
From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
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Posted 25 May 2014 7:59 am
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BMI'S are great guitars but that is one fault of the guitar, mushy or hard pedals. One thing that makes them that way is the way the bell cranks are mounted on the flat cross bar. It you will notice that when a pedal is pushed, the bell crank actually has to go up before it starts in the pull. I had a S-10 BMI that I reversed the position of the bell crank to back of flat crossbar and really improved pedal action. Had to make new longer rods to accommodate change but worked fine after finished. If I still had guitar, would post a pic but it's long gone. Of course you may have something else going on under there.
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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. |
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Dan Burnham
From:
Greenfield, Tennessee
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Posted 25 May 2014 1:23 pm Let's See
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James,
There could be several things causing it to be stiff. Like Jon said it's hard to know what could be causing the problem. All the ones I have pedal easy. It could be pull rod placement, ball placement on the pedal or rod's grabbing. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to send it to us to take a look at it, or get it to a steel tech that has experience with working on a BMI. I'm asuming it is used, plus I'm not sure who has worked on it in the past so there's not much telling what is going on with it. If you want to send it to us we can fix it.
Dan (BMI)
_________________
BMI S12 Zane Beck's Tuning
www.danburnham.com |
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Jack Goodson
From:
new brockton,alabama (deceased)
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Posted 25 May 2014 4:27 pm bmi?
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| dan: we had a jam yesterday and again today. the 1973 bmi that i talked with you about a while back was not playable yesterday but i spent a couple of hours working on it this morning and it plays great now. very positive quick pedal action and the same on the knees. fact is the guy that it belongs to wants me to add more knees. i just wish i could find me one....ha ha....thanks jack (i'll give you a call in a few days) |
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Dan Burnham
From:
Greenfield, Tennessee
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Posted 25 May 2014 7:10 pm We Have Them
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Jack,
We Have Them how many do you need?
Dan
_________________
BMI S12 Zane Beck's Tuning
www.danburnham.com |
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Jack Goodson
From:
new brockton,alabama (deceased)
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Posted 26 May 2014 6:39 am bmi?
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| dan: i am going to need 2/kits, i will call you later as i wont have the guitar until after the steel show in dothan alabama on june 22nd. it is going to need a few other misc. items....thanks jack |
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Jim Williams
From:
Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!
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Posted 28 May 2014 12:34 pm
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James, your pedals have three holes in them. Normally the ball connector is in the middle hole. if it is in the hole closest to the pedal mounting bar action will be longer and softer, if it is in the front most position action will be shorter and firmer. (I believe I am right on this, someone please correct me if I'm wrong). I've always thought the multiple holes were for adjusting to personal preferences, but recently someone said the recommended position was in the middle. I have an older BMI S10 and I've tried the pedal rods in all three positions and found the middle hole to be the best overall for me. I'm still trying to find the optimum height on the A/B pedals...I have a tendency not to get the A pedal all the way down.
_________________
GFI SM10 3/4, 1937 Gibson EH-150, 2 - Rondo SX Lap Steels and a Guyatone 6 String C6. Peavey 400 and a Roland 40 Amps. Behringer Reverb Pedal.
Last edited by Jim Williams on 28 May 2014 1:23 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 28 May 2014 12:59 pm
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Jim, other way 'round. If it gets closer to your foot, the rod will travel faster/farther, and if it gets closer to the axle, the rod will travel slower/less.
The difference lies in that the pedal is a driving lever, and the way you have it phrased applies to a driven lever. (In other words, if the force flowed from the guitar to the pedal, you'd have had it worded correctly).
That's also why on the bellcranks, closer to the axle means slower/lighter, but on the finger end, closer to the axle means faster/stiffer (Thanks to Russ Wever and Richard Burton for clearing it up for me)
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Henry Matthews
From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
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Posted 28 May 2014 1:01 pm
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Jim, I think you got it backwards if I understand you correctly. The closer to the pedal bar you put the rod, the easier the pull but longer and vica versa.
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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. |
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Henry Matthews
From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
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Posted 28 May 2014 1:01 pm
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You beat me Lane, LOL
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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. |
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Jim Williams
From:
Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!
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Posted 28 May 2014 1:23 pm
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Thanks guys, I corrected it. I always get confused on that one 
_________________
GFI SM10 3/4, 1937 Gibson EH-150, 2 - Rondo SX Lap Steels and a Guyatone 6 String C6. Peavey 400 and a Roland 40 Amps. Behringer Reverb Pedal. |
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James Wistrom
From:
Kentucky, USA
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Posted 28 May 2014 1:27 pm
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| Thanks all, that helps! |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 29 May 2014 5:24 am
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great guitars, if you want to keep guitar, send it to BMI and let them service it, and adjust it ...
Db
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www.steelguitarsonline.com |
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