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Topic: Carter Starter LKL Repair Question |
Steven Tekulsky
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 24 Sep 2016 9:01 am |
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| Have an old Carter Starter that was my first pedal steel, always had adjustment problems with LKL....travelled very far before moved the strings. Now, it won't move the strings at all.....when pressed as far to the left as it can go, doesn't engage any tension on the strings.......(any suggestions? Thanks, Steven |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Steven Tekulsky
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 24 Sep 2016 10:43 am Carter Starter LKL Repair Question
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| Thanks, Jerry....have looked through many threads on the issue, but those common fixes won't solve this problem. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 24 Sep 2016 10:53 am
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OK, what happens to the various parts of the pull train when you move the lever?
The RKL has all the same parts: turn the guitar over in the case and work the levers. Notice what the RKL does and see what is going pear-shaped in the LKL.
To paraphrase Tolstoy, all working levers are alike: malfunctioning levers are unique in their misery.
_________________
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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Steven Tekulsky
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 25 Sep 2016 8:37 am Carter Starter
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| Lane: I already did that, and the RKL works fine....when the lever is pushed, there is tension on the part that pulls the rods and moves the strings. When the LKL is pushed it does not move the rod at all..... |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 25 Sep 2016 9:05 am
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If I remember correctly, the lever is attached to the cross-shaft that the bellcranks (the part on the cross-shafts that pull the rods) are on.
Are you saying:
1) the lever isn't turning the cross-shaft, or;
2) The cross-shaft isn't turning the bellcrank, or;
3) the bellcranks aren't pulling the rods?
Lever should rotate shaft, shaft should rotate bellcrank, bellcrank should pull rod. Which bit isn't happening?
_________________
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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Jeff Harbour
From:
Western Ohio, USA
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Posted 26 Sep 2016 3:24 am
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| Lane, you can eliminate #2. The bellcrank is welded on. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 26 Sep 2016 3:51 am
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Unless a weld/braze failed. Unlikely, but still (yes, I'd forgotten about that part).
_________________
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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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 26 Sep 2016 7:09 am Re: Carter Starter LKL Repair Question
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| Steven Tekulsky wrote: |
| Have an old Carter Starter that was my first pedal steel, always had adjustment problems with LKL....travelled very far before moved the strings. Now, it won't move the strings at all.....when pressed as far to the left as it can go, doesn't engage any tension on the strings.......(any suggestions? Thanks, Steven |
Suggestion...yes, and I mean this in the most helpful way, but it's still going to come off like I'm an a-hole. Oh well, I just feel like this needs saying:
Look closely at what's going on, and learn a little about mechanics - first, second, and third class levers. A pedal steel is full of them, and and understanding how and why these simple devices work will take the mystery out of what you're doing when someone's trying to diagnose and "fix" your problem by telling you what to do. And learn what the various parts are called, too. The guys here that will gladly and freely help you need to know a little more about what's going on with specific parts of the system to be able to solve your problems in a more efficient manner. Telling your car mechanic "My car won't run" really isn't saying much. Telling him "My car won't start, but the lights and horn work, and I've got plenty gas" goes a long way towards helping him diagnose your problem without him having the car right there. 
(We now return you to the regularly scheduled programming.) |
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Steven Tekulsky
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 26 Sep 2016 8:39 am Carter Starter LKL Repair Question
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Donny.....excellent advice, no offense taken. I am actually quite handy, but not with respect to this bizarre instrument!
Taking another closer look at the LKL and RKL to figure out what I can. |
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Ron McLaren
From:
Buckinghamshire, UK
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Posted 26 Sep 2016 10:56 am
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Steven it may seem a silly reply but, the nylon tuning nut hasn't stripped out has it. ?
_________________
Homebuilt E9, Roland Cube amp, Telecaster |
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Jim Horan
From:
California, USA
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Posted 28 Sep 2016 10:10 am carter starter
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| First thing that I would check is the pull rods, mabe too much slack. Check the nylon tuning nuts, make sure they make contact and are not stripped out. |
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James Collett
From:
San Dimas, CA
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Posted 29 Sep 2016 9:41 pm
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I own/played one off and on for 10 years, and one of the problems I had was that the arc-shaped swing of my leg would bend the knee lever on its mount (aka a welded bell-crank with a bolt through it) so that it no longer hit the screw "stop" at the same place. Not knowing that problem and adjusting the tuning rods accordingly means that eventually you hit the point where you push the lever most of the way over before before the rods start pulling the changer and bending the note. Fixing the lever stop as shown in one of that thread Jerry posted helps with this, though the lever may still get bent. This may or may not be your problem, but it's something to look at.
For what it's worth, my Carter Starter ended up looking like a Frankenstein guitar to keep it playable. But what's the fun in learning/playing without some swearing over the work bench? 😉
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James Collett |
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