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Topic: Changing strings on an EXCEL U-12 |
Robert L Brown
From:
Brownsville, TX USA
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Posted 24 Oct 2018 4:32 pm |
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| Need a little assistance on changing strings on my EXCEL U12 guitar. I've never done this on a keyless guitar and am unsure how to go about it. Which end goes on first, etc? Would appreciate any help. |
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Rick Kreuziger
From:
Merrillan, Wisconsin
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Posted 24 Oct 2018 5:37 pm
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| The ones I own and have owned had the ball end hooking on the left side. (As your seated at the guitar). There a few different variations of string fastening on the Excels. Can you post a couple pics? |
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Robert L Brown
From:
Brownsville, TX USA
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Posted 24 Oct 2018 8:26 pm
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Rick Kreuziger
From:
Merrillan, Wisconsin
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Posted 25 Oct 2018 2:56 am
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Okay, yours has the ball end on the changer end.
You'll want to back off the tuners (the thumbscrews on the changer) all the way to let the string slack.
Then loosen the allen screw on the nut side of the guitar and remove the string.
Install your new strings by hooking at the ball end first. On the allen screw side you should wrap it around the screw and pull up on the string to put a bit of tension on the string. This will ensure that you have enough tuner travel to get the string up to pitch.
In reference to the string wrap around the allen screw, there's two schools of thought: 1. Wrap around the screw clockwise so that as the screw is tightened it pulls the string tighter. (as it's routed in the picture). 2. Wrap it counter-clockwise so that the string wrap will resist the screw loosening. |
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Robert L Brown
From:
Brownsville, TX USA
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Posted 25 Oct 2018 12:36 pm
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| Rick, thanks for the info. I think I can do it now. How much slack should be left in the string before starting to tune? And, one more question - which is recommended, one string at a time or all at the same time? |
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Rick Kreuziger
From:
Merrillan, Wisconsin
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Posted 25 Oct 2018 1:00 pm
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You should pull it tight. The idea is not to leave slack that the tuner may not be able to take up before coming to pitch.
One string or all at the same time, it makes no difference.
If I'm cleaning the fretboard I'll do all of them at once,
otherwise I'll usually do one at a time so I can rough tune each string to pitch as I go... just a little quicker. |
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Robert L Brown
From:
Brownsville, TX USA
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Posted 25 Oct 2018 1:13 pm
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| Got it - very much appreciated. |
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Mike Vallandigham
From:
Martinez, CA
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Posted 25 Oct 2018 6:48 pm
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Wow. That style of changer was only made by Mitsuo for a short time. Maybe 6-7 years ago? Something like that, I can' remember exactly. I've only seen a few. Bill Stafford had one, and Carl Dixon might have had a guitar made for him with that changer.
Awesome piece of machinery.
Rick's advice is spot on. A few tips I can offer on Keyless Excels in general:
-It's definitely helpful to pre-stretch the strings. Especially like 7 thru 3. Put a drill bit in your vice, place ball end over drill bit, grab other end of string with vice grips, tug firmly.
-You'll probably have to hold the changer finger back to the stop while tightening the allen screw end(to get enough slack out) This can be challenging. A helper might be of benefit.
My new Excel has the ability to re-tighten the string anchor after tuning up with the tuners, so if you need more tuner travel, you can back off the tuner fully, unlock and retighten the locked end, and then tune up again. Slick.
So many variations of the Excel. Mitsuo is a wizard level engineer. A great guy. |
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Robert L Brown
From:
Brownsville, TX USA
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Posted 26 Oct 2018 6:31 pm
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| Thanks Rick and Mike for the help and also for the tips. Love the Steel Guitar Forum. |
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James Quackenbush
From:
Pomona, New York, USA
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Posted 6 Nov 2018 5:28 am
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| I have a half inch wooden dowel about 4 inches long with the small hole drilled through the center of it ...... I thread the wire end of the string through the hole, and wind the string around the dowel a few times and use that to pull my string tight ...... I use the dowel on all my keyless U12 steels...... works like a charm !!.........Jim |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 6 Nov 2018 4:45 pm
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I'll try that. Up till now I've used round-nosed pliers but your dowel sounds easier!
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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