Knee lever adjustment

Justin Jardine · From: Wisconsin, USA

Hi all,

I was making some adjustments to my E levers since I wasn't quite able to get the E to an E flat, and after unsuccessfully messing with the position of the rods in the bellcranks, I found an easier solution, which was to adjust the screw on the stop (I'm not so clear on the terminology here, so I've included some pictures below). The steel is in tune now and apart from the relatively large travel on the E to E flat lever, seems to play fine. You'll see below, however, that the stop is no longer horizontal, and in fact the spring doesn't even touch the body anymore. Is this ok? I'm not entirely sure why that spring is necessary, since the return springs are able to bring the lever back into its position just fine. For comparison, the third picture is my E to F lever, with horizontally positioned stop and the spring touching the body.

Thanks for your help!

Sorry about the poor photo quality - those were some awkward angles!

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

When it comes to tuning and adjusting a steel guitar the stops are very important.
To make the manufacture of a steel guitar SIMPLE? parts are made to do every thing it will take on any string or combination to tune.
Once the guitar is constructed and tuning and adjusting begins, Stops allow you to control travel of pedals and levers to get precise tunings, on any string.
Stops can be direct contact with the body of the guitar by a lever, A bar on a cross rod that stops when it contacts the body and are adjusted by moving the lever to adjust for tuning.
Some guitar makers use set screws with a lock nut for easy adjusting.
Some stops are sleeves with set screws on the pull rods themselves.
Some guitars have half stops that are spring loaded to allow a definite feel, Then allow the pull to go higher or lower to another note.
Some guitars have stops on both sides of some pulls. Some GFI Guitars have adjustment on both sides of their knee levers that allows for very precise tuning and adjusting the levers for comfort also.
Stops is one of the natures of the beast.
Playing a steel guitar is an adventure, Sometimes working on them is a nightmare.
Good Luck and Happy Steelin.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

What kind of steel guitar is that? Doesn't look like any
Thing I've ever seen before.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 55 years and still counting.

Justin Jardine · From: Wisconsin, USA

Bobby - thanks for the reply! When you say parts are made to do everything it will take on any string or combination to tune, do you mean I shouldn't worry if it's in an awkward-looking position and the spring doesn't make contact with the body, as long as it's working?

Richard - this is an ABM, a German manufacturer and subsidiary of Framus. I moved out here and you tend to find relatively many of them (compared to other companies, except for maybe WBS) on eBay. The reviews aren't glowing, but mine had been the only pedal steel I'd ever touched for over a year, so I didn't really know what they could feel like. As you could probably imagine, finding a decent pedal steel (at a decent price) demands a bit of patience in Germany.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

Move the knee lever to the engaged position and see what movement the stop lever does, In its movement from unengaged to engaged. It looks like the springs purpose is, To keep the lever from hitting hard and making noise on release. I have seen nylon buttons or felt pads in some guitars to keep the lever from making noise on release. Good Luck in working out the needed adjustment and back to Happy Steelin.

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