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Topic: Does changer design determine the length of throw? |
Tom Campbell
From:
Houston, Texas, USA
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Posted 8 Feb 2020 10:58 am |
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Do the various changers (different manufactures)have an impact on the amount of throw required to produce a note change by a lever or pedal.
The reason I'm asking is that I have two pedal steels by different manufactures. The throw required to go from an E down to a D is shorter and easier from one manufacturer compared to the other. I've done all the theory bell-crank...end plate, rod experimenting, and the results is still the same. The only conclusion I current have is that it must be the changer design.
Thanks for any "enlightenment"!!! |
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David Ball
From:
North Carolina High Country
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Posted 8 Feb 2020 11:51 am
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The radius of the string surface on the fingers will definitely make a difference. A very small radius would require a lot more throw to move a string a certain distance (pitch) than a larger radius would. I have two old Sho Bud permanents--a very early one with a 5/16 inch diameter axle and a later one with a 1/2 inch axle. The 5/16 guitar requires a lot more throw than the 1/2 guitar does.
Dave |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 8 Feb 2020 2:01 pm
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Elementary mechanics dictate a trade-off between length of throw and effort required.
All guitars are adjustable within limits, but those limits embody the philosophy of the builder, who may feel that his customers prefer a lighter touch with a longer throw, or vice versa.
Changer design will be part of the philosophy.
_________________
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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Tom Campbell
From:
Houston, Texas, USA
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Posted 8 Feb 2020 2:28 pm
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Thanks for the explanation guys.
I just added an 1" aluminum right-angle "flag" to the long throw knee lever. Not a traditional flag, but a horizontal (left to right" type flag.
My knee now doesn't have to travel as far to reach the lever stop. |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 8 Feb 2020 3:46 pm
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I'm guessing it's your LKL. Most people sit with their leg at an angle which means your leg has to swing further to get the same amount of travel as the other levers, and a flag on it is nothing to be ashamed of.
_________________
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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Tom Campbell
From:
Houston, Texas, USA
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Posted 8 Feb 2020 5:03 pm
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Ian
It's actually my RKR. I don't have a dedicated D string...so my 8th string E is dropped a whole step to a D. |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 9 Feb 2020 2:03 am
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I have the same with a half-stop at D#.
Lowering a wound string that much does require some travel, which you should be able to reduce if you don't mind the lever being a little stiffer, although it sounds as though you already tried that.
I also raise my 9th string to D on RKL to give a choice.
_________________
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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Tom Campbell
From:
Houston, Texas, USA
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Posted 9 Feb 2020 5:42 am
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Ian
I also have a half-stop on that 8th E string at D#.
Yes, it seems as though I been playing with the (spring) stiffness on that half-stop forever 
Last edited by Tom Campbell on 9 Feb 2020 10:02 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Jacek Jakubek
From:
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 9 Feb 2020 8:01 am
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| I have the 8th string E->D lower, too, which I use a lot. It is probably the change that requires the most travel out of all the changes I tried. One of my guitars' knee levers have a slightly different design and it makes the travel even longer. |
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