Tuning issue w/E strings

Henry Birdsey · From: Vermont, USA

Hey y'all,

I've been playing my Simmons S-10 steel for about half year now.

I keep running into an issue with the E strings not staying in tune when I operate the knee lever associated with those strings. Whether I'm raising or lowering the E's, they rarely return to their original pitch in tune - it's particularly bad when raising E's to F's and back down again. I find that the original E is always 15-45 cents *sharp (when coming down from F) and stays 5-20 cents *flat (when coming up from Eb).

It seems obvious that it's a mechanical issue. A sticky changer? Lubrication somewhere? Any ideas/recommendations welcome.

Thanks,
Henry

Rich Upright · From: Florida, USA

Usually, when a regular guitar returns flat or sharp after a bend, 90% of the time it is a problem with the nut.
So, try lubing the rollers at the peghead.
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A couple D-10s,some vintage guitars & amps, & lotsa junk in the gig bag.

Doug Earnest · From: Branson, MO USA

When was the last time you put a set of strings on it?

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

If it is a key head guitar. Check the nut rollers, Make sure they roll smooth in their slot. Check the shaft make sure it is polished and slick. Make sure they are lubed on their bearing surface with the shaft.

Be careful to keep the rollers in order if you must remove them from the guitar. If they get moved you may get a buzz at the first fret.

Good Luck on finding the cause and solution, And to Happy Steelin.

Georg Sørtun · From: Mandal, Agder, Norway

Note that strings that are both raised and lowered may tend to slip/hang over the changer and never quite settle in neutral. Keeping the surface the string is in contact with over the changer perfectly clean and free for oil-residue will help, but – depending on how the changer-top w/string-attachment is constructed and type of strings used – may not solve the problem completely.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Another thing is the "lift off". If the drop return spring on the changer finger is not properly adjusted, on an all pull guitar (I don't know what the Simmons is) you can have tuning problems.

If the spring is not tight enough, when you raise it the lower will tend to lower first. The spring needs adjusted so the lower does not move when raised. This can cause the string to go out of tune.

Marco Schouten · From: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Try to string the guitar as straight as possible, so that from the roller nut to the tuning it is in one line with the whole string
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JCH SD-10 with BL XR-16 pickup, Sho-Bud Volume Pedal, Evidence Audio Lyric HG cables, Quilter Steelaire combo

Henry Birdsey · From: Vermont, USA

Thanks so much everyone for the input.

- Henry

Jerry Jones · From: Franklin, Tenn.

If your problem is with friction at the nut, a raise will return flat and a lower will return sharp.
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Jerry Jones

Jon Light (deceased) · From: Saugerties, NY

That's a pull-release guitar, isn't it?
An examination of the fundamental setup may be in order. It can sometimes be better to undo everything (related to those strings) and start from scratch.

Here is a tutorial:

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=352864

Larry Bressington · From: Nebraska

First thing I do when there’s a binding is Check your pull rod free play at rest, at changer end, make sure she got a little wiggle room. If that’s all good, it might need some oil. Check return springs... 90% of the time the nylons are too tight up against the changer, depending on the room temperature it struggles to seat back at the rest bar or barely makes it. Don’t dig too deep or make major adjustments, if that’s the case you need more pull room with your lever which is easily adjustable from your lever stop screw.

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