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Topic: The Four Particulars of a Healthy and Happy Half-Stop |
Russ Wever
From:
Kansas City
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Posted 12 Jan 2021 7:34 pm |
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Someone asked about Half-Stops on the F-book Zum page, I thought this might be worthwhile here as well . . .
1) Adjust the 2nd strings ‘return spring’ so that it has slightly more than just enough tension to successfully return the 2nd string back up to pitch (when ‘testing’ the return of the string, do so by releasing the knee lever as slowly as possible, because this will show whether the spring tension is enough, as opposed to allowing it to quickly snapping back).
2) Moving the 9th strings lowering pull-rod to a position in the changer closer to the changer axle will stiffen that action, providing more ‘contrast’ (meaning the difference in feel between the first ‘drop’ (D# to D) and the second ‘drop’ (D to C#)).
3) For even more contrast, move the 9th strings lowering pull-rod to a more ‘extreme’ positon, meaning farther away from the cross-shaft.
4) If the knee lever has any other functions on it, such as lowering the 3rd string on the C6th neck, said change may be engaging at a position very near, but not ‘dead on’ the point that the second string is at an accurate ‘half’, thereby obfuscating the precision of the half-stop. Moving the pull-rods (of that particular lower) position in the changer-finger and/or its position on its bell-crank can better ‘sync’ it to the half-stop position and thereby provide yet more ‘contrast’ in the feel of the knee-lever.
The above is for most current steels, utilizing the 9th strings resistance to provide the half-stops 'feel'.
There are some builds that use a stand-alone, dedicated mechanism for the half-stop and there are some other builds that utilize both the 9th string and the standalone unit, as well as some that have a dedicated 'eleventh finger position'.
There are other considerations and variables such as string gauge, spring-tension in stand-alone units, precision of hardware, etc., but the above four points can be considered as the principle procedures for setting up the half-stop.
~Russ
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www.russface
www.russguru |
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Jeff Garden
From:
Center Sandwich, New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 13 Jan 2021 4:10 am
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| Thanks, Russ...great information! |
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Henry Matthews
From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
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Posted 13 Jan 2021 1:11 pm
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Push pull Emmons can get a really great half stop if you don’t raise 2nd string. Let the push rod that goes into changer hole go all way in to the finger. Put a spring on raise finger with enough tension to pull finger forward. Tighten you lower return spring. When the rod goes in and hits finger, it lowers string and tune the lower screw for the half stop. Little more complicated than that but gives a very positive half stop.
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Henry Matthews
D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes. |
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Ross Shafer
From:
Petaluma, California
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Posted 13 Jan 2021 1:48 pm
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| Great post Russ! |
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Dennis Montgomery
From:
Western Washington
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Jack Stanton
From:
Somewhere in the swamps of Jersey
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Posted 13 Jan 2021 5:09 pm
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| Great stuff, Russ. Thanks! |
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