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Topic: New here - Fender 400 mechanical issues |
Peter Micek
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 1 Mar 2021 11:15 am |
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Hi all, I am new to pedal steel. I have a Fender 400. It seems like it sat a long time. Only one of the pedals seems to work (i.e. depress and retract quickly) well. I've heard I should use nut juice on it, but I don't know exactly where to apply it (everywhere?)
If anyone wanted to walk me through, on Zoom I suppose, the basic mechanics and help me get it working, I would kindly pay.
Thanks! |
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Michael Sawyer
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 1 Mar 2021 1:10 pm
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I own 2 400's.
I pulled the changer on both when i got em
Soaked them in naptha.
Soaked the big pulley,and the small pulleys too.
Lube with dry teflon.
Jim Sliff is on here,he is a guru on them.
I know this aint what you were asking for. |
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Kelcey ONeil
From:
Sevierville, TN
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Posted 1 Mar 2021 7:28 pm
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What Michael said.
There is a FB page for Fender pedal steels that has detailed instructions from Jim Sliff and how to do this. Jim is my mentor as well, your welcome to hit me up if you’d like. |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 2 Mar 2021 11:58 am
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I have redone and modified lots of 400s and 1000s -- usually taking parts from 1000 wrecks and adding pedals to 400s. Plan on completely dismantling your guitar, cleaning the parts, then putting it together again. For cleaning, I use a big pot such as you would use for boiling Lobster or crab, and boiling water/Simple Green. I used to use Tide and water, but that foams over. The boiling simple Green solution removes the gunk and is easy to remove any residue with a clean boil. Rebuilding is simple. The only fidgety thing is getting the cables in the correct order in the pulley cassette. It is logical, so be patient.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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K Maul
From:
Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL
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Posted 2 Mar 2021 7:41 pm
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Go to the Fender pedal steel page on Facebook and look at the “Files†section. There’s a wealth of good advice there. I used Ronsonol Lighter fluid to soak and clean my dismantled changers, but boiling using Simple Green seems like a good idea. Use no oil after that! Only a dry Teflon lube like bike shops sell. Having cables lined up properly and not crossing over each other on the big pulley is VITAL in getting it to operate smoothly and play in tune.
_________________
KEVIN MAUL: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Donner, Evans, Excel, Fender, Fluger, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Williams, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing. |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 2 Mar 2021 11:55 pm
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Like K says above, the ONLY distress you will have is crossing the cables. I made a ten pedal 400 and I went through a wife and two girlfriends getting the cable passage through the pulley cassette correct. Use rubber bands keeping tension on each cable during the job.
If you have only a four pedal cassette rather than a big one confiscated from a loaded 1000, your current wife or girlfriend can suffice to get the job done.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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K Maul
From:
Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL
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Posted 3 Mar 2021 5:16 am
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Peter, please post a picture or two, including the underside and big pulley. PM me if you want. In summer I’m in Albany-Saratoga NY area. Where are you?
_________________
KEVIN MAUL: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Donner, Evans, Excel, Fender, Fluger, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Williams, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing. |
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Dennis Montgomery
From:
Western Washington
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Anthony Campbell
From:
Northwest Indiana, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2021 1:35 pm
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I freshened up my old 400 using Jim Sliff's tutorial on the Facebook page. It cost maybe 20 bucks in materials, and only took a couple days.
Take your time taking things a part, and have some baggies labeled for parts to make reassembly easier. Namely for screws.
_________________
Williams Keyless D10
Goodrich Volume
Quilter 101R and Quilter IB45 |
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Dennis Montgomery
From:
Western Washington
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2021 2:35 pm Re: New here - Fender 400 mechanical issues
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| Peter Micek wrote: |
Hi all, I am new to pedal steel. I have a Fender 400. It seems like it sat a long time. Only one of the pedals seems to work (i.e. depress and retract quickly) well. I've heard I should use nut juice on it, but I don't know exactly where to apply it (everywhere?)
If anyone wanted to walk me through, on Zoom I suppose, the basic mechanics and help me get it working, I would kindly pay.
Thanks! |
Where in NY are you??.. I have a ton of experience on Fender pedal steels, and could probably get yours up and running quickly.. If its a hour or two job, no charge if you can bring it here... If its a bigger job,, well lets just say almost no charge. I would be happy to help.... bob
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I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Anthony Campbell
From:
Northwest Indiana, USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2021 10:47 am
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| Dennis Montgomery wrote: |
| Anthony Campbell wrote: |
I freshened up my old 400 using Jim Sliff's tutorial on the Facebook page. It cost maybe 20 bucks in materials, and only took a couple days.
Take your time taking things a part, and have some baggies labeled for parts to make reassembly easier. Namely for screws. |
And take pix while taking things apart so you can see how it looked originally  |
YES - This is key as well.
_________________
Williams Keyless D10
Goodrich Volume
Quilter 101R and Quilter IB45 |
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Peter Micek
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 10 Mar 2021 7:04 pm in brooklyn
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Thanks, all. I didn't realize it wouldn't notify me by email when folks responded!
It's only the 4 pedals. Everything seems original.
I'm in a top floor, walkup brownstone in brooklyn. I don't have a car or much outdoor space. So I'm a bit limited but some of this does sound doable. Maul or others, I'm glad to have you come by my place. Otherwise I"ll look into simple green, take pics of the instrument, and take care not to lose my gf! |
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