VERY frustrating

William Matthews · From: New York, USA

These knee levers are KILLING ME. My RKL I think does what it is supposed to and lowers my E's to Eb's, but my LKL just lowers my D# to a C#.. What the heck is going of, I think even the pedals are screwy.... I feel a jaunt to my local PSG repair guy is in order...What is my LKL supposed to do??

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Which knee lever does what is largely a matter of personal taste. A lever to lower the 2nd string D# to D, and then to C#, is fairly standard. It's odd to have it on LKL, though. Most people raise both E's to F on LKL.

Larry Bressington · From: Nebraska

If you are just starting out, you might try just lowering the 2nd string a 1/2 step to D.
One of the most discouraging examples of the steel guitar running players off, is too many toys all at once. You will be able to get the full chromatic scale with that set up, with fair ease!
Exspand the copedant as time goes by. I lower my E's to Eb on the right knee left and i lower my 2nd string on the right knee right, however that dont make me right. Smile

William Matthews · From: New York, USA

Well thank you very much gentlemen.. I'm just trying to get this thing back to STOCK, the way if came from the factory. LKL is supposed to raise the E's to F's correct?

David Doggett · Posted 9 Oct 2008 8:49 pm

What make and model of pedal steel do you have? There is really no such thing as stock. Manufacturers may have a "most common setup" that they ship to dealers. This will vary somewhat according to brand. But all manufacturers will put any setup the customer requests on a new pedal steel - thus, negating the whole concept of "stock."

The most standard knee lever setup, assuming the pedals are Emmons setup (ABC pedals left to right) is to have the 4 and 8 string E to F raises on LKL, and the 2nd string lower on RKR. A bare majority of players follow Buddy Emmons' preference and have the 4 and 8 string E lowers on LKR. But an almost equal number of players (including Paul Franklin, the most prominent current commercial player) follow the old Sho-Bud standard and prefer the E lowers on RKL. That is strictly a matter of personal preference.

William Matthews · From: New York, USA

Thank you David. I, without really any knowledge of PSG, but with a REALLY good knowledge of mechanics, was able to alter the steel to now have the 4&8 raise the E's up to F with my LKL. So now I THINK it is close to what it should have been from the factory. To answer your question David, it's a Sho-Bud Pro II Custom 8X2.

Pat Comeau · From: New Brunswick, Canada

I think your steel was setup for a normal two knee only steel guitar, alot of older steel were set up that way before they invented the F lever that raise 4&8 strings, you might consider adding more knee levers, give John Coop a call he's the best when it comes to Sho-buds.
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William Matthews · From: New York, USA

According to the previous owner the guitar is an 80-81. When was the D lever invented ? I also intend to add at least the LKR to the menu, I guess I will wait on the RKR. I wonder how much the Coop knee kits cost?

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

To get the max from your current copedent, you can set your RKL to lower the second string D# to D and your 8th string E to D#. The two changes are never used together. This idea is a combination of the "D" and "E" levers. It was used on student model guitars like the Sho-Bud Maverick.

The 2nd string lower (to D) is very important - it's hard to even use the 2nd string string without it. The 4th string lower is less important. Lloyd Green doesn't use it, and neither did Jimmy Day.

You can always substitute the 2nd string D# whenever a tab course calls for the 4th string lower. I get in trouble here whenever I say that the 4th string lower is an "optional" change, but I have played without it many times. So for now I'll just say that it is "not necessary". Winking

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mike nolan · From: Forest Hills, NY USA

William,
Post a picture of the underside of the guitar. If it is a newer model, it will have the straight knee levers and SuperPro type parts. You can probably get SuperPro type parts from Jeff Surratt at ShoPro

http://www.showprosteelguitars.com/index.html

I am only guessing here, but a knee lever kit should run in the $125.00 to $150.00 range.
There is a lot of music in the guitar as it sits, but I would consider getting at least 1 more knee on there...... lower 4&8, raise 4&8, and lower 2&9 will get you most everything.
I am in New York, shoot me an email if you want some suggestions....

Bo Borland · From: South Jersey -

It would certainly help to see the underside and the changer end of this steel.

Larry Bressington · From: Nebraska

The sho-bud pro 11 came out with 2 knee levers in the early 80's, as standard , if i am correct, you could add more by buying the kits at an extra cost.
Which i did add Duannes kits on there.

Mine was set up from factory as;
RKL Lowered the 8th and 4th,
RKR. Lowered 2nd and 9th. That's all there was.
I think the concept back then was to start out with 2 and then add as you proggressed.
I think Sho-bud realised that a big percentage of their buyers on a global front, was 'new players' and not full fledged proffesionals. Smile

Bo Legg · Posted 11 Oct 2008 10:25 pm

Gees b0b, I couldn't imagine life without lowering the E's. You certainly couldn't play "Look at Us" and sound like John.
If I was limited to only 2 knee levers I'd want one to lower the E's and one to raise the E's and I'd tune the 2nd string down to C#.

Matthew Prouty · From: Warsaw, Poland

My LKL lowers my D# to C# and has a half stop in there, but my pedals are below the RKL.

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

William Matthews · From: New York, USA

Ok, here are some pics

Larry Bressington · From: Nebraska

Thats a clean guitar, No road time, thats good, mine's all smokey, and thats not good! Very Happy

Did you get the 2nd string drop figuered out william ? Thats a great guitar there will, dont ever sell that, thats a real classic coming on. You are dangling bait my freind putting that on here! Laughing

May need to up grade the pick-ups, mine degraded after some road time, which i replaced with George L's E66. Smile

William Matthews · From: New York, USA

Thank you Larry, I'll never sell it, but my heirs will. I made the LKL raise the 4&8 strings, and the RKL lowers them. Now I have to get in touch with John Coop, and get the RKR and the LKR kits. Yes it does look VERY clean under there, and to think I only paid something like $1600 shipped. Mr. Green

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Larry Bressington · From: Nebraska

I think which ever copedant you choose, and on what knee's do what move, it is up to the player to be able to reproduce the sounds, you cant have everybody's copedant, make your choice on set up, and work with that! You might want to consider a half stop for the 2nd, if you are going with a full tone drop, coop will probably have the adjustable barrel type, i never liked the 9th string drop adjustment, so i did away with 9th string drop and went with barrel type, much more accurate and adjustable without punishment.
There are NO RULES!
William, you have a great guitar, with a great sound, get a great amp, and the rest my freind, will be in your hands!
Pick the hell out of it brother!! Smile

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

my LKL lowers my 2nd string half/full
my RKL lowers E's
my LKR raises E's to F

so who's to say right or wrong...?

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