An easy fix?

Justin Jacobson · From: Rochester, MN

Hey everybody, been perusing and lurking here for a few months now, finally decided to join. I recently bought my first pedal steel, a Sho bud Maverick 3-1. Now I know the bad press about them and how I'll need more levers soon and all that but when you've wanted a steel for 8 years and find one you can afford, a steel is better than no steel.

Now on to my issue. I have had no issues with tuning up til practice Tuesday when I could no longer get my 4th sting B-C# to raise all the way, it will only raise a half step and change rather than the full step. Does anyone have any suggestions on getting this wrong righted? Of course I've only been at this for 5 months so the technical jargon might go over my head, so if you can dumb down your answers I would appreciate it, as would my overtaxed brain. Razz

Lamar Colvin · From: Havana, Florida, USA

On the strings that have raises you need to tune your raise first. Press pedal,tune raise note at the keyhead, release pedal and tune open note with screw at right end plate

Justin Jacobson · From: Rochester, MN

Right, I knew that much. However the open note won't tune down far enough. I am sure I am missing something simple but for the life of me I can't get it to work. I have been able to tune it correctly before and had no problems.

richard burton · From: Britain

It could be that your C pedal is hitting the floor before it has gone its full travel.

Were you playing on thick carpet ?

Justin Jacobson · From: Rochester, MN

No, it for sure makes it's full travel.

I appreciate the help though. Does anybody know of a repair tech in Chicago? I've tried numerous music stores but no one seems to know the first thing about PSG.

Danny Bates · From: Fresno, CA. USA

The string may be the wrong guage. Try a thicker string.

Justin Jacobson · From: Rochester, MN

It's the same string that I could get in tune before. I do need to change strings though so I'll give that a try.

Danny Bates · From: Fresno, CA. USA

Justin said:

Justin Jacobson · From: Rochester, MN

You're absolutely right, I miss counted. It is the 5th string I am having issues with. It is the B-C# raise though.

Danny Bates · From: Fresno, CA. USA

If there is a B to C# change on the 10th string, loosen it and try tuning the 5th string change again.

Justin Jacobson · From: Rochester, MN

I tried that, it didn't have an effect.

I think that something went wrong with the fine tuner, I t won't tune the string down to B once I get the raise set. It goes to about as far sharp a B can go on my tuner before it starts telling me it's a flat C. Very frustrating stuff. Thanks Danny for the suggestions, I'm glad you're trying.

Bill Moore · From: Manchester, Michigan

Justin, if you look at the linkage for the 5th string raises, you will see that there is a wire connecting the A pedal raise to a yoke at the connection for the C pedal. Does the C pedal raise all the way to C#? You did not mention that, so I assume that it does. You will need to look at the connection from the A to the C pedal. The yokes, both at the A pedal and C pedal, have some adjustment, unsnap from the ball joint, tighten or loosen the screw. Since there is only one screw at the endplate to tune the C#, if the C pedal raise works, the problem should be in the linkage between the A and C pedals. If it's the C pedal raise that's giving problems, first get the a pedal raise tuned, then make adjustments at the linkage to the C pedal.
_________________
Bill Moore...
my steel guitar web page

Justin Jacobson · From: Rochester, MN

Thanks Bill, but I think I may have misstated the problem earlier due to my not fully understanding what was going on. I probably still don't. But here it goes. Both the A and C pedals will raise the 5th string the same amount (I should have mentioned that earlier), but when I tune the string to C# I can not get the screw to lower the string to B. It stalls out at the far sharp end of B, so I need to find nearly a half step in there somewhere.

Bill Moore · From: Manchester, Michigan

Try this; loosen the string a bit at the keyhead. Turn the guitar over, I'll bet you will see that the changer arm for the 5th string is farther back, closer to the endplate, then the others. Go to the screw at the endplate, turn it in, clockwise, watch as the changer arm moves. Get it about even with the 4th and 6th string arms. turn the guitar over, tune the C# at the keyhead, tune the B with the screw. The changer has to be in a mid position in order to tune both the raise and the lower.

Justin Jacobson · From: Rochester, MN

Bill, I think I did what you said, but I'm going to fiddle with it some more tomorrow. I managed to get it tuned down after I got frustrated and yanked on the underneath (I just kinda grabbed in frustration) towards the endplate and the string lowered to B almost on the nose, but when I depressed the pedal to raise and released it went back to where it started, very flat C.

So I assume something underneath is to tight and needs to be loosened or lubed up. Not sure what it is so if you have any suggestions, or need to tell me I am way off and need to look else where. Hopefully some more fiddling will get it working right again. Or I need to find someone in Chicago who does repairs.

richard burton · From: Britain

Get your digital camera out, take loads of close-up photos, and post them on here.

Then we can probably help you fix it Very Happy

Bill Moore · From: Manchester, Michigan

We know this: The open note is B, the pedal raises to C#. The C# is tuned at the keyhead, the B with the allen screw. If you are able to tune the C#, but the B does not come back low enough, the tuning screw must have run out of thread and the changer arm is back as far as it will go, against the endplate. Turn the screw in, so there is more space between the arm and the endplate. Tune the C# with at the keyhead, tune the B with the tuning screw.

I guess there is one more possibility. If you see that there is actually some space between the arm and the tuning screw, in the B note position, it should be resting against the screw, the actual linkage could be too tight, holding it in that position. This would be very easy to see.

Danny Bates · From: Fresno, CA. USA

Justin, did you very carefully inspect the changer to make sure a broken piece of string is not lodged in it?

Justin Jacobson · From: Rochester, MN

there is space between the arm and the tuning screw, in the B note position. I'll take a picture if that would help. But the screw is not resting against the arm in the B note position. Maybe the little plastic cap on the end of the screw is embedded to far on the screw?

Justin Jacobson · From: Rochester, MN

Thank you all for the suggestions and help. I got it fixed, all I needed to do was loosen amount the cables pulled back on the string when returning to normal. To all those that gave me ideas I appreciate them, and to everyone else, thank you for putting up with a constantly updated thread about a newbie and his elementary problems. Razz

Danny Bates · From: Fresno, CA. USA

Way to go! Smile

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