| Author |
Topic: Tightening knee levers on a Carter? |
Joe Alterio
From:
Irvington, Indiana
|
Posted 25 Apr 2004 1:40 pm |
|
Hello,
I have a 2000 Carter U-12......I have a question regarding how to tighten my knee levers at the hinge. I have noticed that over time, after constantly folding and unfolding the levers when packing the guitar in its case, the knee levers are loosening at the hinge. Unfortunately, it does not appear that the hinge can be tightened.....there is a black metal piece that you can see through at the hinge.....but it doesn't look like it can be removed, let alone tightened.
Any help you can provide in tightening the levers would be greatly appreciated......thanks!
Joe Alterio
(*p.s. I did write Carter, but they did not provide a solution.....and I am not able to make a call to them during work hours, unfortunately) |
|
|
 |
Jonathan Cullifer
From:
Gallatin, TN
|
Posted 26 Apr 2004 5:47 am
|
|
At the hinge? The one the lever folds up on or the one that attaches to the body of the guitar?
I have had problems with them coming loose where they attach to the guitar. I use an allen wrench and a 5/16" hex wrench to tighten them. |
|
|
|
HWHYoYo
From:
West Sunbury, PA
|
Posted 26 Apr 2004 6:57 am
|
|
The levers are attached with a roll pin. It can be removed but you must remove the lever and put it on something solid and then use a small punch to tap it out.
------------------
Wayne Hetzler
04 BSG SD10
98 Carter SD10
00 Carter SD10
Evans FET500
Nashville 1000
|
|
|
|
Ann Fabian
From:
Mesquite, Texas, USA
|
Posted 26 Apr 2004 7:00 am
|
|
Joe:
You can squeeze the 2 sides of the knee lever with a pair of vice grips and that should tighten it.
If you have more questions, try to reach John or Bud during normal business hours Monday-Friday (maybe on a lunch hour or 10-minute break) at 972-288-9100.
Ann Fabian
Carter Steel Guitars
www.SteelGuitar.com |
|
|
|
Joe Alterio
From:
Irvington, Indiana
|
Posted 26 Apr 2004 4:23 pm
|
|
Thanks for the replies, all! I will do as Ann described....I was fearing that was the only choice I had...I hate taking vice grips to a steel guitar 
My next question....is this how knee levers are hinged on all other manufacturers' guitars?
Joe |
|
|
|
C Dixon
From:
Duluth, GA USA
|
Posted 26 Apr 2004 6:18 pm
|
|
Bot all Joe,
It varies amongst manufacturers; as does most all other parts. Emmons uses a case hardened steel pin with tongue and grove setup between the mating pieces. Same problem after repeatedly folding them up to put it in the case.
They would loosen to the point of wobbling back and forth when other knees levers were engaged. Vise-grips is the easiest answer here also. But not so sure I could ever bring myself to use them on a PSG. But then that is me. Others I am sure would have no problem with it.
Sierra uses a bolt. Excel uses a bolt and locking nut, where the bolt does not loosen over time. And the tension can be increased or decreased. Not sure about others.
As years go by and refinements come along, I predict this is one area that will be improved. Just like autos and most other things.
Complaints from customers tend to drive this evolution I believe. Even though they are often chided for "being negative". But if it were not for this, IMO most of us would still have outdoor plumbing. 
Sound is of course THE most important thing on any musical instrument. But it is not the only important thing. A case in point is the Emmons' P/P. If there were not built in problems with its inherent design, it would be the norm today I think.
carl |
|
|
|
Bill Miller
From:
Gaspe, Quebec, Canada
|
Posted 1 May 2004 3:40 am
|
|
| I'm no steel guitar mechanic but I think I'd try using a small 'C' clamp to squeeze the rivet tighter. It would give you a lot more precise control over the pressure being exerted and would be less likely to inflict any surface damage than the serrated jaws of a pair of visegrips. |
|
|
|
James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
|
Posted 1 May 2004 3:58 am
|
|
| DAMAGE CONTROL!! Yea, you wouldn't want to scratch it up with the jaws of a vise grip, so slip a piece of cardboard between it and you should be able to do a clean job with out any damage. |
|
|
|
Bob Snelgrove
From:
san jose, ca
|
Posted 1 May 2004 6:45 am
|
|
I guess I'm different. I'd like my Carter knees to "drop" to the point that they hang down loosely rather than be snug. Reason is that I switch necks on quite a few songs and if the knees aren't hanging loose, they get in the way when doing a quick switch I'm just used to my old worn-in P/P levers
bob |
|
|
|
Les Pierce
From:
Shreveport, LA
|
Posted 11 May 2004 2:07 pm
|
|
Joe,
Just took a look at the Dekley and it is a small allen head bolt, and a nut.
Just wondering why you want to tighten them. If it's to stop forward and backward movement, (as opposed to left and right), I don't think squeezing the pin is going to help much, and might make them too tight, which would be more difficult to correct than being too loose.
The ones on this old Dekley swing left and right quite freely, and at the end of the lever have about 1/2 inch of play fwd/bkwd. The only problem it causes is in intitially getting you knee between them. Sometimes that's a little inconvenient.
Just wondering.
Les
------------------
Strat,Tele
Dekley S-10
|
|
|
|
Jim Smith
From:
Midlothian, TX, USA
|
Posted 11 May 2004 2:45 pm
|
|
| You can tighten or loosen the allen bolts on the Dekley knee levers (or any steel that uses them) to make the knee levers as tight or as loose as you want them to be. |
|
|
|
John Daugherty
From:
Rolla, Missouri, USA
|
Posted 18 May 2004 8:58 am
|
|
| Ann, Shame on you !! You should give Bud and John more breaks and possibly longer breaks. That way they would have more time to talk to customers and may even manage an occasional smile for you. (make sure Bud sees this) hahaha |
|
|
|
