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Post new topic Knee-lever adjusters
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Author Topic:  Knee-lever adjusters
Roger Rettig


From:
Naples, FL
Post  Posted 6 Apr 2017 8:03 am    
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I don't really know what to call these but....

On my Emmons there's a tiny screw inside the elbow of the levers that allows me to set the angle of the lever in relation to my actual knees.

I now have a lovely JCH SD-10 which is gorgeous in every respect - except it doesn't have this adjustment. I'm struggling to reach my LKL and maintain my position behind the 15th fret which is my comfortable spot.

Theoretically I suppose drilling and tapping the KLs so that a tiny screw can be fitted is possible, but can anyone tell me what sort of measurement of drill-bit and screw I need for this? There's no chance I can do it - I'm hopeless with any kind of hand-tool - but I have a good pal who probably can do it (not a steel-player, but...)

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Ronnie Boettcher


From:
Brunswick Ohio, USA
Post  Posted 6 Apr 2017 8:14 am    
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To make you comfortable, have your friend move the whole knee lever closer to fit you. It is not a big problem, and a few hole from the original position is no big deal. Everyone should make the levers fit you, so you can play, and be comfy.
PS. Drill the new holes just deep enough for the screws, so you don't drill through the cabinet. Be careful.
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Roger Rettig


From:
Naples, FL
Post  Posted 6 Apr 2017 8:35 am    
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I don't think I explained that clearly enough. I don't want to move the whole KL assembly - that's scary!

Here's a photo under my Emmons. See the threaded screw in the centre of the pic? That's set in the elbow or knuckle of the knee-levers and screwing that in-or-out will adjust the angle of the KL flag. That's what my JCH does not have and I'd like them.

How easy is that material to drill? Any pitfalls? What size drill, etc?

Thanks, guys.



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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Michael Yahl


From:
Troy, Texas!
Post  Posted 6 Apr 2017 10:32 am    
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Roger, have him drill and tap for a #5-40 then use a #5-40 x 3/8" long Socket Head Set Screw.

That's what I use for the Sho~Bud KL's with an 1/8" wide slot.

If the slot in your KL is .160"(5/32") you can get a #6-32 in there.

Michael
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Ian Rae


From:
Redditch, England
Post  Posted 6 Apr 2017 11:52 am    
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The KLs on my homebuild don't have slots so I can use nice fat #10-32s with jam nuts. They can be adjusted while you're sitting at the guitar - you don't have to overturn it or crawl under. I wouldn't be without them. Don't know whether you can see from either of these pics taken while it was under construction




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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 7 Apr 2017 12:08 pm    
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If JCH are as similar to Zum as I've heard, adjust the cross-shaft travel stops to rest farther in or out, then retune
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Roger Rettig


From:
Naples, FL
Post  Posted 7 Apr 2017 12:25 pm    
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Lane

I'm the opposite of mechanically-minded so I'm trying to grasp what you're saying. If I screw the 'stop' in farther it will stop the KL from moving so far - is it then just a matter of re-tuning at the changer-end?

Sounds too simple but I don't know a thing.

Here's the screw that controls the movement of the KL.



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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 7 Apr 2017 1:33 pm    
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He wants to control the angle of the dangle. Whoa!
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 7 Apr 2017 2:13 pm    
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Yes, and maybe. I'll take a picture of the bit I'm talking about.
If you adjust the stopping point, then retune the change, the resting point will HAVE to move, because the lever still has to move the same distance to accomplish the pull.
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 8 Apr 2017 5:49 am    
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I just did this on a Push Pull K lever. I removed the knee lever bracket which holds the press fitted knee lever from the Steel.

I was not able to get enough clearance to drill and tap into the KL bracket so I did it at the bottom of the knee lever itself.

I used a 4-40 tap and die along with a 4-40 set screw , I think it was a 3/8 length 4-40 set screw.

The whole event took 10 or 15 min.

anything to use tools I guess !
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Marco Schouten


From:
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Post  Posted 8 Apr 2017 12:22 pm    
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Strange, on my JCH the angle is adjustable. Mine is a 1999 model.
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 9 Apr 2017 1:39 am    
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Lane Gray wrote:
Yes, and maybe. I'll take a picture of the bit I'm talking about.
If you adjust the stopping point, then retune the change, the resting point will HAVE to move, because the lever still has to move the same distance to accomplish the pull.


While this is true, the RESTING point on many Steels is the KL bracket, not the K Lever itself. On my Push Pull, when I placed a set screw at the bottom of the KL for angle adjustment, the throw didn't change, the position of the K Lever changed. It grabbed the KL bracket earlier. The distance of the PULL never changed.
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website
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John Brabant

 

From:
Calais, VT, USA
Post  Posted 9 Apr 2017 3:41 am    
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Hi Tony. Can you posts pic of your handiwork done on your PP?
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1978 Emmons D-10 P-P
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 9 Apr 2017 5:39 am    
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Sure ..
here's a few, 1st the entire KL bracket assembly needed to be removed from the Steel. This is the LKR, lowers 4 and 8.

There was not enough clearance to drill and tap the bracket and I was not going to fight the press fitting for the K Lever onto the bracket.

So, I drilled and tapped the very bottom of the K Lever, 4-40 with a 3/8 set screw. a 1/4" length set screw will also do the trick as we want to be sure it can go in flush as well.

The end result, the K Lever "swing" can be adjusted so I don't have to extend my knee further than I want to ! The bracket that the K Lever mounts on has the hard stop.







_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website


Last edited by Tony Prior on 9 Apr 2017 8:21 am; edited 1 time in total
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 9 Apr 2017 7:02 am    
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See if your guitar has this doohickey circled in red that can adjust the position of the shaft.
The green adjusts the resting position and the blue, the limit of travel.
Note: my guitar is a Zum, not a JCH.

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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
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Roger Rettig


From:
Naples, FL
Post  Posted 9 Apr 2017 8:59 am    
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Thanks to everyone for your helpful responses. Thanks, too, to Lynn and Dave for writing to me via PMs.

I'm in awe of you chaps you do this stuff yourselves - it's all I can do to set up my steel!😋
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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