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Topic: Sharping lever not returning on a Fender 400 (2nd version) |
Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 14 Jan 2018 10:24 am |
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Hi all,
Getting my new/first pedal steel up and running. It's a Fender 400 and everything is hooked up (well, missing a couple parts still, but have three pedals on).
My current problem with it...two pedals work...could probably be tweaked to be less noisy, eliminate unnecessary slack, etc. But one pedal, which takes strings 4 and 8 up by a half step (this is Basil H's A7 copedent, GAC#EGAC#E) works fine when you depress it...sharps the G as intended. You release it, and the lower G# goes back to G. The upper G# stays. When I reach under and push the sharping lever back to base position, which requires basically no force at all, it goes right back to original tune.
Other details/observations:
* At Basil's suggestion I tried making sure there was enough slack...same problem still...even with no force being applied by the cable, it happily stays in the sharped position. The other lever goes back every time.
* The second pedal sharps the next strings over (3 and 7). I have found, interestingly, if I press and depress pedal one, it leaves string 4 sharped (the main problem I'm discussing)...but if I then press, and then release pedal two, string 4 (which is not connected via the cable system) returns to pitch/G. Some kind of interference there?
I'll monkey about with it some more but if anyone has any recommendations. Also, the part I'm missing (the guy who shipped it to me swears it was in there and I'm certainly not blaming him) is the round post that one of the bell cranks swivels on. If anyone has an idea of where to get something like that, or clever ideas for a temporary rig, let me know on that too! Thanks! |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 14 Jan 2018 2:21 pm
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| String tension is the only thing that pulls a raise back to neutral when you release a pedal. Therefore, something is sticking or binding at that finger assembly, or possibly the pulley block at the end of the guitar. First, slack the cables and make sure the pulley sheaves are rotating freely, and oil them if they're not. Then see if the problem is fixed. Next, remove the string and the associated lower-return spring, and then see how easily the raise and lower portions of that string finger move (both together and separately). If they're not "floppy easy", then there is binding or sticking between the finger elements, or at the separator plate on the bottom end of the changer. Lube or adjust those parts accordingly. As far as the bellcrank mounting rod, you'll have to either come up with an original one, or fab one by getting a piece of bar stock, and then drilling and tapping two holes in it. |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 14 Jan 2018 2:52 pm
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| Thanks! Right now the "fingers" bit of the changer (where I suspect from some deduction the problem lies) is taking a naphtha bath along with the turnbuckles for good measure...Basil's been advising me on FB and sent me the guide Jim Sliff put together for that. Tomorrow I'll finish cleaning and lubing those parts, and assemble everything again, hoping for the best! |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 14 Jan 2018 4:39 pm
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Don't lube the turnbuckles! 
The easier they move, the more likely that they will loosen with vibration and their constant movement. This is one area where a little "stiction" is preferred. Also, if one pedal is affecting strings that that pedal isn't hooked to, it usually means that the cables aren't in the proper positions at the pulley block, or there's serious binding of the sheaves against one another. |
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