E lower left vs right

Tommy Boswell · From: Virginia, USA

I see that some of you lower Es on RKL. What's the advantage of that setup, as opposed to LKR?

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

Tommy,I'm not sure if there is an advantage?When I started playing all Sho-Buds came with E lowers on the RKL,Too late to change now.
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Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

There's pros and cons for both ways.

Tommy Boswell · From: Virginia, USA

Well that makes sense. And at 70, I sure understand the "too late to change" part. Thanks Stu.

Bo Borland · From: South Jersey -

I started on an MSA E raise was RKL E lower RKR
I'm not changing now but if i was starting I would go with the standard Emmons set up ... more choices for used steels

Dale Rottacker · From: Walla Walla Washington, USA

What Jack said:

I've gone both ways. I started on Sho~Bud, with E's lowered on RKL this was in the early 70's, and then I ordered a new Pro lll in 77 and it was set up that way as well.

In the 80's, I read somewhere that Buddy had both of his E's on the left, so being the adventurous young man that I was, moved my E lower over there like Buddy. I played like that until 2017 when I got a new MSA that was lowering the E's back on RKL, so rather than change that, I thought lets see what I've been missing for the last 30+ years.

I found the transition from E's lowered to E's raised to be smoother than when the E's were both on the left. However, with 2 new guitars coming, I decided to go back to both E's on the left. My main reason was because I was missing some stuff that I'd been able to do when they were both on the Left, for instance Lowering the E's while also Lowering 2 a half at the same time, with 2 lowered on RKR.

The ONLY 2 changes you Won't use at the same time are the E's Raised and the E's Lowered. So I'll try to set up my left knee levers a little better to smooth out the Lower to Raise move. I'm told it CAN be done. Wink

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Skip Edwards · From: LA,CA

I think you lose a number of pedal/knee lever moves when you split your 4/8 string levers between legs.
Also, I believe learning to use a different KL setup isn't as hard as it's made out to be. At least, it wasn't for me.
JMHO...

Dick Wood · From: Springtown Texas, USA

I played with them on the LKR for many years and when I ordered a new guitar,I had them put on the RKL for no particular reason.They've been there for at least 20 years now. I don't remember why I did that but it took me a few months to stop throwing the wrong lever.

There would be an advantage to lessen the odd leg/ankle bends if they were on the RKL in my opinion.
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Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

John Sluszny · From: Brussels, Belgium

Which way is the best mechanically, I mean action, straight rods etc...? Thanks.

David Ellison · From: California, USA

If it's on the right knee, I don't see that it matters whether it's on the right or left. But if it's on the left knee, you would definitely want it on the right because you use it to make 7th chords with the B pedal, and 7th to 9th chord licks by rolling your foot down onto the A pedal while holding the B pedal and the Eb lever.

I learned to use that lever by listening to Tom Brumley on old Buck Owens records. That seems to be the main thing he used it for.

Also, the LKL on my steel is the F lever. On the left knee you need it on the left so you can use it with the A pedal. On the right knee, I don't think it would make a difference left or right.

William Carter · From: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA

A pedal is a common combo with the E-raise lever, and B-Pedal is common with E-lower lever. The Emmons setup works pretty well with both of these scenarios with both on the left side of the guitar.

I was surprised when I found out that beginner PSG book that "everybody" has (The Winnie Winston one) uses an A-Pedal and E-lower combo which seems kind of awkward to me. Some guy had posted on the forum asking for help with it, since it was so hard to figure out.

My personal setup is the old Sho-Bud style with the E-lowers on RKL, and I love it. To me it makes harmonized scales and such a lot easier than when I had it on the left side.
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Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I asked Buddy about this years back... While he didn't explicitly say one way was right or wrong he did comment that having as many changes on ONE leg / knee avoids using TWO knees for a change that can be accomplished with ONE leg/knee. Leaving the other leg / knee available for other options.

In other words, why use TWO legs for something that can be accomplished with ONE. The AB/B Pedal / E Lower Lever is perhaps one of the most significant combinations we use, every song, probably 100 times . ONE LEG.

There is not a right or wrong , its dependent on the player. If we split the E's , left or right, we should know why, not just do it because we can.

As Buddy said, adding one thing may cause us to lose TWO things !

Thats all I got and it only applies to me ! Laughing

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Lynn Fargo · From: Fort Edward, NY

My â€˜Bud came with split Eâ€™s, so thatâ€™s how I learned to play. But when I started going to steel shows I noticed most of the new guitars had both Eâ€™s on the left. So I bought a used guitar with that setup to try for a while and it became my preference. It wasnâ€™t that difficult to relearn, feels real comfortable to me, and leaves my right leg free more often to concentrate on the volume pedal.
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Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

I started on a Jeff Newman S12U Copedant with no LKR.
He had an S12U Instructional Book showing E raises on LKL and E lowers on RKR, and after taking his week long class I ordered a new Steel with his 7x4 Copedant as pictured in that book.
But it totally makes sence on non-Universal Steels to have them on the same knee... Because you would never raise and lower the E's at the same time!
Also, on a Push Pull the linkage has those levers moving in unison, so, there is no mechanical conflict.

Dean Holman · From: Branson MO

It depends on where you lower 2 and 9. I lower the Eâ€™s on RKL, but I lower 2 and 9 on LKR. If your more comfortable lowering 2 and 9 on the RKR, you will get the most out of lowering the Eâ€™s on LKR.

Pat Chong · From: New Mexico, USA

If its split, then you can blend from one cord smoothly into the other. But without a split, you can work around it by making the change on beat, which is a nice effect. I'm shure this is known, but not mentioned. Like it was said, though, it's up to taste. Neither is right or wrong, just a preference.

richard burton · From: Britain

There is a cool advantage to having the E levers on the left leg, on a push-pull.
When the lowering lever is activated, the raise lever has all its slack taken up, and moves into the space normally occupied by your left leg, except your left leg ain't there any longer, it's activating the lowering lever

This means that the two levers can be positioned a little closer to the knee (especially if the pedals have a short throw), facilitating ease of playing

Dale Rivard · From: Ontario, Canada

Hi Tommy, The main advantage(and it's a valid 1) for having the E lowers on the RKL (presuming the E raises are on the LKL) is, for making a smooth transition between lowering and raising(or raising and lowering) the E's. Because you would never raise and lower the E's at the same time, having them both on the left(or right) knee, gives the most possible combinations with other knee levers.

Darvin Willhoite · From: Roxton, Tx. USA

I lower my E's on my RKR and raise them on my LKR. My first guitar with kneel levers had the lower on the RKR so I got used to it that way. I played for 15 years or so before I added the E-F change and the LKR was the most convenient place to put it on the guitar I had. I got used to it that way and it still works for me.
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Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

Built a steel with Day C-B-A Pedals. When I bought my first steel with knee levers, MSA S-10 was set up Day Pedals C-B-A, E's on Left knee. LKL lowered E'S. This worked great, Roll Foot left B pedal, Shove LKL for a 7th chord. Role foot right A pedal move LKR, Bar up 3 frets another same chord.
Played that guitar about 20 years.

In Dec. 2018 I went S12 U. Set it up with Jeff Newman's 12U Copendent. Now Raise E's on RKL and Lower E's on RKR. Mr. Newman statedin a lesson, defending his copendent, That you could us your legs weight for less stress holding the E lower in for B6th playing.

Did not take long to reprogram my Neuro Memory and changed lever location without any problem.

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