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Topic: Changing a Carter Starter pull |
Bob Sykes
From:
North Carolina
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Posted 2 Apr 2011 7:35 am |
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I finally got around to changing my Carter Starter RKL. Factory set up is to drop string 5 and I wanted to drop string 6. To accomplish this I replaced the steel plate that locks most of the changer fingers. The new plate is a little wider to resist bending. The old one had slightly splayed out due to the constant pressure the locked fingers exert on it. The remaining challenge is that I can only drop string 6 a little more than a half step. Further pull on the changer begins to then raise the pitch. I'm thinking the changer is only capable of a half step raise or lower.
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Carters Starter, D10 8+7, SD10, Chandler RH-2, Rogue RLS-1
ISO Sustainus Ad Infinitum |
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Quentin Hickey
From:
Nova Scotia, Canada
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Russ Wever
From:
Kansas City
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Posted 3 Apr 2011 6:53 pm
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Are you using a wound 6th? If so, change to a
plain 6th and you'll likely have the whole-tone
you're looking for.
If it won't make the whole-tone, chances are that
the lower-return spring if giving too much tension.
In that case, change the spring to a lesser tension,
or install an adjustable tension spring.
Installing an adjustable spring would require a hole
in the endplate just below the tuning window.
Fwiw, I've added lowers to several Carter Starters
and used a cut-off wheel on an air-tool to open the
cut-out in the stop-bar, making it unnecessary to
remove or replace the stop-bar.
Never had any 'splaying' problem.
~Russ
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www.russface
www.russguru |
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Will Houston
From:
Tempe, Az
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Posted 3 Apr 2011 8:00 pm
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| I've always wondered why they set it up that way.To bad I ain't mechanical. |
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Ben Rubright
From:
Punta Gorda, Florida, USA
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Posted 4 Apr 2011 7:34 am
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It was purposely designed to make copedent changes very difficult. John Fabian's stock answer about solving minor Carter Starter problems or about changing the set up was "Buy the professional model." The starter was intended to be an entry level guitar and not a destination guitar.
I too changed the RKL from lowering the 5th to lowering the 6th string....and 1/2 tone was as far as it would go. I have not as yet changed string 6 from wound to un-wound.
I know that the Starter has at times been 'FLAMED' on the forum but for its cost, it holds it's tune pretty well and plays pretty well. It is my 'campground' guitar and gives me an opportunity to think a little in order to play with fewer changes than I have on my Jackson. |
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Bob Sykes
From:
North Carolina
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Posted 4 Apr 2011 6:47 pm
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Quentin, I can't take credit for making the plate. A technician at work did it for me. He really does great work. He noticed the bend in the old plate when he was measuring it.
Russ, my approach would have probably been more along the lines of using a Dremel if I had not had some expert help handy.
Thank you for mentioning the wound 6th I am still using it. In fact all of the strings are factory original except the 3rd. That one broke after about a year. I probably shouldn't admit it here, but I only loosened all of the strings when I swapped out these plates. When I brought the guitar back up into tune, none of the strings broke (I really expected one would). So I played two 4 hours gigs on it over the weekend. I'm living on the edge. 
It's time for that new set of strings (with a plain 6th) that I have been carrying around.
I've seen the CS guitar dissed since I've been here, and it does have its shortcomings, but it got me started. I wouldn't have sprung for a pro model initially and maybe never took up PSG. I still play the CS out as much as the D10. It's light. I might have to take it camping soon.
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Carters Starter, D10 8+7, SD10, Chandler RH-2, Rogue RLS-1
ISO Sustainus Ad Infinitum |
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Bob Sykes
From:
North Carolina
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Posted 16 Apr 2011 11:16 am Change string too
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Changed the 6th string from stock .022W to .020 plain and the pull works beautifully. Thanks guys! Now I guess I'll have to change the rest of the strings 
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Carters Starter, D10 8+7, SD10, Chandler RH-2, Rogue RLS-1
ISO Sustainus Ad Infinitum |
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David Farrell
From:
San Diego, California, USA
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Posted 17 Jul 2023 8:03 am
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Great info here. Thank you friends.
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Dave
Fender pedal steels, amps & guitars. '73 Sho~Bud PRO 1 CUSTOM. Emmons ReSound'65 S-10 4x5. |
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