RKL Lever issues

Judson Adair · From: Oklahoma, USA

I have a MSA D12 that I recently cleaned, oiled, and restrung.

Now my RKL lever doesn't work correctly anymore. I had it set to lower the 6th string (G#) down a whole step to F# but it won't go down all the way anymore. It seems to go to a slightly flat G then it goes sharp.

Not sure if that explains it well but just to be clear, as I engage the level it plays a slightly flat G but by the time I hit the full range of motion, it just plays a normal G.

I can't seem to figure out why. Anyone have any ideas?

Ian Worley · From: Sacramento, CA

did you switch from a plain to a wound string?
_________________
All lies and jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest - Paul Simon

Judson Adair · From: Oklahoma, USA

No. Same set of string I have always used.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

My first question is, Did you remove the Lower Return Springs to get to the Finger Rivets? And didn't replace them, In the exact same order.

Those springs are very critical. Turn the guitar and move the lever that lowers the 6th string. Watch the 6th string Changer Fingers, The Lower finger will come off the stop bar, Watch closely, The Raise Lever will start moving and come off the stop bar and the String will start going back higher.

Check the Lower Return Springs closely.
Are some of the Springs made with slightly larger wire?
Some Carter Lower Return springs get used on MSA guitars and are slightly stronger They work good on raise only strings, But not on a Raise and Lower strings.

One cure is remove the 6th string Lower Return Spring and trade it with another Strings Lower Return Spring which is slightly longer and a little easier to stretch.

A picture of the Lower Return Springs would help a lot.
Good Luck getting this problem solved and back Happy Steelin.

Pat Chong · From: New Mexico, USA

Hi Judson,

I had that problem before....

1. Check if a part of a string (ball end) got stuck in the changer mechanism.
2. What Bobby mentioned, check the return springs.
3. During your string change, you might have used the wrong string. I changed guages for a lower string, but the guage I used was too small for the string I needed (a low E). Proper string tension acts like a 'return spring' on the changer finger. If the tension on the string is not high enough, the changer finger will not work properly and the tone will up instead of down.

These are posibilities, luck on your repair.......Pat.

Bengt Erlandsen · From: Brekstad, NORWAY

If the return spring is too tight then the scissorpoint between the raise-finger and lowering-finger might start acting like a fulcrum point and make the raise finger start to move when it should not.

The further away(hole) from the return spring that your lowering rod pass through will make the problem more likely to happen.

For long pulls of lowering fingers(all pull guitar) I always use rod in the hole closest to the return spring.

Make sure that the raise finger doesnt start to move when using that lower.

Hope this helps in locating problem and fix it.

B.Erlandsen
JCH D10 8+8

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

The spring has to have just enough pressure to keep the Lower Finger in place, But allow enough movement to reach the lower required.
I had to pull the Changers from a 73 MSA D10 Classic I was working on. It would not tune up, lower and raise proper.

When I got to the C6th 10th string, BE tuning, Open is C lower to A. I fought and fought it. A friend gave me 3 original MSA Classic Lower Return springs. Put one of them on, Had to lengthen it a little with a spacer. Urika it worked perfect.
Good Luck in this project, Happy Steelin.

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