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Topic: knee lever throw distance |
Jeff Greenspan
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 8 Feb 2024 2:00 pm |
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Hey all - newish steel player here. I have a Carter Starter and my LR Knee lever has such a far throw to get it to adjust the pitch properly, much farther than the other knee levers. Aside from getting a new steel (I know.. one day!) is there anything I can do to adjust? I'm pretty handy and am not afraid to venture under the hood. Thanks!
happy pickin,
jeff |
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 8 Feb 2024 2:11 pm
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The Carter-Starter was engineered to be pretty much what you've got is what you've got. The one adjustment available to you is to have the pull rod in the bellcrank hole the farthest away from the cross shaft. It may already be there. Also note that the two different strings that are being pulled may require different bellcrank positions to synchronize the timing of the pulls so you may be messing with this by changing holes.
But that's pretty much it. Other options (such as choice of changer holes) do not exist on the C-S.
This is a random C-S bellcrank, used for purpose of illustration.
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Jeff Greenspan
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 8 Feb 2024 2:23 pm
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Hey Jon - appreciate your response!
Would the lower bellshaft hole decrease the throw? It seems like there is a 'notched' 3/4" throw and then an additional 1 1/2" throw after that, lowering the string a halfstep (only after the total 2 1/4" throw). Was it designed to have two pitches to reach? |
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 8 Feb 2024 2:33 pm
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If you are feeling a notch, it is probably that the two strings are misadjusted (timing) and one starts moving first, then you feel the other one engage. The holes that the red arrows are pointing to in my previous post will yield the shortest throws. That is to say, the same amount of lever movement will yield the maximum amount of string pull. The next step is to adjust the lever stop (set screw with locking nut). After achieving maximum string pull, in a perfect world you are now pulling the string too far and you can shorten the lever stroke with this lever stop.
HOWEVER -- I doubt that you can achieve enough leverage change on the C-S to make this much of a difference. My advice is to get used to it. I am a fan of the Carter-Starter but I never forget that it is what it is.
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Dave Grafe
From:
Hudson River Valley NY
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Posted 8 Feb 2024 5:22 pm
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If you want to drive up to the Peekskill area I would be happy look at it here with you.
First one's free 😎 |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 8 Feb 2024 8:57 pm
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Taking Dave Grafe's offer may be your quickest cure of the problem. He could help with setting up the knee lever, And give the guitar a quick go over for any other problems.
If you are doing the adjusting yourself.
If you want a short move on the knee lever. Changing the pull rods in the bell crank, Further from the cross shaft will shorten knee lever travel.(But required more pressure to move the knee lever). The first rule when setting up a pull on a steel guitar. Small strings have to travel farther than larger diameter strings, To reach note raised or lowered. (On wound strings the core wire is used to figure size of string, And it's travel speed).
Good Luck in getting the guitar set up, Happy Steelin |
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