SKH dilemma!

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

This is a puzzler!!!

I am trying to best exploit the four KLs this guitar has for my purposes.

LKL/LKR lowers and raises the Es. No change there.

RKL: lowers the Bs to Bb

RkR: Lowers 2 and 9 (as usual).
I want it to lower 10 to an A.

It occurred to me that I rarely use the 10th string lower on RKL. It's easy to half-pedal, anyway.

I tried adding a rod and bell-crank to RKR but I couldn't get the note down to an A without overtuning the string.

So: for an experiment, I tried winding the hex tuner on RKL and, sure enough, it went down to an A easily. 'Great!', I thought. All I have to do is remove that bell-crank-and-rod and put it on RKR. The ratios should be right (it's in changer-hole 5 - nearest the floor, and in B/C hole 3 - 4-hole BCs).

All I did was move the whole thing to RKR - it tuned down to A on RKL but it won't tune down on RKR!!

I hope I've stated this (fairly) clearly.

Oh, and what I did affected the 9th string lower, too - I had to retune that!

I'm doing something silly but I can't work out what it might be.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Bengt Erlandsen · From: Brekstad, NORWAY

Ratios would not neccessary be the same since the other lever most likely have a different length of throw in order to lower string 2 from D# to C#

Be aware that the nylon tuner only decide when the lever is gonna start pulling on the lowering finger!
What decides how much that particular string is gonna lower depends on length of throw on the knee lever, hole location on the cross shaft and hole location at that changer finger.

Using a small screwdriver to push on the changer finger itself, it is quite easy to see how much that pullrod has to move in order to lower string to correct pitch. Use screwdriver to compare changer finger for other strings. If they all move same length then pullrods need to be in the same hole locations.

9 string should not be affected at all by installing a lower on string 10.

Nylon tuners are for fine tuning only. Changing a pull a semitone or more need be done at hole-location at crankshaft or at the changer finger (or both)

Hope you figure the mechanics out. Adding the 10th string B-A on RKR would be a cool combo with B+C pedals.

BTW if your B-Bb lever somehow use lower-limiting screws in order to get a C note split with the A pedal you will not be able to lower that string down to A since the lower limit screw prevents the string from lowering. It seems to not be a problem tho since you could lower the string down to A on RKL.

You might need to have the pullrod that lower the string down to A closest to the return spring. Since a too tight return spring might use the nylon tuner as a pivot point and start pulling(opposite direction of pullrod) on the lowerfinger while also activating the raise finger as well.

B.Erlandsen
Zumsteel S12extE9 7+7

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Thanks, Bengt

I eliminated the split-tune screw very early on. It's not that. The SKH (or mine, anyway) has a strange device limiting the throw of RKR: it looks like one of those feel-stop things. I tried allowing the KL more movement but it didn't help.

I know that lowering 10, 9 along with the B, and sometimes the B & C pedals, is a great combo: I have it on my LeGrande 111 and use it frequently. On that, my primary guitar, it's split-tuned and, engaging RKR and the A pedal, returns the 10th to a B giving me the 4/5 chord (pedals-down).

This is just to see if I can broaden the scope of 8+4 without taking anything fundamental away. I have to say that playing with just four KLs (two on C6 - raising/lowering the 3rd) has taken me back and has forced me to think more laterally. The Sus 13th I can get on my main guitar with pedal 6 and raising the 4th string (my RKR on that guitar) isn't obviously available on the SKH - until you change string-groups and go three frets up!! That's taught me something.

Thank you for your helpful overview. I did realize that semitone increases in a pull requires shifting ratios but, in my experience, sometimes you can get lucky without doing that. Only rarely, though.

It reminds me of my first pro guitar in the '70s: a ZB D-10. I lowered the Bs to Bb even back then and, on the ZB, it was perfectly in tune when I engaged the A pedal and the B-lower. I assumed that all guitars did that. I know nothing about split-tuning. I traded for a Pro 111 and, of course, couldn't get that perfect C note!

The ZB? I'd just been lucky. Smile

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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Thank you, Jon; your counsel is always very sound.

That 'reverse pivot' that Bengt mentioned rings a loud bell.

Yes: the pull worked fine on RKL (further from the changer) but, of course, it's no good to me there.

One more go at it (relaxing the return-spring) and I'll call it a day. I can easily live without lowering 10 - it's just so nice.

'Everything affects everything': no truer words were spoken. My clever idea (I woke up with the notion) seems to have played havoc with the function of RKR in general. Even the 9th is somewhat reluctant to drop to a true C#. Maybe I'll loosen that return-spring a touch as well.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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