New to PSG GFI SM10 -strings -adjustment -tuning to E9 th

Jerry Recktenwald · From: Louisville KY

I have played Lap steel and the past week or so just gotten a GFI SM 10 .I have been trying to tune it and for some reason it seems like that it doesn't want to stay in tune. I have a good ear for what G chord and others should sound like.For some reason I can tune the E strings and the LKL but the RKL doesn't change the string pitch. The strings where the tuners are is real dusty. My guess is that they haven't been changed in a long time. I have a new set of E9 TH and want to change them. And set it up from square one. Get it tuned and adjusted so the pedals and the knee levers all play ti tune.What steps should I take to do all of this?

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Here the "tuning card" I had when I had my GFI SM-10. I strongly suggest you get a decent tuner that reads in cents.

_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it

I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Pat Chong · From: New Mexico, USA

Mr. Scott,

Is the changer on a gif sm a pull-release?

Thanks...........Pat.

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Yes.
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it

I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Jerry Recktenwald · From: Louisville KY

Thanks Scott I copied your chart to my desktop.

Jerry Recktenwald · From: Louisville KY

Hi Scott your information help me a bunch to fix my knee levers. IT'S IN TUNE YEA! Very Happy

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

Welcome to the Forum. The Adventure Begins. Is the steel set up Emmons/Nashville pedals L to R ABC or Day CBA? I have a GFI S12 set up Day. Check the Knee Lever Brackets. Mine has a Stop Screw with Lock Nut on both sides of the head of the knee lever. Check and see if the problem knee lever is hitting the stop before the note is right on the string. Loosen the lock nut, Back the offending stop screw out and see if the string will come into tune. If it will not, You may have to move the pull rod on the bell crank a hole or 2 farther from body of the guitar. Set the knee lever travel to the longest travel string then time the lesser pull strings on that knee lever or pedal by moving the pull rods on the corresponding Bell Crank. Hope this helps. Good Luck and Happy Steelin.

A 1/4 inch wrench, Open on one end and box on the other needs to be part of your tool set with hex wrenches to adjust the stops on Guitar.

Jerry Recktenwald · From: Louisville KY

Thanks Bobby I've got it in TUNE.But I sound like heck! I need a lot of work. The SteelGuitarAcademy.com has looks like just what I need to start at. This forum is so HELP FULL ! Jerry

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

The GFI SM-10 is designed for Emmons E9 setup with a pull / release system. It probably would be hard to change it.
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it

I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Stephen Goode · From: Danville, Illinois USA

Got a question, I'm getting a new Mullen Discovery, will this copedent work on it too?

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Stephen, since the Discovery is considered a Pro model guitar, you should be able to have any copedent you want. Emmons or Day E9 3 pedal 4 knee is what comes standard on them.
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it

I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Stephen Goode · From: Danville, Illinois USA

I guess I didn't phrase that rite. I think what I was trying to say would that same tuning method work on the new Mullen, because I was always tought to tune all the open strings first then tune the pedals & knees (depressed) afterwards. Is your method an old tried & true method or is it something new?

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

That is how you tune all all-pull guitars. Push-pull and most pull-release guitars are different, but there's no need to muddy the waters by going into that here
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Kevin Fix · From: Michigan, USA

Do yourself a favor and get yourself a Peterson Strobo Plus Tuner. It will take all the guess work out of tuning. Use the sweetened tuning and you won't go wrong.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

There are other tuner options!
And most of the others don't REQUIRE you to believe that 4 cents flat is zero.
And if you're among the millions that no longer have a laptop/desktop, the Peterson is not autonomously programmable.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Stephen, the tuning procedure will be different. If you download the Discovery manual at http://www.mullenguitars.com/ownersmanual/ownersmanual.pdf it has the procedure in it.
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it

I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Stephen Goode · From: Danville, Illinois USA

O.k., thanks to everyone who replied. I've been tuning everything straight up at 440, and even it didn't sound to bad, (just my playing). I should be getting my new guitar in about a week and I'll try to use your tuning method. I just started playing about a year & a half ago & I still have a lot to learn about setting one up.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

If your tuner has a needle and displays cents, try tuning everything to zero except the following, which go 4 to 6 cents flat: G#, D# E#/F and C#. That's how I tune mine.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Stephen Goode · From: Danville, Illinois USA

I'll give it a try. However my Korg tuner does have a needle but it measures in Hz. from 420 to 440 on the flat side & 440 to 460 on the sharp side with 4 dots between 430 & 440 & 4 dots between 440 & 450. Would that be considered the same thing?

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

That's the kind of tuner that makes me grit my teeth. Basically you'd want those 4 notes to be between 438 and 439 (439 is essentially 4 cents flat, 438.5 is 6 cents flat).
If you're in the smartphone contingent, I use and recommend the 3 or 4 dollar Cleartune, and Peterson sells an adapter to plug a guitar cable into the headphone jack. There are also very good free chromatic tuner apps with cents gauges.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Stephen Goode · From: Danville, Illinois USA

Thanks, If I can't find a computer app, I'll try the 438 & 439.

Dan Robinson · From: Colorado, USA

PitchLab Pro works great on Android phone or tablet.

https://youtu.be/vHA2nC15SqU

Even if you just tune your E's it's more precise than the Snark clipped onto a leg. Good set of strobe and waterfall display options. The unlocked version (just a few bucks) has pedal steel tunings. You can add "sweetened" configs.

I've been resting it on the keyhead. Should be easy to make a cable, connect to vol. pedal tuner-out.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

He said he's not a smartphone cat.
Here's a windows tuner, but I can't vouch for it. http://otuner.sourceforge.net/
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Forum Index > Pedal Steel		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic