Replacement for E Lever on My ShoBud Pro

Michael Harrington · From: Ann Arbor

Hi everyone,

I recently acquired an early 70's double neck ShoBud Pro (wartz and all!) and discovered the E lever to be bent- beyond the range of playability, in which I'll need to replace. If you were sitting down at the steel, the lever would be bent away from you, with the bottom end moving at an upward angle towards north, where your knees would point to. It's not an extreme angle, but it makes using the LKR + B pedal combination especially difficult, or near impossible!

**For clarification, I'm referring to the "E lever" as LKR for the E>Eb lower on strings 4 + 8.

I've done some searching on the web and came across a website who sells the teardrop style levers. Here's the link:

http://www.psgparts.com/Lever-Knee-Teardrop-100-105-1.htm

Can anyone verify whether or not this is the correct part I would need? Or how I would go about fixing the broken knee lever?
Any advice on this would be much appreciated.

Sorry for the lack of photos. I will take some tomorrow morning for people wanting more of a first hand look at the situation. Thanks for reading,

-Michael

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

When you say bent, do you mean actually bent, or misadjusted?
Thats a pretty stout lever, and a pretty stout bracket.
Look for adjustment capabilities in the linkage.
Also, screw in the travel stop and retune the change.
Pictures will DEFINITELY help.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Dave Campbell · From: Nova Scotia, Canada

there are a couple of different types of sho bud lever. if you can provide a picture of the undercarriage folks will be able to tell you which one you need.

Michael Harrington · From: Ann Arbor

Lane, I believe it's bent. I should have posted photos on my initial post- oops. Here are some photos of it:

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Replacing the lever won't fix your problem. Give me a few minutes to draw some circles on your picture. If you have a vise or a friend with a vise, you can fix this, no parts required.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Robert Parent · From: Gillette, WY

The bracket for the knee lever is what is bent. The aluminum lever part is not, it's the steel (L shaped) part which is mounted to the guitar. You are going to have to remove it from the guitar to be straightened or replaced.

Robert

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

That can be straightened.
I'd take the lever off and put a crescent wrench on the mounting bracket and give 'er a tug. It's nothing exotic just steel, there's no need to remove it from the guitar.

Michael Yahl · From: Troy, Texas!

Hello Michael,

First of all yes that would be the correct replacement lever for your guitar.

Second, yeah, that knee lever bracket is WAAY bent. Remove the assembly from the guitar and put it in a vice. Remove the knee lever from the bracket. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES put any bending force on that knee lever or it WILL break and I'll be selling you a new one!

Place a cresent wrench over the flat vertical portion of the bracket and close it down tight. VERY SLOWLY bend that portion of the bracket vertical again. As you do so, watch the weld at the shaft. If you see any cracking stop and either live with the position or order a new bracket from me. It's actually quite easy to break the weld at the shaft and then have 2 pieces in hand. You may be able to return that bracket to the original position.

If successful, reinstall.

Michael
PSG Parts

Hmmmm, guess we were all typing at the same time!
Consensus...Vice and cresent wrench.
_________________
"Don't fergit to kiss yer horse!"
'72 Sho-Bud Professional D10, (in pieces .....), '78 MSA Classic XL D10, '69 Emmons PP, Fender 2000
Peavey Session 500 BW, Crate Digital Modeling Amp

PSG PARTS
http://www.psgparts.com/

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

OK. The lever is sold just in the bit circled in red. It's fine. Remove it, set it aside.

Your problem is the bit circled in blue, and it can be straightened. You COULD try pulling it with a pair of Vise-grips. If it were me, I'd use a vise.

To remove it, you'll have to remove the bit circled in green, and the shaft should slide out of the brackets

Or you can remove both the brackets from the guitar and put the bent bit in a vise.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Michael, couldn't you just use the clamping of the vise to bend it straight?
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Michael Yahl · From: Troy, Texas!

Lane, possibly.
The bend point appears to be tangent to the top of the shaft so there wouldn't be enough there to react against.
_________________
"Don't fergit to kiss yer horse!"
'72 Sho-Bud Professional D10, (in pieces .....), '78 MSA Classic XL D10, '69 Emmons PP, Fender 2000
Peavey Session 500 BW, Crate Digital Modeling Amp

PSG PARTS
http://www.psgparts.com/

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Gotcha. My spatial imagination often lets me down.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Michael Harrington · From: Ann Arbor

WOW, great advice from everyone involved. Issue was a quick fix! She's looking (and playing) much better now..

Michael- my ShoBud label is missing on the front of the pedal bar, so I'll be contacting in the near future to place an order.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

So, who's advice did you take? Very Happy

Michael Harrington · From: Ann Arbor

Erv, I removed the lever and piece attached by following Lane's instructions (thanks Lane!) and then used a vice and carefully bent it back in place. No signs of cracking.

Here's a few pictures:

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Beautiful guitar! Very Happy

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Excellent comments above, an easy fix, especially on a Sho Bud like you have.

To me it appears that it was indeed bent by the previous owner for a KNEE FIT. Odd, but those of us that play this Instrument are odd to begin with ! Smile

_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website

Michael Harrington · From: Ann Arbor

Thanks Erv Smile

Tony, I never considered that. I figured it was just damaged!

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