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Author Topic:  Super Pro lever bracket repair question
Joe Ribaudo


From:
New Jersey, USA
Post  Posted 28 Sep 2017 9:07 am    
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So a pot metal lever bracket broke (LL) and I'm wondering just how difficult it is to replace it with a new aluminum bracket. Well, maybe not just to replace it - that looks pretty straight-forward, but in doing the repair, is there much disassembly, reassembly, tweaking, and readjusting involved? I'd hate to get started then discover I should have done x,y,z, first...
Reasoning is if I'm eventually going to have to bring it to a pro to reconfigure everything I threw out of whack, I might as well save myself the frustration. Any experienced input appreciated. Thanks.
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Sho~Bud Super Pro, Fender Concert, NV400, Orange, (LP's, Tele's, Gretsch, Burns, etc...)
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Brint Hannay

 

From:
Maryland, USA
Post  Posted 28 Sep 2017 10:32 am    
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Disassembly is necessary to get the old bracket off and new one on. The main thing is to take notes on how everything is now, maybe with drawings.

The bracket is probably sharing a cross shaft with bell cranks. You may have to remove one (or more) along with the bracket. If so, measure carefully where they're located, and of course you'll need to detach the pull rods. Also, depending which lever, there are likely to be pull rods from other changes that would be in the way. So when you have the guitar upside down on whatever work bench you're going to use, before you detach anything note which hole in the bell crank each rod that you need to detach is in, and which side of the bell crank it's hooked into--is it hooked in from the side toward you or away from you?

Then you can detach the necessary pull rods from their bell cranks and just pull them out from the changer. No need to do anything to the nylon tuner, and the rod doesn't need to be pulled all the way out--it can just hang there sticking out while you work. Then once the new bracket is installed put it all back according to your notes, and little or no tweaking or readjusting should be necessary.

Those spring clips holding the rods onto the bell cranks are a pain in the *** to deal with. If you take them all the way off, don't lose them, because I get the impression those aren't obtainable now (I hope I'm wrong). I prefer to slide them back on the rod and leave them there for safekeeping.

If you can afford it and if you can face the additional work, I'd recommend applying the above procedure to changing all the brackets. Then you'd never have to worry about the brackets again. You might be fine changing only the one, but it is a crapshoot.
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Jeff Garden


From:
Center Sandwich, New Hampshire, USA
Post  Posted 28 Sep 2017 11:04 am    
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Along with Brint's great advice to make drawings you may also want to take photos of each step. That should help with reassembly as well as enable you to post a photo on the Forum in case you need any assistance along the way.
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Joe Ribaudo


From:
New Jersey, USA
Post  Posted 28 Sep 2017 12:40 pm    
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Thanks for the advise. I feel a bit more confident now. To be honest, I'm completely intimidated by the changer - springs always seem to have their way with me - so as long as I can avoid having to deal with that, I might be able to pull this off. Not having to adjust the hex tuners is a plus too. They were way off when I got this thing.
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Sho~Bud Super Pro, Fender Concert, NV400, Orange, (LP's, Tele's, Gretsch, Burns, etc...)
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Richard Sinkler


From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
Post  Posted 28 Sep 2017 4:34 pm    
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The only spring you have to deal with is the one that the cross shaft goes through that makes contact with the body and hooks around one of the bellcranks to return the lever to it's home position.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting.
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Kevin Fix

 

From:
Michigan, USA
Post  Posted 28 Sep 2017 5:05 pm     Super Pro Knee Brackets.
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I replaced all of mine in about two hours. That included all tweeked in and picking.
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Kevin Fix

 

From:
Michigan, USA
Post  Posted 28 Sep 2017 5:13 pm     Super Pro Knee Brackets.
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When you move pull rods just draw a diagram of the hole they came from in the changer or bell crank. Flip it upside down on the kitchen table. I replaced all six of mine. "TAKE YOUR TIME" I just bought another Super PRO last week and I will replace these soon also. The last one I bought probably spent 95 % of it's life in the case. Looks like new case also.
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Kevin Fix

 

From:
Michigan, USA
Post  Posted 28 Sep 2017 5:18 pm     Super Pro Knee Brackets.
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If you watch what you are doing you won't have to take much apart other than the actual cross shaft you are dealing with. Pretty straight forward just take your time and do one at a time.
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Zeke Cory


From:
Hinsdale, New York USA
Post  Posted 3 Oct 2017 7:58 am     Super Pro Lever shaft ...
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Remember when you order the replacement shaft, specify the one with the LONGER spline. I did not specify this once and got the shorter one by mistake. Seems a lot of dealers not real familiar with the Super Pro's don't know about this little difference.
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Joe Ribaudo


From:
New Jersey, USA
Post  Posted 3 Oct 2017 10:35 am    
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Thanks all for your input and suggestions - especially re carefully documenting everything - something I'm notoriously bad at.
Going to put this up on the table tonight and see what happens.
I'm a little concerned because it looks like this old dog has seen quite a bit of work over the years and I'm hoping I don't have any problems tightening everything back down. But I'm guessing that would just be handled like any stripped screw hole, right?
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Sho~Bud Super Pro, Fender Concert, NV400, Orange, (LP's, Tele's, Gretsch, Burns, etc...)
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Kevin Fix

 

From:
Michigan, USA
Post  Posted 3 Oct 2017 3:25 pm     Super Pro Knee Brackets.
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My first Super Pro is one of the early ones. Like I was saying I replaced all of them with no issues. I just ordered knee lever brackets for the one I just got last week. My latest Super Pro has very little time out of the case but I am replacing them just because they are available now. When the time comes they may not be around anymore. Good luck and take your time. I see where their is a guy on ebay selling NOS changer fingers which is great for one that is warn. Their was a issue with some of them that would ware on inside of the assmb. See some of the posts on the Forum about them.
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Joe Ribaudo


From:
New Jersey, USA
Post  Posted 15 Nov 2017 2:52 pm    
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This was a breeze. Thanks to all for your input. Now I'm toying with thinking about considering the possibility of installing a new old stock vertical lever kit I picked up on eBay. Mine seems to have gone awol.
I'm sure I'll need some help with that when the time comes. (or maybe someone to talk me out of it)
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Sho~Bud Super Pro, Fender Concert, NV400, Orange, (LP's, Tele's, Gretsch, Burns, etc...)
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Kevin Fix

 

From:
Michigan, USA
Post  Posted 15 Nov 2017 5:22 pm     Super Pro Vertical Knee Lever
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Hello Joe, Here is a couple pictures of my vertical knee assmb. It will give you a good idea where to place it.. I have installed the straight and vertical knee assmb. on other Sho Buds I have owned. Pretty straight forward.


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Kevin Fix

 

From:
Michigan, USA
Post  Posted 15 Nov 2017 5:31 pm     Super Pro Vertical Knee Lever
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I replaced all my pot metal brackets already. The pot metal ones may never brake but I am not going to take the chance. No worries now. Getting ready for the new year coming up. Have two jobs left in December. The group I work for does vintage country. We play all outdoor jobs which are county fairs and festivals. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and a Blessed Christmas and New Year.
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