How to fix slight grooving on changer

Gregg Laiben · Post by **Gregg Laiben** » 25 Mar 2011 2:30 pm

Was changing my strings today and noticed the beginning of very slight grooving on some of the changer fingers (strings 3,4,5) where the string makes contact on the top. Is there something I can do to help smooth these down a bit? If so, how?

Thanks...gregg

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 25 Mar 2011 2:44 pm

I keep one of these in my seat for when I break a single string. You can also use it to wedge the string on the pin while you install a new one. If I have time, I'll buff the finger a bit before installing a new string.

For cleanup and re-stringing a new set, I use the 1" wide industrial size eraser for buffing both sets of changer fingers.

For really bad gouges, an emery board or nail file can be used but you must be really careful not to affect the machined radius of the finger. Caution there. If you have anodized or plated fingers, best to leave 'em be.

Paul Norman (RIP) · Post by **Paul Norman (RIP)** » 25 Mar 2011 3:25 pm

I have used #400 grit automotive sandpaper. Be careful and sand lightly and in a round pattern.

Ryan Barwin · Post by **Ryan Barwin** » 25 Mar 2011 3:30 pm

I use 600 grit sandpaper and polish it with a small buffing wheel on an electric drill. Never tried using an eraser, but that could work too.

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 25 Mar 2011 4:18 pm

And put some blocks in your case so the weight of the guitar never rests on the strings and changer fingers.

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 25 Mar 2011 5:33 pm

I suggest you pay strict attention to what Jerry Overstreet says:

" you must be really careful not to affect the machined radius of the finger"

Very serious business here.

phred

Philip Sterk · Post by **Philip Sterk** » 25 Mar 2011 8:52 pm

If you're going to use sandpaper or any other buffing material, may I suggest "masking" off the areas between the changer fingers and changer area in general with masking tape (preferably low tack blue or green tape). Like any buffing or painting project, one should always be mindful of the areas that are not being addressed. Clean up is always the hardest part of any project. The more you address your cleanup before you start your project, the easier it is to protect and keep your axe clean. Good luck!

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 25 Mar 2011 10:29 pm

Something I read on the Mullen site....an article about grooving the fingers by laying the guitar or bumping the changer finger radius against something hard and unforgiving.

As Del's writings reveal, protect the vital changer fingers from the strings being driven into them by anything rigid.

Chris makes an excellent point. I have a nice case from a former builder, super great guy and picker from a few years back. It does not have any blocking as it's sort of a generic fit for several guitars. The keyhead and changer lies in a nicely padded area in the bottom of the case. You can see the impression it makes quite vividly. Probably OK, but after the revelation from Del, I decided to not use it again until it is properly blocked as Chris suggests.

Jonathan Cullifer · Post by **Jonathan Cullifer** » 25 Mar 2011 10:51 pm

600-800 grit sandpaper works well.

Paul Franklin and Paul Sr. both told me that it doesn't hurt a thing if you do it right. Paul said he sands and polishes his every 2-4 weeks. I do mine about once a year.

Jason Hull · Post by **Jason Hull** » 26 Mar 2011 3:07 am

I know this issue has been addressed on the Forum before, but my searches haven't found anything...still trying...

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 26 Mar 2011 4:38 am

My Franklin D-10 will be 30 years old this December and still going strong.

I've taken a very slight burr off of one finger using the 600 grit emory cloth. I also go over my fingers occasionally with Simichrome polish (which is slightly abrasive).

Gregg Laiben · Post by **Gregg Laiben** » 26 Mar 2011 5:24 am

Thanks for the great tips. Will mask things off so those bits and pieces stay out of the mechanism too.

Gary Richardi · Post by **Gary Richardi** » 26 Mar 2011 8:00 am

I haven't tried these yet for this purpose but I think these Stew-Mac fret touch-up sticks would be perfect.

The 3 abrasive areas are 1200, 4000, and 12000 grit. When I had a guitar shop service, I went through a bunch of these for fret polish jobs and they are fantastic. They Stew-Mac also sells rubberized cermic fret polishing wheels for Dremel tools that I use for a brilliant shine on frets but I think that might be overkill.

Jonathan Cullifer · Post by **Jonathan Cullifer** » 27 Mar 2011 6:36 pm

The only issue I could see with those is the possibility of sanding a flat spot...be careful.

Gregg Laiben · Post by **Gregg Laiben** » 27 Mar 2011 6:40 pm

600 followed by 800 grit sandpaper worked perfectly - no more than a few strokes and all was fine again! And the blue painter's tape works well to mask off the entire area except for the spot that you're working.

Gary Richardi · Post by **Gary Richardi** » 31 Mar 2011 6:33 am

Jonathan Cullifer wrote:The only issue I could see with those is the possibility of sanding a flat spot...be careful.

The grit is laminated to a foam pad. They're not rigid. Besides, with those fine grits, I can't imagine anyone having the endurance to produce a flat spot!

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 31 Mar 2011 7:44 am

I cut a strip of very fine emery cloth to the width of the finger, long enough to grab at each end. Mask off areas you don't want to touch, or get dust into. Grabbing on to each end of the strip, I lay it over the finger, so that it follows the curve of the finger. Pulling the emery cloth back and forth will not cause a flat spot. Use a vacuum frequently to pick up grit and dust.

Peter den Hartogh · Post by **Peter den Hartogh** » 31 Mar 2011 8:13 am

http://steelguitar.com/vids/changerfingers.wmv

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 31 Mar 2011 8:49 am

A Dremel with a buffing wheel and buffing compound works best for me. I have also used crocus cloth (wet/dry works ok too) and a pencil eraser. A typewriter eraser (if you can find such a thing these days) also works well.

The key is not to overdo it and, as everyone else pointed out, DON'T MESS WITH THE RADIUS OF CURVATURE.

Different brands of steel use different materials. My old Emmons and my Fessy are hard as a rock -- hardly wear at all; my Sho-Bud and ShowPro guitars both use softer material and require more attention.

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 31 Mar 2011 11:28 am

Peter den Hartogh wrote:http://steelguitar.com/vids/changerfingers.wmv

Exactly as Mike Cass instructed, when I rebuilt my P/P. I used Crocus cloth instead of 600 w/d then buffed as per the video. It worked perfectly.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 31 Mar 2011 11:35 am

Basically the same method as I use. But I do it without disassembling the changer, so a much shorter, and narrower, piece of emery cloth is used. And I use the crocus cloth to finish it. The crocus cloth gives such a fine finish, buffing isn't needed. At least that's been my experience. If I have the changer apart, everything gets buffed.

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 2 Apr 2011 7:29 am

I cut a strip of very fine emery cloth to the width of the finger, long enough to grab at each end.

I do the same thing. I came up with some "little helpers" to aid the process:

The clips really help me hug the sides of the finger as I do the shoeshine motion, so as to insure that I follow the radius of the finger top as closely as possible. I put a dab of Simichrome on the paper to create a "slurry" as I sand.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 2 Apr 2011 7:48 am

Good idea Tommy!

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 10 Apr 2011 7:08 am

John Billings wrote:Good idea Tommy!

Thanks John! Yes, it works well for me....

I just did this to one of my steels today and I borrowed a technique that I use when dressing frets on a guitar. I "painted" the finger tops with a Sharpie prior to sanding. This gives a pretty good visual as to how much metal you are taking off, and where the problems (grooves, etc.) lie. When you've removed the ink when sanding, then you've basically done about as much as you can do. Then it's on to using finer grits and polishing...