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Post new topic First Pedal Steel, a host of issues!
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Author Topic:  First Pedal Steel, a host of issues!
Alex Hebert

 

From:
Louisiana, USA
Post  Posted 28 Dec 2017 5:51 pm    
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Appreciate the thoughts on tuning. Will take them into consideration when I get the knee levers on and get it a little closer to standard E9.

My outstanding issue is that of strings not returning to their pitches. I gave everything a good oiling, but it remains that after raising and lowering the 5th string (via the 1st or 3rd pedal), it will remain a good 50 cents or so sharp until raising and lowering any other pedal. To my eyes the upper changer fingers are flush against the stop bar the whole time (looking from the top down).

As you can see in the above photos, not all lower changer fingers reach the stop bar (the 5th one in question does however). I can pull on them slightly to get them there but they will move right back. Many of them are at an angle and to fix this would require some real dismantling...

Thoughts here? I know many of you think I'm milking a duck, just trying to get this thing somewhat playable!
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Tim Russell


From:
Pennsylvania, USA
Post  Posted 28 Dec 2017 7:12 pm    
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Jim Palenscar of Steel Guitars of North County, and fellow forum member, has written up an excellent guide on how to troubleshoot common issues.

Even though your steel if probably designed somewhat different, the article does give good tips on how to approach the troubleshooting process. I have found it helpful - have a read!

http://www.steelguitars.me/Fix_it.html
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Last edited by Tim Russell on 29 Dec 2017 2:12 am; edited 1 time in total
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b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 28 Dec 2017 10:51 pm    
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I see that there's a lowering rod on your 5th string. Maybe it's interfering with the raises. Try removing it and see if that fixes the problem.
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steve takacs


From:
beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
Post  Posted 29 Dec 2017 12:38 am    
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Albert,
If someone is helping you on this and you still have no luck,I would advertise it with the problems you mention and sell it. Life is too,short and you want to get started playing. There are some super guitars such as the Stage One or the Encore built by Doug Earnest. They are light, reasonably priced and not a lot of trouble.

You can list in the WANTED section on this site.

Best of luck, steve
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 29 Dec 2017 3:00 am    
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I concur with Steve, too much time spent trying to get this Instrument into playing condition may actually result in a Pedal Steel that is extremely difficult to play which makes learning much more difficult and can possibly lead to giving up all together. It is already reported that it does not return to pitch. That can be a multitude of issues which has nothing to do with the current conversation.

I apologize for being so abrupt but someone has to state what may be very obvious here for a new player. If Alex was a seasoned player and wanted a project, then thats a totally different scenario.

I can be the resident bad boy, I'm ok with it. I've had a multitude of students come thru my studio over the years who had really bad " name brand" lower priced Steel guitars that didn't function, for various reasons . Many gave up trying to learn out of total frustration, the others acquired better guitars.

Paying $50 or $60 for a lesson and not being able to execute the lesson gets old real fast.

As Steve said, life is too short. I wish Alex well but at some point the study of Steel guitar has to take precedence over the fixing of Steel guitar.

Best of luck to Alex who as he said, may very well be trying to Milk a Duck !
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Fred Treece


From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 29 Dec 2017 10:27 am    
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I agree with Tony and Steve. As a relatively new player, the very last thing I would want is a dysfunctional instrument. Unless you are more into dinkinÒ€ℒ around with the mechanism than you are with playing it, I would cut losses and regroup.
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Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 29 Dec 2017 10:42 am    
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You've got to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. Very Happy
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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 29 Dec 2017 12:22 pm    
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I got flamed for basically saying what Tony is saying early in this thread. Its OK, I was really trying to help, are as most others. As a newbie you want to learn to play the pedal steel. If this wasn't a home built guitar maybe we would have a different opinion, but considering what you have as Erv said, "know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em".
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Fred Treece


From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 29 Dec 2017 1:37 pm    
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Well, I agree with you too then, Jack. And with Erv "Kenny" Niehaus as well. Wink
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 29 Dec 2017 1:40 pm    
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Jack Stoner , I don't think you got flamed, just overlooked. I get the feeling Alex understands whats in front of him, or rather, whats NOT in front of him . Shocked




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


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 29 Dec 2017 1:55 pm    
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Fred,
Where did the "Kenny" come from?
OH! I get it now, Kenny Rogers! Very Happy
Erv
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 29 Dec 2017 2:52 pm    
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BTW, if Alex is willing to give just a bit more wrench time, it looks like changing the copedent on his guitar would be among the easiest. In the case of the A pedal, remove the nylon nut, remove the screw holding bellcrank to crossbar, pull the whole thing toward the keyhead endplate, move over one string, slide the rod back into the hole in the raise scissor, put the screw back into the hole in the crossbar, reattach the nylon nut.
But first, let's figure out why so many scissors aren't on the stop bar.
I assume we've tried loosening the nylon nuts, and examined for foreign objects in the changer?
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Alex Hebert

 

From:
Louisiana, USA
Post  Posted 29 Dec 2017 3:58 pm    
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The link that Tim Russell posted has been extremely helpful.

The first three pedals and all of the knee levers are now set to standard E9 copedents. It wasn't too much work. As it stands the fourth (raise 6 and 9) and fifth (lower 1st raise 7th) seem a bit redundant, I may remove them for the time being until I've played enough to assess what would be most useful.

Some of the rods were sticking in the changer fingers so I filed a few of them down and made sure everything was moving smoothly there. With a gentle push all of the lower changer fingers reach the stop bar. The return springs aren't doing any work at all... am I understanding correctly that they should be just tight enough to pull the lower changer finger flush against the stop bar?

Thanks
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b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 29 Dec 2017 4:07 pm    
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The springs only stretch when you lower a string.
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