The Steel Guitar Forum Store 

Post new topic Lever Copedent Help
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  Lever Copedent Help
Sam Norris

 

From:
Austin, TX
Post  Posted 15 Jan 2018 6:13 pm    
Reply with quote

I just bought my first steel today and the knee levers do not seem to match a lot of the resources I have found online. The first three levers only work on the E9 neck and the fourth only works on C6. Here is what each does:
D: Strings 4+8 up 1/2 step
E: Strings 4+8 down 1/2 step
F: Strings 1+7 up 1/2 step
G: String 3 down 1/2 step (C6 neck only)

Is this a known copedent or just the way the original owner set it up? Right now the knee levers don't seem very usable to me and I would really like to be able to use all the levers for both necks.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Tim Russell


From:
Pennsylvania, USA
Post  Posted 15 Jan 2018 6:41 pm    
Reply with quote

What brand of steel is this?

If:
D = LKL
E = LKR
F = RKL

Then, on an "Emmons setup" guitar, this sounds mostly normal. The "G" lever, which I am guessing is RKR should be connected on the E9th neck, typically lowering the 2nd string, and possibly the 9th.
_________________
Sierra Crown D-10


Last edited by Tim Russell on 16 Jan 2018 8:33 pm; edited 1 time in total
View user's profile Send private message

Lee Baucum


From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
Post  Posted 15 Jan 2018 7:03 pm    
Reply with quote

I see from another post you purchased a Boen. As I recall, someone on the Forum purchased Mr. Boen's inventory after his passing.
_________________
Lee, from South Texas - Down On The Rio Grande

There are only two options as I see it.
Either I'm right, or there is a sinister conspiracy to conceal the fact that I'm right.


Williams Keyless S-10, BMI S-10, Evans FET-500LV, Fender Steel King, 2 Roland Cube 80XL's,
Sarno FreeLoader, Goodrich Passive Volume Pedals, Vintage ACE Pack-A-Seat
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Sam Norris

 

From:
Austin, TX
Post  Posted 15 Jan 2018 7:22 pm    
Reply with quote

Yes, it is a Boen. It was actually sold by on the forum back in October, I guess I could pull up the thread to see what the owner can tell me about it. I assume LKL means the lever is on the left and moves to the rest correct? If so then E is LKR. If the other 3 levers are pretty normal, can I get by without having the 4th lever for E9? And is there anything I would need to do differently when learning stuff?
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Lee Baucum


From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
Post  Posted 15 Jan 2018 7:28 pm    
Reply with quote

I just had another recollection...I believe Boen guitars were made with MSA parts.

Perhaps you could get more info using the Forum's search function.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 15 Jan 2018 8:22 pm     Re: Lever Copedent Help
Reply with quote

Sam Norris wrote:
I just bought my first steel today and the knee levers do not seem to match a lot of the resources I have found online. The first three levers only work on the E9 neck and the fourth only works on C6. Here is what each does:
D: Strings 4+8 up 1/2 step
E: Strings 4+8 down 1/2 step
F: Strings 1+7 up 1/2 step
G: String 3 down 1/2 step (C6 neck only)

Is this a known copedent or just the way the original owner set it up? Right now the knee levers don't seem very usable to me and I would really like to be able to use all the levers for both necks.


Those changes are fine. They're all you need, actually, to keep you busy for a couple of years. As you're new at this, I think it would be advisable to learn to use what you have first before you go changing or adding things that might be a distraction. Resist the "I gotta have everything" syndrome that many beginning players fall into.

My advice would be to find a good player and get yourself some one-on-one lessons. If you try to have every pedal and change you ever see and hear, you'll forever be blaming your shortcomings, and what you can and can't do, on your guitar.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 15 Jan 2018 9:24 pm     Re: Lever Copedent Help
Reply with quote

Sam Norris wrote:
I just bought my first steel today and the knee levers do not seem to match a lot of the resources I have found online. The first three levers only work on the E9 neck and the fourth only works on C6. Here is what each does:
D: Strings 4+8 up 1/2 step
E: Strings 4+8 down 1/2 step
F: Strings 1+7 up 1/2 step
G: String 3 down 1/2 step (C6 neck only)

Is this a known copedent or just the way the original owner set it up? Right now the knee levers don't seem very usable to me and I would really like to be able to use all the levers for both necks.


You are just naming them wrong.

The one that raises 4 & 8 is called the F lever. It doesn't matter what position it's in - that's what it's called. It is almost always on the left knee moving left (LKL).

The one that lowers 4 & 8 is usually called the E lever, though in some older courses it's called D. It is often on the left knee moving right (LKR), but some players have it on the right knee moving left (RKL).

The one that raises 1 & 7 a half step is called the G lever. It was popular 30 years ago, but newer guitars aren't likely to have this exact lever.

The important lever that you're missing is the one that lowers strings 2 and 9. You should add those changes to your C6th lever, or change your G lever to lower 2 and 7 instead. It's especially important on the 2nd string, as there's no other way to get the 4th scale note (D) in the pedals down (A major) position.

See https://b0b.com/wp/?page_id=960 for more info on the changes that are absolutely required (in my opinion) on E9th.
_________________
-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website

Ian Rae


From:
Redditch, England
Post  Posted 16 Jan 2018 4:26 am    
Reply with quote

Sam, everything b0b says is spot on (as usual).

The ability to lower the 2nd string to D was one of the earliest lever changes to appear. Rigging it to continue down to C# is optional.

String 9 lowers to C# and depending on the type of guitar its point of arrival can be used as a ½-stop for the D on string 2 if you go for the C# option.

Also what Donny says about having everything at once. If all the levers work both necks, they'll be heavy on the knees and the brain. Although while you're modifying RKL (your F, b0b's G) to lower 2 & 9, you might also have it raise the 3rd string on the C6 neck to C#. Buddy Emmons includes this change in his C6 course, and it's essential if you tune the top string to D as most people do nowadays.

Welcome aboard! Smile
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

Sam Norris

 

From:
Austin, TX
Post  Posted 16 Jan 2018 6:55 pm    
Reply with quote

Ok thanks for the help yall. Now that I know the nomenclature for the levers that has made stuff much easier. And the main thing that threw me off was me needing to lower the 2nd string to play Buckaroo, so I will definitely figure out how to add that capability.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Fred Treece


From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 17 Jan 2018 9:58 am    
Reply with quote

I like the half-step lower on the 2nd string (D# > D) without the half step lower on string 9 (D > C#) because with B pedal down it provides a straight forward pentatonic scale on all 10 strings. Home sweet home for my guitar player brain.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail


All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  

Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction,
steel guitars & accessories

www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

Please review our Forum Rules and Policies

Steel Guitar Forum LLC
PO Box 237
Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA


Click Here to Send a Donation

Email admin@steelguitarforum.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for
Band-in-a-Box

by Jim Baron
HTTP