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Topic: HELP NEEDED - Emmons GS 10 Student Model 3 + 3 |
Randy Sims
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 5 Jun 2018 2:49 pm |
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Greetings & blessings to all. I've just joined the forum, and I have some questions referring to an Emmons GS 10 Student Model Pedal Steel. 3 floors & 3 knees. Push Pull ~ Serial # is GS273.Â
1. Could anyone please tell me what year this would be?Â
2. What's the procedure for tuning this particular steel?Â
3. Could anyone please tell me what the proper setup should be for this model, especially with the 3 knee levers. The present setup is as follows...Â
LKR raises 4 & 7 a 1/2 tone.Â
RKL raises 1 a 1/2 tone & raises 6 a whole tone.Â
RKR lowers 4 & 8 a 1/2 tone.Â
Here's my problem... the LKR raises 4 & 7, but the lever location is located on the right side of the knee, and it moves to the left to raise. Therefore, you would have to remove your foot from the floor pedals to pull the knee back, then shift the knee to the right side of the lever to move the lever to the left, then move the knee back to the left side of the lever to position the left foot properly back onto the floor pedals. It's as if the lever is positioned wrong, and should be on the left side, and not on the right. But there are no holes or parts in the body to indicate that placement, and it does not appear that the rods would permit moving the lever to the left side. I would really appreciate some help with this. I cannot find any reference on the internet that helps. I'm an experienced musician with numerous instruments of 50 years and have done musical instrument repairs for 30 years, and while i understand the movements of the pedal steel pedals and levers, I am new to pedal steel. Any and all help given is greatly appreciated. Blessings
Last edited by Randy Sims on 5 Jun 2018 4:18 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ian Worley
From:
Sacramento, CA
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Posted 5 Jun 2018 3:58 pm
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Hi Randy, welcome to the SGF. Push-pull tuning is not entirely intuitive until you understand how the the mechanism works. The basic concept is that for any string with a raise on either a pedal or lever, you first tune the highest raised note at the key head, then tune the open note at the end plate using the lower row of allen screws. On string 4 the highest note will be the whole-step raise on the 3rd (C) pedal. There should be a "half-tone tuner", a thumbscrew, at the bell crank for the intermediate half-step raise from the knee lever, you would fine tune this note last.
Lowers are tuned using the upper row of screws on the end plate. There are a lot of other variables to consider, particularly on strings that have both a raise and a lower -- there must be sufficient free "slack" in the movement of the raise rod such that it doesn't restrict the changer finger from moving all the way to its fully lowered position. Without appropriate slack, you will be chasing your tail endlessly.
There is a sticky is this same forum section with a very informative discussion on push-pull tuning. It's here: https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=205028
The lever raising 4 & 7 a half-step is odd, normally you would raise 4 & 8 together a half-step. The raising and lowering of the Es (strings 4 & 8) are the two primary knee lever changes on E9. As far as the issue with the way that left knee lever works, a few pictures would lead to much more useful responses here. It's hard to know exactly what your dealing with from your description, but a couple of pictures would likely clarify that immediately. The more the merrier. |
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Bobby Snell
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 5 Jun 2018 4:13 pm
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The GS-10s came with 3 pedals and 1 knee, RKR as far as I know the standard. It was that when I got one in 1974. That RKR was lowering 4 and 8, with the usual Emmons 3-pedal setup.
Great sounding little guitars, and well worth fixing up if the levers are add-ons. Have a P/P wizard near you? |
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Randy Sims
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 5 Jun 2018 4:32 pm Emmons GS 10 Student Model 3 + 3
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Thank you Ian and Bobby for your help. You both have been very helpful, and I greatly appreciate the information that you each have shared. I've been very well educated by everyone's sharing their vast knowledge. I wish each of you abundant blessings.
Last edited by Randy Sims on 5 Jun 2018 5:03 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Bill Moore
From:
Manchester, Michigan
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Posted 5 Jun 2018 4:43 pm
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You are going to have to change your seating position so that lever is on the left side of your left knee. Look at this picture, this is a GS-10 that I used to own, it shows the positions of the left knee levers. You should be seated toward the right end of the guitar, with you body centered at about the 15th fret. In this position, your left leg will be extended at an angle toward the pedals, and the knee in the correct position for your lever. The right knee will be perpendicular to the guitar and between right side levers.
Last edited by Bill Moore on 5 Jun 2018 4:54 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Randy Sims
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 5 Jun 2018 4:53 pm Emmons GS 10 Student Model 3 + 3
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| Thank you Bill for the pic and the information. You have been very helpful and I do appreciate the information and the pic. Blessings to you. |
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Ian Worley
From:
Sacramento, CA
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Posted 5 Jun 2018 5:11 pm
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Thanks for adding the pics. Yes, that is definitely a left-moving lever, and it appears to be in correct location relative to the pedals. This is the same relative positioning as on my push-pulls. I can't tell from the pics though, where things are positioned relative to the fretboard. On most guitars LKL would be positioned roughly in line with the nut, give or take a little. The second pedal should roughly align here too.
The issue is most likely just what Bill described above, you need to shift your body further right behind the guitar.
There are a lot of things that will seem awkward at first when learning to operate one of these things, but stay with and it will all start to make sense.
Good luck, have fun! |
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Richard Alderson
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 5 Jun 2018 7:30 pm
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Dear Mr. Sims - I would call/visit Billy Cooper's Steel Guitar store in Orange VA; Its one of top pedal steel shops in the US. Mr. Cooper has everything you need, his store will soon celebrate some 40 years in business, he can set up your Emmons or get you into a new rig. Go with a pro. You will be playing sooner. Just saying ...
_________________
Derby SD-10 5x6; GFI S-10 5x5; GFI S-10 5x5; Zum D-10 8x7; Zum D-10 9x9; Fender 400; Fender Rumble 200; Nashville 400; Telonics TCA-500. |
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Steven Paris
From:
Los Angeles
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Randy Sims
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 16 Aug 2018 2:22 pm Emmons GS 10 Student Model 3 + 3
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Thanks everyone for your information and help. I greatly appreciate it. Concerning the LKL, being new to Pedal Steel, I took Bills advice and found that my position was the problem, and not the location of the Lever. Embarrassing, but we live and we learn. Blessings to all.
This thread has ended and may be deleted by Administrator. Thank you and Blessings. |
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