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Author Topic:  Vertical lever hanging too low
Aris Xanthos


From:
Switzerland
Post  Posted 19 Aug 2020 1:10 pm    
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Hello forum,

On my Emmons Legrande SKH, the vertical knee lever has begun to hang lower lately, to the point that I get stuck in it with my inner thigh when coming back from A+F position:



How can it be fixed?

Thanks in advance for your help!
Aris
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Paul Sutherland

 

From:
Placerville, California
Post  Posted 19 Aug 2020 1:39 pm    
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The crude solution: find a rod somewhere above and put a zip tie (cable tie) loosely around the rod and the vertical lever to hold the lever up. It works, but you won't win any awards for engineering or design.
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Ron Pruter

 

From:
Arizona, USA
Post  Posted 19 Aug 2020 6:33 pm    
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Aris. Real EZ. On the cross shaft for that lever there is a stop bar bolted on to it with a set screw you tighten to set the height. RP
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Emmons SKH Le Grande, '73 Fender P/J bass, Tick tack bass, Regal high strung, USA Nashville 112.


Last edited by Ron Pruter on 24 Aug 2020 4:28 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Aris Xanthos


From:
Switzerland
Post  Posted 19 Aug 2020 9:46 pm    
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Thank you guys!

Before (or while) I turn to the zip tie solution, I don’t see the stop bar bolted to the cross shaft, could it have gone missing? Maybe I’m not just looking at the right place:



Aris
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John Swain


From:
Winchester, Va
Post  Posted 20 Aug 2020 3:44 am    
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Contact Billy Knowles, he can supply you with stop bar and A longer lever if you like.
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Aris Xanthos


From:
Switzerland
Post  Posted 20 Aug 2020 4:08 am    
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Thanks John, so you can tell from the picture that the stop bar is indeed missing?

I don't think I need a longer lever, as it used to work well, but I will get in touch with Billy for the stop bar.
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Tucker Jackson

 

From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
Post  Posted 20 Aug 2020 10:54 am    
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Paul Sutherland wrote:
The crude solution: find a rod somewhere above and put a zip tie (cable tie) loosely around the rod and the vertical lever to hold the lever up. It works, but you won't win any awards for engineering or design.


Over a decade ago, I tied the vertical lever on a Carter to the bracket above it with a piece of string. Just a loose loop. It's worked so well, I never put in a more permanent solution. I don't need to swing it over to put it in the case or anything, but it does look funny. If you can easily do something that looks better like getting that stop bar, I would do that.
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Jon Light


From:
Saugerties, NY
Post  Posted 20 Aug 2020 11:09 am    
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I did something like that, Tucker, and was sufficiently satisfied with the effectiveness and with the quality of the job (it was not going to fail) that I just went with it. But on another guitar I did need to fold back the lever to case the guitar so I devised a rig with cord, a spring, and a little neo magnet. Once it was adjusted right it worked so well and set up so easily that I had no interest in finding a 'better' fix. I've actually got a video presentation of it but don't want to hijack this post.
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Aris Xanthos


From:
Switzerland
Post  Posted 20 Aug 2020 10:21 pm    
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Tucker, I have something in place to solve the issue for now, but I'm in touch with Billy Knowles for an adjustable stop bar.

Jon, I'd be curious to see your video anyway!
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Jon Light


From:
Saugerties, NY
Post  Posted 21 Aug 2020 5:30 am    
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Sure, Aris. Your #1 best option is of course to get the proper hardware from Billy Knowles so that's good.

My situation was a number of factors. I need a lever that hangs way down (short legs). The wood thing adds extension and also gives me a lot more of a level lever rather than the extreme angle you'd get with a severely adjusted straight bar. But the extra hardware requires that the lever get folded back on itself for casing. Frequent folding back loosens the friction grip that keeps the lever in place. That's where this contraption comes in. After a few dozen gigs, it did not fail once. Regardless of how it looks, it works. Perfectly.

My new Williams has a compound folding knuckle that adds much lever extension but folds over on itself. It works perfectly. I know that Mullen also has such a design (available for sale). Unfortunately the specs will not work on the Fessenden, otherwise, that would have been my first option.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8LKfn8XiM8
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Aris Xanthos


From:
Switzerland
Post  Posted 21 Aug 2020 12:13 pm    
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Thanks Jon, smart trick!
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Ron Pruter

 

From:
Arizona, USA
Post  Posted 24 Aug 2020 4:42 pm    
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Smile

Smile
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Emmons SKH Le Grande, '73 Fender P/J bass, Tick tack bass, Regal high strung, USA Nashville 112.
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Jim Palenscar

 

From:
Oceanside, Calif, USA
Post  Posted 24 Aug 2020 9:40 pm    
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Have it engage earlier by loosening the set screw in the bellcrank swivel, slide the rod in further, tighten up the set screw and reset the stop.
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Aris Xanthos


From:
Switzerland
Post  Posted 25 Aug 2020 1:45 am    
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Thanks Jim, I’ve tried that, but the weight of the lever alone seems to pull it back down and makes the nylon nut go visibly too far out of the changer.

I think I really need something like what’s on Ron’s picture, is that an “adaptable stop bar”? It’s not present on my guitar.
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Jon Light


From:
Saugerties, NY
Post  Posted 25 Aug 2020 4:19 am    
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Quote:
.....but the weight of the lever alone seems to pull it back down and makes the nylon nut go visibly too far out of the changer.



I'd need to see how crowded, how accessible the interior side of the fingers are but a collar on the rod, just behind the changer, limiting this slack movement could maybe work?
No question in my mind, slack-reducing hardware on the cross shaft is the best solution.


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Aris Xanthos


From:
Switzerland
Post  Posted 25 Aug 2020 5:52 am    
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Jon Light wrote:
I'd need to see how crowded, how accessible the interior side of the fingers are but a collar on the rod, just behind the changer, limiting this slack movement could maybe work?

No question in my mind, slack-reducing hardware on the cross shaft is the best solution.


Something like this collar was what I would have come up with based on my admittedly limited mechanical intuition! That said, I've ordered an adjustable stop bar from Steel Guitar East, hopefully I can set it up and solve the problem Smile
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Aris Xanthos


From:
Switzerland
Post  Posted 5 Sep 2020 11:15 am    
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The stop bar sent by Steel Guitar East did the job just fine, thank you all for helping me solve this issue!

Aris

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Ron Pruter

 

From:
Arizona, USA
Post  Posted 6 Sep 2020 3:26 pm    
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Looks great. Mine must have been put in upside down in the factory. RP
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Emmons SKH Le Grande, '73 Fender P/J bass, Tick tack bass, Regal high strung, USA Nashville 112.
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