Half stop for a pull release changer.

[Greg Gefell]

Does anyone have some good photos/diagrams on how to hook up a half stop with a pull release changer? I recently took my string 2 lower down to a C# and want to add the stop at D. The common all pull trick of timing it with string 9 doesn't work with this changer as they both start lowering immediately.

[richard burton]

Time the ninth so that it starts moving exactly when the second string has dropped a semitone.

The pull-release changer is a gift when it comes to doing this sort of thing, it's far easier than an all-pull to get the timing right

[Greg Gefell]

Richard - I guess I don't understand how to do that. Right now when the knee lever is untouched, both the low D and the high D# are being held into that position by the knee lever itself. Both strings changer fingers have the nylon tuners from that lever fully engaged and pulling their fingers back. How can I get one finger to move and not the other? It seems like you'd need some sort of a split bellcrank system.

The 9th strings lower stop screw provides a bit of a feel stop when that string reaches its destination - C#, but its not quite a D on string 2 at that point. Besides, it would be nice to have both strings be a D, instead of C# and a D.

Anyway - if I can't have 2 D's at the same time I'll at least take a nice solid stop at the D on string 2.

[Ricky Davis]

Well it's a tuff one.
You can set up another puller on that knee lever crossbar...and have a rod with a barrel tuner and tension spring on it...through a "L" bracket??

[Don Brown, Sr.]

That should do it. Adjust it all from right there, including the amount of tension you want to feel at the half stop, as well as tuning it too.

Don

[Greg Gefell]

Don - I have no doubt that this arrangement works for you - however its tought to tell from the pictures what I need to add to my current set up to mimic your results. Can you describe in more detail what each piece of the mechanical puzzle is providing? Thanks

[Dick Sexton]

Don, that looks about as positive as you can make one. I like that tension adjustment. Is this your design or was it already on you steel. I'm thinking, I might have to redo mine.

[Ulric Utsi-Åhlin]

There´s a readily available product that,in some
cases,will do the tango,I mean the half-stop...it´s
designed to help Strat vibrato blocks find its zero
position w/ greater accuracy...McUtsi

[Dick Sexton]

That also looks good. McUtsi, who carries those?

[Greg Gefell]

Those ready made ones look promising. Where can they be purchased?

[jay thompson]

It appears Stewart-McDonald may have what you are looking for.
Regards, Jay Thompson

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_ta ... rem-Setter

[Don Brown, Sr.]

Greg, I'd like to explain it, but that's pretty much it. Well here goes, a try at it anyway.

The button (round aluminum) piece, that the tooth swivels on, is thick enough to drill out the center for a Wood Screw to fasten it to the cabinet.

A larger hole is then drilled,(same center) and threaded, for the size bolt you'll be using to go through the tooth, then a flat washer is placed over the button, (that serves as a sort of bearing surface) it's simply a spacer.

Screw the tooth to the button, not so tight that it doesn't allow it to swivel. (forgot to mention there is a nut, screwed onto the bolt, under the tooth and is used for a lock nut, to keep the bolt from turning once you set it to where there is just a tad bit of free play, so the tooth can rotate freely, but not wobble around.

The tooth itself, is nothing more than a block of aluminum, cut out with a band saw, and then the center is cut out, to make the slot for the pull rod to float in.

A hole is then drilled through the ends of the tooth, for a small screw to go through, with a nut on the bottom. The spring hooks around the screw.

The L bracket, is nothing more than a bracket with a guide hole drilled through it, to keep that end of the pull rod supported (loosely) so it's able to slide back and forth.

The Collar doesn't have to be set precise, as that serves as the feel stop, which is adjustable with the adjuster thumb screw that's going through the tapped and threaded (thicker L Bracket).

A compression spring serves for not allowing the screw to turn by itself.. Then the spring's opposite end, gets fastened onto a piece of threaded rod, that's been heated at the end, flattened, and drilled. The threaded end, goes through the hole, in the other L bracket, and has a nut, to adjust the tension of the feel stop spring.

The pull rod, runs up to a Bell Crank, on the cross shaft that's lowering your 2nd string.

First Tune your Eb/D# string to C# with the knee lever engaged, at your end plate lower, and then adjust the half stop, for the lowered D note by turning the adjuster screw.

Set the spring's tension however positive (solid) you want the stop to feel, (to you) by adjusting it with the nut behind the L bracket, on the threaded rod.

Do I get an "A" for explaining all of that?

Note: In that picture, the pieces were just sitting there, so Greg, could have a look at one that works excellent, and doesn't go out of tune. Once tuned, you can pretty much forget it's there. Very, very stable and accurate.................. Don

[Ulric Utsi-Åhlin]

Dick & Greg...I purchased mine from a Swedish supplier,but I believe lots of parts suppliers
carry them,I THINK the product is called FLOYD ROSE
TREM SETTER 2...beware though,there are numerous
products that are related,but don´t perform the
same way,Tremol-no,Hipshot Trem stop etc,so...check
before purchase.See Ya.McUtsi

[Don Brown, Sr.]

Hi Dick, George Sell, made that up when he built my steel.........

It's worked flawless all these years. But then too, so do his steels.

Thanks for asking.
Don

[Greg Gefell]

Don - thanks for sharing that. I can now visualize whats happening.

A+ description!

[Bobby Burns]

I think the part in Don's post will do the job better than the trem-setter. I is adjustable for the pitch that you feel, and the tension you feel, and every thing about it will feel as solid as you want to set it.

[Greg Gefell]

Yeah - plus those trem setters are $40 each! Don's I can make for free with my box of scrap aluminum and various shop tools.

If a really like it I might just add some more half stops elsewhere on other pulls... or releases.