Placement of left-leg knee levers

Joe Frisina · From: Pennsylvania, USA

I own a 1974 MSA Classic D-10. I'm adding an LKL, LKR and a Vertical lever. Would someone advise me here as to the placement of the two left knee levers? Simply informing me of the distance from the left end plate, to where the cross shafts should be located, will be sufficient. Once I establish the best positions for those two levers, I'll be able to select the proper position of the vertical lever; so it isn't an issue for me. Thanks to all. ...Joe Frisina

Tom Wolverton · From: Carpinteria, CA

Before anyone can answer, we have to know where your A pedal is. Are you all the way to the left. A lot if MSA's are pre-drilled with mounting holes. This makes it easy to move back and forth. That's a good thing. Maybe Lane can chime in here. If you are raising the E's with LKL, then you want to be able to comfortably hit that lever and the A pedal (Emmons set-up) at the same time. That would be my first priority for location of LKL.
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Bobby Bowman · From: Cypress, Texas, USA, R.I.P.

Joe,
Start with the LKL position,,,,usually mounted between the B and C pedal crossrods.
From that point you have to/should consider the size of your body and legs and hopefully place the LKR in a comfortable place thats available. Usually about 51/2 to 6 inches to the right of LKL. Another thing to consider and is very important, is the vertical placement of the levers (back to front of the guitar).
Some players like the levers closer to the rear (tummy)apron. Others, myself included, like the levers staggared more toward the center line of the guitar.
If I remember right, the right knee right and the left knee right on the MSA Classic are usually factory mounted on the rear apron, as they are "reverse action levers". If you have the right parts, these can be placed in other areas under the guitar. You probably do not have those necessary parts.
Most important is to place the levers as comfortable and conviently located to suit your body size.
Sometimes, compromises are a necessary thing.
BB
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Tom Wolverton · From: Carpinteria, CA

And me being only 5'7" tall, I love the MSA style of mounting KLs on the rear rail. No flags needed. But everyone is different, so YMMV : )
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To write with a broken pencil is pointless.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

The following assumes that you have NO left knees now. If you already have E9 knees and instead plan to add center knees for C6, skip down to below the footnote.
The LKR is basically fixed because it, and its reverser, mount to the rear apronÂ¹.

This means P1 is slightly inconvenient, because the stock place sits farther right than most guitars. Not typically a problem, because P1 rarely got set up. They drilled the aprons for 10 and 7 stock, and a D-10 would have pedals on 2-9. You'll see the empty holes one set out in each direction.
After you hang LKR, you'll want to put LKL three pedal cross rod gaps to the left (2 if you have skinny legs), LKV goes the next space to the right of LKR, and you'll put a short wood screw under the link from lever to shaft, that's the stop for LKV.

Â¹This can be overcome by two means: There is a bracket made that screws to the deck that takes the lever and reverser, and you can screw it down anywhere, or; use a Zumsteel LKR with bracket. The bracket IS the reverser. I use a Zum LKR for my FLKR on my MSA

NOW, if you already have knees on the left, and want to add C6th knees, I'd urge just adding more bellcranks and rods to the ones already there, and use em on both necks. The central location of the MSA lever placement means that P1 and P10 are SLIGHTLY awkward, but I have 10 pedals on my Uni and can reach 'em all.
My $0.02
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

The following assumes that you have NO left knees now. If you already have E9 knees and instead plan to add center knees for C6, skip down to below the footnote.
The LKR is basically fixed because it, and its reverser, mount to the rear apronÂ¹.

This means P1 is slightly inconvenient, because the stock place sits farther right than most guitars. Not typically a problem, because P1 rarely got set up. They drilled the aprons for 10 and 7 stock, and a D-10 would have pedals on 2-9. You'll see the empty holes one set out in each direction.
After you hang LKR, you'll want to put LKL three pedal cross rod gaps to the left (2 if you have skinny legs), LKV goes the next space to the right of LKR, and you'll put a short wood screw under the link from lever to shaft, that's the stop for LKV.

Â¹This can be overcome by two means: There is a bracket made that screws to the deck that takes the lever and reverser, and you can screw it down anywhere, or; use a Zumsteel LKR with bracket. The bracket IS the reverser. I use a Zum LKR for my FLKR on my MSA

NOW, if you already have knees on the left, and want to add C6th knees, I'd urge just adding more bellcranks and rods to the ones already there, and use em on both necks. The central location of the MSA lever placement means that P1 and P10 are SLIGHTLY awkward, but I have 10 pedals on my Uni and can reach 'em all.
My $0.02
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

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