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Author Topic:  Sho~Bud 6139 compensators
Marc Jenkins


From:
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Post  Posted 13 Aug 2018 10:50 pm    
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Hey everyone,

I have a 6139 Bud with both rack and barrel (pedals and 1 knee) and barrels behind 2-hole pullers (other 3 knees.) I’ve recently added tuning compensators to the F# strings (both on A and C pedals) since switching to (close to) JI tuning. I’m finding the pedal action really stiffens once the compensators engage, such that I have to think about stomping pretty hard to ensure the B string raises fully to C#. It almost feels like I’ve hit the pedal stop before it reaches the C#.

I’m also finding that the tuning stability of the B string changes are a little wonky - often they’re going flat, sometimes sharp. Rest of the guitar is pretty reliable for tuning.

Any thoughts or advice? Thanks in advance!
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Andrew Roblin

 

From:
Various places
Post  Posted 14 Aug 2018 6:00 am    
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Great question and topic, Marc. Could you post pictures?

All the best.
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Marc Jenkins


From:
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Post  Posted 14 Aug 2018 12:10 pm    
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Here’s a pic of the pedal end of things, before I made some changes:



I tried moving the 7th string compensator barrels to the B pedal rather than A and C - seems to have solved my issues actually. Not optimum for some moves, but overall an improvement.
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Edward Rhea

 

From:
Medford Oklahoma, USA
Post  Posted 14 Aug 2018 3:52 pm    
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Marc, I’m only being curious here, but what exactly was your goal adding pulls to your F#’s(1&7), to your A&C pedals? Thanks
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Marc Jenkins


From:
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Post  Posted 14 Aug 2018 4:29 pm    
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Edward, I’m using those pulls as compensators to lower the F#s slightly, to be more in tune with the C#.
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Andrew Roblin

 

From:
Various places
Post  Posted 14 Aug 2018 4:49 pm    
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It makes sense to me that the pull is somewhat easier on the B pedal.

Is everything staying in tune now?

Do you think having the compensators is worth the extra effort on the B pedal?
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Edward Rhea

 

From:
Medford Oklahoma, USA
Post  Posted 14 Aug 2018 5:47 pm    
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Ok, you’re lowering 1&7 to F. A pedal + E’s raise lever would achieve the same chord, grip strings 10,8,6 8,6,5 6,5,4...no tuff pedalin? Just a suggestion...
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Dan Beller-McKenna


From:
Durham, New Hampshire, USA
Post  Posted 14 Aug 2018 6:22 pm    
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Edward, he is only lowering the F#'s very slightly (retuning F#, in essence) with those pulls, so that they can be in tune with the C#s that result from the A or C pedals being engaged. If you tune your open B straight up, and your open F#s straight up, you would have to tune the pedaled C# straight up as well to be in tune with the F#. Most of the time, that straight up C# will sound wildly sharp and out of tune against the other notes you are playing. It's why many of us use some sort of "sweetened" tuning in which those C#s are noticeably "flat" compared to where they would be if we tuned them straight up according to a tuner.
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Marc Jenkins


From:
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Post  Posted 14 Aug 2018 6:41 pm    
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Andrew Roblin wrote:
It makes sense to me that the pull is somewhat easier on the B pedal.

Is everything staying in tune now?

Do you think having the compensators is worth the extra effort on the B pedal?


The A pedal is much much easier, and the B is only slightly stiffer than before - totally manageable. C is still a bit tight, but I think I can handle it. I’m playing with the C pedal height, seems to be helping.

Thanks!
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Edward Rhea

 

From:
Medford Oklahoma, USA
Post  Posted 15 Aug 2018 3:11 am    
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Hey, thanks for taking the time to explain this further, to me Dan and Marc. I admittedly just didn’t realize that 1&7 are affected that much when using pedals? It’s not anything I’ve noticed on either of my Sho~Buds, but then I use a sweetened tuning?
Best of luck to you Marc... I hope you’re able to overcome this problem and make your compensators work!
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Dan Robinson


From:
Colorado, USA
Post  Posted 16 Aug 2018 8:03 pm    
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Marc,

I did the same thing. The compensator flats the other string by just a few cents. I'm surprised it makes the action noticeably stiffer.

Are pulls stiff to begin with? I cleaned the changer on my 6139 after 40+ years. Huge improvement.

Pedal action can be adjusted in two ways on this guitar. Increasing leverage results in easier, but longer pull.

The pedal itself has two mounting holes for the ball-end. The hole closer to the pedal rack increases leverage, and vice-versa.

The pedal rod hooks to a pull bracket that has two holes. The hole farther from the pivot point increases leverage.

I think you need to move the stop-screw bracket to use the other hole, but extra holes are pre-drilled in the apron, so it's not hard.
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Gary Patterson


From:
Gallatin, TN
Post  Posted 17 Aug 2018 6:21 am    
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It appears you have black tie-wraps on two of the racks. What do they do?
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Marc Jenkins


From:
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Post  Posted 17 Aug 2018 9:39 am    
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Dan Robinson wrote:
Marc,

I did the same thing. The compensator flats the other string by just a few cents. I'm surprised it makes the action noticeably stiffer.

Are pulls stiff to begin with? I cleaned the changer on my 6139 after 40+ years. Huge improvement.

Pedal action can be adjusted in two ways on this guitar. Increasing leverage results in easier, but longer pull.

The pedal itself has two mounting holes for the ball-end. The hole closer to the pedal rack increases leverage, and vice-versa.

The pedal rod hooks to a pull bracket that has two holes. The hole farther from the pivot point increases leverage.

I think you need to move the stop-screw bracket to use the other hole, but extra holes are pre-drilled in the apron, so it's not hard.


Thanks Dan - yes my pedals are pretty stiff. Changer could use a cleaning for sure, but it’s been this way since I cleaned it last. I’ll try your suggestions!
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Marc Jenkins


From:
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Post  Posted 17 Aug 2018 9:40 am    
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Gary Patterson wrote:
It appears you have black tie-wraps on two of the racks. What do they do?


Back when I tore this thing apart (2009?) James Morehead suggested this to keep the baskets from rattling.


Last edited by Marc Jenkins on 27 Aug 2018 9:52 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Gary Patterson


From:
Gallatin, TN
Post  Posted 17 Aug 2018 10:01 am    
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I'll try it. Thanks.
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