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Topic: I Hate My Half Stop |
Colin Swinney
From:
Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2019 12:10 pm |
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I have a half stop on my RKR for the second string (E9), so I can go from D# -> D-> C#.
I rarely use this lever, and if I do, it's always to hit the D. It's kind of difficult to hit that in tune, even with the feel of the half stop. I'm very tempted to just forget the C# and only go from D# -> D so I can "max out" the lever so to speak and stop relying on feel. I can get the C# on the B string with the A or C pedal, so I have a hard time imagining how to effectively use the full stop.
I guess my question is, what uses are y'all getting from hitting a C# on the second string? Is there any cool licks you could share with uses for this move? |
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Dave Campbell
From:
Nova Scotia, Canada
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Posted 21 Mar 2019 12:25 pm
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| check out the tabs from the lloyd green tribute page. it'll give your 2nd string knee levering a real workout. |
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Paul Sutherland
From:
Placerville, California
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Posted 21 Mar 2019 12:32 pm
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One option is the lower the second to D on one knee lever, and then on another knee lever, on the opposite knee, lower the second string to C#. I have that on one of my steels and I like it. On my other steel (my main gigging steel) I only lower the second string to D, for exactly the reasons you have mentioned.
Of course if you split the second string lowers to two knee levers you have to give something else up. Everything is a trade-of.
_________________
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 21 Mar 2019 1:06 pm
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| Half stops are fine on slow stuff, but on really fast changes they just don't work that well. My solution was separate levers for each change. I sacrificed another change to do it, but I use both of these so much that I figured it was worth it. |
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Paul Sutherland
From:
Placerville, California
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Posted 21 Mar 2019 1:48 pm
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I saw a copedent for Buddy Emmons from his later years, and he split the second string lowers to two knee levers. It's not a crazy idea.
_________________
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing. |
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Tony Dingus
From:
Kingsport, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2019 2:14 pm
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John Hughey had his on 2 levers. I lower my 2nd on my RKL, I can feel the half stop real good there. I never liked it on the RKR. I believe Lloyd lowers his on the RKL too.
Tony |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 21 Mar 2019 7:16 pm
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| Tony Dingus wrote: |
John Hughey had his on 2 levers. I lower my 2nd on my RKL, I can feel the half stop real good there. I never liked it on the RKR. I believe Lloyd lowers his on the RKL too.
Tony |
I can feel it better on my RKR. For decades I had it on RKL and was unhappy with it there. I ended up swapping the the right knee levers. RKL is now raising 1 & 2, and lowering 6. Those changes were too long of a throw to be pushing to the right for me. I tried it on separate knee levers, but quickly put it back with the half stop.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 21 Mar 2019 7:26 pm
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From what I've heard, the best, most-positive action half-stops are on some European brands, namely Schild and Wiesner. I think I may have heard that the half stop assembly is available for sale to be added to other brands of guitars.
_________________
www.JimCohen.com
www.RonstadtRevue.com
www.BeatsWalkin.com |
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Ron Funk
From:
Ballwin, Missouri
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Posted 21 Mar 2019 8:49 pm
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Combine/Use your second string full tone drop and A pedal raise at same time for unison licks,
then release each pull singularly - or at same time - to suit what you need.
aka the "Emmons Cross" style licks |
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mtulbert
From:
Plano, Texas 75023
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 22 Mar 2019 5:06 am
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I only have the half stop down to a D on my 2nd string. I use a slant if I need the C#.
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Bob |
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K Maul
From:
Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL
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Posted 22 Mar 2019 5:42 am
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Mitsuo Fuji's EXCEL guitars have great half stops. That second string still fools me in the ‘heat of battle’ sometimes,anyway. I have put the C# change on my Eb lever. That slant idea of Bob’s could be the best one. On my ‘59 Permanent I have no changes on strings 1,2,7 or 9. To get the D note I drop back a fret and hit B pedal,sometimes F lever.
_________________
Kevin Maul: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Decophonic, Evans, Excel, Fender, Fluger, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Williams, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing. |
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Dick Wood
From:
Springtown Texas, USA
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Posted 22 Mar 2019 6:18 am
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Here's the fix. Lift your guitar up high enough to slide a New MSA under it and your trouble will vanish. It really works... 
_________________
Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 22 Mar 2019 6:48 am
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The MCI has an additional finger, rod, spring and nylon tuning nut for the 1/2 stop.
Erv
Last edited by Erv Niehaus on 22 Mar 2019 8:55 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Dick Wood
From:
Springtown Texas, USA
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Posted 22 Mar 2019 8:35 am
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And it works good like it's sposed too Erv.. 
_________________
Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 22 Mar 2019 8:55 am
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Dick,
I'm sorry, I got my tongue wrapped around my eye tooth and I couldn't see what I was saying, I meant to say the MCI, but the MSA could have the same setup, I don't know.
Erv |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 22 Mar 2019 9:06 am
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| Erv Niehaus wrote: |
The MCI has an additional finger, rod, spring and nylon tuning nut for the 1/2 stop.
Erv |
Same with Carter (Bud Carter designed both). I still found the half stop very hard to detect. I cut 1 loop off the return spring on the half stop finger, and it made the stop little more positive.
mtulbert said:
This is what I want to add to my Mullen SD12 Royal Precision, even though the half stop using the 9th string is enough to feel. It's hard to get that C# on 9 in tune and still have the 2nd string hit the D note before activating the 9th string.
On thing to watch out for when using these half stop mechanisms, is that you have different kinds of cross rods (round, hex, square). They may not work with your system without modifications (if that is even possible).
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 22 Mar 2019 9:13 am
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| On a previously owned Sho~Bud, if I used the correct gauge for the 9th string, it acted like a 1/2 stop. When I moved the knee lever, the instant I felt the 9th string lower kick in, I was exactly at the 2nd string C#. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 22 Mar 2019 11:33 am
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find a way, add a spring or a stop, this is a very important addition to the 2nd string. Agreed, some guitars do it better than others, some do it pretty darn well !
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 22 Mar 2019 12:11 pm
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| Dick Wood wrote: |
| Here's the fix. Lift your guitar up high enough to slide a New MSA under it and your trouble will vanish. |
And so will five or six thousand dollars. 
While some of us are fortunate enough to be able to do that, not everyone is. Never look down upon someone who can't afford what you already have, and must make do. I've been in both chairs at different times in my life. |
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Jeremiah Wade
From:
Bladenboro, NC
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Posted 22 Mar 2019 12:29 pm
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Muscle memory is the key. It is easier to feel the half stop when lowering Eb to D than releasing C# to D. Half-pedaling is much easier to master than half-levering. To me it is worth learning because there are other changes I would not want to lose.
_________________
I'd rather be pickin' |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 22 Mar 2019 12:51 pm
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I moved that change to a RKL move.
I have better control with a left move than a right.
I can feel the 1/2 stop better.
Erv |
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Billy Carr
From:
Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)
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Posted 22 Mar 2019 1:21 pm psg
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| I use strings 1 & 4 w/3rd pedal and E lowering KL'er. Just have to move to another fret. Only lower the D# to a D. Speed pickin' is much easier for me not having to feel for a stop. Works nicely if you add the 5th string to 1 & 4 w/ pedal down when you fade into a 1 to 5 and opens the door for another lead instrument to come, as steel is fading. Release pedal and lower 4th string at same time. Thanks. |
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Jack Turlington
From:
Toccoa, GA, USA
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Posted 22 Mar 2019 2:59 pm
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| I have 2 old Sho~Buds that I’ve decided to just forget about dropping past D. Simplifies things. My LeGrande and Excel still have half stops, but the way I see it, there’s a million licks out there and I can find a way around having a C# there. After 43 years of playing, I’m not trying to sound like everybody else anymore. |
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Dennis Detweiler
From:
Solon, Iowa, US
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Posted 22 Mar 2019 3:47 pm
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I never liked the feel of the half stop either. I'm trying to conjure up an idea for a left knee moving forward just for the D note. So, I'd have a LKL, LKR LKV and LKF. Just a little gunch forward like messaging a harassing low end itch. I'm currently cleaning and rebuilding an MSA and will let you know what I come up with.
I don't want to give up my other knee co-pedants.
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1976 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics 427 pickup, 1975 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics X-12 pickup, Boss 59 Fender pedal for preamp, NDR-5 Atlantic Delay & Reverb, two Quilter 201 amps, 2- 12" Eminence EPS-12C speakers, ShoBud Pedal, 1949 Epiphone D-8. Revelation preamp into a Crown XLS 1002 power amp. |
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