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Topic: GFI S10 Bridge Fingers / Changer Mechanisms |
Christopher Heidel
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 4 Jun 2020 12:11 pm |
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Hello, I apologize if this is covered somewhere else, I just picked up a GFI S10 and the 4th/E string sounds almost like i'm palm muting it. No resonance and the changer and bridge finger look out of place. Looking for some advice and willing to pay someone to skype me with help!
Last edited by Christopher Heidel on 8 Jun 2020 11:00 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 4 Jun 2020 1:12 pm
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You need to screw out the nylon tuning nut and get the finger back in place.
Erv |
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Gene Tani
From:
Pac NW
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Posted 4 Jun 2020 1:16 pm overtuned
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[edit] Woops, that's a pull release, you can read Doug Earnest's procedure for a different pull release but you should probably ask GFI
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=311425
_________________
- keyless Sonny Jenkins laps stay in tune forever!; Carter PSG
- The secret sauce: polyester sweatpants to buff your picks, cheapo Presonus channel strip for preamp/EQ/compress/limiter, Diet Mountain Dew
Last edited by Gene Tani on 4 Jun 2020 3:02 pm; edited 5 times in total |
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Bengt Erlandsen
From:
Brekstad, NORWAY
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Posted 4 Jun 2020 1:34 pm
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That looks like a pull/release mechanism to me and then string 4 and 8 would normally be out of place in order to be able to lower down to Eb. Does the fingers belonging to strings 4 and 8 go back in place where all the other fingers are when those two strings are lowered to Eb, and is the problem sound still present when those strings are at Eb ?
Might need a picture of rest of under carriage rods and mechanism to figure where the trouble might be.
B.Erlandsen |
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Christopher Heidel
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 4 Jun 2020 3:26 pm
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| Bengt Erlandsen wrote: |
That looks like a pull/release mechanism to me and then string 4 and 8 would normally be out of place in order to be able to lower down to Eb. Does the fingers belonging to strings 4 and 8 go back in place where all the other fingers are when those two strings are lowered to Eb, and is the problem sound still present when those strings are at Eb ?
Might need a picture of rest of under carriage rods and mechanism to figure where the trouble might be.
B.Erlandsen |
Thank you for the responses! When I lower them to Eb, it looks to me that the fingers move further out of place. The picture of the fingers attached here is with the pedal depressed. Picture file Picture file Picture file |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 4 Jun 2020 4:01 pm Re: Bridge Fingers / Changer Mechanisms
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| Christopher Heidel wrote: |
| Hello, I apologize if this is covered somewhere else, I just picked up a GFI S10 and the 4th/E string sounds almost like i'm palm muting it. |
Yeah, and it also looks like those strings have been on there for a few years.  |
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Tom Sosbe
From:
Rushville,In
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Posted 4 Jun 2020 5:24 pm
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| back to what Erv said loosen the tuning nut and start again |
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Bengt Erlandsen
From:
Brekstad, NORWAY
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Posted 5 Jun 2020 3:55 am
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If temporarely disconnecting the spring that pulls on the lowering lever for the E strings, then both changer fingers should move back and line up with the rest of the other fingers there and both E strings should be at Eb.
The spring is there to pull those strings back up to the note E.
When the spring is attached there should be some sort of mechanical stop somewhere to be able to tune both strings to E (with the nylon tuners) at that same stop and to prevent the changer finger from trying to balance itself by the string tension and spring tension.
When nothing is pulling on those changer fingers then your guitar would be tuned
low to high B D Eb F# G# B Eb G# D# F#
That is where the guitar need be tuned first.
Then the spring should pull(on the lowering lever) those two E strings back up to E (adjust w nylon tuners) and also check that the Eb note is still there when using the lowering lever.
B.Erlandsen |
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Danny Letz
From:
Old Glory,Texas, USA 79540
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Posted 5 Jun 2020 5:16 am
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| You can print the tuning procedure from the GFI website. That appears to be the student model GFI. I’m not sure that any of the explanations offered here explain why the string sounds muted???? |
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Gene Tani
From:
Pac NW
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Posted 5 Jun 2020 6:27 am
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When you hit the D or E lever that lowers 4 and 8, (different people call it diff things) the bottom of the changer fingers should move out towards the end plate i.e. with guiar rightside up and you sitting in playing position, the bottoms of fingers should move to your right
Does the guitar intonate properly, especially the levers that lower and raise 4 and 8 and C pedal?
Another thing you could edit the thread header to mention "GFI student model" and more people knowledgeable about that steel will see it
| Christopher Heidel wrote: |
| When I lower them to Eb, it looks to me that the fingers move further out of place. The picture of the fingers attached here is with the pedal depressed. |
_________________
- keyless Sonny Jenkins laps stay in tune forever!; Carter PSG
- The secret sauce: polyester sweatpants to buff your picks, cheapo Presonus channel strip for preamp/EQ/compress/limiter, Diet Mountain Dew |
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Leo Grassl
From:
Madison TN
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Posted 9 Jun 2020 9:41 am
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The fingers appear to be in good condition but there is clearly residue build up on the tops of them. This is one reason for notes not ringing true. For the trouble you are are having with the string sounding muted I would first take the string off and polish the top of the finger with "Never Dull" which is a very fine wool like material that is only abrasive enough for fine polishing so there is no risk of accidentally sanding a flat spot on the fingers. Build up of oil and dust over time creates this. Polish with the radius of the finger starting from the bottom of the finger where the string connects working your way toward the pickup and past the bridge point. Work it back and forth until it shines. Again Never Dull is not abrasive for ANYTHING but fine polishing so no risk factors.
Keep in mind no matter what position the finger is in the note should ring true so that is not the reason the string is sounding muted.
Once polished put the string back on and check. If it still sounds muted put on a new 4th string. If it still sounds muted after that check if the roller nut at the key head end of the guitar is clean and moves freely. If it is dirty or not moving freely use a small amount of light weight oil like Tri Flo or sewing machine oil on either side of the roller and move it back and forth. Clean any buildup in between the roller where the string rests with the never dull. If the problem still persists post a picture of the top of the the finger without the string on so we can check for grooves that may have been cut into the finger by the string. |
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Danny Letz
From:
Old Glory,Texas, USA 79540
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Posted 10 Jun 2020 5:30 am
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| There you go Leo. That’s what I was getting at. The fingers out of alignment may be a characteristic of a pull release changer or a tuning procedure error but it shouldn’t cause a muted string. |
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