Converting Pedals to Locking Pedals

[Justin Shaw]

Is it possible to convert a normal pedal that releases when you stop pressing it into a locking version? I'm sure it depends on alot of things but I'm just wondering if there are known best practices of some kind.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Assuming you mean floor pedal versus volume pedal.....yes.

A locking mechanism such as Sierra used on their Universal LKR can be attached to most pedal shafts/mechanisms some place.

Sierra used a apron mounted mechanical knob rotating a cam to hold the shaft in place until it was realeased.

I don't know any reason why a similar device couldn't be placed on a floor pedal's cross shaft.

Probably someone has already done it.

[Justin Shaw]

Yes sorry I should have specified but I mean the pedals and levers on the steel itself.

OK thank you! If only I had a Sierra haha. Maybe I'll get one for this.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Not limited to Sierra. The technology could be applied to any pedal steel using the proper components assuming just one pedal.

Rigging a system involving all the pedals wouldn't be practical.

[Bobby D. Jones]

A Locking Lever is used on some 12 string Universal tuned guitars. The lock, Is used to lock strings 4-8 in D# and string 2 in C# and holds the guitar in B6th tuning.

The lock is usually attached to the cross shaft, With a spring in the pull to remove any slack in the linkage. Some have a lever on top of the guitar, Some guitars you have to reach under the guitar to engage and disconnect.

[Richard Sinkler]

Just out of curiosity, what change do you have in mind for this pedal? Interesting concept.

[Fred Treece]

Does anyone have a link for the locking mechanism and how to install? Jim Palenscar, maybe?

[Jim Fogarty]

Not the OP, but it would be nice to find something where you could "lock" the D lever, to play non-pedal B6 on an E9 psg. It gets to be a bit much keeping that lever engaged for any entire song.

[Richard Sinkler]

Not the OP, but it would be nice to find something where you could "lock" the D lever, to play non-pedal B6 on an E9 psg. It gets to be a bit much keeping that lever engaged for any entire song.

That was my first thought.

[Jerry Overstreet]

That technology was implemented on Sierra guitars since back in the 70s. As I posted earlier, it functioned off a cam eccentric that held the shaft in a locked position.

That's the very purpose it served so that one could use other knees and pedals further right as common on a 6th tuning.

[Fred Treece]

A diagram is available in the Sierra technical manual. See fig. 13.
http://www.sierrasteels.com/support_doc ... manual.pdf
I have no idea what I’m looking at there, so this would be a job for somebody who knows what they’re doing.

I emailed Bill Rudolph today about making this addition to my Williams S12. In so many words, he advised me that adding a lock to a lever is not a DIY undertaking.

[Justin Shaw]

Wow thanks everyone! That's a ton to think about. Hmm.

[Jerry Overstreet]

For a knee lever, it's a piece of cake. It only takes a bracket bolted to the apron or other accessible location and a cam of some sort to rotate behind the knee lever hub to hold it in place.

For a pedal, might be a little trickier....just have to find a spot somewhere along the cross shaft or pedal mechanism in the body to mount a similar device...maybe behind a convenient bell crank.

It's simpler than you might think. All you're doing is using a mechanical brace to take the place of your knee holding the hub in place. Some designs such as Sierra, require some simple linkage pcs.


Now, for a complete rack of pedals, doable but just not practical. Too much clutter and interference on the underside.

I'm sure such devices can be configured on a pedal rack on the floor vs. the cabinet underside as well.

Just need something to hold the pedal down when you remove your foot. Maybe a brick?

Here's a lever lock I crafted for a 12 string guitar. The short aluminum lever mounted to the cabinet on a nylon bushing to let it rotate behind the kl hub when engaged.



I didn't take the time to search it but there have been other devices used to do the same thing. IIRC someone did it on a ZumSteel guitar with a locking device that is commonly available somewhere....if you want to poke around for the forum post.


Slick work from the impeccable shop of Darvin Wilhoite:

I've made a few for MSA Classics that looked like this.

...and the mechanical expertise of Lynn Stafford:

Here you go Tony. I used a very small De-Sta-Co Toggle Clamp to do the job and it worked just great!



I bought it from Bruce Zumsteg, along with the mounting bracket and cross shaft lever.

Link here to other types of de sta co clamping levers de sta co asst

[Fred Treece]

Jerry, I think Bill’s mechanism for the Williams involved mounting an access knob on the face of the back apron, with a clean shiny cover plate, kinda like the Excel version. I think with appropriate parts I could probably install something like what you’re talking about, that doesn’t involve cosmetic alteration. That L-shaped bracket you are pointing toward in the pic looks like something I have on my Carter.

[Jerry Overstreet]

That piece is something I had in my steel guitar parts stash. I think it was part of a Derby stop or something. It actually has 3 angles and it just happened to be the correct dimension to fit the lever mechanics.

The stop bracket just in front of that is pretty heavy, maybe 5/16" thick 90 degree angle stock. It needs to be thick enough to hold the lok stable wihtout bending or giving so that it holds the string to the desired tuning.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Justin, you've got me thinking now. I play a D10 with unusual changes on pedal 8 for the C6 tuning. Basically, it puts the guitar in a C major tuning all the way across. I sometimes have to hold it down for an indefinite period with some things I do.

I'm going to investigate a method of locking that pedal down similar to what we discussed about the knee levers either underneath the cabinet or maybe at the pedal itself. Hmmm...we'll see what develops.

[Douglas Schuch]

Here is how Bruce did a locking mechanism on a steel I owned at one point - click the link and scroll down for the picture and brief discription:

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