Fender 400 in need of Shobud Barrel Stops

[Joel Meredith]

Working on a Fender 400 and having some problems with the knee levers staying in tune. Read on the old forum about using Shobud barrel stops. Mine has one or two of the adjustable barrel stops, but I need a few others. Does anyone know where I could find these?

[Bill Ford]

John Coop, or Bobbe seemore..

[Joel Meredith]

Thanks, I'll give them a try.

[Jim Sliff]

Joel - just curious; what copedent are you using that requires a lot of extra stops, and how were you getting the double raises (or lowers) worked out otherwise?

I've definitely found the barrels are the way to go. Once you get used to soldering with a torch (if you haven't done it before) to get the loops off and slide the barrels and stops on, they're a breeze to install. The only tricky part is, depending on how your cables are constructed (long turnbuckle side with shorter pulley end, or the other way around) is lining up the stops with the least cable or loop rubbing on other parts. I've played with some delrin spacers that cables can slide around - they really help. I'll try to get some pictures up in a few weeks - just had foot surgery so I'm down for the count and stuck in a recliner for the next two weeks minimum...my 400's in the case (but my GFI is set up so I sneak over and play for a few minutes when my wife is out, since it was my right foot that was worked on...she's a nurse and if she catches me I'll need head surgery...)

[Joel Meredith]

I'm using Sneaky's B6th but the guitar has three knee levers that were added through the years before I bought it.

I have two 400's right now, one of which is used for parts. The one that is in better shape doesn't really have any original guts, but parts from various other steel guitars.

I'm slowly adding more pedals from the parts guitar. Right now I have 5 pedals and 3 knee levers.

[Jim Sliff]

Joel, for Sneaky's copedent even with the full 9+2 layout you only need two barrels; one for the 6th pedal 1st string lower, and one (the most critically accurate one) for the first pedal 4th string raise....and that one yo only need if you are using Pete's right knee lever changes, something he rarely used.

Either you're adding things to the copedent where more couple raises/lowers are needed (and I'd love to hear about any other useful changes you've found) or you have the copedent mixed up somehow.

Why don't you post what you have and what you're shooting for? It may make it easier to figure out what you need.

And if you DO find a reasonable price for those barrels, please let me know. I'd like to keep some stock on hand but prices right now are about triple what I paid a little over a year ago...when I had to pay at all. I was given a few, and they seemed like inexpensive, plentiful parts. Maybe we've increased demand!

[Stephen Gambrell]

I know first-hand, Sliff is DA MAN in matters 400!