Knee Lever "Travel"

David Pinkston · Post by **David Pinkston** » 12 Oct 2009 12:05 pm

I have loosened the springs on my RKL that raises 1,2 and drops 6. It now feels nice but the travel is very long. What is the easiest way to maintain the ease of the pull but have it shorter (or is that impossible).

Sorry if this has been answered, if so shoot me the link and don't call me names...

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 12 Oct 2009 12:58 pm

What guitar are we talking about? The way I would set lever travel on my shobud, I would back off my changes at the endplate tuners, then set my knee lever stops to where they are more comfortable, then retune the endplate tuners. If you "can't quite get there" in tune, then you will have to give a little more knee lever travel to reach your note. Shorter throw gives you quicker changes for more speed picking, longer throw helps you get that crying steel. Springs on the RKL are return springs? They should have nothing to do with lever travel. Hope this helps.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 12 Oct 2009 3:37 pm

David, try what James said.
However, the rule of thumb is:when you make a shorter pull, you also make it harder. Make the pull longer, and you also make it looser.

Re Georg's post, basically correct, but my opinion is that "raise helper springs" are no longer needed in modern day steels. The action is easy enough without them. I built my two recent steels with helper springs in mind. Turns out it was a waste of time and effort.

Georg, I am talking strictly from the view of a normal scissors all pull changer. This view might change should I run into an oddball changer mech.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 12 Oct 2009 5:04 pm

Georg Sørtun wrote: with the number of complaints about heavy pulls for raise and lower that come up on this forum I'd say correctly placed and adjusted 'helper springs' is a valid option.

No doubt valid for those who have hard pulls. I just spoke out of the view of the changer that I made. Certainly no need for helper springs there. As for the others, who knows if the complaint was for a modern steel or an old re-built one.
What I find the hardest is the pull you have to overcome on a lower, forcing against the lower return springs...say on the PF pedal

David Pinkston · Post by **David Pinkston** » 12 Oct 2009 6:31 pm

Thanks all. Mickey Adams talked me through it.. it's pulling shorter, easier and perfectly in tune.

Thanks again!

David Biggers · Post by **David Biggers** » 14 Oct 2009 4:33 am

I did the same thing to my PedalMaster low profile.
I would like to add helper springs to the RKL left.
Mine also raises 1 and 2 and lowers 6. The travel is like driving from Austin to Dallas. Way too long but very smooth and easy. If I move it back and decrease the travel the whole guitar moves when I try to use it because it become very hard to move.
If I add a spring where would it go and how much tention is too much? Well I guess when it pulls enough to change the tuning! Duh! I have removed most of the tension from the changer springs already. Since 6 lowers should I increase it back on the changer?