Best way to shorten legs by 1 inch?

[Peter]

This might sound like a drastic action, but I would like to drop my whole guitar by 1 inch. I have tested my favorite guitar height with my friends Emmons S10 as well as my own Fender Artist S10, and they are both fine. So on my S12 I need to shorten my 7 pedal rods, my 2 front legs and 2 rear legs. The legs near the player are easy to shorten: I just need to shorten the inner tube and put the feet on again. Right now they will not go inside all the way and stick out 2 inches, so I'll just cut off 1 inch. Easy.

But how do I deal with the pedal bar legs? The inner tube is very short and attached to the pedal bar. The bottom of the pedal bar is about 1 inch above the floor, due to the rubber feet on the inner tubes. I cannot lower that because the pedals will get too close to the floor. The clutch is right on top of the pedal bar, so there is no extra space there either. I don't think I can cut the outer tube where the thread of the clutch is. I cannot cut the legs where they join the body either, because of the permanent screw fitting that fits the thread inside the guitar.

I tried the Fender legs on the S12, but the outer tubes are the same length.
One alternative is that I only shorten the legs near the player, but that makes the guitar lean towards the player, and looks rather silly.

Any suggestions?
thanks
Peter
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Peter on 01 May 2002 at 02:02 PM.]</p></FONT>

[Jim Smith]

I'd recommend buying a set of shorter legs and rods. If you can't or don't want to do that, the top of the legs can be cut.

The plug with the threads for the body can be removed by tapping out from the inside. Unscrew the clutch and remove the inner tube. Stick a wooden dowel or something a little longer than the inside length of the tube. Tapping the dowel on the floor will pop the plug out.

Put some masking tape over the end of the tube. You can then use pipe cutters or maybe even a hacksaw to cut the tube to length without messing up the chrome (too much).

Debur the ends and put a little red loctite on the part of the plugs that will go back inside the legs. Partially screw a 1/2-13 nut onto the leg thread to protect the threads and tap the plug back into the tube.

Wipe off any extra Loctite and let it set for a few hours to allow the Loctite to cure and you're good to go.

[Chris Lucker]

How long are your legs now and how long do you want them to be?
What brand of pedal rods do you have, how long are they and how long do you want them to be? I have Emmons push pull stuff I think is too short.

[Fred Layman]

It can also be done using all the steps Jim S. lists, except leave the stud in the leg. With the leg in a vise, use a pipe cutter to cut off 1" of the top of the leg. When it cuts through, use a steel chisel to cut a vertical seam in the 1" piece you want to remove, pry it open with a screw driver and remove it. Then tap the stud on down as Jim suggested.

[Peter]

Thanks guys, I will try that.
Chris, I dont think the legs will fit an Emmons. I have swapped the legs with a Fender, not an Emmons.