Customized Knee Levers

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Lee Baucum
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Customized Knee Levers

Post by Lee Baucum »

My Mullen E9/B6 U-12 has 7 pedals and 6 knee levers. 5 of the knee levers are in the standard locations and the 6th one is near the center of the guitar, used only with the B6 pedals. This is a LKR lever and it has the changes normally found on Pedal 7. (I lower the E's with RKL.) Because of this lever, Del Mullen wasn't able to install an extra long vertical lever. What I did was build a short knee lever to attach to the vertical lever. When my leg is over the B6 pedals, I can move my left knee to the left, against the short lever. This pushes the vertical lever up. Now I can lower the 5th string B a half-step by using the vertical lever in the E9 mode and by using the shorty LKL lever in the B6 mode.

I also installed a shortened knee lever on the normal LKR. That way I can move my leg under it on the way over to the B6 pedals. Because of its length, there is not as much leverage, but it is still quite easy to use.

Image

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Lee, from South Texas
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Lee Baucum
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Post by Lee Baucum »

No comments?? No opinions?? On this forum??

For an old banker, I thought I did a pretty good job.

Image
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Scott Howard
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Post by Scott Howard »

I have a U-12 Mullen and also put pedal 7 on the same knee because it keeps you from using 2 feet.I did not put mine as far in as yours (to the right of the guitar ) because it is uncomfortable for me to sit way over to one side of the guitar.I folded the normal LKR lever out of the way when I was learning the 6th side.When My daughter gets home I will try to post a picture.I have no idea how to do it but I have several pctures of it.
C Dixon
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Post by C Dixon »

Lee,

I have a comment, but you may not take kindly to it. I simply cannot see why, IF one is going to put one of the standard C6 pedals on a knee why in heaven's name it is not pedal 6. Especially on a U-12.

Why? it is the only C6 pedal that can be used with every single pedal and most of the other knee levers on the guitar!!

I know that most who do this seem to like it. But after literally thousands of hours of studying it I am convinced that the right pedal is pedal 6. That beautiful D on the 8th string simply is toooooo good to miss out on when playing a U-12 in the A/B pedal mode.

If someone gave me a brand new guitar just like yours, I would yank those changes on that knee lever, put them back on the floor and make it do what pedal 6 does. IMO that pedal even on a D-10 has belonged on a knee since day one.

But whatever floats yer... Image

Luv ya man,

carl
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Lee Baucum
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Post by Lee Baucum »

Carl - I take very kindly to your remarks. Please take a look at how I had my old push/pull Emmons set up. Be sure to read the footnotes.

Click Here



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Lee, from South Texas
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Scott Howard
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Post by Scott Howard »

I admit to not knowing what I am doing but my reason for putting pedal 7 on the same knee as the standard knee lever for C6 was they would not be used at the same time.I am still trying to learn C6th.Currently on a single ShoBud with pedals 8-5-6 on the
floor and 7 on RKL and the standard Knee lever on RLR.This gives me all the basic changes to play or should I say try to play most C6th tab that I have.I play E9th on my sons D-10.
C Dixon
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Post by C Dixon »

Thanks Lee,

Love you man, Image May Jesus richly bless you and yours always,

carl
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Jim Smith
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Post by Jim Smith »

That really is a good idea, Lee. I can see how that could provide an extra lever on a double neck too. Just hook up pulls on both necks like the right knee levers already do. As long as the pulls aren't too stiff, it would work great! Image And on a double neck those levers wouldn't really need to be shorter either.
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Lee Baucum
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Post by Lee Baucum »

Prior to adding the little shorty lever to the vertical lever, I would need to fold up the left-knee-right lever when playing in the B6 mode. That way I could still use the vertical lever. Then, when moving back into the E9 mode, I would have to remember to fold that lever back down. With this addition, I can use that lever as a vertical lever when playing in the E9 mode and as a left-knee-left lever when playing in the B6 mode.

Some U-12 guitars have the left-knee-right lever moved forward, so the player can move his/her knee behind it and to the right when using the B6 pedals. I can't move my lever forward any further, so Del just sent me a shortened one. I can easily move my left knee under it and to the right to reach the B6 pedals.

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Lee, from South Texas
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