7th String 1/2 stop??

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Bob Mainwaring
Posts: 1096
Joined: 6 Nov 1999 1:01 am
Location: Qualicum Beach Vancouver Island B.C. Canada

7th String 1/2 stop??

Post by Bob Mainwaring »

I'm in the middle of making up a 1/2 stop raise on 7th for the two Z.Bs. I own (pulling to G#, has anyone else out there placed a 1/2 stop or isn't it worthwhile?
I've been using a .026" plain string for years as I like the "slickness" can anybody see any negative reasoning behind these moves??

Bob Mainwaring. Z.Bs. and other weird things.

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Jim Smith
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Location: Midlothian, TX, USA

Post by Jim Smith »

I have a 1/2 stop on both strings 1 and 7. I played for 30 years raising them just to G, but recently re-rodded and now raise 1&7 to G/G# and 2 to E with a kind of weak 1/2 stop tuned by the activation of string 2.
Bobby Boggs
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Joined: 2 Dec 1999 1:01 am
Location: Upstate SC.

Post by Bobby Boggs »

I do the same as Jim.I have since 94.It is indeed a weak half stop.I can and have made it (the half stop)more pronounced.But it makes the knee to stiff for my liking.Mine is tuned to the 2nd string 1/2 step raise + the 4th string half step raise on C6th.All in all works pretty good.
Bobby Bowman
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Post by Bobby Bowman »

Bob,
I don't know for sure, but I suspect that you may have to go to a wound 7'th string (probably a .026 or maybe a .024) to get a half stop. I think that maybe the .026 plain may have way too short of a throw to go along with the longer throw of the first string. I also doubt that you will get the half stops to be in tune together on both strings no mater what guages you use. If you have a comfortable place to add another lever that would raise both 1 and 7 a half, you'd probably be better off.
BB

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Bobby Boggs
Posts: 6437
Joined: 2 Dec 1999 1:01 am
Location: Upstate SC.

Post by Bobby Boggs »

Well you could do like Jay Dee.He raises both F#'s to G#.When he wants the G note he half pedals the knee.My LeGrandes have the 14 hole bellcranks.This makes it much easier to fine tune the half stops. bb<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bobby Boggs on 30 July 2002 at 11:17 PM.]</p></FONT>
Bob Mainwaring
Posts: 1096
Joined: 6 Nov 1999 1:01 am
Location: Qualicum Beach Vancouver Island B.C. Canada

Post by Bob Mainwaring »

Hey - thank's a bunch guys, I just finished making up the 1/2 stop and placing the channel aluminum mechanism where a nine pedal would have gone.
My lever for the change is left/right lever to right; i'm not too worried about the first string as it has way more movement that can be figured out, the seventh is now pulling to a definate tunable double stop.
My buddy George (One neck) Macdonald gave me the idea of bringing it up a full tone to G#
.....I like it George....many thanks....plus thanks for the input guys.

Bob Mainwaring. Z.Bs. and other weird things.

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Peter

Post by Peter »

Are there any pictures on the Internet to show and explain the various different mechanisms for half stops?

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