tuning

[Bernie McCrary]

I would guess this has been on this forum before but I can't find it. Does anyone have the instructions for tuning the E9 strings, pedals, and knee levers? I have tried several times and I just can't get it. I don't understand how you can turn the knobs at each end of the same string and get two different tones out of it. Example: I can tune the B string with the left knob but when I try to tune the B pedal to A the right hand knob changes the tuning of left hand knob. Does this make sence? The whole Guitar is so screwed up I can't even play it. Someone please help... Is there someone in the Port St Lucie Florida area that can help???

Thanks
Bernie

[richard burton]

What make of steel is it.

If it's a student model, it may have a pull-release changer mechanism, which is quite different from the all-pull changer mechanism (the industry standard), with a totally different method of tuning.

Without knowing what type of changer your steel has, it's difficult to advise you on the tuning method.

[Lane Gray]

I second Richard.
Without knowing what kind of guitar, we can't help you. I recall there is a Fo'Bro in your town, but can't recall who.

[Bernie McCrary]

I appreciate the come back.
It is a GFI. Hope this helps. three pedal
Bernie

[Dave Magram]

Bernie,

You may find these two web-pages helpful for PSG terminology, and how the all-pull changer works (animated diagram):

What's this part?
http://steelguitar.com/mapIntro.html

Changer (all-pull)
http://steelguitar.com/maps/changer.html

-Dave

[richard burton]

Does it look like this:


or this:



If it's the blue model, the tuning instructions are here:

http://www.gfimusicalproducts.com/Table ... 0Sheet.htm

[Jeff Scott Brown]

I would guess this has been on this forum before but I can't find it. Does anyone have the instructions for tuning the E9 strings, pedals, and knee levers? I have tried several times and I just can't get it. I don't understand how you can turn the knobs at each end of the same string and get two different tones out of it. Example: I can tune the B string with the left knob but when I try to tune the B pedal to A the right hand knob changes the tuning of left hand knob. Does this make sence? The whole Guitar is so screwed up I can't even play it. Someone please help... Is there someone in the Port St Lucie Florida area that can help???

Thanks
Bernie

Something doesn't sound right there.

You should tune all of your open strings (no pedals, no levers) first and that should be done with the tuning keys, which is what I assume you mean by "left knob". After all of the open strings are tuned you should tune the foot pedals and you do that by adjusting the nylon tuners and without doing anything with the tuning keys. Once that is done you should do the same with the knee levers again using only the nylon tuners.

If a procedure like that isn't working then something is amiss. If you can't get it sorted out with feedback here I would recommend calling GFI and explaining whatever you are seeing. A brief interactive conversation might uncover whatever is going wrong. My experience with GFI has been that they are fantastic to work with. I have sent them very simple questions via email and received page long detailed responses that show they really do want to help, not just give the briefest answer that will suffice.

I hope you can get it figured out right away and get playing.

All the best.


JSB

[Clete Ritta]

it sounds like you have overtightened a hex tuner, which will cause the open note to change. The hex tuners should have a little slack in them. Loosen the hex tuners and tune open notes first. Then tune the pedals/levers.

Clete

[Joe Babb]

I second the motion about the nylon hex tuners. I've run into steels where the owners have way overtightened those and then nothing works right. But, first identify which kind of changer it is, cause that makes a big difference.
If your guitar is not like the blue GFI in the picture then tuning should proceed as for an all pull.
If your guitar is like the blue one in the picture, then it is a pull/release kind of thing (student model) and the GFI procedure must be followed.
Hope this helps,
Joe

[Bernie McCrary]

OK Jeff
I did it the way you said with the tuning keys first but after I tune the nylon tuners and go back and check the tone of the first tuning it is way off. All I do is keep chasing it from the tuning keys to the nylon keys and I can't tune it. It is the blue model. I would like to find someone in this area that could help.
Sorry guys.
Bernie

[Dennis Wood]

Tuning instructions for a GFI student model pull-release changer from the GFI website.

Follow the link.

http://www.gfimusicalproducts.com/Table ... 0Sheet.htm

[Jeff Scott Brown]

OK Jeff
I did it the way you said with the tuning keys first but after I tune the nylon tuners and go back and check the tone of the first tuning it is way off. All I do is keep chasing it from the tuning keys to the nylon keys and I can't tune it. It is the blue model. I would like to find someone in this area that could help.
Sorry guys.
Bernie

If you have the student model, as others have pointed out, there are special tuning instructions that mean you need to tune strings 4 and 8 differently than you would on most guitars. Others have provided the link to those instructions.

Make sure you really do have the student model. Don't judge just by the color. I think the student model used to be made available in colors but I am pretty sure it is only made in black now. The picture above happens to be a blue one but that doesn't mean all of the blue ones are student models and not all student models are blue. I had a black student model and now have a blue Ultra. That blue color doesn't tell you which model you have. Notice the difference in the fretboards. On the student model the fretboard does not wrap around the pickup and the changer. On the other models it does.

If you still can't get it sorted out, maybe there is just something wrong with the guitar. Contact GFI and they can ask the right questions to figure out what the problem is.

Good luck!


JSB

[Bernie McCrary]

Actually Jeff mine is red but it looks the same as the blue one.
Maybe I should get a hold of GFI. They might help like you said.

Happy New Year to you all.
Thanks Again
Bernie

[Jerry Overstreet]

Bernie, it sounds like perhaps your guitar is out of adjustment. I agree with you about letting someone have a look at it.

I don't know your situation, but there are a bunch of knowledgeable steel guitar folks in the area.

Check the Event Announcements for a couple of gatherings coming up around there this month.

Lakeland, and Lake Panasoffkee meetings are scheduled shortly.

If you are close enough and able to make a short trip, I'm quite sure some of the guys would be willing to look over your GFI situation for you. Maybe they could help you with understanding the system and how to adjust it. Nothing like a good hands on inspection.

Good Luck.

[Bobby D. Jones]

I hope contacting GFI you can solve the problem, if not. Where did this steel come from. Did you buy it new?? or used???. As some here on the formum have instructed to make sure the Nylon hex nuts under the changer are not in contact with the metal bar before tuning open with the key head on the left. And this does not allow you to tune the steel. It sounds like the problem may be in the return springs. The yellow steel shown a few posts back has adjustable return springs by the screws show at the bottom of the changer hole. If your steel is like the blue one shown earlier here. To adjust the blue model springs,It may take stretching, or cutting and rebending the end of the spring to get the springs adjusted and the steel to tune properly. Or possibally replacing the springs. If you can find a good steel mechanic close enough, It may be worth a afternoon drive to take the steel and let him access your problem and correct it for you. If it is a new steel you may have to return it to GFI, they may have got an order of bad springs from the Get Go.
Good Luck in this problem and Happy Steelin.

[richard burton]

Bobby,
There are no springs on the blue model.

It is a pull-release student model steel, and the tuning instructions are on the GFI website, as mentioned earlier in this thread.

[Joe Babb]

I'm not sure about current production but we once had a red GFI student model. So various colors are possible. The trick is to look at the ends of the nylon nuts. If the ends of some of the nuts on 4 and 8 are red, it's probably a student model. GFI's instructions are very clear about how to tune.

[Jeff Scott Brown]

Bobby,
There are no springs on the blue model.

I am not sure which springs he was talking about but there are most definitely 2 springs in the undercarriage of the student model. I had 1 myself until a couple months ago.

You can see them in .

[Bob Blair]

Bernie you might even want to make a post the title of which makes reference to your general location and seeks out an experienced steel player to help you sort out your problem. That will probably attract the kind of in-person help you might need.

[Bobby D. Jones]

I stepped on a round bottom rock and fell in over my head on this one. No Return springs. Made the same but built different. Ha Ha GOT ME. If the does not return to tune and string stays high. Have you Lubricated the steel since you got it?? The changer may be dry and binding and not allow the string finger to return. Does the guitar have nut rollers?? (A series of rollers one for each string to ride on where the strings leave the neck and go into the tuner head on left end of the steel, This could be causing the tuning problem also. When you raise the string and let up on the pedal it will not equalize its self if the roller is not free on the shaft to roll. Sometimes a drop or 2 of good oil will cure a problem. You need to get someone who plays steel and tinkers on his steel to take a look at your steel to help you find the problem. Good Luck.

[Bernie McCrary]

OK Bobby
I finally figured out what I was doing wrong. You said to start with the hex nuts backed off. I wasn't doing that so I couldn't get it. I backed all of them off and tuned the keys first except E everything is good to go.

Thank all of you for your help.

Bernie

[Clete Ritta]

...I can tune the B string with the left knob but when I try to tune the B pedal to A the right hand knob changes the tuning of left hand knob. Does this make sence? ...

It makes perfect sense Bernie. The hex tuners need just a little slack to operate properly. If they are tuned past the slack, they will raise the pitch of the open string.

The B pedal only affects strings 3 and 6, so the issue of which model GFI you have is irrelevant.
E strings are on 8 and 4.
Glad you got it sorted out!
Happy picking

Clete

[Jack Stoner]

The E strings are tuned differently on the GFI student model.

From the GFI instructions:

1. Tune all the strings with the keys except the "E" strings strings 4 and 8.

2. Press the lowering knee lever (left knee moving right) and tune the "E" strings to E flat with the keys.

3. Release the knee lever and now tune the "E" strings to E using the nylon tuning nuts painted red.

4. Press the raise lever (left knee moving left) and tune the "E" strings to F using the nylon tuning nuts.

5. Follow the same procedures with the appropriate strings and pitch changes if your steel has right leg knee levers (see chart below).

6. The floor pedals are tuned by pressing the pedal and tuning to the desired pitch with the nylon tuning nut.