Best placement of additional knee levers?

Bruno Rasmussen · Post by **Bruno Rasmussen** » 1 Jan 2003 7:51 am

My guitar has two knee levers for the C6 neck, RKR and RKL. I’m going to add LKR and LKL, but could use some information about the exact placement of these levers, like the distance between the RKL and the LKR lever, and should they be close to the rear side or more to the center of the guitar.
I'm trying to keep the number of holes in my guitar at a minimum, so all kinds of information on that subject would be appreciated.

Bruno Rasmussen

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Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 1 Jan 2003 8:55 am

I don't know what brand of steel you are playing. However, I would contact the manufacturer and they could give you the dimensions. I recently added some knee levers to my Emmons and Ron Jr. faxed me a diagram with the dimensions.
Erv

Bruno Rasmussen · Post by **Bruno Rasmussen** » 1 Jan 2003 10:02 am

It's a LeGrande with short keyheads. Has 5 kneelevers, LKL, LKV, LKR, RKL and RKR.

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Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 3 Jan 2003 4:39 pm

Ever considered hooking the existing left-knee levers up to the C6th?

Bruno Rasmussen · Post by **Bruno Rasmussen** » 4 Jan 2003 6:52 am

Hooking up the standard E9 left knee levers to the C6 neck! - Is this a solution used by many C6 players? Does it require more right foot pedal work? What are the advantages or disadvantages of this solution contra a center cluster? - I wasn’t aware of this being an option. Could be interesting!

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 4 Jan 2003 7:00 am

Bobbe Seymour plays that way, for one. If you can comfortably reach at least the first seven pedals with your left knee still between the E9 knee levers, that is a viable option.

It would be cheaper too, as it would only require extra rods and pullers, which you may already have. Buddy Emmons usually uses his right foot for the eighth, and often the seventh pedal.

Keep in mind that those levers will be slightly stiffer as they will be pulling more strings all the time.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 4 Jan 2003 8:18 am

I couldn't see using the left leg E9th levers for the C6th neck. It would be inconvenient and also stiffen up the action on the levers. I ordered the knee lever kits from Emmons and they sent a diagram as to the proper placement. I added a LKL, a LKR and a LK vertical. By having separate left knee levers for the C6th neck, it also helps position your leg over the foot pedals. It was really no big deal even for a left-handed Norwegian!
Erv

Jeff Lampert · Post by **Jeff Lampert** » 4 Jan 2003 8:32 am

<SMALL>Buddy Emmons usually uses his right foot for the eighth, and often the seventh pedal.</SMALL>

I think that part of the reason for playing with two feet was not so much the convenience of placing your right foot on pedals 7,8 since, with some practice, it is easy enough to reach those pedals with your left (I'm pretty sure most C6 players use the left). It is mostly to get voicings that require at least two separated floor pedals (pedals 5,7 for example). Now that the first string D note has replaced the G on most copedents, and with all the extra knee levers that one can have, playing two-footed is a far less important skill. I would absolutely not let the idea of playing two-footed be a consideration in using the E9 levers. That, IMO, would be a mistake. Put the knee levers in the middle where 98% of the players have them.

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 4 Jan 2003 9:12 pm

Jeff, I got to say this. You seem to always give good sound advice. Thanks for all your postings.....al

Skip Cole · Post by **Skip Cole** » 4 Jan 2003 11:40 pm

When i had 2 levers added to my Derby, they were placed in the middle of the steel, 1 moving left and 1 moving right, both for the C-6 neck. Worked out great as far as being convenient to reach the 4th thru the 8th pedals with the left foot and i could still reach the RKL & RKR also that crossover to the C-6 neck. all this was done by Kenny Forbess, one of the best at setting up a pedal steel guitar.

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"Steel guitar is where it are"

Terry Edwards · Post by **Terry Edwards** » 6 Jan 2003 4:13 pm

Terry

Bruno Rasmussen · Post by **Bruno Rasmussen** » 9 Jan 2003 3:07 pm

Surgery has been carried out, and the patient is still alive. Thank you everybody for sharing your insight with me. Jeff, useful information. Erv, I followed your initial advise and contacted The Emmons Company. Great people, got the help I asked for, even though I didn’t need to buy anything from them.