Early Fessy string ten adjustment problem.

Loren Bayles · From: Iowa, USA * R.I.P.

Hey all, I have a problem adjusting string ten on my early Fessy SD10.

There are three separate pulls affecting string ten.

The standard, pedal one pull on five and ten and two additional pulls.
The right knee left lowers string five to Bb---string nine to C# and string ten to Bb.

Right knee right lowers string 2 to C# with a half stop at D --string nine to C# and string ten to A.

I have had no problem until just recently with adjusting string ten with pedal one to the proper pitch and returning to open pitch.
The steel has been setting up in the house with little use for a few weeks and when I sat down to it to practice a little I found that string ten will
not pull to pitch with pedal A and I can't get it to raise in pitch with the hex tuner.
It simply will not either raise or lower with the hex nut.
I have given it a good lubing thinking that lack of lubrication could be the problem causing drag or binding. The lube has made no difference.
Can anyone tell me if the three pulls on string ten is likely the cause of the problem and if so, how do I proceed to eliminate the seemingly binding problem?
All the other strings pull, adjust, and return as they should.
Any suggestions as to what might be the cause and how to proceed to correct it will be appreciated no end.

Thanks for your time and any ideas.

Loren

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Did you have the 3 pulls on string 10 prior to it sitting for that time period? If so, did you have any problems? If not, I would say that having 3 pulls isn't your problem.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 55 years and still counting.

Loren Bayles · From: Iowa, USA * R.I.P.

Hey Richard,

Thanks for the reply. The three pulls have been there since I got the guitar app. four months ago but I do not use those two right knees that much as yet. While adjusting the tuning on the knees I am afraid I may have over adjusted one or more of the lowers and the lack of movement may be due to my making a mistake though, I only adjusted until it reached the proper note pitch as the copedent requires.. (Done by ear though not by tuner).

That said, the tenth string worked as intended with pedal one until after I adjusted the knees.
I'm hoping that the problem is nothing more serious than mal-adjustment and can be reversed.

It was said Mr. Billie Cooper did some work on this guitar so he would be familiar with it's workings and might be able to tell me what might be wrong and what I might need to do to correct it if it would lie in the adjustment.
Thanks again for the reply.

Loren

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Are ANY pulls keeping a finger from resting on the stop bar?
Or, in other words, does turning any nylon nut change the pitch of the B note?
That's the best way to check for overtuning.
Alternatively, you could back all three out til they have no effect EVEN WHEN ACTIVATED. Then tune the B, then the C#, then the A#, then the A.
After tuning the A#, recheck the C#.
Also crane your head over to see if the lowering finger starts moving on application of the A pedal. If you don't have an overtuning issue, you probably have a lower return spring issue.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Jon Light (deceased) · From: Saugerties, NY

See if any/all of the cross shafts involved with 10th string pulls have a little lateral wiggle room. There must be a small bit of play in the cross shafts between the guitar aprons or brackets. Weather related expansion & contraction of the body can bind the shafts. If you find that any shafts are bound up, you need to exert a little sideways pressure against the bushing in the rear apron to push it out---we are talking about perhaps 1/16" . This is a known fix for binding as suggested by Jerry Fessenden.
It is a bit of a stretch to see how this may pertain to your situation but it's just a thought.

Dan Beller-McKenna · From: Durham, New Hampshire, USA

All good suggestions. Another thing to check is whether one of the 10th string pull rods has popped out of the slot on the bellcrank and is resting on the "tooth."

Dan

Loren Bayles · From: Iowa, USA * R.I.P.

Thanks very much guys. I won't have time until tonight to use your suggestions.
After checking the pull rod connections in the bell cranks as suggested by Dan and they are ok I think I'll try backing off the nuts on the knee pulls and see if the A pedal again functions as intended though, I am afraid that may not be the answer.

Thanks much for your thoughts and suggestions.

Loren

Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

What Jon says. - You might try loosening the screws that hold the band of aluminum against the back apron. This band keeps the cross shafts in place. Cold dry weather can shrink the width of the body and you'll get excessive friction. Happened to my Fessey.

Loren Bayles · From: Iowa, USA * R.I.P.

Thanks Jim,

I'll keep that in mind as things progress.
I do have to turn the guitar upside down to check and find where a screw came from that dropped in my face as I was looking over the undercarriage.
That may be the source of the problem as the right knee right seems to be loose and will move from side to side . I'll be checking that out first.

Thanks.

LB

Loren Bayles · From: Iowa, USA * R.I.P.

Guys just a big thank you for all the suggestions and advice as to what might have been my problem and how to correct it.

I found the screw that fell in my face came from the RKR bracket. Replaced it and the lever is now solidly in place.

As to the tenth string, I loosened the two lowering nylon nuts on the tenth finger and wallah...the 10th B now will raise to C#.

Now to figure out how to solve the rest of the delemma. (whether to keep the two lowers on the tenth or eliminate or change them to something else useful) ?????
Open again to any and all suggestions.
Many thanks once more for the suggestions offered.

Loren

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