Ooh, what does this lever do?

Dave Stagner · Post by **Dave Stagner** » 16 Oct 2023 7:51 pm

My ZB D10 has an aftermarket left knee vertical lever that wasn’t installed properly and isn’t connected to anything. Last night, I did some diagnosis and think I understand what’s wrong with it, and how to fix it.

The question is, what to do with this lever? It’s currently set up Day style on the E9 neck. LKL is E-D#, LKR is E-F. RKL is F#-G, RKR is D#-D. What would be useful/interesting for LKV? Maybe B-Bb? Other ideas?

Bobby D. Jones · Post by **Bobby D. Jones** » 16 Oct 2023 9:27 pm

Go to the links at the top of the page and go to Copendents, In just a quick look B to A#/Bb, And G# to G seem to be most common. In Mr. Franklin copendent, He lowers his 6th string G# to E.

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 16 Oct 2023 11:44 pm

My impression is that B to A#/Bb is the most widely used, so I'd be inclined to start with that.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 17 Oct 2023 4:47 am

The B to Bb change is an option. But,can a ZB do split tuning? Granted, there are other uses for it other than splitting the A pedal. When I had my 2 ZBs in the 1970s, I don't think splits were common, if used at all.

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 17 Oct 2023 9:40 am

Good point, Richard - I hadn't thought of that and I don't know the answer either! I looked under the hood of a ZB once and it is certainly like nothing else...

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 17 Oct 2023 4:44 pm

String 1 ++ and
String 2 +

I have this change on LKR, and F#>G on the vertical. Yours would just be the reverse. Both changes get a lot of use.

Dave Stagner · Post by **Dave Stagner** » 18 Oct 2023 8:08 am

Fred Treece wrote:String 1 ++ and
String 2 +

I have this change on LKR, and F#>G on the vertical. Yours would just be the reverse. Both changes get a lot of use.

Oh, that's a cool idea! I haven't (yet) built any scale technique around those strings anyway, so the only time I use them is with knees, for minors or dominant sevenths. A V-I double stop up there could be really nifty.

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 18 Oct 2023 10:44 am

I like the first string F#-G#. It's a long throw though.

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 18 Oct 2023 5:05 pm

Good point, Chris. Maybe too long for a vertical.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 18 Oct 2023 9:45 pm

Fred Treece wrote:Good point, Chris. Maybe too long for a vertical.

I have always found half step changes best for the vertical. I tried the F# to G# on the vertical on my Carter, and it didn't work well. Travel was too long. I put it back to just raising my F# strings to G. I have the F# to G# (along with 2nd string to E, and 6th string to F#) on my RKR. The vertical is best for changes you use along with pedal changes where you can get better leverage on the vertical lever.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 19 Oct 2023 4:34 am

Re: ZBs....

I'm sure they didn't accommodate splits. On my first D10, I had the B to Bb lower and used it regularly with my A pedal - a perfect C.

I assumed all steels did that as if by magic. I swapped it for a Pro 111 and was shocked that the combination didn't work. It was then I learned that I had just been lucky with the ZB.

Tom Jordan · Post by **Tom Jordan** » 22 Oct 2023 5:17 pm

My ZB has the LKV B to Bb and it works just fine

I played so long without that change that I just "half pedal" A. But it works!

Tom