Right knee raise and lower on both E’s

[Bob Grado]

I’m just curious as to how many of us choose to have the E knee levers on the right (volume pedal) instead of the left?

[Ian Rae]

There have been polls on this.
And there are people like me who raise on one side and lower on the other, which is totally liberating

[Jon Light]

Coincidentally just this weekend I converted someone's new purchase to match his push-pull. E raise on RKR, E lower on RKL.
I'm set in my ways and I have no interest in looking for change but there's nothing about it that seems 'odd'. Lots of ways to skin the cat.

[Bill McCloskey]

delete.

[Mark McCornack]

I bought my first guitar, a new Sho~Bud Pro-1 back in '74. It had 3 pedals and 2 knee levers, both knee levers on the right (Eb, F). Many years later, I added 2 knee levers on the left, but didn't want to re-learn the existing E levers on the right, so I left them as is and I doubt I would ever change with subsequent guitars in my future.

[Dave Meis]

I've never had them anywhere else, and I've had to re-rod every steel I've owned over the years!

[Bobby D. Jones]

From 1999 when I got a knee lever steel, I had LKL lower E's, LKR Raise E's, Day pedals. In Dec. 2017 I went to Newman's 12 U tuning. RKL raise E's, RKR lower E's. I had little trouble moving and now like them on the Right leg better than on the left.

I found that you want your right leg 90 degrees to body of the guitar, It makes easier control of the volume pedal too.

[Dale Rottacker]

Like some of you I started on Sho~Bud Maverick and quickly into a Pro lll shortly after in the early 70's, with the Pro lll having either both E's on the right knee or split between the Left and Right knee's I don't really remember, but one for sure.

In the 80's I moved the one or both E's to the left, depending on what I actually had, because both of Buddy's E's were on the left. In 2017 I bought a SWEET MSA where the E's lowered on RKL and raised on LKL, and though it took a minute I adjusted and liked it just fine. That said, in 2020 I went back to both E's on the left and happy, not happier, just happy.

When I think about it though (enter over thinker) both E's on the right knee to me actually makes more sense, especially if you also play C6th. Some of us on E9th alone have 3 pulls maybe even 4 pulls the right knee. Add that to whatever you're pulling on the C6th neck you could have as many as 4-6 pulls/knee. IF, I had both E's on the right knee I could eliminate a pull or 2 on that knee, making the combination with C6th neck easier. I've heard some folks say they don't want the E's on the right knee because of the VP, when I think the real problem you have there is the heaviness of the pull, and with the E's on the left knee the pulls on the right knee are most likely heavier then they would be with the E's there.

How's that for a ramble

[Donny Hinson]

Having both E's on the right just made more sense to me, since it divides the most-often used changes between both legs. Probably 90% of my playing is done with just the E raise/lower, and A-B-C. Economy of movement just makes things easier.

[Larry Ball]

I have been fighting with this dilemma since I purchased my last “Steel” which has the E lower on RKL. It also has the “Franklin Pedal” at the O position. I feel more comfortable with the “E’s” on the left as in my other Steels. At one point I was going to change everything on my last Steel including moving the Franklin to number 4 spot. . However when I spend time playing this Steel it becomes more comfortable.. There being my dilemma.

So I think I will just bite the bullet and enjoy these beautiful guitars for what they are.

My Two Cents..

[Bruce Derr]

I've had E's on the right since the mid-'70s. Lower on RKL, raise on RKR.

[Dennis Detweiler]

U-12, RKR lowers E's, RKL raises E's.

[Larry Hobson]

Whatever works for you, but it's seems like if pedal a raises 5 and 10 then the knee that raises the e's would be better moving to the left as the ankle leans left on the a pedal as is often the case.Especially if it's the left knee leaver. Also same principle could apply to the b pedal, (ankle leans right, knee moves right to lower the e's) This geometric concept would not be as important on the right leg of course. Also if a problem with the volumn pedal is present with any right knee movement then that problem will most likely be there regardless of what strings are pulled. Just some thoughts.

[Bob Carlucci]

For many years if you bought an MSA guitar from a store or dealer, it raised the E's on RKL, and lowered them on RkR... Now, lets face it,Maurice Anderson and Bud Carter knew as much as anyone and more than most about pedal steel design, ergonomics, and playability, even back in the 70's... They shipped those MSA guitars by the thousands to stores and dealers with the knees set up on the right... Players used them that way for years... Then at some point players and builders started talking about ""Emmons setup"", and all of a sudden E changes on the right were the "wrong way" to set up a steel.. Can't say why that happened, but it did.. Nowadays if you find an old MSA it will have the "Emmons set up", or the "Day set up".. I know they did not come that way, but at some point someone changed them.. E's on the right especially with the E lower on RKR and raise on RKL, is the most ergonomic set up for most basic E9 playing in the opinion of a lot of us old timers.. I'm old enough to remember when Sho Buds were often seen with E changes on the right as well.. Until the official "Emmons set up" became all the rage, when 90% of pedal steel players did all they possibly could to sound and play exactly like Buddy. I have had steels with the "Emmons set up" on the knees, could play it and easily adapt if I wanted to in fairly short order, but it just never made as much sense to me and for my style it was not as natural.. The E's on right just made more sense, and I always wound up switching back to it... bob

[Darvin Willhoite]

I lower my E's with my RKR and raise them with the LKR. I didn't have the E to F change for several years and when I did add it the LKR was the easiest place to put it. That's been about 25 years ago, I got used to it, and that's where it stayed.