Bellcrank Tuning/timing? Blanton Style

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Tim Toberer
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Joined: 23 Oct 2021 11:58 am
Location: Nebraska, USA

Bellcrank Tuning/timing? Blanton Style

Post by Tim Toberer »

I also posted this over in this in the Builders Forum, but hoping to get more response over here.

I have been staring at pictures of Blanton guitars for a while, and somehow I missed the fact that there is no tuning window in the endplate! There are no nylon tuners??According to other posts on these guitars the pulls are tuned at the bellcrank and according to some the pulls are automatically timed perfectly? This doesn't make any sense to me. I had always just thought the point of the Blanton bellcranks was to time the pulls, but if it is somehow tuning and timing I want to understand. I guess I understand how this would tune the pulls, by increasing, decreasing the pull rod length, but the timing aspect now escapes me. Can anyone explain? Also, are the lowers tuned in the same way, I guess it would seem so. If this is the case, I think this is just an absolutely brilliant design. I have no problem with tuning under the guitar.

The only other guitars that use these style bellcranks that I know of are the Springfield guitars and the Sierras. The Sierras still have a tuning window, not sure about the Springfield cause I can't find any pictures right now. So it would seem you could also tune the Sierra at the bellcrank.

The other question this brings to mind is how are the pull rods attached to the changer finger? Does anyone have a picture of a Blanton changer finger? These guitars really got me perplexed!
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Tim Toberer
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Joined: 23 Oct 2021 11:58 am
Location: Nebraska, USA

Re: Bellcrank Tuning/timing? Blanton Style

Post by Tim Toberer »

To answer part of my own question this picture from this thread viewtopic.php?t=367405 shows that the pull rods are just attached with a simple hook to the changer, but hard to see much else that is going on. I believe the brass thumbscrews are meant to be some sort of stop for the bellcranks? Obviously not being used.
I would still like to see a picture of an individual changer finger, but I think I found my inspiration. The Blanton "woody" in the linked thread only weighs 25lbs. ! This must have been Mr. Blantons answer to the people who complained that his guitars were too heavy.
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John Hyland
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Joined: 6 Sep 2021 10:45 pm
Location: South Australia

Re: Bellcrank Tuning/timing? Blanton Style

Post by John Hyland »

All I can say is the bellcrank looks expensive to make.
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