Basic tuning for my Maverick

Grant Ferstat · From: Western Australia

I'm sure this has been covered a number of times but I can't get the search to reveal anything.

As I mentioned in my first post a couple of days ago not only am I new to this forum I'm also very new to pedal steel.

I was wondering if anyone can tell me the correct method of tuning my Maverick E9 with it's 3 pedals & 1 knee lever.

I have a Stroboflip with the built-in offsets, but I know that some strings you're supposed to tune with the pedals down, some without and some strings you tune with the tuning keys and some the allen screws.

I'm not sure what the particulars are so any enligtenment would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for the assistance.

Colby Tipton · From: Crosby, Texas, USA

Grant,
Go to Larry Bell's web site, he has about the best information on tuning of any place on the internet. Click the link below.
http://www.larrybell.org/index.htm

Colby

Grant Ferstat · From: Western Australia

Cheers Colby will do.

Thanks for helping the newbie-Telecasters are so much simpler!

Grant Ferstat · From: Western Australia

Nup, still struggling here..I must be dense.

Anyone with a simplified guide to which strings I tune with pedals engaged, when I'm using the tuning keys and when I'm using the allen screws?

Something that was in the format of:-

1.
2.
3.
etc.

Would be brilliant.

Colby Tipton · From: Crosby, Texas, USA

Grant,
1. Tune open strings with tuning keys as follows.
Starting with the smallest string
1-F#
2-D#
3-G#
4-E
5-B
6-G#
7-F#
8-E
9-D
10-B
This is your open tuning.
I'll call the pedals P1,P2 and P3, starting from the left side.

Push down P1 and tune string 5 (B) to C# with the nylon tuner on the right end of guitar. Pump it a couple of times and re check it. After you get that down repeat on remaining pedals.
This is the pedals and the note for each.
P1, strings 5 and 10 are C#
P2, strings 3 and 6 are A
P3, strings 4&5 are string 4 is F# and string 5 is C#.

Now you need to let me or someone else know what your knee lever is doing. More that likely it lowers string 8 to Eb and I need to know where the other pull is hooked up on the lever. Look at the nylon tuners on the knee lever and explain how they are hooked up. In your case it may be allen heads instead of nylon nuts.

Colby

Colby Tipton · From: Crosby, Texas, USA

Grant,
Some one will be along shortly and maybe they can help you finish getting lined out on tuning. Its 4:00 a.m. in Texas and I need to get me some sleep I've been up for over 24 hours now and I can tell.

Later
Colby

Bill Moore · From: Manchester, Michigan

Grant, on the Maverick, first tune all the open strings, as mentioned above. Then, you will need to retune the strings with pedals down. Press down A+B pedals, tune strings 3,5,6 and 10 to the "pedals down" raised notes using the tuning keys. Press down B and C pedals, tune the 4th string raise with the tuning key. Check the 5th string w/C pedal, it should be the same as with the A pedal. If it's not, you may have to tinker with the linkage between the A and C pedal.

Now, with no pedals, use the allen screws at the end of the guitar to tune the open string notes, strings 3,4,5,6 and 10.

The knee lever lowers the 2nd and 8th string. It is spring loaded, the spring holds it in the open note position, moving the lever, against the spring allows the strings to lower. When you release the lever, the spring pulls the lever back to it's original location. Tune the open string notes at the keyhead. Move the lever, use the Allen screws to adjust the lowered note. You need to make sure that there is enough travel on the lever. There should be just a little bit more then is needed to lower the strings. If you see that the Allen screws are not making contact with the changer fingers, and you have not lowered enough, you need to adjust the stop on the knee lever.

This is the way it should be set up. Good luck.

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