U 12 Copedant ??

Instruments, mechanical issues, copedents, techniques, etc.

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John Polstra
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Post by John Polstra »

Pete,

My steel is a Sierra Crown series. I have my E raises on LKL and the E lowers on LKR. I have the string 5 half-step lower (used for both E9 and B6) on RKL. I think I could move LKR closer to P5 without much trouble. I'd just have to adjust the reverser linkage to be longer (or maybe replace it).

Do you teach? I get down to Portland about once a year and just might have to arrange a lesson with you next time I go down there.

John
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Ken Metcalf
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Post by Ken Metcalf »

One aspect of playing the 6th side of Uni is to position yourself to have your foot on a home base position...
In my case this would be P.5 & P.6 Sort of like the A/B pedals for E9th.
https://sanantoniosteelguitarassoc.com/
MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal
Little Walter PF-89.
Pete Burak
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Location: Portland, OR USA

Post by Pete Burak »

John,
I'd be glad to set up the S12U's face to face and share the stuff I've picked up over the years.

Concerning your specific Steel...
Do you have a lever-lock on your S12U for LKR???

My perception of the Sierra Crown Series S12U's with E>Eb's on LKR is that they came with a lever lock for LKR, and when you play B6th you are supposed to "Lock" into B6th, then flip that lever up and out of the way, like it's not there at all.
Then you have full access to the B6th pedals.

Having B>Bb on RKL is fine.

Do you have a LKV???... If so, what change is on it?.. if not, don't worry about it.

The standard D10 style 6th tuning uses 5 pedals and one knee lever (B>Bb on RKL, just like you have it set up).

When those Sierra Crown S12U's were being made the whole S12U concept was still very young.
They were more into being able to have E9th on strings 1-9, OR, B6th on strings 12-2 (count from the bottom up as if string-12 were string-10 of a D10 6th tuning).
They were not thinking about the "One Big Tuning" thing at all at that time.
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John Polstra
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Post by John Polstra »

Pete Burak wrote:John,
I'd be glad to set up the S12U's face to face and share the stuff I've picked up over the years.
Great! I'll give you a holler next time I make plans to come down to Portland.
Concerning your specific Steel...
Do you have a lever-lock on your S12U for LKR???
My perception of the Sierra Crown Series S12U's with E>Eb's on LKR is that they came with a lever lock for LKR, and when you play B6th you are supposed to "Lock" into B6th, then flip that lever up and out of the way, like it's not there at all.
Then you have full access to the B6th pedals.
Yes, I recently installed the lever lock, and that's exactly how I've been using it. I do have to remove the vertical lever (just one wingnut) in order to flip up the LKR lever. That might be a bit of a hassle in a gig, but it's no problem at home.
Having B>Bb on RKL is fine.
Do you have a LKV???... If so, what change is on it?.. if not, don't worry about it.
The standard D10 style 6th tuning uses 5 pedals and one knee lever (B>Bb on RKL, just like you have it set up).
Here's my copedent:

Image

I removed the string 12 lower on RKL, as I never used it and it made the action too stiff. The 8th pedal (Pxxx) is as I received it, and I have no idea what it's good for. I'm seriously considering changing that pedal to lower string 6 a whole step G# -> F#. I want that change for E9, but don't have a convenient lever for it. I'm hoping I'll be able to learn to do it with the pedal using my right foot.

I know my LKV changes are considered old fashioned, but I like them and use them a lot.

John
Pete Burak
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Location: Portland, OR USA

Post by Pete Burak »

John Polstra wrote: ...I do have to remove the vertical lever (just one wingnut) in order to flip up the LKR lever...
John, I assume when it left the factory, it was adjusted so you could Lock into the 6th tuning, and flip the LKR up without hitting LKV.

I assume that with LKV removed, you can flip LKR up all the way (like when you put it in the case), so I would say... Leave LKR folded all the way up when you attach LKV. You probably have a wing-nut with a nylon washer. LKV only has to be held to the block with the wing-nut/washer, it doesn't have to slide on all the way to the wing-nut post.
The other thing you could do is flip LKR up and out of the way towards your body, instead of up under the steel.


'Kinda hard for me to diagnose without a picture, but, if needed, you should be able to adjust LKR such that you can flip it up and out of the way easily.
Sierra knee levers that are mounted on the rear apron-rail are usually easy to move left/right 1/4"-1/2" or so on the apron-rail they are mounted on.
Here's my copedent:

Image
John
Overall you copedant look fine.
One thing I like alot is adding string-12 B>A on the A-pedal (to try it just play the A+B position and tune string-12 down to A).
Having P8 next to P5 like that is great, imho.
You could probably dis-enguage the string-11 E>F on LKL unless you use it alot.
Looks like Pxxx is your experimental pedal (always good to have one of those).
'Not sure about String 12 B>A on RKL.
Lookin' good!
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