How I Cut Half The Cabinet-Drop... And Got Better Sound

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 2 Apr 2007 2:50 pm

I have quickly scanned through the postings on this topic and cant find anything relating to the question Im about to ask.....but if I have missed it im about to look stupid.
Is cabinet drop more apparent on S10, SD10 when the pedals are located towards the middle of the guitar ?
If this is the case then less cabinet drop would occur on guitars where the pedals are over to the left where there is more support near to the leg?
On a D10 the C6th kneck would therefore suffer more from cabinet drop?
Seems logical but are there other factors involved?
I would have thought trying to keep an light, even weight from tip to tail on the bar would also help.
Someone sugested using a lighter bar but there is also the weight of the players hand and forearm to consider .I cant really comprehend how the tiny amount of flexing in a cabinet could have more effect than this.
I hope im not sending this round again.

Michael Douchette · Post by **Michael Douchette** » 2 Apr 2007 3:18 pm

Alan, in theory (and maybe builders do have solid proof), putting the pedals as far to the end of the guitar lessens the drop a fraction because of the additional support of the leg. Physics cannot be denied, however; even on a regular guitar, when a string's pitch is raised by pulling it, the surrounding strings go flat. The increase in tension will do that. However, your basic lead guitar technique of only allowing the string that's being pulled to make a sound keeps the other strings shift from mattering. In a multi tone bend, guitar players have to put up with it as we do.

I would imagine that the pedals for the C6th, while being toward the center, would have marginal assistance with cabinet drop by being at the front of the cabinet while the neck is at the back. I would think that distance would provide a minor assist.

The weight of the hand, pressure exerted on the bar, would help to cancel some of the drop, as the strings would be getting pulled sharp.

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 2 Apr 2007 3:35 pm

Michael , Thanks for that, I had a totally wrong angle on this subject so i did sound like a jackass after all !
Your explaination about the unpulled strings going flat turned the light on.....and I see now that it is not only the pressing of the pedals that causes cabinet drop.
I got one of those tuners two months ago that have the Jeff Newman settings in and I did notice a difference in the way my steel sounded, previously I was using an old 440 tuner with LEDs , not that accurate, a bit like my ears.