What do you think about this -- A real PP Hybrid

Frank Estes · Post by **Frank Estes** » 23 Apr 2009 7:30 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfIJ_EK6keU

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 24 Apr 2009 7:26 am

That's a modification from Clem Schmitt (sp).
He sent me a DVD about it a while ago.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 24 Apr 2009 8:48 am

I am curious about the cover thing he has stapled across the end of the changer. Looks temporary since it is stapled. Something he doesn't want us to see?

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 24 Apr 2009 8:59 am

At the immediate start of the video you can get a peak at the mechanism involved in the modification and then after that it is covered up.

James Kerr · Post by **James Kerr** » 24 Apr 2009 10:56 am

An awful lot of Ironmongery to do a simple job.

James.

Frank Estes · Post by **Frank Estes** » 25 Apr 2009 5:14 am

This innovation will be meaningless to the tone deaf.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 25 Apr 2009 7:05 am

This modification is not intended to alter the tone of a p/p.
It's purpose is to smooth out the pedal and lever action.
Due to the changer design, the pull rods have to have a certain amount of slack in them to accomodate any lowers that might be on the same string.
Clem's modification is supposed to eliminate the slack.

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 25 Apr 2009 7:39 am

At the immediate start of the video you can get a peak at the mechanism involved in the modification and then after that it is covered up.

I'm just trying to understand this mechanism.....does this sound plausable?
It seems to me, that all those metal blades make up a "secondary" all-pull changer that ultimately pull or push the corresponding p/p changer fingers.

First, pause the video at the 1 sec mark (.01) and blow it up. For the sake of discussion let's name the 2 rows of extra blades between the pull-train and the changer:

Back Row = the row of blades closest to the changer
Front Row = the other row of blades, closer to the keyhead

Raises:

The back row "blades"look like they are pulled forward by pull-rods attached to the bellcranks mounted on the pedal/lever cross-shafts .......
Those same blades then hook to (and pull) the p/p changer raise fingers

Lowers:

The "front row" blades look like, when they are pulled forward they reverse the motion of the "back row" blades with a reversing linkage (kind of like the reversing mechanism used to transfer motion in standard right moving levers; RKR,RKL) which then push the P/P lower fingers.

Since the back row blades (raise blades) are pivoted backward toward the p/p changer when lowers are engaged, there is no need for slack in the raises to accommodate the lowers!

What do you all think?

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 25 Apr 2009 7:58 am

Anythings possible!

Peter Freiberger · Post by **Peter Freiberger** » 26 Apr 2009 6:43 am

Tony, Could you post a diagram?

Rich Peterson · Post by **Rich Peterson** » 26 Apr 2009 8:35 am

Must have added at least 10 pounds to the weight.

Frank Estes · Post by **Frank Estes** » 26 Apr 2009 1:04 pm

Nope. I have been informed by a very reliable source that it adds less than a pound to the weight.

My own observation of the video:
If you think about it, the rods that normally go the length of the guitar from the changer to the bellcranks are now only going between the changer and the new mechanism. The rest of the distance is from bellcrank to the new mechanism. So, it appears that it would have the same total measurement of pull rods.

In the past, there have been so many attempts to get the push-pull sound using the all-pull system. People have even replaced the push-pull changer with an all-pull and that completely changed (ruined) the tone of that push-pull guitar.

This new approach leaves the push-pull changer alone and you gain the advantage of the all-pull of having no slack and separating the raises from lowers.

IMHO, it looks promising!

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 26 Apr 2009 9:44 pm

Clem knows what he is doing. He wrote the book on PP maintenance and set up.

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 2 May 2009 8:02 am

Peter Freiberger wrote:Tony, Could you post a diagram?

I'll work on that!