The Steel Guitar Forum

I have a shobud LDG, and I have the Emmonds setup. Whenever I depress the B pedal which raises my 3rd and 6th strings, it also raises my 5th string ever so slightly and the guitar sounds out of tune. Has anyone ever had this problem and what is the solution. Iv'e cleaned and oiled the changer the fingers, but the problem continues. Any help would be appreciated. Bob

A slight drop in pitch on the 5th string is normal. For it to raise a bit means something might be binding up or catching on something. Do you have plenty of slack in your rods ? Try loosening the endplate tuners on your 5th string and see if it changes the open tuning. If it does you are overtuned. It is an easy fix. Other then that lay on your back and push the B pedal with your hand while watching to see what is moving your 5th string.

Bob, I tried your suggestion, to loosen the endplate nylon tuner for string 5 but it did not change the open tuning. Iv'e been checking under the guitar by moving my B pedal to see if anything is catching but I cannot see anything rubbing or catching. I did notice that the spring on the 3rd string moves stightly when I depress the B pedal, but that should have nothing to do with the problem I have with the 5th string. This is very frustrating.

Please, please, please don't take this wrong; but, are you sure the sole of your shoe/boot/footwear is not pressing down slightly on the "A" pedal when you are trying to press the "B" pedal only?

Lee, from South Texas

Bob, some ShoBuds have a small washer behind the nylon tuning nut. It is possible that someone has replaced that washer with one that has a slightly larger O.D. and the washer could be reaching over and moving the 5th string raise finger. I would check that area for too large a washer or too large a spacer.
Jerry

It sounds like someone added a raise compensator to the 5th string on the B pedal cross-shaft. I would start by disconnecting all pulls to the 5th string and make sure it's not still doing it then add 1 back at a time until you find the culprit.

TTT
Jerry

Try this diagnostic procedure:
Loosen (temporarily) the tuning nuts that raise the 5th string. Now depress the B pedal and tell us if the problem raise on the 5th string goes away.