The Steel Guitar Forum

I have a 3 pedal 4 knee lever guitar.

The tuning chart for the RKR lever shows the D#(2nd) string lowering to a "D/C#". Unless I am misinterpreting the chart, these are competely different notes. I can only lower to one of them, not both. Shouldn't it be "D/C##" which are the same note?

thanks
superkristen

Some steels only are setup for the single lower to D. I actually have a 1/2 stop that allows me to lower to D and then to C#.
What kind of steel are you playing?

Larz

It's pretty common (not to say "standard") for steels to be set up so the 2nd string lowers to C#, but with a mechanical setup (there are a couple of different ways to do this) so that the knee feels a resistance at the point in the lever movement where it arrives at D. That's what's meant by a "1/2 stop."

Lowering to D is essential. Lowering to C# is optional.

if you don't have a half stop Kristen, tune the lever on that 2nd string to D
you'll get plenty of use out of it - (C# much less)

It is a gfi student.

For RKR the chart shows D/C#.

Since the 9th string "D" lowers to a C#, I also adjusted the 2nd string to lower to a C#.

But now i think I understand what you mean... it actually lowers to "D" and then to "C#" as you continue moving the knee lever to the right.
Maybe thats why this knee lever seems to move a little further than the other ones! I thought it was my imagination.

superkristen

The point where the 9th string lower kicks in can be the "feel stop" for the D on the 2nd string. Not real accurate, but it works like that on some guitars.

My StageOne lowers only to D.
but, I'm too much of a newbie to worry about the need to lower a whole step to C# yet.

Kristen; It's not your imagination

You've got the corrent understanding. The RKR goes a little way, lowering the D# to D, then you push further, and it lowers down to C#. Makes for a longer overall travel, but that can sometimes be adjusted.

Some people don't like, or don't have, the capacity to have the half-stop, or "feel stop" at D, with the further lowering to C#. They'd rather just have a shorter, definite travel of the RKR to lower just to D.

Like others have said, the main change you want is to be able to lower the D# to D. The additional lower to C# is not as crucial, and you can work into that later if/when your playing is wanting it.