The Steel Guitar Forum

i'm changing strings and when I replaced the 3rd it won't raise to A....but the 6th will. The B pedal action seems loose as well. What is the problem? Thanks.

Dave

Dave, you might want to turn the guitar over and check to make sure that a ball from a broken string isn't lodged in the changer at the 3rd string finger.

Question: did you change the 6th string from a wound to a plain? If so, I believe a plain 6th requires less pedal travel to bring it up to pitch. Meaning, the 6th would be raised to the "A" note quicker than before... while the 3rd string would not yet have reached the "A" note (the 3rd requires more travel than the 6th).

If this is what's happening, you can start by backing all the way off of the 6th string's nylon tuner. Then tune up the pedaled 3rd string. Once that's working correctly, tune up the pedaled 6th string.

If all else fails, you may have to increase the travel of the B-pedal. There should be an adjustment screw under the guitar to do this. Or... you could just put a wound 6th string back on.

nope...I changed 1st, 2nd, 3rd...and then my problem hit.

Dave

If you turn the guitar over and inspect the bottom of the changer, does the 3rd string's finger sit flush alongside the other fingers? Try working the B-pedal and watch the mechanism move. Anything unusual happening there?

3rd finger isn't moving....pressed it with my finger and the string popped out....I'm thinking sometime real simple and stupid on my part is the problem...I'll keep looking at it until my students come in 25 minutes....thanks for your help and i'llupdate sooner or later.

Dave

Tucker....I'm REAL stupid....I guess the string wasn't hooked in right....

I'm new at the steel and I have some weird fear of me screwing the thing up and somehow breaking it....so when things like that happen...I assume the worst

Thanks for your help...I'll try to smarten up.

Dave

they aren't pedal steel students Chris