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Post new topic MSA mechanic question, now with pictures!
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Author Topic:  MSA mechanic question, now with pictures!
Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 21 Oct 2011 8:02 pm    
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My guitar came with a knee lever that was in the way of a pull, and the rod bent out of the way, then back to follow the original course, so that the bellcrank was in front of the string. The knee was my RKL and P8 was in the way. The bends are cute:

How crucial/important is that? The "feel stop" on the second string is in the way of a 2nd string raise on P0. I just bent it to detour to string 1's crank. Is this harmful? Should I bend it back after it clears the stop?


Last edited by Lane Gray on 23 Oct 2011 8:55 am; edited 1 time in total
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Georg Sørtun


From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
Post  Posted 21 Oct 2011 8:33 pm    
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If the action is precise and nothing binds, bending rods a little to get around other gear is OK. Up to 45 degree bends work best - going towards 90 degree bends should IMO be avoided.

I would bend the rod back after it clears the stop by a good margin, to get the rod straight(er) through the changer.
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 21 Oct 2011 9:43 pm    
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It leaves the changer straight, passing through the bellcrank for the RKR without rubbing. Somewhere around P4 is the tower for the feel stop. I curved it about 45° with about a ¼" radius curve, over to be in line with the first string and another 45° bend so it is straight in line under the first string pull. Pix tomorrow or Sunday.
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Jim Palenscar

 

From:
Oceanside, Calif, USA
Post  Posted 22 Oct 2011 5:54 am    
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In general- the less bending- the better- however it is sometimes necessary to do so. It is not necessary to bend it back- once bent- and actually it is preferable not to if you can align the bell crank in the new position. Bends introduce a measure of extra movement in the pull rod (especially in the thinner rods) and I've had to employ that(albeit rarely) as a method to get accurate timing between string pulls (slowing a pull down a titch where I was unable to get it any slower using more traditional methods).
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Georg Sørtun


From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
Post  Posted 22 Oct 2011 6:29 am    
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Jim, I'm just curious ... are compression-springs amongst your traditional methods for introducing a tiny bit of stretch to a pull-rod?
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Jim Palenscar

 

From:
Oceanside, Calif, USA
Post  Posted 22 Oct 2011 7:14 am    
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In general, Georg, only with pull-release or push- pulls do I employ the use of compression springs. While a method could be utilized with an all-pull guitar by using springs between the changer finger and the tuning nut I suppose, most of them trap the pull rod at the bellcrank and I'd have to fashion a different method of utilizing a spring at that end. While it could be done, most of the time varying the bellcrank/changer rod positions is enough to get a balanced pull and, if not, a titch of a bend in the pullrod might be easier than more head scratching Smile~
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 22 Oct 2011 7:34 am    
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It'd probably be dead easy in a Zum-style. I don't know how many folks do it Zum-style, though.
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Lane Gray


From:
Topeka, KS
Post  Posted 23 Oct 2011 9:29 am    
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And here's my bend. It came up following string 2 and I just moved it over to 1, as you can see
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