Pics of Fender cable guitar modular lever system..

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 25 Oct 2011 4:41 pm

These were sent to me with thanks for starting to spread the word.. Various levels of production, folded and unfolded, painted and unpainted.. Remember, this system is modular, and nothing is screwed into any part of the guitar, unless it was a pulley expansion, and even that uses the original Fender factory holes.. NO drilling anywhere.,,,

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 25 Oct 2011 4:49 pm

more...

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 25 Oct 2011 4:53 pm

and again...

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 25 Oct 2011 5:12 pm

Impressive

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 25 Oct 2011 6:01 pm

Too cool. Maybe I'll keep the 2000 I was thinking of selling.

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 25 Oct 2011 6:47 pm

Notice the levers tuck way down.. No problems fitting in the stock fender case with this design.. Lever clearance in the case was always a big problem for these guitars.This was the first of many problems that was resolved when this retro fit lever system was designed... guy does great work... bob

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 25 Oct 2011 6:51 pm

Leo lives!

Bob Muller · Post by **Bob Muller** » 25 Oct 2011 11:39 pm

Very nice, looks like it could be an original factory set up!!

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 26 Oct 2011 2:00 am

I had one knee lever on the 2000 that I had. It was custom made by Sho-Bud for me. I just used one of the existing cables for the knee lever.

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 26 Oct 2011 8:05 am

Don't know anything about the fender guitars but that looks to be a ten string. Is it standard E9th and can the new lever setup do lower? Good looking rig.

Bruce Hilton · Post by **Bruce Hilton** » 26 Oct 2011 11:12 am

Just what the doctor ordered!! Can't hardly wait til they're available! My 1000 sounds amazing, but without knee levers many of the tabs and instructional materials become difficult to translate.

And Dave, if you really DO decide to sell that 2000... give me a shout!!

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 26 Oct 2011 12:04 pm

I don't know about this one, but my Fender 2000 was set up with E9th/C6th on it.

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 26 Oct 2011 1:58 pm

The Fender 800 & 2000 model guitars are set up for double raises & double lowers.

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 26 Oct 2011 2:19 pm

Henry Matthews wrote:Don't know anything about the fender guitars but that looks to be a ten string. Is it standard E9th and can the new lever setup do lower? Good looking rig.

Yes, its a model 800 S10, not an easy find. Standard E9.... I have mine set up to lower string #2 down a full tone in two steps, as with any other steel, and strings 4 and 8 each down a half, as with an other E9 copedent.
One caveat..
The Fender changer does not like lowers as well as raises, and the throw is longer than with a modern changer.. thats just the way they are.
That can be altered by using a string gauge .001 heavier than standard E9 .. Its no big deal, unless you want the same ultra short throw as a modern changer..

If that's the case an old Fender is probably the wrong guitar.

I have found I adjust to the longer sweep on lowers quite readily.. I have had similar issues on old Bud changers as well.. Your body adjusts...bob

Igor Fiksman · Post by **Igor Fiksman** » 26 Oct 2011 6:19 pm

Do you have a source for extra cable assemblies?

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 26 Oct 2011 6:34 pm

Very cool bob and you seem really happy with the 800! That is great news. You are a fine player and one worthy to keep an old Fender alive and kicking.

Russ

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 27 Oct 2011 1:03 am

Igor Fiksman wrote:Do you have a source for extra cable assemblies?

Yes, he will be offering new replacement cables, and they are of better quality than Fender originals... They will come with slack adjusters similar to the originals. I think he has some in stock already, but I am not 100% sure.

Scott Shipley · Post by **Scott Shipley** » 27 Oct 2011 1:42 am

Excellent work. Makes me wish I had my old 400 back, THANKS!

Fred Glave · Post by **Fred Glave** » 27 Oct 2011 7:32 am

Bob, Please let us know when these are available. I want to play my 2000 so bad, but the makeshift knee levers are just not good.
Thanks!

Bruce Hilton · Post by **Bruce Hilton** » 27 Oct 2011 9:01 am

Any plans for a double raise/lower bridge assembly for 400 and 1000 models?

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 27 Oct 2011 2:28 pm

Bruce Hilton wrote:Any plans for a double raise/lower bridge assembly for 400 and 1000 models?

I can't answer that, but at the prices he would have to charge to tool up for something of that magnitude, you could buy a few mint condition Fenders for the price of the changer.

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 27 Oct 2011 7:12 pm

What Bob said regarding a double raise/lower changer for a 400. It would require complete tooling - there's not anything similar (the 800/2000 changers are not just wider, there are an assortment of dimensional differences.

The usual method of handling double raises and lowers on a 400 or 1000 is use of Shobud barrel tuners and some sort of stop on a cable or a drill stop fixed on the cable and an adjustable stop on the guitar (Sneaky Pete's setup). Either one work great and is a breeze to install. The toughest part is the soldering (and the right solder - NOT electrical solder!).

Bob, is your guy going to have just turnbuckles and/or small pulleys available? Those are the two most-requested items I hear about. There are substitute turnbuckles but they are real clunky looking and only small boat pulleys or self-machined units. The ones used on your guitar look wonderful!

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 28 Oct 2011 1:33 am

He makes the turnbuckles, and the small pulleys in house.. He cuts and bends the springs on the turnbuckles, and they work great. I imagine he will offer the turnbuckles alone without the cables, if he gets requests for them. The turnbuckles on my levers are knurled brass, and the threaded hook is hardened steel... They are smaller in diameter than the fender units, but the cable diameter is the same. I don't think he would have a problem making up replacement turnbuckles. His pulleys are small, unobtrusive and ultra precision. Light years ahead of anything I have seen available in hardware stores. Everything on my guitar can be reproduced. Remember, he had this guitar a long time, measuring, making blueprints, and getting his stock and equipment geared to make this stuff. From what I know of him , he is going to be very willing to work with " do it yourself" guys that own Fenders which is most of us. I am sure he is watching this thread with interest... bob

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 28 Oct 2011 1:54 am

Jim
You do not need to settle for the clunky cast turnbuckles. Slender turnbuckles are off the shelf items at such places as gen-aircraft-hardware.com in the Los Angeles Area, or easy to machine starting with hex stock and LH and RH taps and dies. You do not need the hex stock if you can knurl. These look like the aircraft parts, but they are easy to make on a lathe, especially if you use brass for the body of the turnbuckle.
on one 400 I modified with ten pedals I eliminated the hooks and mounted the cables to the cranks the way Bigsby did it using a clevis and yoke cable end. The cable fixed at the yoke through a hollow screw that threaded into the yoke. That screw also adjusted the tension. A ball end could be used to keep the fix the cable inside the yoke, but I did like Bigsby and simply soldered or crimped a short length of tubing on the end of the cable.

Mark Fasbender · Post by **Mark Fasbender** » 6 Feb 2012 3:26 am