The Steel Guitar Forum

Hopefully I will not be eaten alive for this. I got some new sockets and legs for my Dual Professional. The sockets don't line up the same as the old ones. I am not mechanically inclined enough to figure this one out but how do I get them aligned properly before screwing them into the wood?
Thanks!

Dual Professional? A long way from the Artisan. :-)

If you don't get any better (you can read 'easier' or 'less work') advice, I suggest that you cut out a scrap of plywood in the shape of the base of the Dual Pro and mess around with the sockets and legs on there until you've got what you're looking for. You might also want to go over to your local Community College (or High School) Continuing Education Wood Shop Class and seek some help there.

Just my $0.02 -- HTH.

Why are you needing new sockets?
I have put new sockets and legs on guitars before but don't quite understand what you are doing.

I put the sockers (flanges) on this guitar.

I understand your problem. If the screw holes on
the new sockets aren't drilled at the same offset
relative to the center hole, the legs won't extend
at the proper angle.

Lay the guitar face down and re-install the original
mounting flanges. Screw an original leg in one
flange. Make two cardboard angle templates 90 degrees
from each other on that leg. Remove the leg and that
flange. Screw a new leg into a new flange and set
into the flange recess. Using the angle templates
rotate the leg/flange assembly until the correct
angle is achieved. You will probably need an extra
hand. Mark the screw holes. Drill pilot holes for the
screws. Wrap a piece of tape around the drill bit as
a depth gauge so you don't drill through the top of
the guitar. For #8 screws a 7/64" to 1/8" bit. For
#10 screws a 9/64" to 5/32" bit. Pilot holes help
keep the wood from splitting.

Install flange and leg and double check your angle.
Repeat for remaining legs.

MICHAEL, yep! Movin' on up!

ERV, that guitar looks cool!

DAVID, almost EXACTLY what I need except for the fact that the guitar did not come with flanges or legs. Which is why I got a killer deal for it. How should I go about this, you think?

Hello from Mr.Boards

Photos of your flanges and underside of the instrument will make your inquiry go a lot faster and with greater accuracy.

Did you get the flanges like on Erv's guitar? --- Do you plan to use 3 or 4 legs?

Assuming you are using the same exact aluminum flanges:

They require a counter sink hole into the under side of the body. 1 1/4 Forstner bit from your home center. Just deep enough to seat it.

With 4 legs it is very easy. The 4 outer screw holes square to the steel N-S-E-W this will automatically set the leg to go outward at a desirable angle. Rotate the flange so the front legs go outward forward left and right.

If you want a leg to go outward straight forward you rotate the screw holes on the diagonal 45 degrees way from square. This is if you go with 3 legs.

This is the same basic idea if you got other flanges.

Hope this adds to the discussion.

Here's a Dual Professional on ebay. There is a close
up pic of the bottom that shows the orientation of
the leg sockets.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1951-Fender-Pro ... 19cabe3413