GFI expo RKL G# to F#

Daniel McCombe · Post by **Daniel McCombe** » 29 Dec 2011 10:29 am

hey everybody. I have a question regaurding my set up on a used expo I just bought. It seems that my RKL is set up to lower my 6th 2nd and 9th strings. I believe with a 1/2 stop on my 2nd and 6th strings. This is the first guitar I have owned with the 1/2 stop feature so im alittle in the dark. So heres my question. I changed my 6th string and now my knee lever will not drop the G# to an F# the furthest I can get it is to an F, and the nylons wont go any further. How do I get my whole step back? I know it had something to do with me changing the string, but I just can't tell what. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also my RKR raises my 1st and 7th strings to G.

Ransom Beers · Post by **Ransom Beers** » 29 Dec 2011 10:40 am

I'm no expert but I ran into the same problem awhile back & I moved the pull rod up a hole on the bell crank,you may have to do that too.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 29 Dec 2011 11:20 am

Right. You'll either have to go back to the other string gauge or give that pull more leverage.
Your right knee setup as a whole sounds odd to me, but I'm a bit odd myself.
You just don't see the 6th move with two and 9 often.

Ransom Beers · Post by **Ransom Beers** » 29 Dec 2011 11:38 am

I had mine set up with a lower on 6 to F# & 9 to C# & raise 2 to E but I don't use the 9 lower & just backed the tuning nut off so as not to engage it.It gets a bluesy sound kinda like a minor,hell I can't play country all that well & darn sure can't play blues on this thing.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 29 Dec 2011 1:39 pm

The factory setup on the GFI's (my wife has a GFI Expo S-10) is to have the RKL Raise the 1st string a whole tone, Raise the 2nd string a half tone and Lower the 6th string a full tone.

The RKR lowers the 2nd string a full tone with a 1/2 tone "feel stop" provided by the 9th string 1/2 tone lower.

LKL raises the E strings 1/2 tone and LKR lowers the E strings 1/2 tone.

A .020 plain string for the 6th string is what is used so you can lower a full tone without any problems.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 29 Dec 2011 1:46 pm

You say the problem began when you changed the string. If you put a wound string on there v a plain one, you'll probably never get it to lower a whole tone. Jack's reference to a 20 ga. is the right one for this change on many pedal steels. Compare the new string to the one you replaced.