The Steel Guitar Forum

Ok, if any of you fine folks remember me, when I joined I asked about making my Mullen SD10 "taller" due to my height and not being able to properly sit behind it when playing.

The straw that broke the camels back was last weekend. I spent more time scooting my ass back and fourth on the chair trying to run my knee levers and pedals and volume pedal- the voices said its time to change.


So, today- I arranged a chair and began shimming the seat with books. When I found my desired comfort zone (proper leg posture -ie 45 degree leg sitting angle)- we took measurements of the seat height. I then adjusted the legs longer on the Mullen after disconecting the pedal rods, and got it to what I feel to be the most comfortable height to be able to operate the underside like a "normal sized person". I am having a chair built from scratch. The chair will be wooden like an old style office chair but with no arms. It will also be built slighlty taller than needed so as to be able to cut down any excess height that may not be needed.

I now will also order longer or custom pedal rods while the chair is being built. I do have a source for those already.

After time, I may design and build a custom metal chair (padded seat too!) that will be stowable and easy to travel with. For now, this is the change that needed to happen very badly!!


Anyone have any ideas you might think would be helpful, or if the order of planning needs tweaking? Thanks for any input you might have folks! T

Before he jumps in (I got $3.00 says he will), I bet Joe Naylor will build a seat just the way you want it

Take one of your pedal rods to a local industral fastener store and buy double female various length couplers for your rod threads. Probably 10-32 ( i don't have a Mullen),

Get one the length you extended the legs and one about 1/4 inch shorter.


Then buy some set screws to match in a few lenghts. Take them home and try various combos until you find the correct size. Go back and buy what you need to complete your guitar,. Don't forget additional nuts to lock the set screws if you need them Most couplers are about $2 and the set screws are pennies each.

You will need two spacers for the front legs to keep thr pedal bar from pulling up. They are typically made from electrial conduit scrap.

Once you determine the lengths needed, someone on the foum will sell you what you need if you don't want to make you own.

Lane, an excellent idea- thank you- I'm trying to do the chair on a barter and not wanting to have to put any money into that part, at least nothing fancy yet. Going to start with a wood one, and if this all works the way I hope it will... will more than likely get in touch with him next summer about building me one.

Marvin, thanks for the tip on the spacers for the pedal bar, I had not even thought of that.


The overall height increase of the guitar is going to be exactly 5 inches.

That's a bigger height adjustment than I've ever heard of anyone needing. Is your guitar underheight now?

In general, a 2" lift kit is just about all anyone needs. Odd. Unless you're really short and playing standing up!

KP

Ken Pippus wrote:That's a bigger height adjustment than I've ever heard of anyone needing. Is your guitar underheight now?

In general, a 2" lift kit is just about all anyone needs. Odd. Unless you're really short and playing standing up!

KP

No Ken, it was regular height. My darn legs are just that long. When the kit and kaboodle are finnished, I'll post up pictures.