The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi there,

I have been adjusting the knee lever tension on my GFI Ultra and can't get the 1st string (F#) to raise to (G#). I think this is a push rod and not pull because it turns anti clockwise to raise. I have mucked it up somehow.

Thanks for any help.

Cheers,
Alan

Sounds like you have it overtuned.
Does turning the nut have any effect when the lever is at rest?
Try backing it all the way out (so that it has no effect), tune the F#, then run the nut back in.

Turning nut in is not a problem.. that lowers lever. I need to raise the string by turning nut off (anti clockwise.. I think

Alan

Are you talking about something UNDER the guitar, or the nylon nuts?
Also, bend around the end of the guitar, and watch the little plates on the fingers. I bet that the lower plate (attached to the lowering finger) is moving along with the raise.
The GFI Ultra is an all-pull guitar, the only pushing is done by the player.

Sorry Lane I don't understand. It's under the guitar, I have lowered the rod on bell crank and undone the nylon nut, I then realised that the nut need not have come off. All a learning curve. That plate is moving also. I have to wind the tuning nut out to raise it. I have tried to wind it right off but it just goes to the open tuning (F#) and then just winds off. I don't get it and Pedal steel repair guy's here in Melbourne are as scarce as hens teeth.

Alan

Are you still pulling the raising finger?
Did you allow enough (or any) slack in the pull?
At this point, some pics might help.

Hi Lane,

I have noticed that when the lever is pushed that the spring moves out looking underneath. If it's the same as the E strings being raised then this may be the problem because when I raise my E's with LKL I notice that the spring doesn't move out.

I can take pic if you like.

Alan

I suspect that you may have put the rod in the lowering finger.
Definitely a picture taken at an angle might help, showing which parts move and in what direction.

Hi Lane,

That's exactly what I did. All sorted now thanks. Now just gotta find which bell crank and finger to put the rod through so as it tunes up with lever on then off. At the moment it is raising and can tune but then I go back to open string and it's sharp. I think I need to change crank hole. I got the guitar second hand and I think he mucked around with it and the lever was really hard. All I was trying to achieve was a lighter lever more like the ones that drop my E strings. I really had to push it hard.

Regards,
Alan

If you want G#, it'll be stiffer. You will want at least one more hole away from the axle. That will get more work done, but make it stiffer.

Alan
Send me an e-mail maybe I can help I live in the
S east
Glen