Changing copedant LKV to Franklin Change - Finger holes?

Jarek Anderson · Post by **Jarek Anderson** » 2 Mar 2014 7:22 am

Morning All,

I'm thinking I'm going to change my LKV which currently drops the B's to Bb's, and tryout the Franklin change which drops string 6 from G# to E (4 semitones). I have the 4 raise 2 lower changer in my guitar. RKL drops string 6 to F# (2 semitones) already, and occupies the bottom hole on the finger.

My question is: Should I keep the RKL lower where it is, and put the larger lower into the top hole, or swap them?

Thanks,

Jarek

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 2 Mar 2014 9:21 am

I'd run the longer throw into the upper hole (upper when guitar on its feet: the closer hole to the axle)
Remember that, being a driven lever, the closer to the shaft, the more the finger will move with the same pull.
I don't know how you have rods run on your Carter, but if you can, I'd run it from the hole on the crank farthest from the shaft, and cross under (sorry for the confusing switch here, but now the guitar is on the workbench and is upside down) the RKL shaft. That way it runs from the stiffest hole on the crank to the stiffest hole on the finger. A major third is a LONG pull, and I've heard that many guitars have a problem with it. I don't think it'd stand a chance on my guitars, but I prefer the wound sixth.

Peter den Hartogh · Post by **Peter den Hartogh** » 2 Mar 2014 9:52 am

As an experiment I made an extra long bell crank to get a 5 semitones drop on my Remington U12.

You can hear it here:
http://soundcloud.com/peterden

Unfortunately I had to take it off, because I could not close the case.

If I had to do it again, I would use a gear-down system.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 67f0aac762
It is described in post number 9 from the top.

Jarek Anderson · Post by **Jarek Anderson** » 2 Mar 2014 10:47 am

Thanks for the help Lane! The missing key in my mechanical thinking this morning was that the axis of rotation to determine the length of pulls was the axle in the changer... duhh. My problem is that there's a steep angle for the RKL pull on the string right now, I'll have to change it's location on the pull bar. I may have to shorten that rod (or at least cut the end off the hex tuner to see if I like the change temporarily) in order to get it to go straight into the finger.

I didn't have my guitar in front of me when I made the first post; I've now found a weird pull bar on the LKV cross shaft. There are the two for dropping strings 5 and 10 a semitone, but there's one more that surrounds string 3: there's no pull pin, but instead what looks like a delrin version of the brass pull pins with the grub screw. The only thing I can think of is that this is a guide of some sort? I gather it keeps the 3rd string pull rod on the b pedal in place? None of the other pulls have a guide like this.

Jarek Anderson · Post by **Jarek Anderson** » 2 Mar 2014 10:56 am

The other consideration is that once I move the RKL pull down the pull bar, will I have to make a change to the position of the 1st string raise to compensate? It gets pulled from F# to G#.

Gary Roda · Post by **Gary Roda** » 2 Mar 2014 11:27 am

Jarek,

I recently acquired a Carter D10 myself, and had to make quite a few changes to the copedent to fit my setup. The Delrin part is indeed a guide to keep the long pull rod from flopping around. I found the Carter a bit difficult to work on compared to other guitars; for example, getting a Torx driver squarely on the cap screw securing the pull bars requires stretching the pull rods up and in some cases out of the pull channel. And the pull pins themselves are tricky and tedious to insert into the pull bars. Richard Sinkler advised me that these small brass "barbells"are subject to wearing through and breaking (usually at inopportune moments), remember to keep a spare or two handy just I'm case.

I am watching the forum for any advice and general tips on working on and maintaning Carter guitars...

Gary