The Steel Guitar Forum

I would be interested to know how many LeGrande 111 pickers have done away with the compensators.Is there a big advantage ?didn't the p/p Emmons have something like them at one time ?

Buddy Van

Buddy Van

Since your specific question is concerning the "L-III", are you referring to "compensators" or the "counterforce" mechanism?

In my case, I have both pushpull, L-III and L-II. With all three guitars I use some type of "compensators" for different things. As for the L-III, I have "not" done away with the counterforce and neither would I want to. It helps with the making the L-III the most "in-tune" guitar "I" have ever played, bar none.
I have tried it "with and without" the counterforce system hooked up and have found no significant difference in tone or pedal feel, contrary to some things I have heard by other people. Of course, this could have something to do with the way it is adjusted "and the understanding" of how it works as well as what it is suppose to do. The counterforce should not be confused with "compensators" since their purposes are completely different. Neither can the "counterforce system" make up for a tuning precedure that is way off base. It is there to fine tune and help with any cabinet drop that is inherant in most typical guitars. A few cents of cabinet drop is one thing, a "tuning procedure" which uses diferences "up to as much as 10-11 cents" is another. Don't expect more from it than it's "intended use" and it should work perfectly. If it doesn't play right or is affecting the tone, the "adjustment" and or "use" of the counterforce should be checked out by someone who has a better understanding of the system. (Too many times it has been "overadjusted" or "abused" by those without an understanding of it and then blamed for poor pedal action "or" for affecting the tone.) A properly adjusted "counterforce" mechanism should have little or no affect on the pedal feel and "zero" affect on the tone!
My L-III plays and sounds the way I think it should (typical "Emmons" sound) and I prefer it over any other of my other guitars. I have a "'64 p/p" that sounds real good but the L-III is still the guitar I grab when I go out the door. The old '64 may have a "slight" edge on the sound, but mechanically is not as advanced as the L-III. Of course, then again the old '64 may sound the way it does because it is an "old '64!!!!"
As for the L-III, the slight difference in sound between it and the '64 is not enough to make up for the mechanical advatage the L-III has. Less tuning problems, less temperature related problems, plays great and yet still has that classic "Emmons sound" that I prefer.

Best wishes,
Dave<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dave Robbins on 26 September 2002 at 09:42 PM.]</p></FONT>

Dave: I was referring to the springs and threaded knobs on the underside of the guitar.In one casae there are three all in a row.I recently purchased a LeGrande 111 ( 1999 model )I know I need to understand my guitar but..I find no info available other than word of mouth.I asked the manufacturer for some mechanical instructions or something to describe the adjustments on this and was unable to get anything.If guitar builders were half as good as Peavey with information it would be a big help.
Thanks for your info.
Buddy Van

I'll e-mail you. I tink I may be able to help you.

Dave

Dont order a guitar without the compensators.I ordered my new legrande 111 with 6 of them.They aid the string in returning to pitch.They are seperate from the counterforce.

Richard,
absolutely right! I wouldn't order any guitar without "return" compensators. That is, those that are used to help any string that is lowered return to pitch correctly. A guitar without them can be a real nightmare for me if string return (overrun, hysterisis, etc) is a problem. I use them on any string that raises and lowers. For example, the 2nd,4th,5th,8th,and 10th. I don't seem to need any on the 6th on my present guitar for some reason. Of course, this is a seperate problem totally from cabinet drop. That is why I play A LeGrande-III (counterforce) with (return) compensators. However, I have not found any reason for using compensators for the sake of trying to get combinations intune. 440 tuning and "counterforce" has pretty well remedied that for me. Now, on my push/pull that might be a different situation.

Dave

Dave

What pickups do you reccommend for a LG III to get close to a P/P tone?

thx

bob

fantastic results with the Bill Lawrence pickups if you can get them.