ZumSteel U12 - How's the D lever lock work?

[Bob Kagy]

Given a Zum U12, Newman setup, A pedal is pedal 1, e's lowered to D# and 2nd string to C# lowered on the RR, :-
1)Where is the lock/unlock control on the guitar?
2)Can the lock/unlock be easily done on the fly, say within 3-5 seconds?
3)Which hand would control it, bar hand or picking hand?
Thanks for any info; if no one has any experience with it, I'll be getting in touch with Bruce sooner or later. Just want to have time to think about how it works, etc.
THanks, bk

[Len Amaral]

Never heard of a Zum U-12 with a lock? My Zum U-12 has the Jeff Newman setup and I hold RKR in to lower the E strings.

I had a Sierra with a lock and removed it as Jeff Newman and Joe Write play a U-12
as one big guitar and not E9 or B6th.

Lenny

[Lynn Stafford]

Bob,

Here are a couple photos of a RKL lock I installed on an '88 ZumSteel U-12 a couple of years ago for Michael Moore in Seattle, WA.

[Bob Kagy]

Lynn, can you say more about how it works? I've looked at the pics for a long time, but can't make it out.
THanks, bk

[Lynn Stafford]

Bob,

The De-Sta-Co "over center" clamp (with the red handle) is mounted to a bracket that's screwed to the floor of the cabinet. When the clamp is actuated, it pushes against a lever that's attached to the square RKL cross bar, forcing the knee lever to rotate against a stop. This will keep the Es lowered as long as you desire to play in B6 mode.

[Bob Kagy]

Lynn, that's helpful; the lock is ingenious. And I'm thoroughly impressed with the undercarriage of the Zum; I'm doing some manuevering to buy one.
And I'm concluding that the lock, as effective as it looks, is not in the "on the fly" category. Still it seems very useful and practical in many situations. For example someone such as myself transitioning from a D10 to a U12, getting used to the new 1 up positions on the B6th tuning.
Thanks again,
bk

[Tony Glassman]

......And I'm concluding that the lock, as effective as it looks, is not in the "on the fly" category.......

To engage (or disengage) the lock, you need to hold the knee lever, as you would normally do, and then flip the lock-lever. It takes about 1 second. I used it "on the fly" all the time before I went back to a D-10. I had a small index bump on the bottom of the rear apron to get to the lock quickly. It worked well.

The lock was not the reason I abandoned the U-12. My problem was that I just never could get comfortable with the extra 2 strings, as well as, playing C6th stuff one fret up from "normal"

[Bob Kagy]

Tony, very glad to hear it. That's what I was hoping for.
My first go-round , I had trouble getting used to the 12 string too, but gradually ended up really liking the universal tuning and it's amazing potential . . so I'm headed back to it.
Thanks, bk

[Les Cargill]

I use a piece of twine as a "B6 lock" on my guitar.

Might be a way to test the waters.