The Steel Guitar Forum

I am having a new Zum built, SD10, and am wondering if it is worth the $$ to have the Franklin change added.
I am just a 2 1/2 year experienced psg student, but don't want to miss a chance to get this axe fixed the way I want for now and the future.
What's your opinion?

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Allen Harry
Emmons SD10
Nashville 1000

I don't have it and really don't want it,but there are others who can't live without it. To me it's like any other lever or pedal. If you can find a need I would put it on, especially when you are starting from scratch. I have 8 and 7 without it and that's more than I can handle. This is a change that some consider candy. In other words it's your call.

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1985 Emmons push-pull, Session 500, Nashville400, 65 re-issue Fender Twin, Fender Tele

What are you having as your 'basic' set-up? Like Craig, I feel the (so-called) Franklin change is far from vital, but if the licks that are acheived with this 'pull' really 'speak' to you, you may consider it important.

I have five 'knees' on E9 alone, but I don't have that one.

I have the Franklin change on my RKL and use it an awful lot. It came on my Carter Starter and when I bought a pro-model I had it set up that way. I play mostly southern gospel and find I use it on many songs.

Joey, the Franklin change (or pedal) being discussed lowers strings 5, 6, and 10 a whole tone each. I doubt that those changes would have come on a Carter Starter. Maybe you're talking about another of his changes which raises string 1 a whole tone and string two a half tone. Then again, I might be confused.

If you play the Day floor setup, I would consider putting is on pedal 4. If I played the Emmons setup, I would use the LKV.

I lower the 5th on RKL and the 6th on LKV. I got the idea from watching Tommy White on his video with Lloyd Green.

What Dave said.I have the Franklin 4th pedal but added a 6th knee so I could get the split like Tommy. Check this out.You've Got Me (Right Where You Want Me) (Connie Smith)-- Steel Break.

To play this you'll want to have the Franklin change split on (2) knee pedals so you can mix it up with your B pedal.Also if you're raising strings 1 or 2 or (both) and lowering the 6th you'll have problems.Not so much on this tune.I can only think of one place where they will get in the way. But if you have his CD you'll know where I'm coming from.To do the Tommy thing you will want the 6th string lower and split on a knee by itself.-----bb <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bobby Boggs on 06 February 2003 at 12:04 AM.]</p></FONT>

Oh well.Thought I was posting a link. Just go to Ricky and Rebels site.Click on 2002 tab.Scroll down to you find the Connie and Tommy file.I love the way this guy thinks.-bb

I like both changes to E9 str #1. Therefore, several yrs ago, I devised a way to have the best of both worlds! My E9 neck has 4 pedals & 5KL's. My P1 raises str#1 F# to G# and str#2 D# to E. Then Emmons pedals A,B,C. Then my LKL raises str#4 E to F and #8 E to F/F#. LKV lowers strs#5 & #10 B's to Bb's. LKR Lower strs#4 & #8 E's. to Eb's. RKL raises str#1 F# to G and lowers str#6 G# to F#. RKR lowers str#2 D# to D/C#, and lowers str#9 D to C#. This set-up has served me well for what I do, and I don't have any plans to change a thing! "Big John" http://community.webtv.net/KeoniNui/BigJohnBechtels

I have been contemplating the Franklin change myself. I was needing to know what parts I needed. If I play Emmons setup on a Legrande, can I put the change on pedal 4 or is it used in combination with pedal 1? I have a LNV available with two rods, would I just need one more rod to try the change? Then if I like it, am I going to have to have my guitar rebuilt and shift pedals 123 down to 234? I'm not sure I want to go to all that trouble. Since Paul plays Day setup, am I going to run into all these problems? Also, if I like this change enough, who's gonna rebuild my PP?? LOL.
Calling Jerry Roller, LOL.

Thanks, Michael T.

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UTILITY MAN PRODUCTIONS
'73 EMMONS D10 FATBACK, '92 EMMONS D10 LASHLEY LEGRANDE,
'85 DOBRO 60DS, '95 DOBRO F60S,
'95 MELOBAR CUSTOM, 1955 FENDER TRIPLE NECK STRINGMASTER. EVANS, FENDER, PEAVEY,
and MESA BOOGIE Amps.

Paul Franklin plays an (Emmons floor set-up).And yes the Franklin 4th will work fine on an Emmons Legrande of any model.Chances are you already have the 6th string lower on a knee lever. To (split) the Franklin change. Just add the B to A lowers to your LKV.(IF) you're raising strings 1 or 2 or (both) with your 6th string lower. They will be in the way for a lot of things. But you'll get the idea.--------------bb<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bobby Boggs on 06 February 2003 at 06:20 AM.]</p></FONT>

Bobby Boggs is definitely right about Tommy White's break on Connie Smith's tune. Check it out on Rebel and Ricky's 2002 page here:
http://users.interlinks.net/rebel/steel/2002.html
It's at the bottom of the page.

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bobby,

I am confused. Are you saying the following:

1. Lower 6 a whole tone on a knee lever.

2. Lower 5 and 10 a whole tone on an another knee lever on the opposite knee.

3. And still lower 5, 6 and 10 on pedal 4?

Thanks man, luv ya,

carl

Carl. That's what I'm doing.The reason being.I've had the Franklin 4th since 95 and mix it up some other knees.After buying Tommy's CD and hearing his ideas for the split. I had to have it.Having the Franklin 4th (AND) the (split) is over kill for most.However it was all ready on my guitars and like I said you can mix it with other knees and do things you can't do with the split.

The advantage to having the split on opposite knees as apposed to having it on a knee and 4th or (1st) pedal. Is, you can mix the B to A lower with the (B pedal) as Tommy does on his new CD. (Examples) I'm moving On.Walk Through This World with Me.Just to name a few. Regards---------bb

Here's a move TW does on the video. It's in Cold, Cold Heart.
<font face="monospace" size="3"><pre>4__5~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I~~
5__5A~~~5~~5LL~~~~~~~~~I~5
6__5B~~~~~~~~~~~5~~5LL~I~5
___*_______*___________I_*</pre></font><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dave Birkett on 06 February 2003 at 12:23 PM.]</p></FONT>

I don't know how often you'll use it, but...

a) If you're getting a new guitar anyway and already spending a sizeable sum of money, I'd get it put on now rather than later. It's easier that way. You know that you don't have to use it if you don't want to. And you will have another pedal already there if you decide to add a different change at some point in the future.

b) If you're getting an Emmons set up I'd put it on the far left pedal (left to right: Franklin-A-B-C). It seems that it's used a lot either right after or right before using the A-B combination. For a Day set up I'd put it on the far right.


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Artie McEwan

Thanks Bobby, I already lower string six 1 whole tone on RKL, and also on the same lever I raise string one 1 whole tone. The rest of the change is just lowereing 5 and 10 a whole tone right? My LNV has two rods, is this all I need to try this change? Or was there something about lowering string 2? I lower string 2 with a half and a whole step with RNR. This would not work in combination with the RKL. Is this why they are putting this change on a pedal? Or am I totally lost?
Also I see someguys saying that Emmons setup needs the Franklin pedal on the left side and some say it needs to be on the right, which is correct? Or is it a preference thing and both will work? Or should I just go back to bed, my head hurts. Maybe I'm making this harder than it is, I just need to know if I need to buy parts. Not too many steel techs around here.
Thanks for your help.
God Bless,
Michael T.

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UTILITY MAN PRODUCTIONS
'73 EMMONS D10 FATBACK, '92 EMMONS D10 LASHLEY LEGRANDE,
'85 DOBRO 60DS, '95 DOBRO F60S,
'95 MELOBAR CUSTOM, 1955 FENDER TRIPLE NECK STRINGMASTER. EVANS, FENDER, PEAVEY,
and MESA BOOGIE Amps.

I had the B to A's and G# to F# on independent levers in '77. I got the changes of a chart of Buddy's tuning that Clem Schmitz had at his store in Minneapolis. I didn't use the B to A enough to warrant adding another lever to my set-up when I switched from a push-pull to a LeGrande. I had the first string F# to G# on the fourth pedal on E9. (Which I have now, too.) I put that one on there because Buddy had used the change on Darrell McCall's Lily Dale album.

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Ernie Renn on 07 February 2003 at 05:04 AM.]</p></FONT>

Question: With the "Franklin Change" on pedal one, would using that and the "A" pedal together, [Emmons set up] cancel out strings 5 and 10 leaving you with just the 6th string G# to F# drop? I use the G# to F# drop a lot and used to have it on the vertical knee that raises my top F# to G# but have opted to raise string 7 instead of lowering string 6 on that knee. Now I lower string 6 on pedal 1.

With compensators you could set it up such that the raises and lowers cancel each other out, that might be cool.

Michael T.Hermsmeye:
Your're way over thinking this. The full Franklin 4th pedal change on (E9) is 5,6 and 10 lowered a whole tone each.Most guys don't use 10 but I like it.

Roger as for parts.How often do you use your C6th 4th pedal change? If you don't, take the rods and bellcranks and move them to the E9 side. This will give you the idea at no out of pocket cost to you.

And (if) I had to choose.I would split the Franklin change.As Tommy White does.See b0b's tunings.Just more bang for the buck.You'll note Tommy has no other changes on the lever that lowers the 6th string.I agree that's the way it should be.Oh it's OK (IF you want to lower the (7th) string a 1/2 tone. Bottom line (I) don't want my 1st and 2nd string raises on with my 6th string lower.(If) you want to play some Tommy licks like in the above posted link you don't either.

Ok for whomever asked. You don't want the A pedal to cancel out the Frank pedal. With Emmons set-ups some guys like the Frank pedal first (because) you work back and forth between the A pedal and the Frank pedal a lot.I have the Frank pedal on pedal 4 but I'm fast with my feet.

Lastly, guys have played for years without these changes so it can be done. Lloyd does pretty good with only 4 knees but he's better with the bar than me. A pedal set-up is personal thing.So play what works for you.I hope this clears things up a bit.-----------------bb <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bobby Boggs on 08 February 2003 at 12:27 AM.]</p></FONT>

Paul Franklin explains his setup on the "Who Came Up with Knee Levers" thread. Click Here.

Thanks Bobby, I'll give it a try, and take some Excedrin, LOL.
Michael T.