The Steel Guitar Forum

Was wondering if anyone has used the Franklin Pedal on a Sho-Bud LDG and if so did you have any problems with the full tone drops it requires? If you do have this pedal and it works for you, could you please let me know of any little tricks you might have to assure the full tone drop and the proper return back to pitch? I would appreciate the info very much, really want this pedal but need to order a couple more rods so I can lower the 5th, 6th and 10th together. Thanks
Gene

Depending on the year of the guitar, the changer may have to be modified. I had a Super Pro and tried to add this change to it. The problem was, the lower finger would only move so far before hitting the part of the changer finger that the helper springs hooked to. This would cause the string to lower to a point, and then start raising again. I've heard of people cutting that part of the changer finger off. I just filed it down a bit to allow for more clearance.

Hi David,
Thanks for your reply. I think this is an early eighties model, straight knee levers and triple raise, double lower, hope this helps a little.
Gene

it sounds like the same type of changer that was in my super pro and the LDG that I had before that. It seems like I only had to file the 6th string finger down. It's been a while, so I can't recall if i had to do 5 and 10. What you could to just to see if the strings will lower far enough is to take a screwdriver and push the lower finger in.

If your guitar has helper springs.(Remove)them if you plan to lower a string more than 1/2 tone.Don't modify the changer. --------bb

Thanks David and Bobby, will try everything you talked about, I figured I would have to remove the springs, sometimes sho-bud's pulling system really bugs me, ......if it weren't for tone and playability, ya know?
Thanks Guys

Gene


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If You Keep Pickin That Thing, It'll Never Heal!

Gene.You might get away with the helper spring on string 6 if you use a .020 plain.Can't say for sure.

Do you Zum guys with the late type changer have to back the helper springs all the way off for whole tone lowers?? Thanks --bb

Hey Bobby, The Super Pro I had already had all of the helper springs removed. The problem was, the part where the helper spring attaches gets in the way of the lowering part of the finger. In other words, the lowering part of the finger only goes back so far before hitting the part of the finger that the helper spring hooks to, so, even though you're moving the lower, it's raising the string. Does that make sense? At the time I saw no other way around it. One Sho-Bud guy said to just cut that part of the finger off, but I didn't want to do anything that drastic, so I just filed about 1/8" off the finger to allow for more clearance. Worked like a charm! I think I was using a 20 plain at the time, maybe I could have just gone to like a 22 plain and been ok...........

David's idea maybe the only way.I've never worked on a Bud.However I've owned or worked on almost everything else.

Bobbe Seymour will know.But he may want you to send the guitar to him.If you don't want to do this.the following has worked for me on Emmons,Derby,Jch,and Franklins.

First lose the (Helper springs) then make sure that you have enough slack in your raise rods.If not, this can of course keep the changer from lowering enough.

2nd on the models I posted above. I've found that if you loosen the lower return springs at the top. That the string will lower further with the same amount of knee travel.Of course you (can) over do this.If you do the finger will not return solid against the stop and will not hold firm against the stop when the raise finger is pulled forward.On a JCH I had once.If the return spring was just a little to tight.The raise finger would start moving forward while you where trying to lower the 2nd string. Just a few ideas to consider.Hope this helps.----------bb

Thanks Guys, this helps a lot, will try all of the above.
Gene