The Steel Guitar Forum

I`m planning lowering my second string to D on the lever that lowers my 6th string a whole tone RKL. Also lowering 2nd to C# on lever that lowers 9th to C# RKR. I like to have a positive stop on the half tone lower and it looks like splitting the changes to seperate levers is the best way to get that. Any comments on these changes would be greatly appreciated.

Jeff Newman says that having a half-stop "is not a good idea". I agree totally. Never did like it.

That is why I have two levers as you are planning, albeit mine is on my U-12. One of course, is the whole tone lower to C# coupled with raising to a C# on the 9th string. Similar to what you said.

While there may be a number of ways of getting the 2nd string lowered to a D as a separate lever on a D-10, I have not found one that I would be happy with. UNLESS, I used the crawfor cluster (IE, 5 knee levers on the left knee).

The one you suggested is ok and may work fine for you. If so, by all means do it. But to me it messes up things I WANT with the 6 string whole tone lower IF the second string were taken down to a D.

But then that is me. And "meism" is not part of what life should be. So go for it friend, if you feel you will like it. And may our precious Lord bless you in your efforts,

carl

I think it's a wonderful idea and agree totally; as is why my brand new Fulawka is done that way>here it is Now...ha.>
Click HERE to See it
Ricky<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 08 April 2003 at 10:23 AM.]</p></FONT>

I also have 2 different knee levers for the 2nd string, except I tune the string to C# and raise it to D and D#.

On a U-12 this makes more sense to me than tuning it to a D# and lowering it.

I do the same as Mike and I love it.....At one time years ago I used to tune my 2nd string to D# and lowered it to C# on the same lever which lowered 4 & 8 to D#...JH

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Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

I have the change on 2 levers, as well...LKR for the full-tone change, and LKL for the half-tone change. The only place I can use a half-stop well is on the "slower changes", which in my case is usually the B-Bb. I use the 2nd string lower entirely too much, and too fast, to try and incorporate a half-stop for those changes.

I do as Mike and Jerry on my U-12 and tune it to C# and then raise it.Only I DO use a half-stop raise and put it on my RKL.I find that if you only have the one string on that lever and it's on RKL or LKR so it's on the more sensitive inside part of your leg,and you're raising instead of lowering it,a half-stop can work real well.On my Sierra it is slightly mushy but playable when you're used to it - but on my Excel the half-stop is so tight and precise it's amazing.I really can't out play it,speed-wise and I don't waste a knee lever splitting it up.

Coming from the Jimmie Crawford camp, I tune my second string to D, and raise it to D# on one knee, and lower it to C# on another knee (among other things ).

I also have the two lowers on separate levers, on both my U12 and my 10 string E9.
Have for a Loooong time.