The Steel Guitar Forum

Does any body know of anyone fabricating parts for Carter Starter?The metal on this guitar is very flimsy especially the LKL which bends and throws lever out of pitch.This is a serious flaw and if the company would still be operating there could have been a recall on this.I can buy a replacement but will get the same type of product.If nobody makes a good replacement I will have to talk to a machinist to get one fabricated.any ideas appreciated Ed Levasseur

You might try Michael Yahl

www.psgparts.com

Thanks John I will see what Michael has for a replacement

A better solution might be to simply screw a piece of aluminum in place of the round headed screw that is used as a lever stop. I doubt that making the lever more stout would help the problem.

A larger, flat head screw may also improve the performance of the stop for LKL.

Edward, you can easily make a positive LKL stop by adding a rod to the top hole (furtherest from the cross shaft) in a bellcrank on that cross shaft and run it to the changer in a hole in a changer finger that is solid such as the 7th string finger. Put a nylon tuning nut on it and you can adjust the lever position with that nut. Put a set collar on that rod in front of the changer finger to hold the rod in place when the guitar is not set up. If this is not clear you can contact me for more info.
Jerry

I use a small vice grip to clamp onto the lever. This makes it much more stable. It keeps it from bending, and adds weight to it.

Jerry Roller wrote:Edward, you can easily make a positive LKL stop by adding a rod to the top hole (furtherest from the cross shaft) in a bellcrank on that cross shaft and run it to the changer in a hole in a changer finger that is solid such as the 7th string finger. Put a nylon tuning nut on it and you can adjust the lever position with that nut. Put a set collar on that rod in front of the changer finger to hold the rod in place when the guitar is not set up. If this is not clear you can contact me for more info.
Jerry

Jerry that's a great idea, I like it! The screw head stop really is funky for a $1000 instrument!

Kyler Burke wrote:
Jerry that's a great idea, I like it! The screw head stop really is funky for a $1000 instrument!

Well, when it was first introduced, it listed for $699, but many were sold for around $600. Later, the list price went up to $799. Carter has been out of business for about 10 years, but they did build the lowest-price all-pull guitar for many years (albeit, a little rickety).

With Carter Starter LKLs, since the 'crank' that the LKL mounts to is so thin and susceptible to bending, I add another 'layer', making it 'two-ply'.
Actually, stronger than two-ply as the added material is considerably stronger than the factory part.

Also, I abort the factory idea of a 'screw-in-the-cabinet knee-lever stop' and fabricate 'healthy' one from a stout angle aluminum.
~Rw

1) ~> https://youtu.be/5pLz_B9fZcE

2) ~> https://youtu.be/oiIg70dxzPc