The Steel Guitar Forum

Does anyone know about fixing a leg for steel that keeps creeping down? Do you just buy a new leg?
Thanks a bunch. J.C. Norris

There are kits to repair them. But before you do that, take it apart and clean all the parts, especially the smaller diameter adjustable leg part with alcohol or maybe glass cleaner. Try that and see if it helps.

J.C...If the clutch does not hold the leg in place solidly after you have followed Jack's suggestion, this may be a less expensive alternative to replacing it. Purchase a length of wood dowel the proper diameter to fit just comfortably inside the upper portion of the leg. Adjust the leg to its desirable height, then measure the distance between where the top of the lower part of the leg rests inside and the upper portion that threads into the end plate. Cut the dowel to that length and install it which should result in the leg holding securely in a set position.

Hose clamp....simple, quick and inelegant.

All you really need is duct tape and a hammer and you can fix anything (or you can fix it where you'll never need to worry about it anymore)

Seriously, One night at a gig the right rear leg stripped
and I had nothing but duct tape available so about six wraps got me through the night. Not a permanent fix but it did work.

Put Caulk on it. (Ok, I was just kidding so don't do it)

I had that problem on one of my Sho-Bud's rear legs. When I took the leg apart, I noticed that he clutch was completely compressed. I removed it, gently pulled it apart so that there was a gap in the ring, rotated it 180 degrees, and put it back on. So far, so good.

I always put a dowel inside the leg to keep it from riding up.
Jerry

I ended up using a piece of 3/4" electrical conduit. I measured the distance I needed and it works perfectly. Here is a pic.

however, if you put dowels in the back legs you can't adjust for an uneven surface.

I just refurbished a steel where all the legs slipped. As it turned out, all the clutches were dirty. I was able to clean 3 of them. The 4th was shot. Clutch kits cost $25 or so, so I stole one from an old beat up mic stand.

Don Burrows sells the clutch kits for a LOT less. I wanna say 8 bucks.

Chris brought out a valid point concerning lack of adjustment using the dowel method. One trick that has worked well for me in the past; I carry a supply of washers the approximate diameter of the inside of the rubber foot on the leg. If a slight bit of adjustment is needed on an uneven surface, I simply remove the foot and add a washer or two until the guitar remains level.

Thanks guys. Tried cleaning the leg & clutch assy., but didn't seem to help. Haven't tried the dowel rod, but probably will today. Also how would I get in touch with Don ?? Thanks again guys, great advise. J.C. Norris

While cleaning the clutch, remember to spread the split ring.
Since Don makes guitars, he's listed on the "Links" page here on the forum (you know, that top green row that everyone ignores) or his website is www.bsgsteelguitars.com/

JC can you tighten the big knurled piece or does it feel stripped? You might consider cutting a little bit of the plastic piece so that the space between the ends is more open thus it can grip better when you tighten.

Hi. I fixed the leg on my Sho-Bud by grinding up some fiddle resin. I took the leg apart and put resin on it. So far it's not creeping and that was a few months ago.

i never ever understood and propably never will understand why modern steel guitars still loose the lousy microphone stand legs. what`s the point with them? i don`t ever set up my guitar in the rocky mountais
i`m glad that a couple of manufacturers (GFI WBS f ex) use the much better solution with the screws.
i can sit down on my steel, nothing goes down ever!
nothing against tradition but that seems strange to me...

the point is that if you play gigs, you find yourself in many different places with many different contours.
outside, the ground has different levels. stages have varying segments. floors have different waves. ever play on grass? concrete surfaces vary.
if you just play in your den with a new beautiful wood floor there's probably no need for adjustment.
that is the point.

of course you need to be able to adapt. chris, but the brands i mentioned have legs that are adjustable by a screw, which is : a more precise and b solid as a rock.
still more than an inch of adjusting which is enough even on the worst stage a microphone stand clutch makes sense to me on a microphone stand where there`s no weight on the stand and you need the extremely long adjust-way.

oh sorry. i've never seen those type of legs.

you see them here, chris. work just great!

I'm all for fixing them - without dowels, glue, or filing and grooving the chrome (as I saw one steeler do). Normally, the legs have problems because someone took them apart (and then re-assembled them wrong), or because someone thought they should be oiled. The bevel-edged washer needs to be assembled with the bevel towards the split ring if you want the thing to work properly.

Norbert Dengler wrote:i don`t ever set up my guitar in the rocky mountais

Norbert, it is funny you mentioned that. I DO want to set up my steel in the Rocky Mountains.

I use wood dowels inside the front legs. I planned to use them inside the rear legs, but changed my mind after seeing what Chris said.

I would try to get the clutch to hold on the leg if possible. My MSA has dowel rods in all 4 legs. I had a guitar player to set down on my steel while tuning his guitar on stage before a gig. The front legs slid and my pedals was on the floor on one end. I put dowel rods in both front legs and drilled them so the pedal bar bolts pass through the dowel rod. I put dowel rods in both back legs too. I can still lengthen either back leg to get the guitar to sit solid on any crooked stage. The dowel rods have been in now for about 14 years with no problems.