Hi all,
I have an older Zum S-10 (I was told it was a stage one... no markings to verify that) , anyway I have everything in tune except for the 8th string ( E ). At one point I was fairly close to having it raise and lower properly. I started to fiddle around and now it will not lower at all with LKR. The strings are fairly new and I have had it in tune before. I noticed when it was fairly close in tune that when I would move the LKR the LKL lever would move to the right also which isn't happening now. Anyway, I think I have it so messed up I'm not sure where to start again. Is it just trial and error? A new learner here looking for some advice.
Larry Venberg wrote:I started to fiddle around and now it will not lower at all with LKR.
Larry, does the pitch change at all when you hit that lever? If it's literally staying the same, check to see if your white nylon tuning nut is stripped.
If that's not it, turn the guitar over and work the knee lever back and forth. Trace the pull train from the lever down to the changer and watch everything move as you work the lever. You might spot the problem, like a pull rod that's not connected to the bellcrank. Also, make sure you don't have a ball-end of a dead string stuck down in the bowels of the changer for that 8th string.
Prior to my adjustments it was lowering it. The problem began when I tried fine tuning it to a Eb. I got that perfect and then with the LKL it was slightly out.... after adjusting that the LKR was then out.... so this went on for awhile and then I began some big adjustments on the end. Everything is connected and is moving, but it just seems that I can't get toe LKR to lower the tone at all. I can see travel but nothing is happening.
Divide and conquer. Break it down to zero and start adding things back, one at at time:
It sounds like a typical case of 'overtuning' the nuts, so try backing off of the nylon tuning nuts on strings 4 and 8 for the E-lower lever and the E-raise levers to the point where they aren't doing anything. Moving the knee levers should cause zero change in pitch.
Tune up the E string at the keyhead.
Then start tuning the nut that does the lower on the 8th string. If that works, do the 4th string on that same lower lever.
If you can't get the lower to work, take a good look at the nut as it hits the changer finger while you work the lever with your hand to make sure it isn't slipping a little due to being stripped. Actually, if it's stripped, you'll probably notice how sloppy and loose it is when screwing it in or out. If in doubt, take a known good nut from another string and temporarily put it on the 8th string lower to test the theory.
If those two lowers are good, tune the raise lever for strings 4 and 8 and you should be fine. And I'll throw this in since you said you're a new learner: you want to raise to F, not F# (trying to raise that much might cause the problem you're describing since that lever isn't rodded for that).
It probably is a pull-release changer that needs to be balanced on any string that raises and lowers the same string. Search for how to tune a Zumsteel Stage One. There are special RED tuning nuts that are not to be tampered with on the newer Stage One guitars. I am not sure of the sequence of tuning, but I believe this is where your trouble lies. Best of luck.
Hello Larry,
I remember having the same problem with a pull-release guitar. First I succeded with trial and error, later I remembered that the guitar builder had handed me a manual that I translated now, hope it is useful:
1. Tune all strings using the pegheads on the left side of the guitar, except those that are lowered by a knee lever (strings 4 and 8, strings 2 and 9)
2. Press knee lever LKR and tune strings 4 and 8 to Eb with the pegheads
3. Release the LKR lever and tune the E-strings ( 4 and 8 ) with the red nylon tuners on the right with the tuning wrench to E
4. Press knee lever RKR and tune string 2 to D and string 9 to C# with the pegheads
5. Release the RKR lever and tune the string 2 with the red nylon tuner on the right with the tuning wrench to D#, tune string 9 to D
6. Press LKL and tune E-strings 4 and 8 with the nylon tuners to F
7. Press RKL and tune both F# - strings (1 and 7) with the nylon tuners to G
8. Now press every single pedal and tune the strings with the nylon tuners to the desired pitch, release the pedals and press them again. If the pitch is still not correct repeat the tuning procedure
WBS Pedal Steel Guitars, Ivan Guernsey and Karel Zacal Dobros, Martin Dreadnaughts, Rockinger Tele
I have success!.....
I did a little research and discovered that to adjust the LKR (lower E) you need to use an Allen wrench on the end by the nylon washers..... I never knew
