Ergonomics of knee lever location

[Igor Fiksman]

Every steel I owned, I had my E9 2nd and 9th string lower on RKL (right knee left) lever. Mainly because my first 4 lever steel was set up that way, and I just stuck with familiar location over the years. I've been noticing for a long time that most standard setups have that change on RKR. That is where I have my 1st and 6th string raise F#-G-G# and 2nd D#-E.
I know that locations of changes are largely a matter of personal preference, but I'm curious if anyone knows an ergonomic reason why lowering 2 and 9 is more common on RKR than RKL, such as being easier to use in conjunction with other changes or certain pedals that I'm not aware of. Thanks.

[Bengt Erlandsen]

All of my pedal steels are setup same way w RKL lowering 2&9 while RKR raises 1&7.

As far as I understand, the reason for many all-pull pedalsteels having lowering 2&9 on RKR is a leftover from the earlier push/pull mechanism.

B.Erlandsen
Zumsteel S12extE9 7+7

[Tony Prior]

well, every Steel I have ever owned had 2 and 9 lower on RKR ! Even my Push Pulls.

3 D10 Carters, 1/2 dozen Sho Buds, 4 Emmons Steels etc. My early built Sho Buds didn't have 9 lower, just the 2 lower on RKR.

So who can say why some are set up with RKL with the 2 and 9 lower , I can't !


My take on this is that the 2 lower was perhaps standardized on RKR as in the earliest days single lever guitars that only had the 2 lower was on RKR.

My last 5 Steels , being a mid 70's Pro III, 81 and 83 Push Pulls and two 95 built Legrandes each had 2 and 9 lower on RKR.

[Billy Carr]

I have the 2 & 9 drop on LKR. I use the Emmons pedal set up and this works well with pedals 2 & 3 while lowering the D# to D to get some of the Hal Rugg licks and speed pickin', as well. Thanks.

[Dave Campbell]

my sho bud lowers 2 and 9 with RKL. i bought a push pull about 2 months ago, and it lowers 2 and 9 with the RKR. it seems pretty involved to swap the levers on the push pull, so i decided to keep the change where it was and re train my brain.

after getting used to the RKR, i can say that i prefer RKL. for the 1/2 tone lower it doesn't make a big difference, but for the full tone it feels pretty far to push your volume pedal leg. i often use the full lower in conjunction with the e lowers on LKR, and with my whole body going right it can be hard to feel like i'm getting enough leverage. i'm not super tall, so maybe it's just me. i've been working a lot on all those amazing lloyd green transcriptions, so my 2nd string is getting a real workout.

[Louis Falardeau]

I have the string 2 & 9 lowers on the RKL because I felt I had more control of hitting the 1/2 stop right on the money. The knee moving outside seemed to have less fine control. However, if you have the F# to G# raises along with the G# to F# lowers plus maybe D# to E, and pulls on the C6 side I often wish I had those on the RKL because I feel you have more power for these harder pulls with the knee moving to the inside.

[George Seymour]

My first pro guitar, s-10 from Jim Gurley( ley in Dekley),in 1979 was set up with 2 and 9 lowers on the RKL(I didn't request it for sure at that stage of my playing), an older rendition maybe. Buddy I believe had them on the RKR, hence the move to that position cause who would argue with him! I just acquired an original 1966 Bolt On that was in un molested condition indirectly from the original owner and the 2 and 9 lowers are on the RKL, part of why I got it, as I've always had my push pulls changed, well since gravitating to old push/pulls, more work switching than all pull guitars

[Erv Niehaus]

I have the 2nd string lower on LKL also.
I can feel the 1/2 stop better with a left move rather than a right.
Erv

[Jack Hanson]

Buddy I believe had them on the RKR, hence the move to that position cause who would argue with him!

Agreed. And that's likely the reason that lever was in that position, unless requested otherwise, when most push/pulls were originally shipped from Burlington.

[Jerry Overstreet]

RKR always. I have the 1++,2+ raise...6-- lower/split plus the rear neck lower 3- on RKL. This combination would be a little stiff on RKR with all those pulls. There's more strength in the right thigh moving left than moving right so RKL works best for me for that...that leaves RKR for 2&9 since I have both E changes on the left knees.

It's personal choice of course. I can't think of any changes where I would be using another KL with lowering 2 and 9 KL as far as convenience goes. Pedals yes sometimes, but KL's, not that I recall.