The Steel Guitar Forum

Good People-

I'm not near my guitar right now so I apologize if this is obvious.

I think I'd like to remove the half-stop on the 2nd string, or more accurately, I want the D# to lower to a D and stop right there.

I've got a pretty new GFI so it's all-pull. I don't believe there's any added spring thing in there, so I'm guessing it's somehow tied to engaging the 9th string after the half stop is reached.

I did a little searching and couldn't quite nail it. Could someone please point me to a thread if it exists or give me some advice?

Thanks in advance.
-jon

John, All you need to do is to tune your second string at the endplate so that it only goes to D.

I may be mistaken, but many of the newer all pull steels have a rod specifically for the FEEL of the stop..on my Carters it is located next to the 10th string finger.

My Emmons Legrande has a spring loaded stop under the Steel on the 2nd string lower pull..

I am thinking if you want to remove the stop, if there is a rod for the stop, back it all the way out..if there is a spring stop it should have the tension released.

I am not sure about your GFI but there is a STOP located somewhere in the linkage...which should have the tension released.

Releasing the 1/2 stop tension should have no bearing on the final note tuned at the endplate..D or D#..

Historically when linkage is set for a full tone pull, retuning for only a 1/2 tone pull may require a change at the bellcrank or the changer finger..I am not familiar with the GFI's so I cannot say for certain about these fine Steels.

I know that on my Carter and the Emmons, I would release the 1/2 stop ( free it up ) and readjust the 2nd string pull for the 1/2 tone drop rather than the full tone drop, and be certain the knee lever travel was the still consistent.

You did mention there is another pull on that same lever. One knee lever travel ='s ALL pulls in tune..

The physics has to be correct for each pull on the same level..thats why they give us multiple position bellcranks and multiple positions on the changer end..

if you can accomplish this just be retuning on the endplate( changer adjust ) then you are home free..<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 29 December 2005 at 04:11 AM.]</p></FONT>

Jon, What Jerry said. If indeed you do have a half stop, you don't need to remove it.
Just back off the nylon tuner at the end plate to tune your "D" with the Knee lever against the full stop. This will not affect the half stop any way.

I don't know.... you'd be missing out on alot of cool stuff that you can do with the 2nd string going all the way down to C#...and since it stops at D anyway...

Unfortunately (or fortunately) this will shorten the KL~Travel by about 1/2. You can remove the extra travel by readjusting the stop~screw. What you actually need to do is to retune the 9th. string nylon~tuner to start nearly at the same time as the 2nd. str. and then readjust the KL-Stop~Screw. You don't need to readjust the nylon~tuner on the 2nd. str. at all!

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“Big John” Bechtel
Burgundy D–10 Derby
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15”
Current Equipment
Newest Steel

Jon,

I have a GFI that I just did that very thing last night. It was a 2 step process.

1. There are set screws on either side of the knee lever where the lever attaches to the underside of the body. Adjust them so that the knee travel is what you want. There is a small nut locking down the set screw that adjusts with a small Allen wrench.

2. Tune the string using the nylon on the endplate.

Hope this helps.

Joe

Okay guys, thanks for all the ammunition. Sounds like I should be able to figure it out once I get in there.

I'm always dreading this stuff but ultimately it's not nearly as bad as I think. The good solid advice from several different views makes it a lot easier.

Thanks again.
-jon