The Steel Guitar Forum

Hey folks,

I have had a terrible time with a Sho-Bud Professional that I bought locally. I bought the guitar to learn C6, but the previous owner had changed the back neck copedent. He re-rodded it back to C6, prior to selling to me, but I don't think he ever actually checked to see if the changes worked. Fast forward to now, I have been unable to get one pedal's changes to work. I went to try and figure out the problem, but have just hit a bunch of headaches. The biggest is that barrel at the non-functional change seems to be frozen on the rod. I can't get it to move, even with the set screw totally pulled out.

I've had this thing for over a month and haven't been able to even start practicing the back neck, since I can't get the changes to work. Does anybody have an idea about what I can do to get that barrel free of the rod? I've tried tapping the rod with a hammer, nothing. It's like it fused to the rod.

The only reason I bought the guitar was to learn the back neck, so I'm at the point where I just want to sell it and take the loss, tbh. I don't have the money to ship it to someone to look at. If anybody can help me avoid that, I would appreciate it. The guitar has great tone, but I just don't need a D10 with a useless back neck. I have two S10s. As is, this thing is just a piece of furniture.

The barrel - rod dimensions can be tight enough that when the rod gets chewed up by the barrel's set screw, the little nicks can cause the barrel to get pretty well hung up. It has surprised me how stuck it can be and how small the nick can be that's causing the problem. It has usually required more force than I've expected to get the barrel free (and this also applies to the collars on a push-pull). I hope someone can give you (and me) a good trick for unsticking them from the snag but significant force is all thaat I've found. Then I would remove the rod and smooth it down -- I use a fine sandpaper or emery cloth such as ± 400 grit (again, I'll take pro suggestions on this but it works for me).

A lot of good design ideas have some down sides and the chewing up of pull rods with set screws is the down side of tightened-enough collars and barrels on pull rods.

Someone suggested using pliers to get the barrel to turn and free it. That doesn't seem to be working. It's like it is turning at the hex end, but the rest of the rod isn't turning. At least when you grab the collar. When you let it go, the rod turns, but not if you try and grip with pliers. I've never had one of these. It appears that the rod itself is multiple parts? That's the only way I can imagine the rod not turning, while the hex wrench is moving. Will try pushing harder. Just don't want to mess it up any worse.

I might try using 2 pairs of vice grips. One tightly holding the rod and the other tightly holding the barrel. I do this to loosen the ball joints on the pedal rods. I would probably try putting oil or something like WD40 (or other product designed to free up frozen bolts) in the set screw hole to see if it will help free the barrel up. Just make sure you clean the barrel and rod good before reassembly.

Glenn,
It sounds as if the hex socket on the end of the rod has come loose. This is caused by using too much force to turn a locked up rod. I would try Richards suggestion of 2 pair of priers to loosen the barrel from the rod and if that doesn't work then just cut the rod with pair of diagonal cutters and throw it away. I have more in stock.
You also may need a new barrel if it can't be cleaned up or the spring tit is gone, Got those too. Simple fix but unfortunately will cost some $$.

MIchael

I've seen that few times.Sometimes I hit barrel end of the rod w a hammer using a small extension between the rod and the hammer and a few other times I've resorted to cutting the rod between the barrel and the changer to get it out and then tapping the remainder of the rod out once the barrel is in a vice.

Yes Michael speakith the truth. By the time your try prying the barrel off; you will mess the rod metal tuner or the barrel or the rod....and/or all of the above. I have easily just cut the rod and toss away barrel; I don't need a barrel with scared up hole anyway.
Michael has what you need. Rods/Barrels...and more and more> www.psgparts.com
Ricky

You could try heating the barrel with a mini propane torch and applying some penetrating oil. I had success with this technique when I worked on a Dekley with corroded parts that were frozen up. If you try this, heat the barrel slowly, and use pliers to pill the rod and barrel apart.