The Steel Guitar Forum

The Vertical knee lever in my sho-bud pro 3 is out of my reach in any practical sense. Is there some sort of slip on extender that would make it easier to reach?

I bought some foam rubber, rolled it into a tube and taped it that way, and pulled it over my LKV. Gave me just enough extra size to make it work better for me.

Pool noodle or foam pipe insulation slipped over the lever.

I put a Franklin V knee lever on my Franklin. The problem was that if I adjusted it so I can hit it, the case wouldn't close. My solution was to cut a piece of plywood as thick as the lever, then glue some heavy (and ugly) fabric around it to make a lever pocket. I then stiffened the fabric with wood glue, then put a layer of silicone caulk inside the pocket to make it grabby. Works great, but I have to remember to slip it on when assembling the guitar.

Glenn that is something. Seems like there would be a small business here . Thanks for the suggestions.

Bill - I had the same problem. If you have the curved style levers, this could work.

I drilled a hole just above the original hole that set the height. After you remove the roll pin, loosen the screw and nut and move the lever downward to the desired height and use a fine point sharpie to mark the new hole and drill through the bracket. Find the appropriate size roll pin and replace. You can see the bracket through the original hole, it doesn't take much to drop it to a good height!

The LKV on my LeGrande D10 is virtually useless for this very reason. I like to sit to the right behind the guitar and that means my left leg is already somewhat extended; engaging that KL is next-to impossible. To make things harder, the LKV is mounted about three inches in from the rear apron.

It's different with the vertical on my C6 - it's easily reachable because it's centrally-placed and is mounted right behind the rear apron. Currently, that's raising both Es to F and very useful it is.

I love my Emmons, but those almost-non-adjustable verticals are a real challenge. It sounds like a potential cottage-industry for someone.

Bill McCloskey wrote:The Vertical knee lever in my sho-bud pro 3 is out of my reach in any practical sense. Is there some sort of slip on extender that would make it easier to reach?

Bill,

You could always make a flag for it.

Had that problem with my PRO-I and wound up making an extended crank and a real long lever.

Not a big fan of non standard parts but.........

I had the same problem on the Vertical Lever for my C6th neck

'had a spare knee lever, so shortened it and rounded the ends......into a "stub"

'Went to Lowe's and bought short piece of aluminum channel the same width as existing vertical lever on my steels.

Glued the "stub" to the aluminum channel, and glued short piece of Velcro inside the channel

Applied 'receiving strip' of Velcro on bottom of existing Vertical lever

Sturdy and simple to attach and remove







Same method may work for you -

Ron

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and inventions. I do not have the tools or skills to do most of the suggestions here, although I got some ideas of what might work. I think there is a small business here for someone.

Get some soft foam pipe insulating tubing (not the rigid stuff) at the hardware store. Cut it to length with a pair of scissors. Skill Level: 0.5/100

Yeah, that was my thought Fred

Maybe this will work?

Bill..that last idea could come in very handy for outdoor gigs...

Definitely the right idea!

Bill McCloskey wrote:Maybe this will work?

But try this
Depending on how stiff the lever is, there will be some give in the foam. But it should reduce your kick-up by at least 1/2”.

I put a short piece of pedal rod on both of my MSA verticals with a ball and socket. Set it to the height that I want and unhook the ball from the socket like a floor pedal connector and let the vertical lay down inside the guitar when it is unhooked. Works great.

I’ve used Bicycle (BMX style) hand grips, and golf club hand grips . They slipped over the levers, and were really comfortable.

I’ve also used hard foam and a thin zip tie or two on RKR. Feels good, works good.

Here's what I did with a previous Rittenberry:







All three left levers are 1/4" aluminum channel stock. The vertical has the wood piece screwed to it. All easily removable and very firm and rigid when installed. These all folded up and fit in the case when attached.

Has anyone thought of strapping something to their leg? Like a sock wrapped in elastic around the thigh?

Maybe you'd look pretty goofy on break...

Vertical knee levers on some guitars are just better placed than others and that's why body fit is so important, or even a critical and determining variable. Also a great vertical lever will not only be within reach, it will engage and change the string pitch just by moving the lever up a fraction of an inch, by barely touching it upwards.

This is not really a solution but ............Since you are just starting out you can concentrate on A & B pedals and E levers until next spring, and by then you will have either gotten a different instrument or you will have done some sort of a vertical flag on the one you have got. Using the B flat vertical lever tends to come later in most instructional sequences, and there's always a way around it just for one note in one song.

Clear tubing from Lowes or Home Depot, comes in various sizes and slips right over the VKL. I use a large size on at least 3 levers.

Just to add, Richard:

The B to Bb is so important to me that I wouldn't dream of having it on a lever that was in any way difficult to engage.

I have it on RKL.

I'm looking forward to my Williams: their VKLs are infinitely adjustable.

Had a client a while back with the same issue and wound up fabricating a dog leg lever similar to this one. Probably should have took a picture of it. This one is a dog leg lever for skinny legs.



It folded away perfectly and could be returned to factory condition with the old lever in a couple of minutes. Would be pretty easy for any little machine shop in your neighborhood.

Patrick.