Who's idea/invention was the vertical knee lever?

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 13 Jun 2023 7:39 am

Who came up with the now virtually ubitiquous LKV?
And when?
Which manufacturer was the first to offer it on their new instruments?

John Drury · Post by **John Drury** » 13 Jun 2023 10:46 am

The first one I ever saw was on a new Marrs in the early 80's, not sure if it was Duanes idea or not. I bet Jeff Suratt would know.

Spotted one on a Zum a couple years later. Bruce might know something about it.

Seems like Bud Carter had something to do with the developement of the LKV too.

I would be interested in knowing who came up with it as well, my money would be on Duane, the guy was a genius.

Eric Dahlhoff · Post by **Eric Dahlhoff** » 13 Jun 2023 12:52 pm

Zane Beck maybe?
I have a vertical ZB knee lever that matches the late Zane-era early Brumley-era knee levers. So that would be late 60's?

John McClung · Post by **John McClung** » 13 Jun 2023 3:02 pm

My 1977'ish D10 MSA 8+5 had a vertical. Terrible design, height could no be adjusted, I rubber banded a wood block on it to get it closer to my knee. Action was terribly stiff.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 13 Jun 2023 3:22 pm

Way older than 80s. My early 70s D10 PP had factory LKVs on both necks. I would guess that Buddy Emmons had something to do with that...while with either Sho~Bud or his Emmons co.

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 13 Jun 2023 4:18 pm

Jerry Overstreet wrote:I would guess that Buddy Emmons had something to do with that...

It would certainly come as no surprise if Mister Emmons was indeed the driving force behind vertical knee levers.

Johnny Cox · Post by **Johnny Cox** » 13 Jun 2023 4:19 pm

I've been told by several people that Zane Beck did it first. I wouldn't doubt that at all.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 13 Jun 2023 5:45 pm

My first ZB, a 1971 S10, had one.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 13 Jun 2023 5:57 pm

ZB may well have been the first guitar that had a vertical. But I believe the first one I saw was on a Sierra in the early 1970's.

(And by the way, the idea for knee levers actually predates floor pedals!)

Rex Wiseman · Post by **Rex Wiseman** » 14 Jun 2023 4:08 pm

Sho~Bud put a verticle on my LDG in 1979.

Jim Fogarty · Post by **Jim Fogarty** » 14 Jun 2023 6:03 pm

My guess.....

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 24 Jun 2023 11:21 am

Johnny Cox wrote:I've been told by several people that Zane Beck did it first. I wouldn't doubt that at all.

I defer to Johnny as he and his associates knows their stuff.

Also on Zane's Hall of Fame plaque it is stated he pioneered the use of knee levers and was the first to install them on production guitars.