TOUR EMERGENCY!! Show Pro in DC area *SOLVED!

[William Seeders Mosheim]

I’m currently on a tour that’s in the DC area and during soundcheck my A pedal connector snapped off in the hole. I was luckily able to sacrifice my C pedal and swap it for my A pedal but I’m hoping I can find someone who may have an extra pedal or help me repair mine somewhere around in the DC area. It’s a Show-Pro that’s only about a year old unfortunately. Anything that fits will do!

I’m in Easton, MD tonight - staying in Rock Hall, MD tonight
Vienna, VA Sunday (Jammin’ Java)
Washington, DC Monday (private show near The White House)
Philadelphia, PA Tuesday (City Winery Philly)
New York, NY Wednesday (Joe’s Pub, Manhattan)

I have a backup plan of having my extra or another pedal overnighted on Monday for Tuesday/Wednesday but I’d greatly appreciate any help finding someone to help tomorrow or Monday if possible. I can make due without my C pedal of course but as we all know it’s a bit of a bummer to be down a change your so used to.

I can most likely get a screw extractor and get the broken screw out but I don’t have any extra rod connectors with me. So full pedal assembly or connector is what I need.

Thank you fellow players!

[Bill Ladd]

William - those ball studs are automotive carburetor linkage studs. You will probably be able to find a suitable replacement at Auto Zone, Advance, NAPA, Pep Boys or the like.

You’ll need to get the busted piece out or take out one of your others and bring it with you to match up the threads.

[William Seeders Mosheim]

William - those ball studs are automotive carburetor linkage studs. You will probably be able to find a suitable replacement at Auto Zone, Advance, NAPA, Pep Boys or the like.

You’ll need to get the busted piece out or take out one of your others and bring it with you to match up the threads.

Excellent! I was hoping they were readily available somewhere. Very much appreciated!! I’ve got some leads on some area players that may be able to help as well so things are coming together. Thank you!!

[Paul Awalt]

Try Billy Coopers in Orange Virg.

[William Seeders Mosheim]

A friend of a friend came through big time! Crisis averted and will be whole again tomorrow on the way to the next show to complete the tour. Community coming through to save the day!!

[William Seeders Mosheim]

Try Billy Coopers in Orange Virg.

Billy is the best!!! He would have been my first call if we were a little closer. Got to spend some time him last year when I was in his area and I can’t wait to make it back to visit again. So lucky a friend came through on the way to the next show without much of a detour.

Thanks for the thought!

[Bobby D. Jones]

Removing the piece from the pedal will be the critical part.

If the broken piece is close enough to the top, A very small cut off wheel in a Dremel tool would cut a screw driver slot in the broken piece. Then use a screw driver to remove.

The piece in the pedal may have unscrewed is why it broke. You may be able to remove the threaded piece with a couple large needles crossed and get enough purchase, On the rough broken area, To turn the broke piece out of the pedal.

Be careful, A screw extractor in a screw that small can be a disaster. Trying to drill a hole in the broken part with a right tuning drill bit may twist the broken piece to the bottom of the hole and make it stick.

Reverse grinding an old drill bit, And running the drill in reverse is a trick machinist use sometimes.

If a hole must be drilled in the broken piece, Make sure it is drilled in the exact center of the broken piece. If not when the extractor tightens in the hole it will swell the broken piece and it will lock in the hole.

YOU WILL ONLY GET 1 CHANCE TO REMOVE THE BROKEN PIECE.

Good Luck in this project, and Happy Steelin

[William Seeders Mosheim]

Thank you, Bobby! Fairly certain the screw was tight but it’s very possible it had wiggled a little loose. Unfortunately it broke off just deep enough in the hole that there’s nothing to grab onto. I’ll be able to investigate it deeper today and even more so once I’m home in my shop. The reverse grind drill bit is a handy trick! Thank you for that. I just so happen to be a machinist myself. Off stage I’m a banjo maker who machines my own brass hardware and I’ve got a shop full of mills and lathes at home. How lucky am I! I’m even dreaming of making my own steel someday because I have the means so I’m not too sad about getting the chance to do a repair like this but on the road I’m a little helpless other than swapping parts. I’m just starting to crack becoming my own steel tech but hope to offer it for others the deeper I get.

I’m awfully curious what failed, either the stud must have had a stress crack from over tightening, general stress, or exactly what you mentioned, the stud being slightly loose and sticking out just a little too far. Either way I’m so lucky to have found someone with a Show Pro who’s giving up their 4th pedal as a loaner only 8 minutes detour off our drive today. I also have my 4th pedal at home that I haven’t been using so I have my own backup. Certainly going to travel with some extra parts in the future now!

[Jon Light]

A friend of a friend came through big time! Crisis averted and will be whole again tomorrow on the way to the next show to complete the tour. Community coming through to save the day!! 😅

Fantastic!

This has never happened to me and it certainly doesn't happen often but I've read about it several times over the years and the possibility of it happening always spooks me.

[William Seeders Mosheim]

A friend of a friend came through big time! Crisis averted and will be whole again tomorrow on the way to the next show to complete the tour. Community coming through to save the day!!

Fantastic!

This has never happened to me and it certainly doesn't happen often but I've read about it several times over the years and the possibility of it happening always spooks me.

It was wild! Only a few minutes into sound check and I felt my pedal drop. At first I thought I just didn’t get the sleeve over the ball and it must have popped off but was horrified to see the broken stud in the rod still. So fortunate it happened during sound check and not mid show in a quiet theater! Also so happy I carry the necessary tools with me just in case and was able to sacrifice my C pedal to save the night in a matter of minutes. Gotta roll with the punches sometimes!

[Jon Light]

Also so happy I carry the necessary tools with me .......

Ugh. My seat is already overweight with the amount of just-in-case stuff that I carry. Now I''m thinking about what-all else I need to pack to allay my anxieties.
However I'm not touring. That's a whole different world of what ifs.