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Author
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Topic: Some Spring secrets for Sho~bud Owners
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Ricky Davis
Moderator From: Spring, Texas USA
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posted 17 December 2004 02:47 PM
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I've answered plenty of emails from Sho~bud owners; that were wondering about the neccessity of the "Raise-Helper" Springs, and so I'm putting my copied response up here for anyone who would like to know more. This is mainly my tricks/secrets to having the single raise/single lower or double raise/single lower Sho~bud with only the two-hole pullers; to pull Octive strings more evenly together and also will help to time half stops, by learning how to speed up a finger or slow it down by certain tensions with the main lower springs and which raise springs to have on or off>Enjoy.
quote:
Yes all those lower springs serve a purpose…..not just in the lowering.
They are there also to stabilize the lower section when you raise a string. Take for instance. If you raise your 1st string say a whole tone on E9th…..>if you tighten the lower spring almost all the way…..>you will find that that raise with happen much easier and sooner; as making that lower section more tight….>the raise section will move more freely. AS for the strings that lower…..Yes you want the lower springs just tight enough so that the lower will come back to pitch….> and maybe a couple turns just tighter….so that it will not have to be adjusted again. Also take for instance the 3rd and 6th string raise on the B pedal…..>you’ll notice that they don’t particularly move together; as it takes more travel and throw to pull the 3rd string up to pitch than the 6th string. So to make them pull more even…..Loosen the lower spring on the 6th string half way….and tighten the lower spring on the 3rd string almost all the way and leave the raise spring on….>so with that what you are doing is stabilizing that 3rd string lower section very tight…so that the raise on the 3rd will happen more quickly and then it might move with the now lazier 6th string more so and taking the raise spring off the 6th string helps almost perfectly....but for sure if you use a .012p for the 3rd and .022w for the 6th; then they become dead perfect…..>make sense??? Also another trick……on those little Raise springs that are next to the body and attach to the raise portion of the finger and onto a bracket on the body of the guitar. Those help strings raise…..so have them on the ones that raise…….and if you don’t have them on the ones that lower….>than of course the lower will happen more freely and moreso……>so here’s another trick I have with them. Take the 4th string and 8th string lowers…>well you’ll notice that they don’t particularly move together also…..cause the 4th string needs more throw/distance than the 8th. So to get them to move together better…..I like to take off the raise spring of the 4th…..and leave it on the 8th…..>so now the 4th will lower quicker and the 8th will drag behind a little cause the raise spring is on 8th and not on the 4th and the 8th will drag behind because of the raise spring inhibiting the lower……so now they will move better together…. Ok there’s your little “Spring” lesson for the day…
Have fun.
This was written in a email I've sent out; so excuse the roughness.
But learning these techniques will show you just how much you can do to a very un-modern finger and pulling design. My single raise/single lower LDG; tunes perfect and stays in tune(after the unsual changing of strings stretch), and octive strings pull together and half stops are perfectly timed and have a wonderful positive stop. My LDG plays every bit as good as a brand new modern pedal steel; for being a 30 year old Sho~bud...ah...ha...>so you can do it too.
Ricky[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 17 December 2004 at 02:52 PM.] |
Brian Davis
Member From: San Francisco, USA
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posted 17 December 2004 03:03 PM
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Bless you, Ricky. Now if I could figure out why my 8th string lower returns sharp on my Professional...I was thinking that the string must be slipping in the roller nut at the keyhead when I lower to D#, because the when I raise to F the return to E isn't sharp anymore, it's back to normal. I am hoping this is b/c the string is shot, but I fear it's something worse. These things should have come out of the factory with a service manual or something:-)BD |
Farris Currie
Member From: Ona, Florida, USA
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posted 17 December 2004 03:23 PM
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Thank you Rick,tomorrow old sho-bud hits the bench again!!!I appreciate all the info. you give us. sounds cool to me!!
farris |
Lem Smith
Member From: Fulton, MS. U.S.A.
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posted 17 December 2004 03:55 PM
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Yeah, thanks for the info Ricky. Now if I can work up the nerve to actually try changing things around on my Pro II!  [This message was edited by Lem Smith on 17 December 2004 at 03:55 PM.] |
Ricky Davis
Moderator From: Spring, Texas USA
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posted 17 December 2004 04:42 PM
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Hey cool guys; your welcome.
Brian; tell me what you have on strings 4 and 8 as for the raise springs??? Also; that is odd that the lower returns sharp on the 8th. I'm almost thinking something is going on with the 4th string; or the 8th string rod is into the finger a little on the raise; because normally, the raise will come back a tad sharp because of historics.
Hummmm???
Back off the 8th string raise nylon tuner(or barrel tuners; which ever you have) and see if that doesn't de-tune the open string?? If so...than keep it backed off and tune the open to pitch and tune the lower...>then loosen rod from puller(or loosen barrel)...then pull rod up against finger and tighten...and then raise it and if it doesn't raise all the way; adjust the stop out, to give more room and you should be good to go.
Ricky
[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 17 December 2004 at 04:48 PM.] |
richard burton
Member From: Britain
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posted 18 December 2004 01:59 AM
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Ricky,
I can understand that by altering the spring tension on various raises and lowers that the changer finger will be easier/harder to move.
However, I can only see this altering the timing of raises/lowers, by using a ZB type of mechanism, which utilises a swivelling yoke bellcrank.
Do the older Sho-Buds use a swivel yoke?
If they have mainstream bellcranks, then surely the only way to alter the timing of two fingers (so that they move at the same time) is to alter the pull-rod position on the bellcrank?
R B |
Rick Garrett
Member From: Tyler, Texas
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posted 18 December 2004 03:33 AM
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Hey Ricky, man I just wanted to say what a blessing you are to this forum. Its very cool that someone of your ability and stature would take the time to share stuff like this. Merry Christmas to ya and God Bless!Rick |
Ricky Davis
Moderator From: Spring, Texas USA
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posted 18 December 2004 09:29 AM
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No Richard; there are no swiveling yokes..ha
ON the Older Sho~bud's I speak of; there is 1 raise hole and 1 lower hole on both the finger and puller(Bell crank or Rack)AS the rod has to run straight through all pullers in order to turn the rod to tune barrels. But this technique will also work on a double raise; if one doesn't want the added tension that comes with pulling a rod quicker on the puller.
Thanks Rick for the kind words it is my pleasure.
Ricky[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 18 December 2004 at 09:51 AM.] |
Al Marcus
Member From: Cedar Springs,MI USA
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posted 18 December 2004 10:35 AM
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Ricky-Thank you! Thank You! You are a perfect example of what the Heart and Soul of The Steel Guitar Forum is all about.I am going to get my beloved old Sho-Bud Pro 1 (with the Barrel tuners)on the bench and make some adjustments. Mine has raise springs on all strings, plus adjustable lowering springs. Now I will be able to adjust the 3rd and 6th string, as you mentioned. With the 6 pedals and 5 knee levers, I use a E6 tuning with the added E9 pedals. Thanks again ,Ricky. Guys ,he is a Treasure to this Forum....Happy Holidays....al  ------------------
My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/ |
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