Part whatever in my sho bud crossover restoration series. I've taken all of the rods and the changer out on the e9 neck in order to give it a thorough cleaning. I was inspecting the mechanisms that attaches to the pedals (I don't know the name of these, if someone would enlighten me that would be great).
Something I noticed about the RKR change when I got this guitar was that it was extremely sluggish to return (actually it was sluggish in both directions). Something I'm now noticing is that there isn't a spring on that mechanism, like there is on every other changer. The strings are currently off on both necks so I'm not really sure what tension they apply, but putting force down on the mechanism the way a spring wood while I use the knee lever certainly does make it feel more correct.
I can't quite tell from undercarriage photos of other rack and barrel mechanisms online whether or not there are supposed to be return Springs on every change, but I would love to know there if there is a reason why this change doesn't have one.
I will say, this is the only change that is shared between the e9 and the C6 neck, if that makes a difference.
The whole mechanism:
The final changes - the springless changer is on the left (the final change is only any lever, not a pedal (There are only seven pedals)
No return spring on knee lever?
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Tim Bennett
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No return spring on knee lever?
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Donny Hinson
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Re: No return spring on knee lever?
Most always, there are no return springs on knee levers. If it's slow and sticky, it needs cleaning and lube, and then if that doesn't fix it, look for some binding or misalignment in the pulling train.
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Tucker Jackson
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Re: No return spring on knee lever?
Right.
I've looked at several pictures of Crossover undercarriages online and I haven't seen any with those helper springs. The actual return springs are on the changer mechanism itself like on most guitars. Ricky Davis will tell you for sure -- but I bet some prior owner tried to address a gummed up changer finger or crossbar by adding helper springs. If that's true, the guitar needs to be cleaned and lubed and should play fine after that, even without helper springs.
I've looked at several pictures of Crossover undercarriages online and I haven't seen any with those helper springs. The actual return springs are on the changer mechanism itself like on most guitars. Ricky Davis will tell you for sure -- but I bet some prior owner tried to address a gummed up changer finger or crossbar by adding helper springs. If that's true, the guitar needs to be cleaned and lubed and should play fine after that, even without helper springs.
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Tim Bennett
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Re: No return spring on knee lever?
Oh true - the return springs on the changer should be all the tension required hey.
This is all very useful - I do think there's a decent amount of gunk-related-sluggishness in these mechanisms even with the changer out, so I'll pull them off and give them a good cleaning before they go back on.
This is all very useful - I do think there's a decent amount of gunk-related-sluggishness in these mechanisms even with the changer out, so I'll pull them off and give them a good cleaning before they go back on.