Fast lick "A" pedal question

[Jon Baumgartner]

Hi all, and Happy New Year. I am a big fan of Buddy Cage. When he's playing single note lines he very frequently does a double "A" pedal (down up down up in very rapid succession) and although I am using the same guitar he frequently used, Emmons D10 Push Pull, my pedal travel on the "A" pedal seems too lengthy to do that move quickly. Is there some sort of modification that can make that full step travel shorter? The rod is connected at the changer at the shortest rotational axis already. And bear in mind that if the answer is "shut up and practice more" I am perfectly willing to accept that as well. Thanks everybody. Play loud.

[Tucker Jackson]

Hi, Jon.

I know (and love) the lick you're talking about. Yes, you need a short pull on that.

Push/pull mechanics is not my area, but I think the general principle still holds. See the diagram below of a bellcrank as viewed with the guitar upside down. You want the pull rod to be farther from the axle for a shorter (but stiffer) throw. UPDATE: diagram has been removed because it is not relevant to a push/pull guitar.

If you don't know how to make this change to a push/pull, maybe ask for advice here on the Forum before proceeding to see if there are any "gotchas," because it's really easy for a civilian to mess up the undercarriage.
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[Brett Lanier]

Push pull bellcranks only have one spot for the rod, so there’s no adjustability there. A lot of push pulls I come across have unnecessary slop on the A pedal, and that’s often just from not having the stop collars set in a way that have the 5th and 10th strings timed together. If you’re lowering 5 or 10 somewhere else, you’ll need some play to get down to the lower, but often times there’s still some room to trim it up. I like a longer throw on the A pedal… makes it easy to push and easier to get a reliable half pedal. The quickness imo doesn’t come from the length of throw so much as the responsiveness, or immediacy of the string bend to pedal engagement.

[Dave Grafe]

Hi, Jon.

I know (and love) the lick you're talking about. Yes, you need a short pull on that.

Push/pull mechanics is not my area, but I think the general principle still holds. See the diagram below of a bellcrank as viewed with the guitar upside down. You want the pull rod to be farther from the axle for a shorter (but stiffer) throw.

If you don't know how to make this change to a push/pull, maybe ask for advice here on the Forum before proceeding to see if there are any "gotchas," because it's really easy for a civilian to mess up the undercarriage.
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The push-pull mechanism does not use that type of bellcrank and only has one bellcrank position each for raises and lowers with two raise travel options available at the changer end. As the OP has mentioned he already has the short travel option employed there's not much more that can be done.

That being said a properly working push-pull action shouldn't take much longer to return. I guess I am unfamiliar with the specific lick being discussed, but my Emmons A pedal responds almost as quickly as my Zum. It may in fact be simply a practice time thing.