Time to replace a tuning nut? Entire pull rod?

[Caleb McKelvey]

Just bought a pedal steel after many years without owning one, and while I'm excited with the guitar I picked up, it's in need of some TLC. I think the guy I bought it from had let it sit for quite a while, because just about every adjustment point (pedal height, leg height, tuners, etc) took some effort to get moving again. The nylon tuning nuts in particular gave me a hard time, and I suspect I might have broken one or two by force while trying to tune the instrument up for the first time.

It's a Carter S-12 with a fairly standard Extended E9 copedent, 4 pedals, 5 knees. On my C pedal, my 4th string raises to F#, but my 5th string doesn't change at all. I can see that 5th string pull rod moving when I depress the pedal, but it looks like it's got enough of a gap that it never contacts the changer finger to actually pull the string. I've turned and turned the nylon nut, but nothing is closing this gap.

I suspect the threads of the nut have been stripped, but are there any out there who would care to diagnose my issue? As I said, it's been a long time without a pedal steel, and I was never very knowledgable in the first place. I appreciate any and all advice, no matter how basic it may seem!

[Bobby D. Jones]

If the threads on the rod are good the rod should work, Unless it is a different size than the other rods in guitar.

It could be stripped or just the wrong size tuning nut.
There is 3 size rods used on most USA made guitars.
Not sure of Carters rod size.
Some use 3/32" rods with 4-40 threads.
Some older Emmons with 14 hole bell cranks, Used 7/64" rods with 5-40 threads.
MSA Classic and others used 1/8" rods with 6-40 threads, And some use 5-40 threads on 1/8" rods.
Guitar name and model, Or Rod diameter and tuning nut length are needed to order proper size tuning nuts.
Good Luck getting your guitar set up, Happy Steelin.

[Tucker Jackson]

To test if it's a stripped tuning nut, try temporarily removing one from another string, like String 9. Put it on the 5th string's rod and see what you have.

As Bobby pointed out, there are different sized rod and nuts depending on the brand of the guitar.
#3 nuts are used for 3/32 rods
#4 nuts are used for 7/64 rods
#5 nuts are used for 1/8 rods

Your Carter is the smallest one, with a 3/32 rod (were talkingpull rod, NOT pedal rod, which is larger)
That translates to 0.093"

So, would need a #3 nut. The nut itself is 3/16" hex.

You can get them from PSG Parts:
https://www.psgparts.com/shop/category/ ... ing-nut-46

Or Williams:
https://www.williamsguitarcompany.com/s ... ories.html

[Bobby D. Jones]

You did not identify your guitar name and make.
Another thing you need to check is how the pull rod is attached to the bell crank. If the rod is attached with a brass connector with a set screw to lock the rod in the brass connector. If that set screw is loose, It can cut grove in the rod. Then the rod will turn, Instead of the tuning nut turning on the shaft and adjusting the tuning.

There are problems and some confusion with proper sizing of tuning nuts.
Many factory pull rods have Rolled threads, Rolled threads are actually a few thousands larger than the rods diameter.
After market rods are usually die cut and are either rod diameter or a few thousands smaller.
Good Luck getting this problem corrected, Happy Steelin.

[Erv Niehaus]

Usually the tuning nut comes unthreaded and it cuts its own threads when you turn it on.

[Wayne Brown]

we sell them as well
https://outwestcountry.ca/index.php/pro ... -nuts/new/
thanks
wayne

[Caleb McKelvey]

Thanks everyone for weighing in! For clarity, this is a Carter Pro S-12 from what looks to be March of 2001 (determined at this link: https://www.steelguitar.com/carter/serialnumbers.html)

I tried swapping tuning nuts with its neighbor and instead of getting the nylon nut off of the problem raise, the entire pull rod came loose!

It looks like Bobby was right on the money - the rod was spinning at the barrel instead of tightening the tuning nut. My trouble now is that I can't get that set screw tight enough to hold the rod, whether that's due to a groove in the rod or a stripped set screw. Am I in for a new pull rod now? Does anyone know where I could find a replacement for that barrel part?