The British Steelies Society

Hi guys,

I’m hoping a tech/ tweaker/ builder/ seasoned player can help me!

I was playing something tonight on my Pro 1 which required a lot of F lever usage! I’m playing along then I heard almost a ‘pop’ a rod-rattle sound. ‘Pop’ isn’t a very accurate description of what I heard but it’s as close as I can get! I thought I’d broken string 4 (or that it had popped out at the changer end or something) but ultimately the string was fine. However the F lever no longer worked at all. It still moves, but doesn’t raise the string whatsoever.

Now, *disclaimer*, I’m not very good underneath the guitar (nor am I over it, but I do try at this more!). Other than adjusting lever travel and changing strings I’ve not done much!

Anyway, I’ve had a look and it looks ok to me at the lever end - the lever is pulling the bell crank (with the rod hooked through it still) and the nylon tuning nut at the changer end is still being pulled inwards by the lever. Also, the lever still raises string 8 so i don’t think it’s a lever problem per se.

So what the bloody hell can this be?

It can’t be the string, because I can still lower it with the E lever and raise it with the C pedal.

Any help will be very gratefully received - whether it sorts the problem or not!

Thanks guys,

Brad

Also, I have quite a busy day tomorrow so I might not get chance to read or respond to the thread until Monday.

Just didn’t want anybody to think I was being rude or anything!

Brad, the only thing I've heard like this, is when a nylon tuner flew off, and the comment was it made a popping sound! I know you mentioned that it's still in place and moving, but could it have stripped some threads and slipped, just a bit?
Ps- I don't have a clue hopefully someone with real knowledge will jump in. Complex buggers these things.

Thanks for your input guys!

John, I think the crank is fine - that end of things seems to be working ok. I think the problem is at the changer end. The lever just isn’t doing anything to the spring/ finger.

Danny/ John, you may have a point about the nylon hexes. Out of curiosity/ hopelessness I just tried tightening it (a good few screws, more than ‘fine tuning). It did go inwards with the screwing as if it was tightening but when I pulled the F lever I heard a ‘click’ sound and it’d ‘popped’ back out half a centimetre or so to where it was before I’d tightened it.

Does this make sense? Sorry if it doesn’t really add anything to my description of what’s going on!

Brad, I think a new nylon nut is required. That one sounds to be stripped. It might, over time, have tightened too much.
I can't believe I may have got this right! I'm away to buy a lottery ticket (only kidding, I despise the lottery)

Danny, I just softly tugged on the nylon hex and it slipped right off mate. I assume that that shouldn’t happen?!

*update* looks like you were spot on guys. I took the nylon thing off, turned it around 180 degrees, screwed it back on and it works a treat! Until I source a new one of course!

Thanks Danny and John!

Good news, Brad.
Still can't believe I answered a question in the 'Technical' section, what is the world coming to?.......be afraid

Danny, put me first in line for when you start building Mitchell guitars!