Help! Carter "Pull Pin" Broken

[HonkyTonkDan90]

Hi all,

About a month into learning the pedal steel on my newly purchased [second hand]Carter D10, all was going well, until the tuning rod connecting the 10th string to the A pedal pops out the right hand side (gulp). Had a good look under the PSG, and seems pretty straight forward what's happened. The 'pull pin' (looks like a tiny dumbell or 'dog bone') onto which the pull rod hooks has split in two. Newbie that I am, I'm fairly confident that it would be simple to put right if I had a replacement, but there's the damn rub!

Seems to be a guy in Canada (http://www.steelguitarscanada.com) that has replacement Carter parts. Assuming he's still in operation the part that I need is listed in his catalogue. Is this my only option?

Tbh I didn't realise that Carter no longer existed when I purchased my Pedal Steel, much as I like it, I'm starting to feel a little nervous about the future . Assuming that my only options are to order spares from Canada, can anyone advise me as to what other parts are liable to fail/break on a PSG. Thinking I'll just gobble up all the spares I need for a rainy day.

Many thanks,

Dan.

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

Dan,Dan Dan calm down all is not lost,, ,,, I can put a dog bone in the post to you or bring it here and I will fix it.....what is your address?

[HonkyTonkDan90]

Dan,Dan Dan calm down all is not lost,, ,,, I can put a dog bone in the post to you or bring it here and I will fix it.....what is your address?

Wow thanks John, you're a legend! I'll PM you my address. I'll be fine installing the new 'dog bone'; ended up removing one from the C6 10th string and installing it on the E9 so I know it can be done and the practice can continue . Still I'd like the C6 to be fully functional for when I do get round to learning on it.

Read people describing the dog bones as 'the achilles heel' of Carters. Anything else likely to need replacing over time (other than strings)? Reassuring that there's help at hand on this forum and if I'm ever totally screwed I'll definitely make the long drive south to pay you a visit John! Still, parts for these things are only going to get harder and harder to come by, so just wondering whether it would be wise to pre-emptively source some replacements given that I may in all possibility still be playing this same model decades down the line...

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

Desperate Dan, two in post that's all I can spare, no charge.

[Les Wright]

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... highlight=

Source for more durable replacement

[Jif]

Hi Dan, the only problem I had with my Carter was a broken dog bone, just one over the 3 years I owned it. As you pointed out it is the achilles heel of the Carter but it's still a fairly rare occurrence and replacements can be had fairly easily, so not a major problem.

I had 10 spare dog bones I kept handy but only ever had to use one, I passed them on to the new owner of my Carter otherwise I could have sent you a few.

Good to hear it hasn't stopped you from getting into it.

It was something I and I reckon others learned early on when first taking on this instrument, that you have to get familiar with the mechanics to a certain degree, it can be interesting in itself.

[HonkyTonkDan90]

Desperate Dan, two in post that's all I can spare, no charge.

Thanks John, really appreciate it .

Geoff, glad to hear you didn't have any other problems. My Carter was 'born' April 2004, so going on 16 years old, guess it was just time for one to give.

Appears to be several ideas for alternatives on the steelguitarforum, including the use of a 3/16” diameter rivet (https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=311843). Food for thought atleast

Cheers all!