Steel Guitar Builder

On my C6 neck 90% of the time I tune my low C to a C# and my low A to a Bb. (I play mostly jazz and like b5s in the lower strings.) Occasionally I'll want the C back. Right now I have a simple cabinet latch, connected to a rod and spring, mounted under the neck of my very old ShoBud double 9 pull-release guitar. It works fine but takes my hands away from playing, and I do have an extra unused pedal. I certainly could put in a reverser and the pedal could release the C# to a C (and maybe the same for the Bb) with constant pressure from my right foot, but it just occurred to me that it would be really excellent if I could push that pedal once to bring the C up to a C# (or visa versa) and hit it again to lower it back to C. An example would be an old fashioned pull chain light switch. Has anyone done this? Or does anyone have an instant idea on how to do it?

Keith

The problem you have brings to mind a "push latch" or "push catch" but I'm struggling to think of how to incorporate one. If you look at videos of how they are used, you can see the door or drawer pushes the plunger into the housing when it is closed. The plunger latches in the closed position. When the door/drawer is pushed a little further the plunger is unlatched and then pushes the door/drawer open. As the door/drawer opens it loses contact with the plunger. Somehow you would need to attach something to the plunger so that when you push the pedal, it in turn pushes the plunger. When you release the pedal the plunger prevents the pedal from coming back up. You then push the pedal further, which compresses the plunger a little further and unlatches it. Not sure how to incorporate it but food for thought maybe.

Right you are! I have several of those and hadn't thought to use explore that direction. That's exactly the kind of idea I was hoping for. You're right, I also don't immediately see how that latch, operating in that dimension, will be incorporated, but once I look at how it actually works inside something will probably occur to me. Many thanks.

Let us know if you come up with something. I'd be interested just out of curiosity.