Steel Guitar Builder

That's good Ross. I'd like to note that "secondary" compensator rods will work just as well with fixed pull-points ... only the main pull gain on step-less timing adjustment, IMO.

One point I am not sure of how best to solve, is getting "enough free-play" for rods with very short travel. On my "3 octave string raise/lower on one pedal/lever" set-up free-play on lowest string is too near zero - the changer-fingers are close to hanging on the rod in neutral. Got any good mechanical "ramp" solution for your bellcranks to eliminate the chance of rod-hanging for short-traveling changes?

Georg,

If I'm following you and I may not be...simply using an adjustable bell crank to attain a rod position just a tad closer to the body than a standard bell crank's options allows should do it...with non-adjust bellcranks on round cross shafts you can turn the bell crank so it actuates in a different portion of its arc. This trick can be used to change the travel rate and may offer that smidge extra free play you're looking for.

Ross,

I know, and have my bellcranks optimally adjusted on round axles for max free-play on minimal traveling rods. Also have free-wheeling gear-down bellcranks for the most problematic (shortest) changes to get them all in good timing and tune without hang-up. Have been on my preferred PSG and worked well for two decades, but...

... I was just wondering if you had taken the "free-play problem" into consideration while developing your bellcranks and found a better solution. Would be nice to have that problem properly solved by design.