Zumsteel Stage One adjustable lever stopper

[Phillip Leggett]

Hey folks,

I have a Zumsteel stage one and the first string only goes up by one semi tone. I’m wanting to get it up a whole tone like Paul Franklin does.

This is a picture of my friends steel with an adjustable lever blocker. Could anyone suggest a particular adjustable lever blocker for the Zumsteel, please?

Apologies in advance if this has been talked about… I couldn’t find anything.

Thanks!

[Troy Engle]

All you have to do is bend the pull rod end slightly and move it to a different hole on the changer to get a longer pull. I did mine, and it works great getting the first string up to G#. But I'd email Doug if you have a question. Here are the instructions he sent to me:

"You need the rod for the first string in the hole farthest from the bellcrank on the cross shaft, and in the hole closest to the axle in the changer finger. You will need to give the rod a little bend where it passes through the changer finger so it won't be at such a steep angle.

You can leave the 7th string raising to G, it won't bother a thing. I like the setup better that way anyway, raising the 7th to G is a very useful change along with A&B pedals down."

Happy picking,
Doug Earnest

[Phillip Leggett]

Hi Doug, thanks for your reply.
I’ve tried adjusting the rod on the furthest lever down the bell crank but it doesn’t quite get to a perfect step up

[Earl Foote]

Hmmm. My Stage One 1st string raises a whole step, but I got it from Doug that way. I'll look at it and see what he did. The Stage One is the most trouble-free guitar around (in my opinion) I just tune it and play it.

[Earl Foote]

For 18 years.

[Earl Foote]

Okay, I looked at mine and the 1st string rod is in the bottom bell crank hole and in the second hole from the top in the changer, and the rod was bent slightly. My Stage One is 18 years old, so there may have been revisions in the design, I'm not sure.

[Phillip Leggett]

Hey guys, thanks so much for the information… It worked! Please see photos.
Also, I messaged Doug from Zumsteel and this is his reply.

“You have to move it furthest away from the shaft in the bellcrank, and closest to the shaft in the changer.”

Thanks very much again. I really appreciate the help!