Moving/Adding knee levers to a Marlen Pull release

[Ryan Forster]

Started restoring the underside of a late 60s Marlen I recently acquired and looking for a little insight/help on a knee lever question I have. It currently has three knee levers that need to be replaced as they are old and don’t function very well, the question I have is that the E lower is currently in the RKL position and I’d like to move it over to the LKR position as that’s what I’m used too. So now the bellcrank will swivel the opposite way as it currently does so I am wondering how I set this side up with the spring/stops on the pull rod being that it is now on top and not so easy to anchor these parts to the underside of the guitar. Is this more trouble than it’s worth?

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[Wayne Brown]

I am sorry Ryan but you may be confused. you are probably going to have a hard time getting responses to your question because this Marlin is not a push pull. It is known as a pull/release and unless someone knows these guitars that would be a whole new rabbit hole. With that said , moving pulls around is not a big deal on most guitars. However if you are adding more pulls or lowers ...well that is a total balancing act. I am sorry but I cannot help unless i can get a lot more information or I physically see the guitar in front of me. If you wish to discuss this you can call me and i will try to help you the best I can however no promises. LOL
thanks
wayne

[Ryan Forster]

Sorry I meant pull release, thanks for catching that, I will reach out. Cheers

[richard burton]

One fairly easy option is to remove the RKL lever, but keep the cross shaft and bellcrank assembly intact, which is currently lowering the E string.
Install a LKR lever in your desired position and cobble up a reversing linkage to the existing RKL cross shaft.

This is assuming that you don't want to use the RKL for any other strings

[Ryan Forster]

Yah it might just make sense to get used to it on the RKL as it’s got it’s advantages aswell. If I put my F#-G raise on the LKR instead would that be problematic ? That would be alot easier then moving the E lower to that position

[Barry Coker]

I did an upgrade on a Marlien Pull/Release a few years ago It was an S-10 3 & 2 I brought it up to 3 & 4 Emmons set up and made new knee levers. As Wayne said the Pull/Release is a different system from the standard all pull and to get it balanced and working properly takes patience and an understanding of the system.

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Barry

[Ryan Forster]

Been doing a lot of research on the forum and have had success in setting it up, although with some trial and error for sure. What I like is to me the mechanics are all exposed so you can see everything going on which makes troubleshooting a lot easier to wrap my brain around although frustrating.
Are you able to send me some pics of how you rigged up your E lowers on that steel? Would love to get some ideas from it, right now I am finishing fabbing up a bunch of new brackets and washers as some are pretty worn out causing the cross shafts to have too much movement.

[Barry Coker]

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The Picture is a little crude but may give you some insight there are springs around the pull rod behind the bell cranks there is a collar behind the springs that hold the springs so as the strings are tightened the springs are put under pressure. A collar on the other side of the stand keeps the spring under control and limits its return pull (ie your return "stop").
The bell cranks are down stream of the spring returns and are locked to the pull rod there must be space between the spring stand and the bell cranks to allow for pressure of the ark of the bell crank in its rotation and prevent binding.
The strings can then be tuned at the keys to pitch and the lower adjusted with the stop screws on top of the guitar behind the changer.
This can be used on 4 & 8 E to Ed the F lever E to F will hook in a different changer finger hole. The F lever cannot have a return stop as it must move backward when the E's are lowered The C pedal also will need extra free play for the E & F levers to work properly.

Hope this helps
Barry