copedent variations.

[Rex Myers]

I recently purchased an Excel Dble 10 - 5&8 (Emmons Copedent)from the estate of my late friend Joe Binder. Its a great guitar just needed a little TLC and I had to extend the pedal rods so I could raise it up to play it, I have been playing a Universal 12 with the(Newman Copendent)5&7 its what I am used to. And I want to continue playing the Universal and the 10 string. . Does anyone else switch between guitars with different strings and setups? just curious. The grips arent much different, But on the 12 the Es are lowered with the RKR and on the 10 its LKR. Thanks for any thoughts comments or questions.

[Tucker Jackson]

Rex, I was in your situation for 3 years. As to whether I could switch between guitars with different knee levers and number of strings, I would say "Yes... and maybe a very hard no, depending:

Yes: it only took a few minutes to get used to the new knee lever setup and grips when switching from the stage guitar (a 12U with Newman setup) and the home woodshed guitar I've played every day since Day 1 (S-10 Emmons setup).

No: If, by chance, you will have a gig playing a few songs with a pretty well known music figure at a sold-out theater in Portland, and it's also being broadcast live on an NPR radio show...

...and if by chance, at a very quiet exposed moment when you do a big dramatic bend, your lizard brain takes over and you hit the "correct" knee lever, except it's only correct on the woodshed guitar sitting at home, not the guitar currently being played...

...and if, by chance, it is an unmistakable clam missed by exactly no one, either in the theater or in Radioland, and if that turns out to be the moment that you decide "I'm selling this damn 12-string!!" and if within 7 days, that 12-string is gone and out of your life, then I would say, no. Don't try to switch between guitars with different knee levers.

[Ian Rae]

My two guitars are set up the same.
The only scope for disaster is that one has an extra pedal, but I've got away with it so far.
I try to avoid playing and thinking at the same time.

[Bobby D. Jones]

The hardest thing for me changing from S10 E9th to S12 E9th/6th, Was retraining my Nero Memory/Muscle Memory. Moving my thumb 1 string from E9th 6G#-8E-10B grip, To 6G#-8E-9B for the E9th/B6th grip.
When I work on a 10 String E9th, It is hard for me to move my thumb back to 6-8-10 grip, To play it.

[Dennis Detweiler]

Like you, I've been playing the Newman copedent for decades. I thought about experimenting with a S-10. My idea was to set up the copedent as the first 10 strings of Newman. The bottom string being G#. On a D-10, I would tune the bottom neck B6. 1st string D. Less strain on my brain muscle.

[Rex Myers]

I appreciate the input, and find it interesting, Muscle memory certainly has a lot to do with it. as well as taking time to think about which guitar you are playing. I have no levers or pedals beyond the standard copedent on either steel. I think using the guitar I am used to for gigs is the best way to go. Having a Universal 12 almost defeats the the purpose of having a D-10 other than that the Excel has sentimental value to me I am still curious as to how many out there play both.
[quote="Dennis Detweiler"
Like you, I've been playing the Newman copedent for decades. I thought about experimenting with a S-10. My idea was to set up the copedent as the first 10 strings of Newman. The bottom string being G#. On a D-10, I would tune the bottom neck B6. 1st string D. Less strain on my brain muscle.
[/quote] Dennis has an intersting Idea.

[Jerry Overstreet]

FWIW, I played Uni 12s and 14s along with D10s for several years.

Setups were not identical but very similar.

I tuned the D10 back neck to B vs. C so I would have some similarities on the D10 rear neck.

However, as previously stated, the E and F knees were in the same location on both. It would have been a problem if they weren't.

I dunno if it works for everybody, but I did fine. I followed Jeff N's instructions to let go of the D10 when I started unis and so I did.

I came to regret it however as I had a very nice basketweave P/P D10 and also I discovered later on when I acquired another D10 that switching wasn't a big deal for me.

I was used to playing different number of strings instruments having 6 string guitars, resos, 4 string bass, 8 string mando etc.

[Dave Grafe]

There were a few years when I played straight ahead western and trad country with Joni Harms while also playing and recording with Ron Rogers and the Wailing Wind, which was more about rock and experimental music. With Joni I played an Emmons D10 with 8+6 and E's on left knees, while with Ron et al I used a Sho-Bud Pro I with 3+2, both levers on the right knee raising and lowering E's. The Pro I had a marvelously microphonic pickup (the "wailing wind") that lent itself well to the rockier material he was writing and recording. It was tricky going back and forth between E's on left, then right, then left again, sometimes on the same day, but the difference in genres and guitars helped me identify certain moves with the material being played and the guitar in front of me. That being said once the Ron Rogers gig dried up I traded the Pro I to Bob Mueller for a disassembled Sho-Bud SuperPro, essentially a body and a box of greasy parts, that became my first restoration project. I set it up just like the Emmons to keep things simple and never looked back.
My current guitars are an 8+6 Emmons and a 9+9 Zumsteel, with all the common pedals and levers doing the same thing on both guitars. It has actually proven more challenging to adapt my C6 moves between the two depending on what my left knee options are than it was to swap E's between left and right in days past.