The Steel Guitar Forum
Bar Chatter Archive
Queston for The Big "E"
UBBFriend: Email This Page to Someone!
profile | register | preferences | faq | search
Steel Guitar Strings Strings & instruction for lap steel, Hawaiian & pedal steel guitars http://SteelGuitarShopper.com |
Ray Price Shuffles Classic country shuffle styles for Band-in-a-Box, by BIAB guru Jim Baron. http://steelguitarmusic.com |
This Forum is CLOSED. |
|
|
The Steel Guitar Forum
Bar Chatter Archive
Queston for The Big "E"
profile | register | preferences | faq | search
|
This topic was originally posted in this forum: Wanted To Buy |
| Author | Topic: Queston for The Big "E" |
|
Bobby B unregistered Posts: 4424 |
posted 21 December 1999 03:29 PM
A few weeks ago I had my first experience with a "keyless" guitar. I have to say that I was very sceptical going in. However, it turned out to be a very pleasant experience and really "opened" my eyes to a machine that I had a negative approach to in my mind. I'm pretty sure that for a while you played a keyless guitar. Did you have any mental or physical problems adapting to the guitar, being that it was probably shorter and gave a different appearence than what you were accustomed to? Was the longer scale (25" or 25 1/2" I think) any kind of a problem? Any other comments you may have, pro or con? Thanks E, BB |
|
Buddy Emmons Member Posts: 1403 |
posted 22 December 1999 06:48 AM
Bobby, I have had several keyless guitars and have nothing but good to say about the sound. The harmonics were cleaner by comparison to my Emmons (the Blade). I used one on the road with the Everlys for a while and never had a guitar before that with a better C6 sound. The scale was 25 inches and I had string breaking problems well above average so I gave up on it. Also, it didn't have that certain sound that kicks me in the tail and says "go for it." While we're on the subject, I was doing a seminar with Jeff Newman years ago and we were playing back to back during the class. It was pretty obvious to me that his Cline keyless had a cleaner and sweeter sound than The Blade. It must have been on his mind too because he leaned over and whispered, "Why does my guitar sound better than yours?" I leaned toward him and replied, "because you have a tin ear." Buddy |
|
Bobby B unregistered Posts: 1403 |
posted 22 December 1999 08:09 AM
Thanks Buddy. I guess in Jeffs' case a "tin" is not as good as a "nine".  Maybe his ear wasn't "galvanized".  BB |
|
Steve Feldman Member Posts: 2983 |
posted 22 December 1999 09:58 AM
Good to know you're still out there listening, Buddy. Steve Feldman |
|
Larry Behm Member Posts: 1686 |
posted 23 December 1999 05:29 AM
Buddy hope you and Peggy have a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Larry and Patti |
|
Perry Hansen Member Posts: 852 |
posted 23 December 1999 06:00 AM
Bobby, I have the same problem with my Sierra keyless. Great sound but it goes through strings like salts through the hired girl. Perry |
|
Richard Sinkler Member Posts: 2896 |
posted 23 December 1999 07:26 AM
I played a Kline keyless for about 15 years and it was one of the best guitars I have ever played. Sounded great, stayed in tune, and hardly ever broke strings. If it did break a string, I could change it and have it to pitch in between songs. The simplicity of Klines keyless tuners was one of it's best features. ------------------
|
|
Bobby Lee Sysop Posts: 14849 |
posted 23 December 1999 09:20 AM
My Sierra (built in '96) breaks the 3rd string when it wears out, but other than that it doesn't have a breakage problem. I've heard that some of the earlier 25" Sierras did have a problem though. I think there was a design change that fixed it. I agree that the harmonics are cleaner on a gearless. Also they seem easier to get. ------------------ |
|
DAVID PARKER Member Posts: 124 |
posted 23 December 1999 12:52 PM
Bobby Lee why do you suppose the harmonics was easier? The scale maybe? David ------------------ |
|
lakeshrk Member Posts: 127 |
posted 23 December 1999 03:30 PM
Bob-Your getting me excited about playing my Kline again,you should have traded me the sho-bud.My Kline has never had a string breaking problem and it stays in tune better than any steel I ever owned or played.The c-6 neck seems to have a particularly good sound. ls |
|
David Wright Member Posts: 1863 |
posted 23 December 1999 07:52 PM
I play a keyless also, string breakage is normal but, trying to chang one in the middle of a song is a bitch, I can't see as good as I use to and I striped the allen head last Sat night had back-ups at home so played 11 strings didn't make much difference I only use 7 or 8 strings anyway. Buddy: |
|
David Wright Member Posts: 1863 |
posted 23 December 1999 07:53 PM
Sorry [This message was edited by David Wright on 12-23-99] |
|
Buddy Emmons Member Posts: 1403 |
posted 24 December 1999 09:31 AM
David, Although the sound in general seems to be cleaner across the board with the keyless guitar, I find an improvement in the bottom end. It's thick and rich and clean as a pin. Less boom and more plume you might say. |
|
DAVID PARKER Member Posts: 124 |
posted 24 December 1999 05:55 PM
Thanks Buddy! Don't know which David you answered,but I think you answered both of us with the same answer. What I seem to get from this information is the longer 25" scale creates a tighter string which produces a cleaner sound. D.P. ------------------ [This message was edited by DAVID PARKER on 12-24-99] |
|
Perry Hansen Member Posts: 852 |
posted 25 December 1999 03:26 AM
My Sierra U-12 keyless is, I believe the first 25" neck Don made. Bill Stafford was in on this one, maybe he can set me staight. It has the quality of my old 4 neck stringmaster. Like Buddy says, the low end is awsome but the string breakage is often. I also have a Remington D-10. I have replaced all of the strings four times in three years and only replaced the .011 twice. Bobby B. helped make the Remington so everyone knows the quality of the Steel. Perry. |
|
Lem Smith Member Posts: 1501 |
posted 25 December 1999 05:12 PM
Mr. Emmons said... quote: Wow...that is really hard to comprehend about ANY guitar! The times I've heard you play the "Blade", the sound was incredible. A sound above that would be awesome indeed!!! Lem ------------------ |
|
Richard Sinkler Member Posts: 2896 |
posted 25 December 1999 06:26 PM
I don't know about Buddy's comparison, but I will say that the Kline was the best sounding guitar I ever owned. I currently play a Carter and have also owned 2 ZB Customs, a Fender S-8, and I also have a Super-Pro. I just sold my Kline to Ernie Pollock, so I know it has found a good home. Wife says I only need 1 steel. The best way I can explain the tone of the Kline is that it was "alive" and had "personality". When I bought my Kline in the mid-late 70's, the other guitar I was looking at was an Emmons. They both sounded pretty similar to me and the deciding factor was the tuning of the push-pull as opposed to the all-pull. I have not heard or played any other guitars that played as smooth and had the tone of the Kline. The only reason I didn't buy a new one this year (instead of the Carter) is that Joe Kline stopped making guitars. ------------------
|
|
J D Sauser Member Posts: 1240 |
posted 26 December 1999 08:57 AM
I think that all these statements prove again, that the only fact that a certain guitar is a "keyless" or a "push-pull" or an "all-pull", with or without "aluminum neck" or "what ever" alone, does not cut the trick. After what we read here, we might be led to believe, that in order to build a "perfect" dream guitar, we could just put a KLINE-Keyless-tuner on an EMMONS P/P.... now wouldn't that be a great idea? (don't try this at home) ... I don't think so. What I'm trying to say is, that I firmly believe, that it was not just that keyless tuner on the KLINE, that made it sound as good as so many reported, and that it was not only the P/P-changer that gave the early EMMONS' the sound some of them are still so much regarded for. I was only part of it. I believe that it's much rather the whole global approach to building a particular guitar that will make it a good guitar or not.. (and then, there is still personal taste as to what is good or not). ... J-D. [This message was edited by J D Sauser on 12-26-99] |
|
Richard Sinkler Member Posts: 2896 |
posted 26 December 1999 09:16 AM
Right you are JD. I don't think anyone implied that the Kline sounded so great because of the keyless tuners. It's just one of many things that made it a great guitar. It was a very solidly built guitar. Great wood, machined parts, pickups, etc... Joe is a true craftsman. ------------------
|
|
Roy Thomson Member Posts: 2308 |
posted 26 December 1999 01:27 PM
The only keyless guitar I tried was a 14 stringer. The pedal action was very spongy! I got away from it quickly. High G# string breakage is another common complaint. If I was confident those problems were over come and could find a keyless guitar with the Just ramblin' Roy T. |
|
Pete Burak Member Posts: 2750 |
posted 26 December 1999 01:50 PM
Having both keyed and keyless guitars, the thing that I really noticed is that it is faster to restring a keyed axe if you pop one during a performance. I don't have a discerning enough ear to notice any drastic change in tone. Playability seems pretty similar. Haven't noticed any big diff in string breakage either. The keyless is easier to fine tune the open notes, though. Most of my gigs are one set gigs. The need to be able to restring quickly is important. My main axe is keyless so it didn't take long to find out that disadvantage. I find I replace strings before they break alot more now.
|
|
Bobby B unregistered Posts: 2750 |
posted 26 December 1999 05:51 PM
Roy, Funny you should say that.....keep your eyes and ears open.....just maybe,,,,,ummmmm? BB |
All times are Pacific (US) | This is an ARCHIVED topic. You may not reply to it! |
Note: Messages not explicitly copyrighted are in the Public Domain.
Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.46
Our mailing address is:
The Steel Guitar Forum
148 South Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425 USA
Support the Forum
