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Author
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Topic: Wilcox Pedal Steels
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Gary Shepherd
Member From: Fox, Oklahoma, USA
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posted 13 October 2004 02:39 PM
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Any words on the Wilcox Pedal Steel Guitars?This one on ebay is labelled as a beginner guitar but looks pretty nice. Anybody playing one and have comments?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3754598396 ------------------
Gary Shepherd
Sierra Session 12
www.16tracks.com
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David Higginbotham
Member From: Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
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posted 13 October 2004 06:22 PM
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Gary, there have been previous postings in reference to these guitars. The general opinions of the people I heard from are not very encouraging. There are claims that the mathematical calculations on the fret spacing are not accurate, the machined parts are rough, and the general design and assembly is poor. These were the same opinions from several different people who have purchased these guitars and all were very willing to part with thier instruments.
Dave ------------------
'74 MSA D-10 8&4, Session 2000 |
Gary Shepherd
Member From: Fox, Oklahoma, USA
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posted 13 October 2004 09:41 PM
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Thanks for the input.------------------
Gary Shepherd
Sierra Session 12
www.16tracks.com
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CrowBear Schmitt
Member From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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posted 14 October 2004 12:35 AM
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There's another Wilcox PSG here:
it is mentioned : " His (Wilcox)steels have just been picked up for distribution by Side Street Steel (sidestreetsteel.com) in Nashville, TN. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2384&item=3754598396&rd=1 [This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 14 October 2004 at 12:36 AM.] |
Gary Shepherd
Member From: Fox, Oklahoma, USA
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posted 14 October 2004 05:34 AM
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Yeah. That's the one I was looking at. |
David Higginbotham
Member From: Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
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posted 15 October 2004 02:03 PM
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In reference to this topic, I was emailed by Chet Wilcox questioning my sources. Here is a previous post from my inquiring about Wilcox guitars.
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum5/HTML/007532.html |
Gary Shepherd
Member From: Fox, Oklahoma, USA
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posted 15 October 2004 02:48 PM
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Does Chet have a web site? Seems like I've seen them online before.------------------
Gary Shepherd
Sierra Session 12
www.16tracks.com
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Jim Phelps
Member From: just out of Mexico City
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posted 15 October 2004 02:54 PM
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Searching Google for Chet Wilcox Guitars brings up nothing, so if he has a site, it's not doing him much good... |
Dustin Rigsby
Member From: Columbus, Ohio
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posted 15 October 2004 05:03 PM
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Chet does not have a web site,and says he is not out to compete for business. I have his e-mail addy somewhere...I'll see if I can locate it.edit...I want to hear from those folks who want to get rid of thier Wilcox.... ------------------
D.S. Rigsby
Carter Starter and various six string toys [This message was edited by Dustin Rigsby on 15 October 2004 at 05:06 PM.]
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Dave Grafe
Member From: Portland, Oregon, USA
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posted 02 November 2004 07:04 PM
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I believe Side Steet Steels is Dan Burnham's outfit. Is that right Dan? If so can you enlighten us?
Best -- dg |
Dan Burnham
Member From: Martin, Tennessee, USA
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posted 04 November 2004 02:32 PM
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Dave, you are correct. Side Street Steel belongs to me and my partner Wayne Becton. Side Street Steel is located in West Tennessee and not in Nashville like some guys had mentioned on ebay. Chet Wilcox is a good friend of mine. After talking with him he has decided to no longer produce guitars himself. I have acquired some of his stock such as Fretboards, end plates, legs, castings, etc., Side Street Steel will begin production of a new line of steels beginning with a release date of Feb. 5th. 2005 Our guitars will start out natural finish. I have local cabinet builders make my bodys and I have a local Tool & Die make 95 percent of my parts, thus no hand milling is done, in fact our changers are Laser Cut and the other parts are done on a CNC Mill.
The wood is Hardrock Nothern Maple and we will have the Bird's eye soon. My goal guys is not to improve upon what is already out there but produce a steel guitar that meets your standards and the industry yet is at a working man's price that you can get within 1 to 2 weeks. Custom Models is a different story.
I will have pictures of the guitar prototypes on the website very soon as they come available soon. Be looking,
[This message was edited by Dan Burnham on 04 November 2004 at 02:38 PM.]
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Dave Grafe
Member From: Portland, Oregon, USA
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posted 04 November 2004 02:51 PM
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Good news about your new line of guitars, Dan, goodness knows there is room for more well-built instruments (it sounds like yours will be nice to look at too!) for the working folk. I am looking forward to seeing them become reality.
I never met or corresponded with Chet myself but every word I have heard about him personally has been very complimentary. All the negative noise about his guitars has got to have been disheartening, I wish him the best in whatever new endeavors he might choose to undertake.
Keep us posted on your new stuff when it comes out.
Best --Dave
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Dustin Rigsby
Member From: Columbus, Ohio
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posted 07 November 2004 10:53 AM
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Say it isn't so ! ------------------
D.S. Rigsby
Carter Starter and various six string toys |
Chris Newell
Member From: Ojai, California, USA
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posted 11 November 2004 04:27 PM
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Dustin
I have the last PSG Chet Wilcox made. Do you want to buy it? I paid $1400 for it. You can have it for $700. I wouldn't pay that much for it. Not sure if you were serious or not.
I am serious. Furious and serious.
Kit |
Gary Shepherd
Member From: Fox, Oklahoma, USA
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posted 11 November 2004 05:57 PM
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That would be the black double neck with gold tuners, right?------------------
Gary Shepherd
Sierra Session 12
www.16tracks.com
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Chris Newell
Member From: Ojai, California, USA
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posted 11 November 2004 06:04 PM
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No. Granite grey double neck. Grover tuners. George L pickups. 4/8. All the right hardware... but not particularly well put together. Sounds good. Would definitely not take it on the road. Hinges on the case good enough only for eyeglasses. |
Gary Shepherd
Member From: Fox, Oklahoma, USA
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posted 11 November 2004 07:57 PM
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I think that guitar was on ebay a few weeks ago. Glad I didn't buy it.------------------
Gary Shepherd
Sierra Session 12
www.16tracks.com
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Dustin Rigsby
Member From: Columbus, Ohio
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posted 13 November 2004 06:13 AM
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Chris,
Thanks for the offer. I have already made arrangements to purchace a Wilcox SD10 out of Michigan. Most of the kinks have been worked out of it. For what it is, it's not a bad buy. It is more of an intermediate guitar. You are just not going to get a $2500.00 axe for $700.00 ! ------------------
D.S. Rigsby
Carter Starter and various six string toys |
Chris Newell
Member From: Ojai, California, USA
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posted 13 November 2004 08:32 AM
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Dustin
I paid Chet $1400. I have since offered and sold it for a fraction of that. I don't know where "$2500" comes from. When I first received the guitar, paper fret templates and several screws were rolling around inside a flimsy case, one of the fingers fell off while tuning it, pedal rods were bent to accomodate misaligned changers, pedals had the feel of a cheap trash can lid lifter, half the tuners spun backwards, etc. Other than that, it looked and sounded quite good! (granite grey, George L pickups). I shipped it back but Mr. Wilcox refused all responisiblity saying I could have had my money back but ONLY BEFORE it was shipped to me. (There's real confidence). I recently shot Mr. Wilcox a zinger of an e-mail and meant every word I said. I have since learned from Dan Burnham that Chet is on a fixed income, is bad off financially, is really a nice guy (played with Farren Young !!), has quit making guitars and that he felt (and still feels) really bad about the whole deal. Guess he couldn't rise to the occasion. I'll bet everyone on this or any other music forum has a horror story to tell about selling a "soul-mate" instrument, loosing out on the deal of the century or being ripped off big time. But that's another topic, isn't it? For me it's a big fat lesson to learn as much as possible about what you want to play and as much as you can about who you give your hard earned dough to. It was my fault not to have done that in the beginning. I'm looking at a Carter U12 now. I plan to stop thinking so much about the #*%$# thing and just play it. Kit[This message was edited by Chris Newell on 13 November 2004 at 08:40 AM.] |
Dustin Rigsby
Member From: Columbus, Ohio
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posted 13 November 2004 09:02 PM
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Chris,
I meant no dis-respect... I meant that I knew going into this purchase the problems that seemed to plague Chet's guitars. On my income,the one I am getting is a great deal for me. Not such a great deal for you as I have read. I like to tinker with things anyway...would love to tinker with that double neck, But, I am outta cash now  ------------------
D.S. Rigsby
Carter Starter and various six string toys |
Tom Olson
Member From: Spokane, WA
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posted 13 November 2004 10:20 PM
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IMHO, and FWIW, all the better that such things as this (as well as such things as are being discussed in a huge thread under this very forum) are discussed openly. If not, people would keep getting ripped off. It's sad that anyone gets ripped off, but if they do, and if they then tell the story here, at least it helps other people. |
Dustin Rigsby
Member From: Columbus, Ohio
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posted 06 December 2004 09:43 AM
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I thought I would re-visit this topic and give a proper review since I now own a Wilcox. It is not my intention to throw stones or to brag something up,just some constructive critisism. The Wilcox is a good guitar,and with some quality control,could have been a great guitar. One gripe is that the leg threads cut into the front sides of the end plate are way off. They should have been cut using a jig,as they would be set a an even angle.The other gripe I have is that there is no spring to hold the vertical lever up out of the way,but that is a small fix. The overall sound is pretty good. I really like the tru-tone pickup. Overall,I am fairly pleased with the guitar. It plays and sounds alot better than my Carter Starter.With some improvemants in quality control,Chet could have probably silenced some of his detractors. We will never know though,as Chet has stopped building guitars. I wish him well. In my correspondance with him,he seemed like a real nice fellow. ------------------
D.S. Rigsby
Wilcox SD10 3&5 |
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