would like opinions

Chet Wilcox · From: Illinois, USA (deceased)

I am Chet Wilcox, I have Great respect For all of the Professional Players and All of The guys who make the endeavor to build Steel Guitars. I have Built 93 of them,I dont have machines that build machines, so i cant compete with the major Manufactures. I have Owned A D-10 Emmons ,a Deckley, Msa, Williams, they were all Great Guitars. All of the parts i make by Hand,not perfect but very good, i have had a lot of satisfied players , mainly because they cant afford the more expensive Guitars, i have also had a couple guys that have to make themself look better by their negative comments. Most Guys and Girl on the forum are honest in their judgement and coments, but some arent.so my question is. Should I let the forum control what i do and Give up and Quit building because of the badmouthing or keep trying to build Steel Guitars, Chet,also the comment on the fret board , it is an exact copy of Paul franklins fret board, excet for the position Markers.by that i mean the design of the little diamonds., I love all that Buddy Emmons ,and LLoyd and Ralpf Mooey, also Jeff Newman and Scotty have done for steel Guitar, But it only takes 1 bad apple to spoil the barrel. Chet

Gary Watkins · From: Bristol, VA

Chet,
Don't give up doing what you love to do! I would just about give my right arm to be able to build a pedal steel guitar.
No matter what you do, someone, somewhere, is going to say negative things, that's just being small minded. Someone will probably say something about me putting in my two cents worth here today, but the last time I looked out my window, I was in America, and we do have the freedom to say what we want to say, right or wrong.
Chet, I have never sat behind one of your steels, but from what I gather on the internet, here and other places, you make an affordable steel for people to get started on, just keep doing what you do!
If I could afford to get one from you, I would place an order today.

Chet Wilcox · From: Illinois, USA (deceased)

Thanks, Gary, I love these things, and I am 67 years old and dont know what else to do.

Ernie Pollock · From: Mt Savage, Md USA

Chet: Don't you dare quit, keep at it, to heck with all the negative comments, if you enjoy, do it!!

Ernie Whoa!

http://www.hereintown.net/~shobud75/stock.htm

Roger Crawford · From: Griffin, GA USA

I've seen negative comments posted on every major brand of steel guitar made. How does the saying go...opinions are like butt holes, everyone has one and they all stink. Chet, if you are enjoying it, keep at it. Looks like you are filling a nitch in the market by getting guitars into the hands of people that might otherwise not be able to afford one. Sounds like you're doing our family a great service.

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

You keep on keepin' on, Chet! If you've built 93 of these things so far, you have my respect, Sir!

Chet Wilcox · From: Illinois, USA (deceased)

Thanks Ernie , Roger And Jim. It is very Hard work Building these, I am not a Co. just by myself building , Most of these turn out pretty darn Good. I played for many years. now just build and dont play out.But i will always love the Steel Guitar, I dont under stand Human Nature , especially Guys that suck up to others for their own Gain, or people that have to put others down., I went to Jeffs school in 1977 an 1979, we were Good friends ,I met Buddy There when he was playing for the class. also Hal rugg, and Doug Jernigan, I have never heard any of the top players bad mouth any one or their products, Thanks aagain, Chet

Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

Casey Lowmiller · From: Kansas

Numerous times I've almost purchased a steel from Chet...and each time I somehow managed to find an unbelieveable deal on a different steel. If it wasn't for that, I would've owned a Wilcox a long time ago. Hopefully, sometime soon I will own one.
I would like to play one before I pass judgement on them...I know they always look nice & seem solid.

Casey
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Chet Wilcox · From: Illinois, USA (deceased)

Casey, Bill Hatcher put a couple sound files on the forum, playing one of my guitars. it was "I cant help it if im still in love with you," by Hank williams,and The other song was ,"THe Nearness Of You.", Bill Is a supurb player and made my guitar sound Great.both songs were done on a lap steel that i built and Bill bought

Bill Dobkins · From: Rolla Missouri, USA

Chet, if you build by hand, your a hero and if you've built 93 of them by hand, you should be in the HAll OF FAME.Remember that most of those who bad mouth, do so out of jealousy and envy because they can't do what you do, or because they know you have a better product. Some of these big steel company's would love to have their steels on display at Wal-Mart, they only care about sales and not the player.
You just stick your nose in air and keep doing what your doing for as long as you love it.
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Terry Kinnear · From: Erie ,Pennsylvania

I steel have my wilcox 10 string 3&4 .its a good guitar, the sound is good,my pedals are a little stiff but thats ok,i wear shoes.for the money i spent its a good little guitar.Ive have people wanting to buy mine. i use it,in my music room.I had bought a carter guitar one time, and that was a pile of c--p. i was about ready to make it a campfire guitar.and all it was .it had a bad changer. changed it out and now it plays great.but i bought it from forum member.sometimes you get a good one ,sometimes it needs some work.even the top brands have problems.from time to time.my willey,always stayed in tune . steel have mine. terry
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Terry Kinnear [ steel wondering]

Chet Wilcox · From: Illinois, USA (deceased)

Thanks, Terry for the good word , i am constantly trying to improve my Guitars.

Al Vesel · From: Chisholm, Minnesota, USA

Chet,
Don't give up building, I have nothing but respect for this fine man.

You won't find a man that sticks behind his product like this fine gentleman.

I purchased a guitar that Chet built, but I did not purchase it from him. I purchased it off of ebay and when it came in, it was literally destroyed. The guy told me it was in perfect shape. This is nothing that Chet did to this guitar, it is what the guy did to it that I bought it from. It looked like it was thrown off the back of a truck. The legs were bent, and I can go on and on. This could have happened to any guitar, an Emmons, a Shobud, you name it. Just total abuse on the part of the owner.
I contacted Chet and explained my problem. He felt so bad that I GOT SCREWED BY THIS GUY, that he told me to ship it to him and he will fix it up so it plays great. He called me when he got the guitar and told me how bad the guy abused it and he basically had to build me a new guitar. It was a D-10. He put
everything new except the pedal board and pickups and keyheads. I asked how much it would cost and he said nothing!! Plus he upgraded everything to newer styles of parts he had been using. The guitar I had was about 8 years old. I couldn't believe it. He didn't destroy this guitar and I didn't know Chet at all and here is this nice guy building me a guitar for nothing. I got it back and it played great. It was a new guitar. I sent Chet a couple hundred bucks to cover some of his expenses and freight back to me. Not even the big manufacturer's would do this. They would say its not their fault that somebody abused one of their guitars.

He took a bad situation of mine and turned it into a fond memory for me rather than a horror story.

Like you even said, Chet, you don't have the machinery to get the tolerances, etc. that the big manufacturer's have, but you build a nice guitar for the price. You can't find a brand new SD-10 for the price that Chet sells them for. So that's my 2 cents, Chet. Keep building, friend.

Al Vesel
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b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Don't let a few naysayers get you down, Chet.
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Dion Stephen · From: Kansas, USA

sir don't ever let someone's crude words hold power over your life. let your love & passion for what you do carry you through. to build/create is its own reward. i wish you put a link to your guitars on opening post, i would love to see your work. i will be looking on the net to find your stuff. in conculsion do what you love because at the end of the day would you rather have your guitar building or a list of poor tasting comments made by others? may God bless you & your work.

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

Chet, i'm sure yer steels have gotten better as you progressed
so don't let a few bad mouthers get you down
jes' keep on goin' if yer sure yer right

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Chet, why would anyone stop doing what they love because of a few odd balls ?

I suggest, that before you hang up the Electric Screwdriver, lets take a look at the Steels that those NAYSAYERS built and lets critique those Instruments.

Then we can post our "review comments" right here on this forum and then THEY can run for cover.

I think the score is 93 to nothing right now.

It's pretty easy for someone to beat up on a HAND BUILT INSTRUMENT while the hardest thing they may have done in there life is to plug in a keyboard and an Internet wire.

it's an open forum, expect the worst , because it probably WILL show up Smile

And who really cares anyway ?

You Rock...

tp

Chet Wilcox · From: Illinois, USA (deceased)

I want to Thank everyone for their comments. I will keep building as long as i can , I dont have a web site. Im not a Company,The only way i have been able to sell them is Ebay, and some people have been burned on Ebay, but that is not my intension, I want any one who gets one of my guitars to have a good one,I will not put one out that is bad, I video tape each one so I know that it is good when it leaves here, Thank you all, I have been going to Scottys Convention for 26 years but missed this year and last year, Chet

Billy Carr · From: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

I'm going to order a couple of WILCOX guitars in early 08' when I start restocking PSG's in my shop here in MS.

Bent Romnes · From: London,Ontario, Canada

Hi Chet,
Don't you dare quit. At 67 and with your number standing at 93, you have shown your dedication and proven to the world that you can do it.
This community needs people like you, who build by hand and not assembly line.

By the way, I just discovered that our age is actually young to be doing this.
I went to see my friend Eddie Fulawka yesterday. He is going on 80, has built over 2000 quality guitars and is currently working on completing 4 of them. I marvel at his workmanship. Where else can you find a pedal steel with NO play in the pedals and knee levers?

The few people who enjoy running others down...you just poke your nose at them and keep on going.
I would love to start a correspondence with you. Your ideas and innovations are things that I need to learn.

At 60, I have just built my first steel.Except for a few design faults, most of which are immaterial, I think it will prove to be a playable guitar. What a learning experience! I know now that if/when there will be a second one, I can make it even better than the first one.

Also a comment about your negative commenters.
I have found everybody on here to be most supportive and encouraging. They all love to share their knowledge and keep bolstering me in my attempts. This goes for anybody, from any country. It has been most gratifying.

Keep it up, Chet (well, after 93 you ARE doing just that)
You are needed.
best regards,
Bent

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Chet; you obviously enjoy the art of making steel guitars(and for what I've seen; it is Dang good man); and that passion for the bringing to life a steel guitar and seeing the enjoyment of the guy/gal that gets it; is what will surpass any downsides to it.
Pretty much everytime I have something that I've done(refirbish) or talk up a certain steel guitar; I get a email from a couple of guys that say: "Ricky you don't know "_______insert cuss word here" about steel guitars and wouldn't know a good sound if you heard it"...>and I've never let that bother me; and it IS the smiles and looks from the guys faces, of the work I do; that far surpasses those aweful comments.
Stay with it; the satisfaction and fullfillment it much more worth it.
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Chet Wilcox · From: Illinois, USA (deceased)

Bent, I know Eddie Fullawaka And He Builds a Fine Guitar, When I have been to to the St Louis Convention, a Big share of my time was spent in Eddies Room, listening to guys Playing his Guitars, thnks for the support, people can find fault in any thing if they are looking for it,I lived in Nashville Back in the 70s and went to the old sho-bud factory a few times and most guys dont know the work that goes into buildin these, at sho-bud the guys showed me parts , like end plate castings that are just like mine from the foundry and have to be Sanded and polished and drilled and pushed and shoved and resanded and cussed to make work,let alone making everything else fit. so i will never try to compete, technicle knowledge has gotten better, machining has gotten better, Guys have gotten better at what they do, but no one should ever forget how good Buddy Emmons and Ralph Moony and loyd and all the other players sounde playing the guitars they had, they were great , they learnd to use what they had and kept playing, Guys like Paul franklin Senior, Duane Marrs , Al Udene and others kept building better , I think the rest of us learned from them,Chet

Chet Wilcox · From: Illinois, USA (deceased)

Ricky, I am sorry that i left your name out when ,I mentioned Sho-Bud cause i know you were there, I have seen your name on the showbud labels. You have my respect for all the work you have done for sho-Bud and others, Thanks for the encouragement, as luck would have it, Larry Zimmerman stopped by here yesterday on his way to Florida, he has 2 guitars i built and he also was here and played the Guitar that i sent to ED Javner in August, he played that Guitar and I video taped him playing it ,so i have a record of that Guitar, IT was a good Guitar, I dont mind critism if it is honest, Thanks Ricky

Lowell Whitney · From: Waynoka, Oklahoma, USA

Hi Chet,
Sent you an email. Just keep on building.
LW
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