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Topic: My G2 Goes Keyless |
Rick Nicklas
From:
Verona, Mo. (deceased)
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Posted 20 Apr 2009 12:03 pm |
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After all these years of being a diehard Kline owner I tried the G-2 at Jerry Newberry's and fell in love with it. Only thing is that it was not keyless and I could not live without the keyless concept or tuning problems and cabinet drop of other guitars I tried so I searched the forum for the most dedicated and professional keyless builder and converter. I saw many of Paul Redmond's conversions and testimonials from very happy customer's.
In short, I sent my guitar to him and he transformed this machine into the guitar of my dreams. It is indeed a pleasure to play the steel guitar again having his concepts added to the already popular Mullen. Thank you Paul for such a wonderful job. This guitar is really solid now with the new rib and stop blocks added. He made quite a few minor changes but it all added up to an unbelievable conversion. I was afraid I would lose the beautiful tone and solid stops with the conversion but boy was I wrong. I really enjoy practicing again and this one will last me until my last breath.
Each conversion requires different approaches and I hope Paul can post some pictures of his work in progress on this one. If you ever have this done to a guitar of yours then you can count on an email or phone call with a progress report every day that he works on your guitar.
I feel very lucky to have gotten to know him. This is his passion and he is a master at it.
Here's some photo's:
The first one is before the conversion and all the rest are after the conversion.
Last edited by Rick Nicklas on 21 Apr 2009 6:24 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Billy McCombs
From:
Bakersfield California, USA
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Posted 20 Apr 2009 1:50 pm
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Rick are you saying that your G2 has no tuneing problems and no cabinet drop at all after the conversion? Love my RP Mullen
_________________
78 Emmons PP,Great tone.82 Emmons SKH #56 |
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Rick Nicklas
From:
Verona, Mo. (deceased)
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Posted 20 Apr 2009 2:32 pm
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| No, I'm not saying it has no cabinet drop. That was one of the reasons I went keyless but even after the conversion I still have the same 8 cents of cabinet drop on the 4th string with A&B down and I get 13 cents on the 6th string with A & F engaged. Paul put a bumper (compensator) on the 6th string with this problem and it completely took care of that. Even with 8 cents drop (I tune to 442) I don't notice any detuning.... in fact it is more true than my Kline on any lever and pedal combination. I was really surprised and also very happy. |
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A. J. Schobert
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio,
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Posted 20 Apr 2009 3:26 pm
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| I think it looked better before. |
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Rick Nicklas
From:
Verona, Mo. (deceased)
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Posted 20 Apr 2009 3:33 pm
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I'm sure most people (including my wife) think it looks better with keys but that is not my priority. My attention is focused on tone and mechanical correctness and I think now I have what I always wanted. I'm sure I am with a select few that don't give much attention to details on how a guitar looks, in fact I can't wait for my first ding to get it broke in.  It's the inner beauty that I search for. |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 20 Apr 2009 5:00 pm
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I wouldn't expect this conversion to have helped with cabinet drop. After all, the cabinet, bridge, nut, and legs are unchanged. A keyless guitar with a shorter cabinet would bend less.
But it should help with hysteresis. |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 20 Apr 2009 6:29 pm
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| How much was the body shortened? |
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Rick Nicklas
From:
Verona, Mo. (deceased)
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Posted 20 Apr 2009 6:40 pm
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| 3 inches... a simple circumcision. |
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Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 20 Apr 2009 6:51 pm
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| WAY TO GO RICK !!!!!! KEYLESS FOREVER |
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Paul Redmond
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 20 Apr 2009 9:14 pm
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Rick's Mullen G2 was shortened exactly 3.000". The top of the deck was milled for .245"-deep "pocket" for the keyless tuner. The roller nut housing was attached to the keyless tuner ass'y with two screws..one fore, one aft. A 28-inch-plus rib measuring 1/2" thick and just under 2" high was added just slightly ahead of the step in the cabinet...just ahead of the glued seam between the main deck, and the "1/2-deck". The changer stop block at the changer end was re-made adding .100" to its bottom surface, and .250" was added to the other side of that area for a total "rib" thickness of .350" by 9/16"...almost touching the inside of the right endplate. The 1/8"-thick "ledge" on which this block rested was re-made of 3/8" stock, but a 2-1/2" wing was added to it which was then screwed to the front apron with four additional screws. A second screw was added to the front flange on the stop block to solidly anchor that tab to the mating surface of the new "ledge". The rear "tab" of this new block rests upon and is screwed down to the new rib which is held in place with eleven screws and cleared for each cross-shaft. The rollers were gaged to within .0005" and a heat-treated changer axle was used in place of the soft one.
I took all the logical approaches to solving the "drop" problem one step at a time only to finally discover that the gremlin was the changer itself. I did add a bumper rod to his 6th string to bring it in line with the rest of the tuning when the 1st pedal (B to C#) was used. It was that pull that seemed to have the most adverse effect on the 6th string.
There are some vibration-induced "creeping" issues here that beefed-up rigidity alone cannot conquer. Rick employed a different lubricant than I had used during ass'y. That helped the problem immensely, but will never rid the changer assemblies of their gremlins mechanically...only assist the changers in doing what they do. Certainly no slam here at Mullen Guitars. I have openly offered my findings on these changers to the staff at Mullen Guitars and will openly provide them with all pertinent data I have free of charge at any time should they want it.
Rick allowed me to play the guitar at a local gig a few weeks ago, and I was amazed at the now-short pedal and KL action, the tone (IMO that has always been a drawing card re: Mullen's), and my fellow musicians loved the guitar. The CNC machine work on the G2 is light years ahead of its time IMO.
I have always been and will always be available for input on any given guitar if the builder(s) so desires/desire. I certainly don't have all the answers. However, my input would come from a different perspective.
I certainly wish Mullen Guitars well on the new G2. It's an awesome guitar and one I truly enjoyed playing during its short hiatus in my shop.
PRR |
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Paul Redmond
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 20 Apr 2009 9:33 pm
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A. J. - The basic "aesthetic" design of the keyless tuner was dictated to me by the guitar's owner. So I made it the way HE wanted it...it's HIS guitar.
If you like the Mickey-Mouse-ear tuners that came off the guitar, Rick now has them in his hands and may be willing to make you socha-deel on them...he'll never be using them again anyhow...and they're brand new to boot!!!
PRR
(Keyheads and mounting screws included...package deal) |
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Randy Gilliam
From:
San Antonio, Texas, USA
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Posted 20 Apr 2009 9:50 pm Trick Photos
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Rick Tell Us These Photos Are Fake, Please, You Didnt Butcher That Beautiful Mullen G2 Did you? Just Kidding, I Think? Randy Gilliam  |
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Paul Redmond
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 20 Apr 2009 10:19 pm
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Randy - The photos aren't fake!!! I'm a 35mm camera guy, so will post more pics of the new components ASAP. In some cases, the KL travel was halved, and the FP action was reduced to almost the same amount...and EASIER to boot!!! This guitar plays well to say the least!!!
PRR |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 20 Apr 2009 11:35 pm
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| Paul Redmond wrote: |
| Rick's Mullen G2 was shortened exactly 3.000". |
oops, I missed that. So it should flex less (less cabinet drop) because the legs are 3 inches closer than they were. It looks like you could have taken a couple more inches off. |
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Greg Cutshaw
From:
Corry, PA, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 5:34 am
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Why not mount some fake tuning keys on the end to complete the look? Maybe just a set of 6. Nice job on this guitar and thanks for posting all this info!
Greg |
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Rick Nicklas
From:
Verona, Mo. (deceased)
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 6:03 am
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Yes, anyone who really wants the Grover Keys for their personal use can have them free of charge. When off of the guitar, they look like a set of false teeth from the Ozark Mountains to me. (insert laugh). Hee... Hee
Please send me your address (USA only) using my email below and I will ship these to you at no charge. Just make a donation to this forum from the front page.
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Rick Nicklas
From:
Verona, Mo. (deceased)
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 6:43 am
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| The tuning keys and keyheads have been spoken for and I will try and send them out by Friday. I sent you an email confirming. |
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Gary Cosden
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 9:48 am
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| Rick - it's great to see someone who knows what they want go out and get it! Paul Redmond's work speaks for itself. I, for one, heartily approve. |
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Randy Gilliam
From:
San Antonio, Texas, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 9:58 am Great Work
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| Paul and Rick Did You notice any change In the tone? Just Curios . Thanks Randy. |
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A. J. Schobert
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio,
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 11:44 am
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Thanks but no thanks on the keyheads! I play 10 strings and that is more than enough.
PR, Im sure you did a good job, I understand that anyone can do what ever they want to their guitar.
I just think it looks ugly. |
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Rick Nicklas
From:
Verona, Mo. (deceased)
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 12:53 pm
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Randy, I know that tone is to "each his own opinion". One of the major reasons I chose this guitar was because of it's tone. If at all possible I am even more in love with the tone now that everything is working to my satisfaction. This guitar (keyed or keyless) has a magic that I cannot describe. There again, everyone is different. I use an Evans Hybrid and PV-112 with Lexicon MX-200. This guitar is giving me the most full and clear highs with great note separation I've ever experienced. It was that way when I originally got it but like I tell you (I am a keyless guy) and everything is still there just as before except now with Paul's fixes it stays in tune like I have never experienced either. I'm sure the ten string guys don't really get the stress on the cabinet and changer that a 12 string uni with additional pulls gets.
A.J. ... The only ugly I see is when I bend over the keyless head and see right up my nose from the chromed mirror. But it will come in handy when checking my appearance during a gig. |
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A. J. Schobert
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio,
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 1:11 pm
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| Rick your alright!! |
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Rick Nicklas
From:
Verona, Mo. (deceased)
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 1:35 pm
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A.J. ... You can see I like my animals the same style as my steels.
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 2:35 pm
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| This is a sideways hijack, but where-oh-where did you get the hollowed-out bar? Any contact info... thnx! |
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Rick Nicklas
From:
Verona, Mo. (deceased)
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 2:59 pm
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| David, that's a BJS 15/16. I also have a BJS 7/8. It is not hollow, it's just black on the center bottom. |
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