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Topic: Time for a new guitar? |
Kevin Quick
From:
Sacramento
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Posted 21 Aug 2014 4:26 am |
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Got my eye on a GFI Ultra for sale in my area however I don't know much about the current brands on the market. When I retired from playing years ago Emmons and Sho-Bud were still the main brands, Yikes! long time ago. Anyhow I would like to hear some reviews about this guitar or any other brands I should be looking at.
Last edited by Kevin Quick on 21 Aug 2014 6:50 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Bobby Hearn
From:
Henrietta, Tx
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Posted 21 Aug 2014 4:33 am
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: 
Last edited by Bobby Hearn on 22 Aug 2014 12:53 pm; edited 5 times in total |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 21 Aug 2014 4:39 am
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GFI is underappreciated. Good tone, good mechanics.
Very utilitarian styling
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Scott Duckworth
From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
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Posted 21 Aug 2014 4:56 am
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Kevin, can you buy two of the Ultras, and give me an early Christmas present??? 
The Ultra's look nice! If and when I get to upgrade, it will be a GFI... love my SM-10, but would like more...
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it
I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus! |
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Bob Poole
From:
Myrtle Beach SC, USA
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Posted 21 Aug 2014 5:11 am what guitar???
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| Had a beautiful GFI Ultra,black mica with candy blue endplates,trim,that I wish I still had.i miss it.i didn't appreciate @ the time.it was too non-traditional for me.looking back,it was pretty doggone nice mechanically.probably would've like it better had I put a single coil in it.played smooth,quiet,easy to work on.yeah,I miss it.for my next new guitar though,I have my eyes on a Zum Encore.playing a nice Carter/Magnum that I am really startin to like.they show up from time to time...i like it well enough to hold onto.damn,I just want one of all of 'em! |
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Jack Hargraves
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 21 Aug 2014 5:51 am
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I have a GFI Expo, SD 10 W/Pad. It is smooth, easy to work on (If you ever need to) light weight, and has a good sound. Mine is black mica and I think it's beautiful.
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GFI Expo SD10, Nashville 112, Steelers choice Pak-a- seat, Carter vol. pedal, Stage one vol. pedal, Peavey Deltafex. Goodrich volume pedal. |
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Steve Pawlak
From:
Arizona, USA
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Gary Sill
From:
Mt. Zion, IL, USA
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Posted 21 Aug 2014 2:05 pm Kevin, consider a Mullen
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I have some Discoverys in stock . Can order you anything you want in a Mullen.
Can't go wrong with precision and a great sounding instrument.
Gary Sill
217-433-7455
www.sillmusicsupply.com
email: sillmusicsupply@gmail.com
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A beautiful Laquer Mullen G2, 2 Nashville 112's, Evans 10" R150 Amp,1982 Emmons Push Pull D-10, Hilton Pedals, 12/8 MSA Superslide, Green LDG, S-6 Fender 1956 Lap. , Gretsch Country Gentleman, red Gibson 2019, ES 335, Quilter, Gretsch Resonator, Eastman Mandol |
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David Stilley
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA
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Posted 21 Aug 2014 2:41 pm Love My Ultra
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OK, so I haven't tried a lot of pedal steels. But my GFI Ultra U-12 (Universal) is a great guitar. If you want to get a steel guitar to PLAY, the GFI's are great. I've had mine going on two years and I'm at least the third owner and I've never done a thing but wipe it down and play it seriously.
You never have to lube anything because it has delrin bushings instead of ball bearings.
Most GFI owners don't know about GFI customer service because you never need to fix anything. But I've written them for information before and got a reply like the next day.
Do all the Ultras come keyless? I'm not sure but mine is and it's great once you get used to it. Easy string changes and it stays in tune really well and you have a more solid tone and tuning than guitars that have 3 or sometimes more inches of string between the nut and the tuning head.
They are very light though, some players love that and some people say that the guitar moves around a little too much with their playing style. But there are a lot lot of road warriors out there who swear by them, I know forum member Mike Sigler swears by his all the time as being the guitar he feeds his family with.
_________________
GFI Ultra U-12 7+5 E9/B6, Roland Cube 80XL, Telonics FP-100 Volume pedal with TMRS remote sensor (courtesy of Dave Beaty and Telonics) |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 21 Aug 2014 3:44 pm
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| There's a great Performance guitar in the For Sale section. Highly recommended! Wonderful design. Great engineering. Super sounding and playing! |
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Scott Duckworth
From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
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Posted 21 Aug 2014 4:04 pm Keyless option
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From the GFI website:
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| *Keyless Tuning System available as an option for the “Ultra" S-10 U, S-10 P U, and D-10 U models, and standard for the "Ultra" S-12 U and S-12 P U models. |
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it
I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus! |
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Kevin Quick
From:
Sacramento
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 9:30 am Fessenden D-10 with 2 pickups on each neck 9X8
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| What the? Yeah just saw one for sale. I have no idea why you would need 2 pickups on a neck? |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 9:56 am
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Why not? Teles and Pauls have 2, strats have 3!!
Only Broadcasters and student/entry 6 strings have 1.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Larry Baker
From:
Columbia, Mo. U.S.A.
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 11:23 am
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I've never played a GFI, but have owned 4 pedal steels, popular brands, and the Mullen I now own is by far the best steel I have ever played. Just my opinion, and I know there will be other opinions.
Good luck with your search.
_________________
Mullen G2 SD10 3 & 5 The Eagle
NV112 amp===Earnie Ball V.P. |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 11:53 am
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Even Broadcasters had 2. Esquires, which are far less common, had 1. Except most, like Springsteen's, have since acquired the missing pickup.
I agree: why not on a steel. Except that not many people really feel the need. |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 11:55 am
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There's another thread going where value of used guitars is the issue. The OP has requested that brand not be addressed (a request which has of course been ignored at great length). So I'll say it here: used GFI's tend to be a smoking deal. Price out a new one and then see what they go for used. Absolutely not a reflection of the quality or sound of the instrument.
Last edited by Ken Pippus on 22 Aug 2014 1:38 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 11:56 am
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Indeed. That's what I get for posting half asleep.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 11:57 am
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| Oh: and Les Paul Juniors, long a fav of mine! |
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Kevin Quick
From:
Sacramento
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 12:05 pm
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| Yes, Ken I agree the used GFI's are a good deal. Having gone back and seen what they sold for. Found a D-10 locally for 2800. firm, so waiting for a better deal to show up on the forum as my budget is in the low 2,000nds. |
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David Stilley
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 1:54 pm D-10?
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So Kevin, is it a D-10 that you want ? Are you just starting out? Most beginners study the E9 neck and lots of guys buy doubles and never end up getting into C6 much. S-10 in E9 can be had much cheaper than a D-10 and they're a lot lighter to move around. You can always move up to a D-10 later and another option and one that I personally am very happy to have made is a Universal 12-string, it gives you a chance to have a full E9 (mostly!) and B6 (1/2 step lower than C6) but there's an added beauty of the B6 tuning enhancing the E9 into what essentially is both set ups on one neck that tie together harmonically B being the Dominant chord with E as the Root. Depends what kind of music you want to play but the Universal route is a smart choice for some players, especially if your mostly just dabbling in the C6 tuning.
_________________
GFI Ultra U-12 7+5 E9/B6, Roland Cube 80XL, Telonics FP-100 Volume pedal with TMRS remote sensor (courtesy of Dave Beaty and Telonics) |
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Kevin Quick
From:
Sacramento
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 2:03 pm yup D-10
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definitely a D-10. been playing both necks since the early 70's. To old to change now  |
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David Stilley
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2014 3:10 pm
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I guess I just assumed you had been recently "bitten" since you're playing a borrowed Pro II and were asking about a new guitar. I didn't realize you've been playing over 30 years more than me, I'll shut up now 
_________________
GFI Ultra U-12 7+5 E9/B6, Roland Cube 80XL, Telonics FP-100 Volume pedal with TMRS remote sensor (courtesy of Dave Beaty and Telonics) |
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Kevin Quick
From:
Sacramento
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Posted 23 Aug 2014 6:03 am
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| Yeah the borrowed ProII is because I sold my Emmons P/P years ago thinking I was over it. But the bug has bitten once again so now I am looking for a steel with more modern mechanics. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 23 Aug 2014 6:59 am
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Any of the current/later model guitars are good. I haven't seen a "bad" guitar for years, unless someone has abused it. There are some that are better than others but none are really "bad".
My wife has a GFI Expo S-10. Its not in the same league as my D-10 Franklin but its not "bad". Actually the stock 3/4 setup, except for one string on a knee lever, is the same as the 4 knees on my Franklin (I have a 5th knee on my Franklin that the GFI does not have, but could). |
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Kevin Quick
From:
Sacramento
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Posted 23 Aug 2014 7:07 am
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| yes, fooled around on a friends S-10 ULTRA. played great, and sounded great. |
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