Keyless Steel

Alan Harrison · From: Murfreesboro Tennessee, USA

I am look at having a new keyless built. Looking at Williams and also Pedalmaster. Does anyone play a Pedalmaster? If so please let me know how you would rate their guitars. I know a little about Williams but not much about Pedalmaster. I have seen one, great workmanship and sound.

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Emmons LeGrande II.D-10, 8 & 5, two Peavey 112's, Profex II and Hilton Pedal.

Randy Cook · From: Mechanicsville, Virginia, USA

Don't forget to at least consider the GFI. The keyless model is great. It tunes very easily, stays in tune and doesn't break strings.

Steve Alcott · From: New York, New York, USA

I couldn't be happier with my Williams.

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Williams keyless S-10,Acoustic Image Clarus SL-R,Marrs cab

Fred Jack · From: Bastrop, Texas 78602

Nor I,with my GFI! Fred

Bob Strum · From: Anniston Alabama

Alan, I play a Pedalmaster and like it. But, Roy Thomas has just sold the franchise and no longer makes the PM. Best wishes, Bob

Mike Sigler · From: Give Em A Try !

With Out A doubt check out the GFI, i use a keyless to feed my family... and it has never failed me yet!
MS

Roy McKinney · From: Ontario, OR

And don't forget SIERRA! Tom makes a great guitar.

Ernie Pollock · From: Mt Savage, Md USA

Lets face it, there a little strange to look at, but you can learn to love how well they work. I love keyless guitars, I would rather have any keyless universal than a keyed model. mine looks like this, but don't look around for one, this one is 24 years old & still plays great, but not a production model.
picture here
#2
#3
Any of the guitars above would serve you well!!

Ernie Pollock

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

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norm mcdaniel · From: waco tx

You bet what Roy M said. Tom is a real craftsman

Norm McDaniel
Sierra U-12 and all Peavey stuff

Carlos Polidura · From: Puerto Rico

I PLAY A D-10 KEYLESS EXCEL AND I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT. VERY EASEY TO TRAVEL WITH... VERY LIGHT, GREAT SOUND.
CARLOS (:

Alan Harrison · From: Murfreesboro Tennessee, USA

I sure appreciat you all replying to my post. I will give your ideas a lot of thought. I know their are a lot of great steel builders out there and I would be pleased with most any of their fine instruments. Thanks Again, alan

Chip Fossa · From: Monson, MA, USA (deceased)

I play a 10 or so year old Williams, keyless,
natural blond finish U-12.

8 pedals; 5 [6] knees.

Git yerself one.

Won't be 'adissapointed, fren.

tom anderson · From: leawood, ks., usa

I had a Williams keyless, about 20 years old, & an Excel keyless, 3 years old & both were excellent guitars. The Excel was far better in it's mechanics. It never broke a string the year & 1/2 I had it! However, when I went to change strings on either, I found it to be time consuming & a bear compared to keyed guitars. I had to actually stand up & move to the side of the guitar to get enough tension on the string before I tightened it up. I would hate to have broken a string on the band stand. I sold both & now have a keyed Excel that I think is far better than the keyless. I have read comments that the keyless Excel's 25 & 1/2 inch scale sounds better than the keyed 24 & 1/2 inch scale & I can tell you from owning both that it doesn't. The Excel keyless does have a unique changer, but I would rather break a string now & then & get the better tone.

Carlos Polidura · From: Puerto Rico

yes tom,
keyless are harder to string, but i can live with that. my excel d-10 with 8 floor pedals and 9 knee levers is so light that i don't mind the the extra effort when time comes to string it.
carlos

Webb Kline · From: Orangeville, PA

My GFI keyless is the fastest guitar I've ever changed strings on. It hardly ever breaks a string between changes, but when it does, I can have a new one on and tuned up in under a minute including reaching down and getting one out of my string box and grabbing a philips head screwdriver.

All you do is wind the string saddle down to its starting point by the nut while your reaching for the string and screwdriver, hook the string ball on the changer, crack open the philips screw, wrap a string around it, tighten it down and wind it up to pitch. I can do it on stage in the dark.

Jay Jessup · From: Charlottesville, VA, USA

I have to agree with Mr Kline on this one, IMO it's considerably easier and far faster to change strings on a keyless guitar. Instead of a string winder I now have a regular size pair of plyers to help with leverage to pull the string taunt before cinching it down. I use to never change strings on my steels because of the endless winding of strings, I think I can now remove and replace a set of 10 strings in the time it used to take me to get the strings off of a 10 string keyed guitar.

Bobby Duncan · From: Pensacola, FL, USA (these days)

Am I reading this right??? Are folks saying that it's "harder" to change strings on a keyless guitar???
If that's so, you need to try a Williams. I couldn't imagine it being any easier than that.
I gotta agree with Jay on this one. I can change a complete set of strings on my keyless Williams in about the same it would take to change one string on a keyed guitar. I actually own two Williams. One is keyless, and one is not. Every time I have to change strings on the keyed, I cuss, and ask myself "why did I ever buy a keyed guitar after owning a keyless?".
There is no comparison. You just gotta try it to see for yourself.
BD

[This message was edited by Bobby Duncan on 30 September 2005 at 12:47 PM.]

Alan Harrison · From: Murfreesboro Tennessee, USA

Bob, please close this thread. Thank You, Alan

Sonny Priddy · From: Elizabethtown, Kentucky, USA, R.I.P.

GFI. SONNY.

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