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Author Topic:  Keyless Mullen G2
Johnie King


From:
Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 29 Dec 2021 4:06 pm    
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Sam Can you order a Keyless Mullen G2 know?



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Sonny Jenkins


From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
Post  Posted 29 Dec 2021 7:31 pm    
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Who is that player Johnie??
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Johnie King


From:
Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 29 Dec 2021 8:05 pm    
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Sonny I'm thinking this is Sam Norris a forum member.
I'm thinking this G2 was modified my some one other than the Mullen crew.
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Stu Schulman


From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
Post  Posted 30 Dec 2021 1:39 am    
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I emailed Mullen a few months ago about a Keyless guitar,Jeanette responded that there were no plans to build a Keyless guitar...I would like to have my G2 S-10 chopped into a Keyless if somebody could do this?
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Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952.
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K Maul


From:
Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL
Post  Posted 30 Dec 2021 5:54 am    
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Stu- get an EXCEL.
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Johnie King


From:
Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 30 Dec 2021 7:20 am    
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I guess Williams , Sierra , BMI an Excel our the only top Brand too offer Keyless.

Yes the majority of steel potential buyers won't except a keyless steel even though
the keyless steels our a better instrument.


Last edited by Johnie King on 30 Dec 2021 7:34 am; edited 1 time in total
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K Maul


From:
Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL
Post  Posted 30 Dec 2021 7:26 am    
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Johnie King wrote:
I guess Williams , Sierra an Excell our the only top Brand too offer Keyless steels.


GFI too. They work very well and are light.
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Bill Cunningham


From:
Atlanta, Ga. USA
Post  Posted 30 Dec 2021 7:36 am    
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There is at least one guy out there who does these. Our friend Tommy Dodd had a Carter converted. I don’t remember the fellow’s name.
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Bill Cunningham
Atlanta, GA
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Jon Light


From:
Saugerties, NY
Post  Posted 30 Dec 2021 7:45 am    
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Never mind other reasons for keyless (performance, sound .... I really can't say because I've only had one to mess with and it wasn't mine and it was 10 stringer which I can't do much with).
But when I had Stu's Desert Rose here for some tweaking (one of, what, two that Chuck made, Stu?) I was so floored by the ease of stringing it up. 1 2 3 and I was done. Wow.
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Johnie King


From:
Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 30 Dec 2021 7:50 am    
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Well I've built several keyless pedal steels an lap steels I guess if someone twisted
my arm I could convert your steel to a keyless model.












Last edited by Johnie King on 31 Dec 2021 2:00 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Johnie King


From:
Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 30 Dec 2021 8:07 am    
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I'm a fan of the keyless Williams steels.
One 3/16 wrench is all you need to tune nylons, an open tuning , an to clamp string.

Plus the long travel for keyless tuning mechanism makes it a breeze too change strings.

Also the Williams keyless mechanism is long enough too start the a pedal under the string nut. The keyless Williams body is very close to the same length as the Williams key model.






Last edited by Johnie King on 30 Dec 2021 9:10 am; edited 2 times in total
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Larry Ball


From:
Airdrie, Alberta, Canada
Post  Posted 30 Dec 2021 8:32 am    
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Weight was mentioned in the responses and if this is your main reason for wanting to go to a “Keyless”. Then I would consider replacing the legs on your Mullen with lighter ones. My “Keyless” Williams SD12 Extended E9 has lighter legs than my Mullen SD10 which makes a considerably different in the weight.
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Mullen SD10, Sho~Bud SD10 LDG, Show-Pro SD10 LDG, Peavey Nashville 112, Boss Katana 100 MK11, Telonic's F100 Multi-Taper Super Pro V/P, Wayne Brown “Custom Designed Amp”
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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 30 Dec 2021 10:10 am    
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My new Keyless GFI S-10 with Pad. 30lbs.



Keyless Assy (no nut rollers)

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Stu Schulman


From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
Post  Posted 30 Dec 2021 12:02 pm    
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Jon Light,I think Chuck Back built 3 Keyless guitars,His 12string,One for a neighbour of his,and My little S-10 3+5...It's my favorite guitar that I own.If I sell the Mullen instead of chopping it?only time will tell?
_________________
Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952.
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Sonny Jenkins


From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
Post  Posted 30 Dec 2021 7:19 pm    
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Here is Williams keyless that I converted to "my" keyless sysyem,,,took off about 2" of length



Here is a "no name" guitar that I'm rebuilding that I converted to keyless,,,also replaced 7# of metal neck with wood


Here is a keyless system that I built for Fred Justice,,,don't know if he ever got around to using it before his health,,like mine started limiting his activities




Along with the 50 or 60 keyless lap steels I've built over the years,,,many of which are posted on the forum
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Bill Cunningham


From:
Atlanta, Ga. USA
Post  Posted 30 Dec 2021 8:10 pm    
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So if keyless is the “bee’s knees” why has it not been universally adopted? I don’t think a single one of the greats has played one unless Emmons flirted with it a time or two. Asked sincerely……
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Bill Cunningham
Atlanta, GA
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K Maul


From:
Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL
Post  Posted 30 Dec 2021 8:56 pm    
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Bill Cunningham wrote:
So if keyless is the “bee’s knees” why has it not been universally adopted? …

For the same reason most pedal steels have only one pickup. Change happens at a glacial pace in certain circles. I have both keyless and traditional guitars and I like them all for various reasons. The compact size of a keyless appeals to me, as does the quickness of tuning a string up to pitch. The differences in tone and sustain are minimal to my ears.
_________________
KEVIN MAUL: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Donner, Evans, Excel, Fender, Fluger, GFI, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Williams, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing.
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Sonny Jenkins


From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
Post  Posted 31 Dec 2021 7:17 am    
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I don't think of them,,,or have ever heard them referred to as "the bee's knees",,,,I think it's just a matter of personal preference,,,whether that preference is "reasonable",,,or "far fetched"

I think I made keyless units for a D10 Zum that Jack Goodson had,,,and also units for a D10 in the Carolinas,,,don't remember the players name.
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Steve Mueller

 

From:
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Post  Posted 31 Dec 2021 8:08 am    
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I broke a string during a live radio show in Lexington a few years back on my Keyless Williams. I changed the string and tuned it in 2 minutes while the band was continuing to play, just in time for my next solo. I could never have pulled that off with a keyed guitar.
_________________
2016 Williams D12 8 x 8, 2015 Williams D12 8 x 8, 2023 Williams S12 4 x 5, Milkman Amps, 1974 Gibson Byrdland
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Ross Shafer


From:
Petaluma, California
Post  Posted 31 Dec 2021 8:24 am    
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great stuff Sonny and Johnny!
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Jerry Overstreet


From:
Louisville Ky
Post  Posted 31 Dec 2021 8:54 am    
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Keyless players of note, many during Sierra's issue of the new Crown models in the late 80s, include Herby Wallace, Buddy Emmons, Joe Wright, Ron Elliott, Gene O'Neal, maybe Jeff's Kline et al.

I can't imagine Mullen building a keyless guitar...I don't speak for them of course, but I believe their foundation and future is in conventional and traditional builds.

I've seen a few keyed guitars that have the heads chopped off and a keyless unit installed.

Don't see any reason why not if one has the expertise and equipment to do so.

I imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to cut off a few inches on the table saw, have all the mechanics re-arranged and re-assembled. Wouldn't be afraid of doing it myself.

Lamar Colvin built a great little keyless unit and Sonny Jenkins had one similar. I don't know if they do anymore. I guess the most difficult thing would be to find one of those units.

Maybe acquire one from Williams, BMI, GFI etc. if they would sell it.
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Ross Shafer


From:
Petaluma, California
Post  Posted 31 Dec 2021 10:37 am    
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Don't leave Cowboy Eddie Long out.
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Jerry Overstreet


From:
Louisville Ky
Post  Posted 31 Dec 2021 10:51 am    
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Oh, absolutely and I'm sure there are many others not mentioned including our leader b0b.
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Johnie King


From:
Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 31 Dec 2021 2:01 pm    
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:This is Stu's keyless desert Rose.






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Roger Crawford


From:
Griffin, GA USA
Post  Posted 31 Dec 2021 5:49 pm    
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Why does the GFI keyless not use rollers?
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