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Topic: Carter vs. Williams |
Jerry Bull
From:
Republic, MO, USA
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Posted 19 Feb 2009 10:45 am |
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Can anyone that knows tell me the pro's and con's of a Carter vs.Williams. I understand however that these statements will be simply based on opinion. And this is not in any way intended to defame or support any given instrument, I simply would like some opinions from folks that have played both.
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www.psgpicker@gmail.com (Sierra Crown D-10 keyless)2-Nashville 112's, Steelers Choice, Hilton VP, Digitech RP150, Bobro, GeorgeL's cables, BJS Bars and Picks. |
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Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
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Posted 19 Feb 2009 10:48 am
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I've only played a Carter and they are excellent guitars.This thread is gonna get ugly! 
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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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Jani Peter Sandvik
From:
Kolppi Finland
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Jerry Bull
From:
Republic, MO, USA
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Posted 19 Feb 2009 10:55 am
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I am interested because I am thinking of making a switch to a Williams from my Carter. I love my Carter, but I'm looking at a 12 string Williams.
_________________
www.psgpicker@gmail.com (Sierra Crown D-10 keyless)2-Nashville 112's, Steelers Choice, Hilton VP, Digitech RP150, Bobro, GeorgeL's cables, BJS Bars and Picks. |
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Jani Peter Sandvik
From:
Kolppi Finland
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Rick Winfield
From:
Pickin' beneath the Palmettos
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Posted 19 Feb 2009 11:31 am carter
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I LOVE my Carter.
Only money  stopped me from getting a 12 string.
one day....
rick |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 19 Feb 2009 12:00 pm
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| You are not going to get any meaningful feedback on that question. They are both good guitars. YOU need to decide for yourself by trying each one. They are both well engineered guitars that sound different from eachother. All you will get here is biased opinions that mean nothing to the next guy beside him. They are equal in every aspect that I can think of. If you make a decision based on biased Forum opinions you will be disapointed. People defend their own brand. I've played both and would take either one. |
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Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 19 Feb 2009 12:02 pm
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I've got one of each, I love them both. I don't know what I'd do if I could only save one from a house fire!
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Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
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Doug Palmer
From:
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 19 Feb 2009 12:06 pm
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Jerry, it's Chocolate & Strawberry. Which tastes best? My dealings with the folks at Carter have been very pleasant. They might do a trade!
Doug
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Emmons D-10, ST-10,LD-10 III, NV-112,Fender Deluxe Reverb. Authorized wholesale dealer musicorp.com! |
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richard burton
From:
Britain
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Posted 19 Feb 2009 12:28 pm
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Steel guitars these days are all 'much-of-a-muchness'
There's no individuality, and because they nearly all use high output humbucking pickups, nearly all of them have the same 'nasal twang'
I'd go for the cheapest instrument, and put a single coil pickup on it. |
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Larry Lorows
From:
Zephyrhills,Florida, USA
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Posted 19 Feb 2009 1:41 pm
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I've played both lot's of times. I still have my Williams. Larry
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U12 Williams keyless 400
Vegas 400, Nashville 112, Line 6 pod xt |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 19 Feb 2009 1:46 pm
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You can't go wrong with either one. You should go to the convention or the Dallas show, try them both, (as well as some others) and see which you prefer.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Mike Christensen
From:
Cook Minnesota
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Posted 19 Feb 2009 1:55 pm
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| Richard: Where in the world do you come up with a statement like,They all come with Humbucking PU's and have nasal twang. My 600 Willy came with a Tru Tone and I guess if you want some nasal twang I could EQ my amp and get it but it is for sure not signature sound of a Willy and I doubt very much it is a signature sound of a Carter either. In fact listen to Sarah Jory play her Magnum. Try to find some twang. Good Luck. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 19 Feb 2009 3:22 pm
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Well, I own one of each. I love them both. The Carter is a '99 D10 w/ 9p/9k with mica finish, and the Williams is an '08 D10 w/ 9p/9k in lacquer finish.
First, they both stay in tune very well, except that I can leave the Carter in my car in it's case in the winter and take it out the next week, and it will be almost perfectly in tune. The Willy goes out of tune each time it goes in and out of the case.
Sound: of course they sound different, although I have the same pickups on both guitars. The Carter is brighter and seems to have more punch than the Willy. I almost look at is as the difference between an Emmons (the Carter) and a Sho-Bud (Willy).
Construction. Neither is better than the other. Williams puts more bells and whistles in the way of chrome plated parts.
Both are fairly easy to work on underneath (although the only thing I've done to Willy so far is to relocate a vertical C6th lever that was impossible to use where it was placed from the factory. The only concern I would have is buying a used one where I had to change around the pedal setup. The cross shafts on the Carter go from the front to the back apron, and you just have to move the bell crank where you want it. Not so on the Willy. Some of the knee lever cross shafts are only as long as they need to be when assembling the guitar to the tuning the player ordered. We just had a thread where someone wanted to move the E - Eb changes from the left knee to the right and the lever that raises 1 & 2 to the left knee. The cross shaft didn't extend far enough to the front apron to get the bell cranks in line with strings 1 & 2. Of course, parts could have been obtained to do this. One thing I HATE about the Carter is that they use little Torx screws to hold the bell cranks on to the cross shaft. You need a screwdriver type torx wrench to loosen them (the hex key style one that comes with the guitar doesn't let you get enough leverage to loosen them. Even then, plan on stripping a few (I have a few bell cranks I couldn't remove and are just sitting there doing nothing). They tighten them way too much for what is needed. On the other hand, I don't care for the way Williams mounts the knee levers to the cross shafts.
They both play like butter. The Carter is more comfortable to me, but they both fit me well. I am having some noise issues with the undercarriage on the Willy and it seems that when the pedal bottoms out, there is still some attempt for it to go farther. A tuner proves it stops where it should, but it seems like it is spongy and trying to travel farther. Williams uses a plastic pedal stop, whereas Carter's is a Set screw. A better way in my opinion.
Well, that should get you going for now. Can you guess which I play more? Yup, the Willy. But I play the Carter on occasion.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy either one.
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I've got one of each, I love them both. I don't know what I'd do if I could only save one from a house fire!
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Rick, don't you have 2 hands? |
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Brad Malone
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 19 Feb 2009 5:35 pm Williams 600 series changer.
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| Hey Jerry, The Williams 600 series has a very unique changer that bends the string less on the changer end. I have my Williams 600 series since July of 2007 and have not broken any strings. Bill Rudolph holds the patent on this changer and will not let any of the other builders use or copy his changer. Do not let some of these guys blow smoke and try to fool you into thinking that all Steels are the same because that is a lie. Remember, I'm not talking against any builder but I'm telling you my experience with the Williams. Buy any brand you want but I feel that I have to tell you about the advanced Williams changer..the changer is the heart of the pedal Steel. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 20 Feb 2009 8:45 am
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The 600 changer is great. But between my Carter and my Williams, the only string I have broken while playing was string 5 on the williams. But I credit that to a bad string and not the guitar. I am pretty good at changing my strings before they break. Have never broken one on the Carter.
Both guitars are great guitars as well as many of the others being built today. It's hard to find a bad one nowadays. It's just hard to pick one unless you can try it out first. |
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Mike Ester
From:
New Braunfels, Texas, USA
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Posted 20 Feb 2009 8:57 am
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Take two; they're small.
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Larry Scott
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 20 Feb 2009 8:58 am It's simple
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NIGHT AND DAY
Willy wins 
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Jerry Bull
From:
Republic, MO, USA
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Posted 20 Feb 2009 10:26 am
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I really appreciate everyones input 100%. I think with everyones input I am persuaded at this time to keep on pickin' my Carter, and adding a pedal. It is real easy to make changes, and that is something that I have slowed down on, I'm just about there, I think. But it is nice to easily move stuff around if I desire. Thanks a bunch everybody !!!!!
_________________
www.psgpicker@gmail.com (Sierra Crown D-10 keyless)2-Nashville 112's, Steelers Choice, Hilton VP, Digitech RP150, Bobro, GeorgeL's cables, BJS Bars and Picks. |
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