Kline Steel Guitars

David Decker · Post by **David Decker** » 4 Jun 2002 7:56 am

Just wondered how many Forum members are playing Kline Steels and where they are located?

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2 Kline U-12's, Evans FET500LV, Webb 6-14E, Evans rack mount system, Peavey Session 500[This message was edited by David Decker on 04 June 2002 at 09:00 AM.]

Ann Fabian · Post by **Ann Fabian** » 4 Jun 2002 9:39 am

Here's an idea if you are in the mood

Although it will not say where they are located, for fun you might do a query by putting "Kline" into the query box on the Statistics page here: http://www.onlinesteelers.com/stats.html on the www.OnLineSteelers.com Directory.

Also, if you check out Ohio and Indiana as states from the main page and then check out the different folks listed at www.OnLineSteelers.com you may pull up several Kline owners that way, as well.

Since not all forum members actually post here, this may asist you in locating some folks you would not otherwise.

Hope this helps!

 Ann Fabian

Carter Steel Guitars
www.SteelGuitar.com
www.OnLineSteelers.com
www.SteelGuitarINFO.com
www.CarterStarter.com


[This message was edited by Ann Fabian on 04 June 2002 at 10:39 AM.]

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 4 Jun 2002 1:09 pm

I own one Kline U-12 Rosewood Mica and Bobby Loveday in Sevierville, TN owns another one in Black Mica. That is all I know of in my area. Great guitars. I have had it for many years and will probably never own onother guitar.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 4 Jun 2002 1:39 pm

I used to have a D10. Bought it in the late 70's and played it until 2 or 3 years ago. I sold it when I bought my Carter. I have to say that the Kline was the best guitar I have owned. Wish Joe was still making guitars. The only thing I didn't like was the limitation on the number of knee levers you could get under the guitar. But outside of that, they are great guitars.

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Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

Fred Layman · Post by **Fred Layman** » 4 Jun 2002 6:03 pm

To add to George's comments, Bobby Loveday is a good friend of mine here in Sevierville and loves his Kline U-12, which he has played for the last 12 years and wouldn't trade for anything else! He never played a D-10 so his playing is not compartmentalized but integrated, as Jeff and Joe insist ought to be the case.

Mike Meese · Post by **Mike Meese** » 5 Jun 2002 7:39 pm

Hey Dave,

I'm proud to be a Kline player.
Here's mine.....
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p.s. I can't wait to see your rebuild.

Jimmy Dale · Post by **Jimmy Dale** » 5 Jun 2002 8:33 pm

As I stated on another post, I have two of them. One is green laquer the other is red mica with a full desert scene air brushed across the front of it. Both are set up exactly alike and both are 87s. If you have a U12 that needs a fretboard, I think Joe still has some of them. He doesn't have any singles left. Jim I'D RATHER BE STEELIN

steve takacs · Post by **steve takacs** » 6 Jun 2002 12:03 am

About 12 years ago I bought a Kline U-12, white formica but did not play it much. Sold it a couple years ago and bought it back last summer. Look forward to playing it again this coming summer when I'm back in the US. I know some guys don't like the looks of them but they look clean to me. If you're a mathematics person, you'd love the math signs on the fretboard. Oh yes, the guitar plays easily, stays in tune, and sounds like, well, a Kline! I'm in China but the steel is in North Dakota.

Bruce Derr · Post by **Bruce Derr** » 6 Jun 2002 6:53 pm

I bought my S-12 in 1978 and it's still the only psg I gig with. 6+5, oak, laquer finish, sounds great and plays great. Joe told me he started the serial numbers with 3954, the street number of his shop, which makes mine his 37th.

Winnie Winston · Post by **Winnie Winston** » 7 Jun 2002 8:54 pm

I got one. Serial 4000-- the 46th made.
Single 12 6 pedals, eight knees. Love it!

I'm in New Zealand now.

Winnie

Pat Goodbla · Post by **Pat Goodbla** » 8 Jun 2002 5:19 am

A little off the original topic, but I saw many of you on U12's. I am new to steel after being a serious guitarist for 40 years, with a U12,8&5, Webb 6-14E, and would appreciate any direction on instructional materials specific to the U12.

Thanks.......Pat

Louie Hallford · Post by **Louie Hallford** » 17 Jun 2002 2:39 pm

I used to think I wanted a Kline but they don't hold up to chain saws very well.I saw Jeff Newman cut one in half on the stage one night at the ISGA Convention. Never had to sharpen the blade even once.

Another one of Newmans classic stunts. He and Joe Wright need to put an act together sometime.

Back to the topic. IMHO the Kline was one of the most compact and tight playing guitars of it's day. There probably were earlier keyless models but theirs is the first I can recall seeing. What happened to the company?

FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b">[This message was edited by louie hallford on 17 June 2002 at 03:44 PM.][This message was edited by louie hallford on 17 June 2002 at 03:53 PM.]

Catus Jack · Post by **Catus Jack** » 18 Jun 2002 10:27 am

I have a U-12,laquer finish. I got it in 1984. It is a great steel guitar. About two years ago I talked with Joe and he said that he had built around 200 steels. It's one steel I'll keep for every. It's compact, keyless and stays in tune.
Catus Jack

Jerry Johnston · Post by **Jerry Johnston** » 19 Jun 2002 11:30 am

I have a Kline single 12--four knee levers and one up--four on the floor. I know of one other in MI. A fellow named Klein who Lives in Alpena, MI. I know of two in FL. One belongs to Don Dixon and the other to Joe Kline himself. I winter in FL--near Sebring so I see Joe occasionally. I got mine from Glenn Taylor of Denver, CO. about 3 months ago. Mine has a George L pickup which is a little too hot for my clumsy touch so I get a lot of bar and pick noise. I've gone back to using my Sho-Bud twin twelve for that reason but love the Kline otherwise. It has very smooth, quiet pedal action and as others have said--stays in tune.

Started with no talent--still have most of it.

Jerry Johnston

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Don McClellan · Post by **Don McClellan** » 28 Jun 2002 9:58 pm

I have 2 U12s. One is black formica and the other is orange stained maple. I remember they were the fisrt keyless steel I ever saw at the '76 convention and I didn't like how they looked but I couldn't stop looking. I got smart and bought three of them. The one I sold was a 13 stringer. What a wonderful geerless tuning system Joe Kline made for those guitars. I don't think anyone will ever improve on that. Don

Willis Vanderberg · Post by **Willis Vanderberg** » 30 Jun 2002 5:29 am

Hey Jerry Johnston I have known you for over thirty years.If you started with no talent we should all be so lucky.

Buddy Van

Winnie Winston · Post by **Winnie Winston** » 2 Jul 2002 3:36 am

The one that Bobby Cladwell cut in half at Scotty's was made of pine-- but stained to look like Jeff's guitar.
If you ever wanted to know what a pine guitar would sound like... well... Bobby ("I can cut you on your own instrument") strummed a chord or two, and it had no sustain and was very thin.
The fingerboard was painted on. There was no undercarriage. All the pedal rods were hooked into eye-hooks.
Strings got snipped first... then the bolt cutter took out the pedal rods. At that point it was easy to whack it in half with a chain saw, although I must admit, that the idea of a running chainsaw on a stage full of people, gave me a real chill.
It was a really funny act.
And the funniest were those who thought that it was real-- like the horrified lady two seats over who said, "Oh my! He just cut Jeff's guitar in half!"

The FUNNIEST was after the show ay the booth where Joe has the two halves at RIGHT ANGLES to a regular guitar and was talking about it as a real "double neck."

Winnie