Williams X-overs

Instruments, mechanical issues, copedents, techniques, etc.

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Doug Seymour
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Williams X-overs

Post by Doug Seymour »

Hey, folks....anyone (other than b0b) playing one of these out in forum land??!! I sure would like some player feedback! I got pics from b0b this afternoon, but it looks like his is set up to be played with the left foot & I was thinking my old ShoBud X-over was set up to be played with both feet like most folks do when they're playing the C6th! Maybe with the pedals more towards the center?? What do you guys think? Let's hear from you X-over owners???!!
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Scott Howard
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Post by Scott Howard »

Crossover #3 is to be delivered to me on Thursday. Image
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Doug Seymour
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Post by Doug Seymour »

Scott, if yours is Bill's 3rd, there can't be very many out there in the world can there? Is yours keyless? I forgot to ask when I e-mailed you?? I hate to pick on b0b, but look's like he might be the one out there with the most experience with it?!
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Scott Howard
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Post by Scott Howard »

Yes it is keyless,blue laquer,Lawrence 710 pickups,a extra LKL on E9th and a 2 case setup 1 for the body and 1 for the legs and pedal bar. ImageThursday is going to seem like a year away. Image
Eddie Lange
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Post by Eddie Lange »

Shameless plug time, just kiddin. I do not own a Willy X-over, but I am a Williams player and have played Bill's X-over a couple of times and they are great. Course everything Bill puts out is fantastic. Trust me, if you do order one, you will be receiving an EXCELLENT guitar from a master craftsman and a true perfectionist. And the tone, Image.
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b0b
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Post by b0b »

I'm moving this to the 'Pedal Steel' area of the Forum.

Bill hasn't been actively marketing the 400X, which is why so few have been made.

I especially like playing the back neck on mine. On a standard D-10, I was never comfortable on the back neck. My legs were too close together, and I often missed the pedals. On the crossover, the pedals are in the same place whether I'm playing the front or back neck. My "muscle memory" only has to find 5 pedals, not 8!

I think of it as two identical 5+5 guitars, with different tunings. Pretty cool idea!

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<img align=left src="http://b0b.com/coolb0b2.gif" border="0"><small>               Bobby Lee</small>
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Doug Seymour
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Post by Doug Seymour »

b0b, & everyone, thanks for your input. I like the concept and enjoyed my SB crossover
back in '68 & I know Bill has outdone those
mechanics! I'm wondering if the pedals couldn't be centered a bit more. b0b, it seems your pedals might be a bit of a reach
for your right foot? if you wanted to use both feet on them?
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Bobby Lee
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Post by Bobby Lee »

I don't play with both feet. I put the standard 8th pedal change on my LKL, so that I can easily use it with other pedals.

You would have to talk to Bill about the position of the pedals. The undercarriage is packed pretty tightly (it's the equivalent of 10+10), but it seems to me that Bill can do anything with it!

------------------
<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic), Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6), Roland Handsonic
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Scott Howard
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Post by Scott Howard »

I picked it up on Thursday at UPS before it went out on the route.
I would like to say Bill builds a great guitar and is helpful in every way.It has been a real pleasure doing business with him.
I have had it a couple days and it is exactly what I was looking for.The mechanism looks sound and works great.The finish is beautiful and everything works,looks and sounds great or should I say as good as it can with me playing.
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Bobby Lee
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Post by Bobby Lee »

Scott's new guitar has one more lever than mine. The Williams design has room for a second LKL, but that lever can't be a crossover. So, a 400X maxes out at a virtual 10p+11k. Pretty cool!

Scott's is keyless, too, with a beautiful blue lacquer finish. Great looking guitar!

------------------
<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic), Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6), Roland Handsonic
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Scott Howard
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Post by Scott Howard »

I was looking under it and you could add a pulls for the other neck on the 6th or the extra knee lever.The crossrod for it goes all the way across the guitar.If you added a pull to the other neck it would be like your right knee's on most guitars it would have to pull both necks all the time.This would be the only lever like that.The pedals and other 5 knee levers pull only 1 neck at a time depending on the crossover mechanism and it works great.
I have more than I know what to do with but I am just saying you could.
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Scott Howard on 23 November 2002 at 01:51 PM.]</p></FONT>
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Doug Seymour
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Post by Doug Seymour »

Finally a dream come true!! Bill is a great mechanic with a desire to meet the challenge that some gave up on back in the '60s! Looks great to me, Scott & b0b! More potential there than a little bit! There's one in New Jersey, too!
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