Wilcox steel

Bob I. Williams · Post by **Bob I. Williams** » 6 Feb 2006 7:44 pm

I would like information on wilcox steels. I will be looking at a SD10 4 and 4 They are built in Ill. I have never heard of one untill last week. Feel free to post the good and bad. thanks in advance BOB

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 6 Feb 2006 8:00 pm

If you do a forum search in the Pedal Steel area with search terms Wilcox or Wilcox Pedal Steel, you'll find a lot of comments. I've never played one, so I have no intelligent comment to make.

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 6 Feb 2006 10:26 pm

Bob, this is one of the subjects that no one wants to talk about. It can get ugly. I'm going to stick my neck out and see if I can address your question because you deserve an answer, and hopefully I won't regret it.

First let me tell you I've never had a Wilcox steel or ever seen one so I don't know anything about them from real experience.

Wilcox steels have been a controversial subject on the forum. Many players here feel the quality of workmanship is not good enough for what they want, and for that reason they put them down. What they either don't understand, don't believe, or for whatever reason don't take into consideration, is that the builder, Chet Wilcox, has himself said that he knows his steels are not equal with the big-name steels we all know of. He intends his steels to be a good instrument for a beginner or someone who can't afford a big-name steel, and readily admits they are no Sho-Bud, Emmons, Zum, etc.

Price-wise, there is some debate about whether a person would be better to buy a new Wilcox, or a used big-name steel, since it is possible to buy some used older name-brand steels for about the same price. That's not for me to judge. In fact, I don't wish to judge anything or anyone. I don't know Chet Wilcox well personally, but after the last time this question came up and I posted something about "do a search and see", he emailed me and we swapped a few emails, and he explained to me exactly what I've told you here. He really is a very nice guy and loves steel, trying to make a good steel for a good price and will be the first to admit it's no Emmons or Sho-Bud, those are his words.

Last I heard from him, he said he was not going to build any more steels because he is sick of the controversy.

There is a forumite, I don't recall his name, who plays a Wilcox and is happy with it. Maybe we can find him and you could talk to him about it.

The only other thing I want to say is, I don't have a dog in this hunt. I'm just giving it to you as I understand it.

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 7 Feb 2006 9:49 am

Well done Mr. Phelps!

Bill Brown · Post by **Bill Brown** » 7 Feb 2006 1:01 pm

hello fellow form member i have owned a wilcox steel and all i am going to say is look elsewere

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 7 Feb 2006 1:47 pm

I have two Wilcox non pedal steel guitars that I am VERY satisfied with.

Chet is a good fellow. You should contact him and he can give you all the info you need on his instruments.

Edit. There is a blue single neck Wilcox pedal steel on Ebay right now. [This message was edited by Bill Hatcher on 07 February 2006 at 01:49 PM.]

Post by **b0b** » 7 Feb 2006 2:17 pm

There you have it.

Do a search if you need more history about the Wilcox. I don't want to risk another conflagration on the subject, so I've closed this topic.

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