| Author |
Topic: Wilcox steel ? |
Steve Spitz
From:
New Orleans, LA, USA
|
Posted 15 Jan 2007 8:24 pm |
|
| Any info on the Wilcox ? |
|
|
|
Fred Shannon
From:
Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.
|
Posted 15 Jan 2007 8:25 pm
|
|
| Run!!! |
|
|
|
Cartwright Thompson
|
Posted 16 Jan 2007 1:44 am
|
|
| Do a search, there have been a lot of posts on Wilcox guitars. I think the general consensus is that Mr. Wilcox is a nice guy but his guitars leave a little something to be desired. |
|
|
|
David Biggers
From:
Texas, USA
|
Posted 16 Jan 2007 6:22 am
|
|
| Quote from Chet Wilcox himself "David, you can use it as a boat anchor or use it for firewood, I don't care. It belongs to you now I don't want it back". Hows this for customer service ??? This guitar arrived and had to be repaired and fixed by Bud Carter just to raise and lower the strings. The (hand crafted) parts looked like something a 6 grader would make in shop class for a flunked project. I wouldn't give $25.00 for another one of these guitars. I believe a Studio Musician in Nashville also got burned at or about the same time I did. My Carter Starter was a $1000.00 better guitar than this one was and it only cost $695.00. Then lets see, he would need to pay us $400.00 then to take this piece of crap !!! OK now I'll tell you how I really feel !!! I agree RUN !!!!! OH I FORGOT TO MENTION, WILCOX ONLY TAKES MONEY ORDERS !!! That should have even given stupid me a clue to Run !!! |
|
|
|
Gary Spaeth
From:
Wisconsin, USA
|
|
|
|
Jim Gorrie
From:
Edinburgh ~ road works congestion capital of The World.
|
|
|
|
Tom Olson
From:
Spokane, WA
|
Posted 16 Jan 2007 6:41 pm
|
|
| It's very strange that, in view of the highly negative comments here on the forum, that Mr. Wilcox basically has a 100% eBay rating. Something just doesn't add up. |
|
|
|
Fred Shannon
From:
Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.
|
Posted 16 Jan 2007 8:20 pm
|
|
The original question was about the Wilcox guitar, not Mr Wilcox. I'm certain Chet Wilcox is deserving of all the accolades professed in the ebay feedback posts. As for the guitar, well it's gonna' have to stand on its own feet for this player, owner.
Phred (speaking for myself only) |
|
|
|
Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
|
Posted 17 Jan 2007 8:44 am
|
|
| Quote: |
| It's very strange that, in view of the highly negative comments here on the forum, that Mr. Wilcox basically has a 100% eBay rating. |
A lot of Mavericks, trashed guitars, impossible "projects", et al., have been sold on eBay for FAR more than the general consensus of informed steel players feel they're valued. Players with knowledge of the instrument and current market prices do have opinions with more validity than many buyers on eBay.
Even experienced musicians, if they're not familiar with steels, are vulnerable. I had a student once, a great jazz guitarist that wanted to get into steel, who purchased a trashed Baldwin Crossover for WAY more than it was worth, then came and asked me if he "got a good deal?"
Boat anchor or firewood? Excellent suggestions, poor customer service. 
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
|
|
|
Dustin Rigsby
From:
Parts Unknown, Ohio
|
Posted 18 Jan 2007 6:35 am
|
|
| David Biggers wrote: |
| Quote from Chet Wilcox himself "David, you can use it as a boat anchor or use it for firewood, I don't care. It belongs to you now I don't want it back". Hows this for customer service ??? This guitar arrived and had to be repaired and fixed by Bud Carter just to raise and lower the strings. The (hand crafted) parts looked like something a 6 grader would make in shop class for a flunked project. I wouldn't give $25.00 for another one of these guitars. I believe a Studio Musician in Nashville also got burned at or about the same time I did. My Carter Starter was a $1000.00 better guitar than this one was and it only cost $695.00. Then lets see, he would need to pay us $400.00 then to take this piece of crap !!! OK now I'll tell you how I really feel !!! I agree RUN !!!!! OH I FORGOT TO MENTION, WILCOX ONLY TAKES MONEY ORDERS !!! That should have even given stupid me a clue to Run !!! |
David,how much did Bud charge you to fix the guitar,and what exactly did he do ? The reason I ask is that I have owned a wilcox for two years now,and,despite a small mechanical challenge,it's not a bad guitar.It is what it is. Mine has a nice tone though....every time I think about buying a new guitar...I change my mind,because of the tone. Last time I talked to Chet,he had made some improvements to his design. As far as the Nashville Studio Musician getting burned...this is anecdotal and I believe it is dubious at best.Most studio musicians will go with what they know works....they can't afford to take an untried and untested piece of equipment to a studio gig ! Word travels fast in the steel guitar community.Any one who is going to buy a steel guitar should do some research first.With the advent of the internet,there is no excuse for ignorance.
BTW...if you are unhappy with yours and don't wish to "pawn it off " to another unsuspecting neophyte,perhaps you would like to donate it to me free of charge....is it a double neck...?  |
|
|
|
A. J. Schobert
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio,
|
Posted 18 Jan 2007 10:51 am
|
|
| So do they still make wilcox guitars? David I feel for ya man |
|
|
|
Tom Olson
From:
Spokane, WA
|
Posted 18 Jan 2007 2:41 pm
|
|
| Quote: |
| The original question was about the Wilcox guitar, not Mr Wilcox. I'm certain Chet Wilcox is deserving of all the accolades professed in the ebay feedback posts. As for the guitar, well it's gonna' have to stand on its own feet for this player, owner. |
Maybe I'm missing something here, but -- there are apparently at least a few people who feel that the guitar Mr. Wilcox builds does not stand on it's own feet (in a manner of speaking). That is, there are apparently a few people who have been very dissatisfied with either the product or service sold by Mr. Wilcox. So, how could anyone say Mr. Wilcox is derving of 100% satisfaction rating?
| Quote: |
| A lot of Mavericks, trashed guitars, impossible "projects", et al., have been sold on eBay for FAR more than the general consensus of informed steel players feel they're valued. Players with knowledge of the instrument and current market prices do have opinions with more validity than many buyers on eBay. |
I'm sure that's true. But on the other hand, out of all the people who have bought new Wilcox guitars on eBay, surely there's at least one who either has some experience with psg's, or has no experience with psg's but who has half the common sense of of a monkey and who realizes that there is something wrong with the guitar (if in fact that is the case). Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure I've read from at least on forum member of all the trouble with a new Wilcox guitar and that the forum member purchased the guitar through eBay. Maybe I'm wrong. In any case, there seems to be an improbably dichotomy between the general opinion of Wilcox by forum members, and Wilcox's eBay rating. |
|
|
|
Dustin Rigsby
From:
Parts Unknown, Ohio
|
Posted 18 Jan 2007 5:15 pm
|
|
| A. J. Schobert wrote: |
| So do they still make wilcox guitars? David I feel for ya man |
as far as I know,Chet is still building guitars. |
|
|
|
Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
|
Posted 18 Jan 2007 8:40 pm
|
|
I have three Wilcox lap steels and I am happy with all of them.
I also have emailed and spoken to Chet Wilcox on several occasions and have found him to be a very nice person. He has good feedback on Ebay. He has always represented his instruments as not being anything like a Zum or a Carter.
He has made improvements to his instruments and I personally wish him well in his endeavors in building. |
|
|
|
Dustin Rigsby
From:
Parts Unknown, Ohio
|
Posted 19 Jan 2007 7:27 am
|
|
| Tom Olson wrote: |
| Quote: |
| The original question was about the Wilcox guitar, not Mr Wilcox. I'm certain Chet Wilcox is deserving of all the accolades professed in the ebay feedback posts. As for the guitar, well it's gonna' have to stand on its own feet for this player, owner. |
Maybe I'm missing something here, but -- there are apparently at least a few people who feel that the guitar Mr. Wilcox builds does not stand on it's own feet (in a manner of speaking). That is, there are apparently a few people who have been very dissatisfied with either the product or service sold by Mr. Wilcox. So, how could anyone say Mr. Wilcox is derving of 100% satisfaction rating?
| Quote: |
| A lot of Mavericks, trashed guitars, impossible "projects", et al., have been sold on eBay for FAR more than the general consensus of informed steel players feel they're valued. Players with knowledge of the instrument and current market prices do have opinions with more validity than many buyers on eBay. |
I'm sure that's true. But on the other hand, out of all the people who have bought new Wilcox guitars on eBay, surely there's at least one who either has some experience with psg's, or has no experience with psg's but who has half the common sense of of a monkey and who realizes that there is something wrong with the guitar (if in fact that is the case). Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure I've read from at least on forum member of all the trouble with a new Wilcox guitar and that the forum member purchased the guitar through eBay. Maybe I'm wrong. In any case, there seems to be an improbably dichotomy between the general opinion of Wilcox by forum members, and Wilcox's eBay rating. |
After examining the latest pics from e-bay...the new design changes seem to be quite an improvement over the wilcox guitar I own........ |
|
|
|
Tom Olson
From:
Spokane, WA
|
Posted 19 Jan 2007 9:37 am
|
|
| Dustin -- thanks for the input. I just couldn't figure out why he would have a 100% satisfaction rating after all the things I've read on the forum. If significant improvements have been made, then I both applaud Mr. Wilcox, and have found a possible answer to my question. Thanks. |
|
|
|
Mac Knowles
From:
Almonte,Ontario, Canada
|
Posted 19 Jan 2007 10:39 am
|
|
Funny thing on this posting, nobody that has had a Wilcox steel has commented on exactly what was wrong with their guitar. Is it the changer, the machine heads, the cabinet drop, impossible to keep in tune.....what is it!
Can't imagine why someone with the barest of mechanical abilities couldn't get their own guitar to work for them without taking it to some "expert" to do whatever needs doing. If you're going to play one of these things, after the honeymoon is over, you'd better figure out how it works at least, just my opinion.
Mac |
|
|
|
Dustin Rigsby
From:
Parts Unknown, Ohio
|
Posted 19 Jan 2007 4:11 pm
|
|
| Mac Knowles wrote: |
Funny thing on this posting, nobody that has had a Wilcox steel has commented on exactly what was wrong with their guitar. Is it the changer, the machine heads, the cabinet drop, impossible to keep in tune.....what is it!
Can't imagine why someone with the barest of mechanical abilities couldn't get their own guitar to work for them without taking it to some "expert" to do whatever needs doing. If you're going to play one of these things, after the honeymoon is over, you'd better figure out how it works at least, just my opinion.
Mac |
Well, I bought mine used...the only thing I really can say is that the legs on mine are not set at the same angle in the endplates.Chet last told me that he had problems with that and has that part of it resolved now. The new changer design looks interesting ,although I would like to see more detailed photo's.
I had a steel player friend help me with the setup. mine stays in tune well enough and the cabinet drop is on par with the Carter Starter that I used to own.
Steel guitar is a mechanical thing...and sooner or later you have to work on it.For all the bad rap that Chet Wilcox gets on this forum....all he is really trying to do is make an affordable guitar that don't cost three or four grand. He is always trying to upgrade and improve his product. |
|
|
|
