Kline Owners-Stand and Be Counted

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 7 Mar 2009 7:30 am

OK KLINE owners,,,let's see how many of us there are? Also if any of you have any idea,,,or first hand knowledge of how many guitars Joe built? When did he start building guitars?

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 7 Mar 2009 11:05 am

Here's mine. U-12, 6 and 7. A true workhorse. Never needs tweakin'. Stays in tune forever, and sounds fabulous! Construction and machining second to none.

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 7 Mar 2009 11:25 am

S12U 7 x 6

Me on the left!

Bob Benton · Post by **Bob Benton** » 7 Mar 2009 12:58 pm

My Kline S12U 7&5

Bob

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 7 Mar 2009 2:32 pm

Hey John,,,that looks EXACTLY like mine,,,,serial #4079. I think a 1988 model. I've owned 4 of them from time to time,,,,I'm not letting this one get away,,,,

BB,,,that's a beauty!!

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 7 Mar 2009 2:44 pm

I really like that two-tone!

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 7 Mar 2009 3:04 pm

Sonny, mine is 4002. Lot older than an '88. When I bought it, the seller let me choose from two. One was a beautiful lacquer walnut/maple guitar. I chose the mica cuz I knew it was gonna have a very active life. I was giggin' 5/6 nights a week back then. I knew I'd be heartbroken with the first scratch. It's actually off-white, with a leather grain.
PS; It does change colors with the stage lights, which is kinda cool!

Chance Wilson · Post by **Chance Wilson** » 7 Mar 2009 5:12 pm

D10 9+8, one of the first 10 Klines made.
It has just a few living room hours on it since Joe did a full factory service for its 30th Birthday.

Greg Simmons · Post by **Greg Simmons** » 7 Mar 2009 11:03 pm

The beauties were both formerly my guitars, now gone to the good homes of other forumites...but don't worry 'bout me, I have another Kline:)

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 8 Mar 2009 5:09 am

Here is Winnie Winstons treatise on Klines for those who have not seen it

http://julianwinston.com/music/the_kline_guitar.php

Does anyone know when Joe first started building guitars? or how many he built?

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 8 Mar 2009 7:00 am

Greg, is the string spacing on the S12 and D10 the same?

Boy, I would love to have a D-10 Kline. I don't see too many of them although the first one I saw was for sale for $800 10 minutes down the road a few years ago. I didn't know much about them so I passed on it. If I had known how great they were at the time I would have grabbed it but I looked at the underbelly and got scared!

What's up Whit?

DZ

Nick Reed · Post by **Nick Reed** » 8 Mar 2009 8:39 am

So what is a Kline? Where are they made and have they been around for awhile? It's a very unusual looking guitar but I'll bet they sound good.

Greg Simmons · Post by **Greg Simmons** » 8 Mar 2009 8:40 am

Greg, is the string spacing on the S12 and D10 the same?

Dave,

I couldn't tell you, but hopefully Steve Takacs will chime in on the thread as he has had (may still have?) both S12 and D10 Klines

Does anyone know when Joe first started building guitars? or how many he built?

Sonny, not sure, but I'm fortunate enough to have the guitar Winnie played at Scotty's in 2004 and it's #4090

So what is a Kline? Where are they made and have they been around for awhile? It's a very unusual looking guitar but I'll bet they sound good.

Nick, Klines are the best-kept secret in the PSG world, built by Joe Kline in Rootstown, Ohio USA

Read what a rather accomplished player

had to say about them:

http://steelguitarforum.com/Archives/Ar ... 07350.html

Greg Simmons · Post by **Greg Simmons** » 8 Mar 2009 9:19 am

ok, I just found this in an email from Winnie in 2004...

By the way.... in regards to Serial numbers....
When Joe was living near Kent, Ohio he was at a house numbered "3954."
So THAT is the number he started his serial numbers with!

The one I play is # 4000-- the 46th guitar he made. So yours is 90 after mine-- the 136th made.

Not a lot of production, but all of them good!

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 8 Mar 2009 9:24 am

Well, that makes mine the 48th. Here's my comment from another PR Kline thread:
"Many years ago, my band was doing tryouts at Ponderosa Park. A member of another band walked in with what looked like a tenor sax case. I thought, "Oh no! Yakety sax!" Well he opened his case, and in it was a Kline Uni! I had mine within a couple of weeks. A couple months later we were opening for Loretta. John Hughey got his first look at a Kline when I met him back stage. He examined it for quite a while. Kline's are amazing! And there's a real beauty in the "Instruments For Sale" section right now."

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 8 Mar 2009 9:52 am

My lean mean green machine comes in as the 93rd guitar built-serial number 4047.

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 8 Mar 2009 10:00 am

Here's BJ Cole performing on a Kline
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8p9TNLWbz0

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 8 Mar 2009 10:07 am

Gordon Stone also plays a Kline.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEuMSrrUQKk

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 9 Mar 2009 7:02 am

Com'on Kline owners,,,Jon Jaffe?,,,,Steve Takacs?,,Rick Troyer?,,,,where are you?

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 9 Mar 2009 10:32 am

Well I'm a would be Kline owner, does that count.

I have always loved the Kline U12 for some reason. I have only played one U12 at St. Louis before Joe went out of business. I was bet by the kline bug that day. But, when one comes up for sale I'm always a day late and a dollar short

If Joe would start making them again I would buy a new one or two.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 9 Mar 2009 11:09 am

Bob, you might try emailing this guy. He took the guitar down while he's moving. But his email address is in the "for sale " thread. And the guitar is a stunner, for a very good price!
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... ight=kline

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 9 Mar 2009 5:31 pm

John thnaks I sent him a PM. Here's a funny story for Kline owners. Jeff Newman came down to do a local club show. He came the night before and jammed with some of the club members and the band. Jeff walks in with this little bitty case. It was about the size of a lap steel case. Some one asked him if he brought his steel. Jeff replyed, " it's right here. Jeff just blow all the D10s off the stage. One guy said just think if he had a real guitar how good he would be. I just smiled and though maybe if he had a Kline he would be better.

stevepo · Post by **stevepo** » 10 Mar 2009 12:58 am

Sonny,

I have a Kline like the one in Greg Simmons' picture, except the color is tobacco brown. I bought it in 1981. I can't post a picture but as you can see they are beautiful guitars.

Steve Porter
Clarion, PA

Mike Christensen · Post by **Mike Christensen** » 10 Mar 2009 3:39 am

Haven't heard much about these guitars. Why Not? These things are beautiful. That Blondie is downright dropdead georgeous.

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 10 Mar 2009 10:40 am

I wonder who has Jeff's old Kline. Maybe his son-in-law (Rick Kornacker) would know. I don't remember what it looked like?

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