The Steel Guitar Forum

I recently sold my 2001 S-12 Sierra, and want to stay keyless. I've chosen the Williams Steel. Comments please, positive or negitive.

Thanks,
Ray

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"STRINGBUSTER" again
MSA S-12
Ray Beale Rosenberg,Tx

One of the best. You are going to love it !

I have checked out a few of them and one of the most impressive things is how they keep there sustain and tone even and clear all the way up to the 24th fret. Best open harmonics of any steel I ever played. They are compact and light but still have a solid feel.

They are on my best steel guitar short list.

Bob

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bob Hoffnar on 31 May 2002 at 01:48 PM.]</p></FONT>

I have played a Williams Keyless since 1986. They are super, easy to maintain, sound great and stay in tune as well as anything out there. You'll really love the difference in weight. Welcome to the "Willy Family"

I play both, and they are very different instruments.

The Williams is much lighter than the Sierra. All of the parts are smaller on the Williams, and the undercarriage is packed tighter.

Oddly, the footprint on the floor of my keyed Williams D-10 is almost identical to my Sierra SD-12. The Williams just feels a lot smaller somehow, probably due to the 24.5" scale.

The tone of the Williams isn't as versatile as the Sierra, because you can't change pickups without a soldering iron. As a result, I tend to use the Williams when playing in bands that don't do a lot of variety (traditional country bands). The tone is very good, though, reminding me of a Sho-Bud more than anything else.

The wood finish on the Williams is beautiful, but fragile. If I were ordering another, I'd probably go for the formica.

I like the pedal feel of the Sierra better - it's more direct. This is partially because of the crossover mechanism, I'm sure, but it is also the result of the leverages in the changer. The Sierra changer is more massive and feels more solid.

I've been playing my Williams for 15 months now, and I'm very comfortable behind it. The only problems I've had were caused by my own mistakes when I switched the copedent around. Bill straightened me out - he's real good at customer support.

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<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)

I've played Williams steels (and others) since about 1992. My first one was a keyless D10 which I sold when I ordered my new keyed, 400 series about 3 years ago. I like the new one a lot, but sometimes I wish I still had my old keyless. I'll agree that they are really nice guitars, and Bill Rudolph is great to work with.



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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Darvin Willhoite on 31 May 2002 at 04:01 PM.]</p></FONT>

I heard some realy good things about Williams guitars from some great players in Nashville.

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http://hometown.aol.com/damirzanne/damirzanne1.html

Yes, the Williams is a steel to be reckoned
with. I've had a natural blonde lacquer
U-12 [8x6] keyless for over 8 years now.

I like the compactness of the Williams, among other reasons. I used to play a D-10
Sho-Bud that was 'huge' compared to the 'Willy'. It just seems easier and quicker
to get to the knee levers with the compactness.

It's a very clean sounding guitar, even with my older stock William's pickup.

And as the guys mentioned above, you couldn't ask for a better steelmaker/dealer than Bill Rudolph. A real gentleman, always ready and willing to lend an ear and a hand.

ChipsAhoy

Another satisfied customer here..
I've had mine (with keys) for two years now
and love the way it feels and sounds.
One thing to remember is to always use a short wound .011 or you WILL be changing it often.
One problem I have with it is knee lever placement. I failed to be specific about it
when ordering and as a result there off a little. I wish I had the ability to move them myself but you really can't do it easily
Anyone know a good Williams mechanic in NYC?


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Bob Grado, Williams D10 (lefty), Peavey 1000,
Profex ll.

Al Brisco has a D10 Keyless Williams in stock.

Picture here: http://www.steelguitarcanada.com/img/forsale/williams.jpg

I played it and am impressed.
Definatly a top quality guitar.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Joey Ace on 01 June 2002 at 01:50 PM.]</p></FONT>

Looks like adjustable lever lengths? Great idea.

BobG----I have installed two of my 8 knee levers and moved a bunch of the others at one time or another on my Carter. There's just no way to know where you want them until you are sitting at your guitar--the new guitar ordering process got 'em close but you just can't fine tune it with a tape measure and a telephone.
Anyway, I haven't a clue as to the similarities of the Carter and the Williams but if you want to research it and you want my services, I'm at your disposal.

I have had ZERO string breakage on my Williams so far. I bought it in January 2001. I play it for about 6 hours each week.

I bought a new, but certainly not my first "Willy" from Bill sometime in early spring of this year. I've know Bill for almost 20 years, and there has never been a time when he didn't take all the time needed to help me with a question regardless of how stupid some of them must have sounded.

When I picked up my new D10 Willy, I sat down and played it. I asked him to make a few changes. He CHEERFULLY did it right there on the spot. Pretty hard to beat that for service.

Like b0b, I havn't broken any strings on any of the Willy's I've owned over the years---except when it was my fault.

It's a fine guitar.

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SUAS U' PHIOB
Geo

Thanks everyone! I appreciate all the replies. I'm really looking forward to my new guitar.

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"STRINGBUSTER" again
MSA S-12
Ray Beale Rosenberg,Tx