The Steel Guitar Forum

I have to work this weekend and can't make it to the show.I would like to get some opinions on the crossover Williams guitar.To me this sounds like a great idea.
I have talked to several people about the Williams Guitars and have heard great things both about Bill and his guitars.
If anybody going has a few extra minutes please check them out and let me know what you think.
The Sho Bud's I have been told didn't work out,but a lot has changed since then.
Thanks Scott Howard Georgeton,TN.
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Scott Howard on 29 August 2002 at 05:00 AM.]</p></FONT>

Right. The Williams crossover uses an entirely different mechanical principle from the old Sho-Bud crossover. There's no way you could "pop the clutch".

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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)

Everybody should be starting to get back home did anyone get to check the crossover out? Thanks Scott

I checked it out and was duly impressed! Bill had his personal D-10 crossover there with 5&5. The crossover mechanism works flawlessly and is very slick.

A few things to make note of. Like the Sho-Bud crossover, there is only one stop for each pedals and knee lever. This means that the stroke of each pedal and knee lever will have to be long enough for the longest stroke from either neck.

When switching necks you have to flip the pickup switch and the mechanical lever to switch the pedals and knee levers too. I asked Bill if he had thought about rigging up a solenoid activated by the neck switch. He said he had thought of it, but didn't want to make many changes until his patent is finalized.

There is only one empty cross shaft hole remaining on the 5&5 D-10. He says he has a customer that wants two LKL's and he thinks he can do that, but that will maximize the guitar's capabilities.

As I understand it, a second LKL couldn't be a crossover lever. Each crossover pedal/lever usess two cross shaft positions, and there's only one hole left on a 5+5.

These things are really packed underneath. Remember, it's really like having 10+10, except that your leg muscles only have to remember 5+5.

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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)

Jim that customer would be me.I have one on order but will not be able to see one untill mine gets here.
Bob you are correct I did order mine with the extra Knee lever and it will only be able to work on the one neck.
Thanks Scott

I checked out the crossover briefly at the convention while it was upside down and was very impressed with the overall design and apparent build quality of the Williams guitar. It does have a lot of cross shafts and I thought the crossover mechanism was a very good design which should prove trouble free as it is quite simple.

Played on one of the 400 series for the first time (I have a 300 series doubleneck), and found it lively and with great sustain. Smooth action, of course, with definite half-stops and tuned splits. Bill said he would happy to make me a new one! Hmmm, if I sell the project truck.....


The crossover mechanism is typical Rudolph genius. And the 5 pedals look real natural and centered. Folks that want the advantages touted a crossover should be extremely pleased.