Keyless PSGs

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 3 Nov 2017 2:44 pm

Apart from GFI, which has a dealer in the UK, what other makers are there who make keyless unis and would ship to this country? Not being lazy, but I can't find a search which helps.

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 3 Nov 2017 3:57 pm

I would think Excel and Williams for sure??

Marty Broussard · Post by **Marty Broussard** » 3 Nov 2017 4:20 pm

Ian,
Lamar Colvin would likely build you a keyless unit. You should be able to find him via the forum of google.

Good luck,
MB

Doc Hall · Post by **Doc Hall** » 3 Nov 2017 4:26 pm

Excel will ship. Check out their website.

steve takacs · Post by **steve takacs** » 4 Nov 2017 3:23 am

How about a second hand KLINE guitar? Why not put an ad in the WANTED section here in the Forum and in some of the Forums in Europe, Australia and New Zeeland ? Good luck, steve t

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 4 Nov 2017 4:42 am

I would love a Kline - in fact the one I built myself was modeled on it in many respects. I do look out but they don't come up too often.

It's surprising that so few current makers offer keyless tuners, but I suppose they know the market.

Bruce Derr · Post by **Bruce Derr** » 4 Nov 2017 8:38 am

I would never buy a new steel that wasn't keyless, but I suppose I'm in the minority.

Ken Campbell · Post by **Ken Campbell** » 4 Nov 2017 9:01 am

Johnie King makes a keyless

Johnie King · Post by **Johnie King** » 4 Nov 2017 9:36 am

Johnie King · Post by **Johnie King** » 4 Nov 2017 9:38 am

Marty Dose Lamar still build I always wanted one of his keyless steels.

Bruce Derr · Post by **Bruce Derr** » 4 Nov 2017 10:34 am

There's also Sierra, and the one I'm most intrigued by, OnTrak.

Malcolm McMaster · Post by **Malcolm McMaster** » 4 Nov 2017 11:11 am

Ian, saw the Excel at Dallas Show.

Johnie King · Post by **Johnie King** » 4 Nov 2017 12:32 pm

That Exel looks good bet it almst plays it self.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 4 Nov 2017 1:13 pm

If you can afford the wait, a batch of ten new Sierras is being made. www.sierrasteels.com/products/pedal-steel-guitars.html

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 4 Nov 2017 1:20 pm

I'm not sure it's the wait I can't afford! I would love a Sierra, but they do promise to be a lot pricier than anything that's gone before. But I shall follow their progress.

Paul Sutherland · Post by **Paul Sutherland** » 4 Nov 2017 3:24 pm

Norbert Dengler · Post by **Norbert Dengler** » 5 Nov 2017 3:36 am

http://www.schildsteel.com/cms/index.php?page=G060011

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 6 Nov 2017 5:06 am

Thanks for all the various responses. The BMI website says it's undergoing repair - does that mean they're still in business or no?

Schild are clearly well-engineered, but their keyless tuner misses the point I think, as it's as long as a conventional one and has just as much length of string between the nut and the puller.

I'm still surprised at how complicated many/most/all keyless tuners are compared to the one I built with simple tools. It works perfectly, holds the string still so it doesn't have to roll on anything, and is less than 2" long. I am not a genius - it's just a miniature pull-release changer!

steve takacs · Post by **steve takacs** » 6 Nov 2017 6:50 am

Ian, your keyless tuner shines with an elegant simplicity. I prefer playing keyless guitars myself for the smaller size and ease of changing strings, which can be seen on this one you designed. The one I have in Beijing fits in a saxophone case.

My problem is I have never broken a string on my Klines and rarely change strings because I am so lazy. Stevet

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 6 Nov 2017 7:20 am

Ian, here are some pics of my keyless tuner, a slightly modified Kline tuner, very simple, less than 1" from nut to tuner contact.

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... ess+tuners

Of course this is a lap steel,,,I am currently rebuilding a "keyed" S10 Cougar that will probably wind up being keyless since conventional tuning keys seem senseless to me (as they seem to to some of the worlds premier builders)

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 7 Nov 2017 2:09 pm

Ian Rae wrote:I would love a Kline - in fact the one I built myself was modeled on it in many respects. I do look out but they don't come up too often....

it will be here tomorrow...

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 7 Nov 2017 2:44 pm

Hey Damir,,,first SD10 I've seen,,,must not have been very many made. I think Joe made more 12 string uni's than anything.

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 7 Nov 2017 2:49 pm

Sonny Jenkins wrote:Hey Damir,,,first SD10 I've seen,,,must not have been very many made.

right, thats what I was thinking, I have only seen a very few Kline's and they were all U12 , I don;t think I've ever seen SD10 before ... this one is arriving tomorrow, and can't wait to check it out...

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 1 Dec 2017 3:20 pm

Can anyone with a recent model Excel tell me how many raises/lowers there are on the changer? From pictures I've found it looks like plenty but I can't see exactly.

Thanks

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 1 Dec 2017 3:24 pm

Ian Rae wrote:Can anyone with a recent model Excel tell me how many raises/lowers there are on the changer? From pictures I've found it looks like plenty but I can't see exactly.

Thanks

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