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Topic: Dekley steel info needed |
Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 8 Dec 2016 4:40 pm |
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A friend that wants to get into pedal steel asked me to check into a Dekley pedal steel he came across. It looks to be a decent guitar and I am going to look at it with him this Saturday.
I know a little about the Dekley but never played one
and they have a good reputation for being well built.
It has 4 pedals and 4 knee levers and is a single neck.
Model # SK103-2
Seriel # 121-0092
Any info is appreciated and hopefully we will have a new Forum member. |
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Dick Wood
From:
Springtown Texas, USA
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Posted 8 Dec 2016 6:27 pm
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I played a D10 for 16 years and liked it very much. Built like a tank,stayed in tune,nice pedal action and it had as good a tone as any guitar I've ever owned.
One other thing was they had chromed fingers that never showed any signs of wear.
I bought another one some years back and rebuilt it completely but ultimately someone wanted it more than me so I sold it.
_________________
Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night. |
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 8 Dec 2016 6:43 pm
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deleted
Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 21 May 2018 11:38 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Pat Chong
From:
New Mexico, USA
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Posted 8 Dec 2016 6:52 pm
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Hi Len,
My first psg is a Dekley. I can say that 4 pedals and 4 knee levers are a lot to deal with and will keep you busy for quite a while. I wish your friend well on his quest for steel-dom, as his find for a steel is good.
...............Pat |
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 8 Dec 2016 7:07 pm
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| Thanks for the great responsesðŸ‘I don't see the model I posted on the spec sheet. Have to check ad see if that is correct. |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Dan Beller-McKenna
From:
Durham, New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 9 Dec 2016 4:53 am
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I've owned two. The first was my first real steel after getting back into the instrument about 10 years ago. an early S-10 with 3 and 4. Very good reliable instrument with great tone. Second was the same model but a major fix-er-upper. I got it back into good shape but then decided I didn't need a second S-10 and sold towards saving up for a D-10.
Aside from the weight, the only downside I could see was the packawood top. Any extra knee levers would require bracketing screwed into the underside of that pakawood, which, from what I could gather, is not very easy to drill into. Not that you necessarily would need more than 4 levers, but it's nice to have some felxibility. |
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 9 Dec 2016 5:37 am
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I am checking this Dekley out tomorrow morning. If the the guitar is as good as indicated,
I am pretty sure the sale will go forward. Also, the seller is throwing in a Peavey Renown amp and that will be a nice unit to get going during the learning process. |
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Georg Sørtun
From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
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Posted 9 Dec 2016 7:41 am
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Dekleys are very good instruments, albeit a bit on the heavy side compared to most modern PSGs 
| Dan Beller-McKenna wrote: |
| Aside from the weight, the only downside I could see was the packawood top. Any extra knee levers would require bracketing screwed into the underside of that pakawood, which, from what I could gather, is not very easy to drill into. Not that you necessarily would need more than 4 levers, but it's nice to have some felxibility. |
The pakawood is easy enough to drill into, but it would not be very smart to attach additional mechanical parts directly to the sound-board on a Dekley - unless one wants to modify the instrument's tonal qualities.
On a Dekley Slimline all levers one might ever need, can, and should, be mounted onto shafts between front and rear apron. Older Dekley models are less flexible when it comes to adding stuff, but quite manageable.
Last edited by Georg Sørtun on 9 Dec 2016 9:13 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Paul Wade
From:
mundelein,ill
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Posted 9 Dec 2016 7:58 am dekley pedal steels
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i had about three dekley d-10 slimline's in the past. all great sounding guitars easy to work on stays intune
not as heavey as msa' guitars well worth the money.
p.w |
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Dan Beller-McKenna
From:
Durham, New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 9 Dec 2016 8:06 am
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| Thanks for the correction, Georg. I based that on what I had read on old posts on the forum. |
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Pat Chong
From:
New Mexico, USA
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Posted 9 Dec 2016 5:55 pm
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Hi Len,
Throw in some pics, if you can.....Specifically the top, underside and the rear side (facing the player).
...Pat.
Last edited by Pat Chong on 9 Dec 2016 8:10 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 9 Dec 2016 6:31 pm
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| Bringing my camera tomorrow and will post pics. Also, I did find out that one of the numbers I mentioned is a casting number on the frame. I have not talked to the seller but information passed onto me from the fellow that is interested in buying it. The buyer is not a player as his dad owned the guitar and passed away. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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steve takacs
From:
beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
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Posted 9 Dec 2016 7:56 pm
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| I have had two Dekley steels in the past and still have one . Solid guitars in my estimation. Stevet |
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 10 Dec 2016 10:55 am
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Went to check out the Dekley 10 string and it had 3 pedals and 4 knee levers. The guitar has not been played in many years and looked good on the surface. However, the mechanism fingers were all out of alignment and several were frozen and some clunked.
Strings were rusted and 2 of the knee levers had no positive stops. The pickup hummed with a loud Bzzzz but I brought a multi meter and got a 17.5 reading on ohms. Tried 2 different amplifiers and same hum.
I don't know if this was standard on a Dekley, but the neck was definitely a 12 string neck and the roller axle had a space for another roller on each end of the axle. Five keys on each side and 10 strings. Looked strange?
I told my friend to pass on this as he is a beginner and getting the steel in playable condition could be a time consuming and costly experience.
Sorry for the dark pic but my camera flash was not working.
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 10 Dec 2016 12:15 pm
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It probably wouldn't take much money if someone did it themselves, but it would take time. But a student should learn how to play the sumbitch, not fix it.
I'd say you were right to urge a pass. I wish I had the time to resuscitate it.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Pat Chong
From:
New Mexico, USA
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Posted 10 Dec 2016 1:03 pm
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Hi Len,
Lane is right, as it would take time, but it may very well be worth it! I see that there is inlay on the neck, so this is NOT a beginner model, and more than a low-end model. I started psg with a Dekley, and I had to do some work on it, too. If you have mechanical ability, it is not hard to work on, and will give you the understanding to add pedals or levers.
I would be willing to help work on it, and there is also Mickey's offer, too.
I also have a model with a wide neck but only 10 strings...... This may be normal....
........................Pat |
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 10 Dec 2016 1:38 pm
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| Forgot to mention the price, $1,300.00 including the Peavey Amp I mentioned but the amp was beat up badly. The guitar needed lots of attention underneath but the changer issue made it a non-starter for me. A beginner has a lot to contend with developing the rudiments of playing a pedal steel. Too many issues with this Dekley. |
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Pat Chong
From:
New Mexico, USA
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Posted 10 Dec 2016 2:09 pm
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| I would have to agree, he's asking too much for something needing that kind of work. I'd pass, too. |
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Scott Denniston
From:
Hahns Peak, Colorado, USA
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Posted 10 Dec 2016 7:34 pm
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I played their top-o-the line (slimline with the real wood apron-I think they called it "The Executive") for many years. I regret selling it but I did have one problem with it. The string spacing. Coming from a Sho-Bud I found it a bit awkward to get used to the narrower string spacing. So much so that I went back to a Sho-Bud. I'm a palm-blocker and could never get used to those strings being just a little closer together. I would fumble fast licks that I found easy on the Bud. I miss the sound and action and look of that ax but I guess I couldn't go back --because of the string spacing. I went to the extent of asking Del Mullen when he was in Commerce City, CO about maybe putting in his changer with wider spacing but he said it would be impractical. That was one nice steel. I bought it new from Mac McDonald in Colorado Springs in '82.
Last edited by Scott Denniston on 11 Dec 2016 7:18 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Scott Denniston
From:
Hahns Peak, Colorado, USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2016 7:12 pm
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| Thought I'd bump this for you Dekley guys (just added a photo) |
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