Another Kline,,Update

Ross Shafer · Post by **Ross Shafer** » 16 Sep 2015 12:02 pm

Makes my hands hurt just thinking about all that sanding! Go Sonny Go!, those parts look great!

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 16 Sep 2015 1:24 pm

Sonny Jenkins wrote:Hey Pete,,,I thought you found yours in a pawn shop or ?? how did you track in down to that vid?

Sonny,
I found an envelope in the case that had some info including the endplate tuning info, and copedant, that showed it originally belonged to a forum member from NJ. I contacted him and he sent me that vid.
Pretty cool!
Pete

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 17 Sep 2015 5:29 am

Sonny, I don't think I could take a Kline a part, well I could take it a part. Not sure I could put it back together. Can't wait to see the finished guitar.

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 17 Sep 2015 7:23 am

Hey Bob,,,,EXACTLY,,,LOL!! I can tear most anything down,,,but,,like I said,,,,luckily I have some friends that are much smarter than I am,,,if worse comes to worse. I just wanted this thing to be as close to "new" as I could get it

Micky Byrne · Post by **Micky Byrne** » 17 Sep 2015 12:07 pm

Bob, I'm a friend of B.J.Cole and at one time I lived quite near him in London. I went over for some pickin' and tried his Kline...it was nice to play, but the undercarriage looked pretty complex, and for a Keyless guitar it was pretty heavy.I know he also has a Williams uni now, but photos I've seen of him,shows he's still on the Kline.

Micky "scars" Byrne U.K.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 17 Sep 2015 1:23 pm

My Keyless Kline S12U is very compact, but it is also very heavy.

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 18 Sep 2015 6:37 am

I have been in love with Klines since my first convention. I'm not really sure why, but I have been. I got one of the little booklets they use to give out and I would look at it and study it for hours. But at the time I had a new wife and baby still in college, so there was no Kline in my near future. Now that my children are grown and we are some what successful and I can afford any guitar I want, there is no kline to be had.

I know there are a lot of good guitars out there, I have owned and still own some of them. But none light my fire like that first Kline I saw. I can't wait to see how Sonny's kline project turns out. Who know I may find one and need some pointers on how to put it back together.

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 19 Sep 2015 6:47 am

By the way, I still have that Kline booklet after all these years. Is that sad or what?

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 19 Sep 2015 10:43 am

Hey Bob,,,,reading your post makes me think I'm looking in the mirror,,,,,,a person doesn't have to own a Kline to be impressed by them. I would LOVE to have a copy of that booklet!!!! Several things I'd like to share with you that you might be interested in. My email is sojen1 at gmail dot com

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 21 Sep 2015 5:32 am

Sonny You've got mail.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 21 Sep 2015 7:40 am

Played the Kline on my gig Sat night.
'Great fun to play this instrument!

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 21 Sep 2015 3:10 pm

Here is the cover of the booklet I mentioned. Some of you may remember it. I think it may be close to 40 years old.

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 21 Sep 2015 3:58 pm

Very Cool!!! Bob,,,did you get my email? Wonder who the picker is?

I'm told that my guitar (#4047) was "born" in Aug of '82, and was sold to , believe it or not, Mr. Roy Thomas (builder of Pedalmaster Guitars and active in several other brands).

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 21 Sep 2015 5:56 pm

Sonny I got your email. I've often wondered who the player was. Maybe someone will know. I always thought the cover was cool, or maybe it was just that cool Kline on the cover.

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 29 Sep 2015 12:00 pm

Well plan "A" on restoring to original color did,'t work out,,,so,,going to translucent black,,,transtint dye in ebony color. Took as much green off as I was comfortable with,,,allowed as much dye (not stain) to soak in as needed (maybe too much) Need to clean bleed through off of MOP before clear coat,,,,,,now trying to decide what kind of clear coat,,,polyurethane, lacquer (nitro/acrylic?) or 2 part auto clear coat,,,???

Ross Shafer · Post by **Ross Shafer** » 29 Sep 2015 2:24 pm

Nitro-cellulose lacquer baby! It's the right thing to do....and a Kline deserves it. It's easy to use if you go by the rules. The hardest part is waiting 3 weeks before sanding and polish.

From the looks of it, you could do a bit of sanding on the black stain to help the figure pop more and have more of a transparent black look. I'm guessing the black will pretty much obscure any remaining green.

Lot's of work there Sonny. Good job!!

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 29 Sep 2015 3:50 pm

WOW! I've never seen a Kline, well, so naked. I'm with Ross on the sanding to help the figure pop. But, If you've gone this far, you know more about what your doing than I would.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 29 Sep 2015 8:05 pm

Is that Joe's brother Jimmy playing in the pic? He used to stop out once and awhile and sit in for a set so I could bother gals in the club.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 29 Sep 2015 8:15 pm

"I've heard that it's very hard to change the copedent on a Kline, compared to conventional all-pull guitars. True?"

Joe changed a pull on a knee lever for me. Took him 5 minutes!

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 30 Sep 2015 4:38 am

John I don't know who the player is in the picture. I was hoping someone else would know. I know I would never try to make a change on a Kline after looking under the hood. It's scary!

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 30 Sep 2015 5:58 am

Look at these similarities,,,,the comb that holds the changer axle,,,the yokes,,,,the end plate stops,,,etc.

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=290626

almost looks as if Joe got some ideas from Zane,,,,then Zane got some ideas from Joe (keyless system on future built BMIs). Do great minds think alike? Regardless,,,the world wound up with two acknowledged great sounding, out of the box, non-cookie cutter design steel guitars, both much sought after today.

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 30 Sep 2015 9:56 am

Well I've taken the advise, lightened it up a little,,very difficult without getting too "blotchy". Have 4-5 coats of nitro,,,,speaking of nitrocellulose,,,I was in Home Depot for tack rags,,saw a spray can of "clear wood finish",,,brought it home and compared the ingredients to StewMac nitro guitar finish,,,Exactly the same!!! This stuff is the "flattest" so far,,,no noticeable orange peel at all,,,maybe as it builds it will be more???

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 30 Sep 2015 3:05 pm

looking good! I like it.

steve takacs · Post by **steve takacs** » 30 Sep 2015 3:39 pm

Sonny, I admire you for taking on this challenge. That's gonna end up looking and being one fine steel. stevet

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 30 Sep 2015 3:44 pm

Thanks guys,,,it's really starting to look a LOT better now,,,4-5 more coats on it,,,starting to get that glass look!

Steve,,did you get my email?