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Topic: GFI Pedal Steels |
John McClung
From:
Olympia WA, USA
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Posted 26 Jan 2016 6:56 pm |
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How thick are GFI crossrods?
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E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net |
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Jack Wilson
From:
Marshfield, MO
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Posted 27 Jan 2016 5:12 pm cross rod
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| 1/4" |
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Jim Priebe
From:
Queensland, Australia - R.I.P.
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Posted 27 Jan 2016 5:33 pm
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By 'crossrod' I take it you mean 'cross shaft' (John) as you seem to be looking for substitute cranks.
All my GFI's are 5/16' square. The latest GFI cranks are 7 hole with L or R mount/clamp to fit 5/16 square.
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Priebs GFI ('09)Short-Uni10. GFI ('96)Short-Uni SD11. ('86)JEM U12
www.steelguitardownunder.com |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 27 Jan 2016 10:48 pm GFI Pedal Steel
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| My GFI Has 5/16 Square Cross rods. I bought it used not sure of the year it was made. It has 6 hole Bell Cranks. A 7 hole would help on some pulls. |
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Scott Duckworth
From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
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Posted 28 Jan 2016 3:27 am
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I bet if you call GFI, they will sell you the parts... they sold me a knee lever kit.
Very easy guitars to work on.
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Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it
I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus! |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2016 10:55 pm GFI Pedal Steel
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| I bought a GFI S12U ULTRA second hand. Started playing it about 2 months ago. Had to change from Nashville to Day set up, Had to change D&F levers from left to right knee, Got pedals and levers timed. Every time I sit down and play it, The more I like it. Just getting comfortable with the change of levers. Got the E9 side back, Now to the B6 and adventure for sure. A lot lighter than my old S10. E-mailed GFI, I had a question, They E-mailed an answer back the next day. That's service. |
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Emmett Roch
From:
Texas Hill Country
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Posted 31 Jan 2016 11:15 am
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I've been playing my second GFI since 1999. It's been to almost every state and several European countries, been dropped, thrown, etc and has NEVER let me down.
It started life as an S-12, but years ago I dropped the three bottom strings (and their accompanying hardware), both to save on freight charges at those European airports and the fact that nobody I worked for did much swinging. It has worked for me for a long time and a ton of miles.
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On Earth, as it is in Texas |
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Kevin Maki
From:
Trimountain,MI. U.S.A.
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Posted 3 Feb 2016 5:44 am Gfi
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I've been playing a GFI S10 "ULTRA" for over four years,and it's been a great guitar ! Broke only one string during that time. Great tone,and lightweight.
Mine has the stock GFI 11 pickup. I think it sounds good,but does anyone suggest a different one ?
I also read someone's post awhile back about replacing the original 1/4" jack for louder output.
Any thoughts ?
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Mullen Sd10 PRP,Peavey Powerslide,Quilter Steelaire amp,Nashville 400 amp,Hilton
volume pedal. |
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Georg Sørtun
From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
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Posted 3 Feb 2016 6:06 am Re: Gfi
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| Kevin Maki wrote: |
I also read someone's post awhile back about replacing the original 1/4" jack for louder output.
Any thoughts ? |
Replacing it with what???
The jack is a passive component, and unless one experiences contact-problems that cannot be fixed with a clean-up there's nothing to gain (pun intended) by replacing it. |
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Kevin Maki
From:
Trimountain,MI. U.S.A.
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Posted 3 Feb 2016 6:58 am Gfi
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Exactly...If I remember he said he replaced it with a Switchcraft jack. I think it was a Youtube video where he was trying to sell his GFI. Good pun !
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Mullen Sd10 PRP,Peavey Powerslide,Quilter Steelaire amp,Nashville 400 amp,Hilton
volume pedal. |
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Georg Sørtun
From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
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Posted 3 Feb 2016 7:48 am Re: Gfi
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| Kevin Maki wrote: |
| If I remember he said he replaced it with a Switchcraft jack. |
Good switch (as there are some really good Switchcraft jacks), but still nothing to gain 
| Kevin Maki wrote: |
| I think it was a Youtube video where he was trying to sell his GFI. |
Mmmm, I've been contemplating giving away mine ... not because it doesn't sound good and have good mechanics, but because the strings hang (hysteresis) on the bolt GFI have replaced the nut-rollers with on it. |
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Stephen Rethmeier
From:
Nashville TN
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Posted 7 Feb 2016 8:43 pm
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So I have a GFI Ultra with a GFI III pick up. I really love the mechanics, very smooth and easy to play. I also have a 90s Carter Pro with a George L E-66 pick up and I prefer the Carter tone over the GFI. I see that some have changed out the GFI pick up, but not that many. That surprises me because it sometimes sounds like icepicks in my ears. I've played it through a variety of amps and it has never sounded as good as the Carter. I got a Black Box and it sounds a little better, but not much. What am I missing? Is there a pick up that I can drop in that will roll off the highs and give me some ear love?
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Williams S12 Ext. E9 keyless, Williams S12 Ext. E9 keyed, Telonics TCA 500C, Quilter Steelaire, Magic Fender clone, 1937 Model 59 Rick 6, 1940 Epiphone 7-string Zephyr, Oahu 6, 8+/- regular guitars, Kawai baby grand, two cats... |
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Georg Sørtun
From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
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Posted 7 Feb 2016 11:44 pm
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| Stephen Rethmeier wrote: |
| [...]I see that some have changed out the GFI pick up, but not that many. That surprises me because it sometimes sounds like icepicks in my ears. I've played it through a variety of amps and it has never sounded as good as the Carter. I got a Black Box and it sounds a little better, but not much. What am I missing? Is there a pick up that I can drop in that will roll off the highs and give me some ear love? |
My "cure" for the GFI's characteristic "icepick" attack-sound - which I like by the way, is to use a BOSS LMB-3 as buffer. The LMB-3 lets me tune the GFI - and just about any other PSG for that matter - for the characteristics I want.
Now, why does a GFI have the "icepick" sound in some settings and not in others? My testing says that it is mainly because the way it is built - with a thin soundboard in a frame. Compare playing a GFI under these two conditions...
1: Playing/practicing with relative low amp-volumes at home means there's little feedback from the speaker, which means the GFI's attack-sound is loud whereafter it quickly drops to its lower sustain-level. If one compensates for this drop with the Volume Pedal, the following pick-attack cuts through - like an "icepick" - unless one masters a perfect "gutting" technique on the VP and/or pick further away from the bridge.
2: Playing on stage with higher amp-volumes and - consequently - much stronger feedback from the speaker ... the GFI's attack-sound is still loud, but because its soundboard is easily excited by the feedback it sustains at a much higher level and there's no need to compensate for the characteristic fall in level with the Volume Pedal.
A GFI can, and will, sound "round and warm" and "sustain forever" under the right conditions and with the right playing techniques, almost regardless of what PU that's on it. What the LMB-3 as buffer does, is to kind of "modify the conditions to optimally suit the instrument". My GFI Ultra does not in any way sound or sustain like my heavy Dekleys when "uncompensated", but it sure can fool my ears pretty well when the LMB-3 is dialed in for it and the conditions it gets played under ... loud (stage) volumes = low sustain settings, and low (practice) volumes = higher settings ... and it rolls off the most "icepicky" highs when turned on.
Some call the use of an LMB-3 "cheating" - probably because that infamous, and cheap, unit is called a "limiter". It works for me to get the sound(s) I want on all my PSGs though, and it sure beats having to run around in circles for the "right" PU, the "right" buffer, the "right" amp and amp-settings, etc. |
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Stephen Rethmeier
From:
Nashville TN
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Posted 8 Feb 2016 7:31 am
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| Georg Sørtun wrote: |
My "cure" for the GFI's characteristic "icepick" attack-sound - which I like by the way, is to use a BOSS LMB-3 as buffer. The LMB-3 lets me tune the GFI - and just about any other PSG for that matter - for the characteristics I want. |
Georg, thanks for taking the time for such a detailed response. I'll look into this option as well.
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Williams S12 Ext. E9 keyless, Williams S12 Ext. E9 keyed, Telonics TCA 500C, Quilter Steelaire, Magic Fender clone, 1937 Model 59 Rick 6, 1940 Epiphone 7-string Zephyr, Oahu 6, 8+/- regular guitars, Kawai baby grand, two cats... |
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Paul Carie
From:
Washington, IN USA
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Posted 14 Jan 2019 7:20 pm
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| in my 50 some years of playing I alwas played Emmons and Dekley.Now I play a GFIexpo x1and love it.Sounds as good as any of the ones i had witch were indorsment gjitars.Worked Nashville several years: Paycheck,Wesley riles,Jenny Pruet,Charley McCoy,Hugh X lewis, Stan hitchcox,back in the 70s and 80s..thanks Jeff for a fine guitar..And was a B and C sesson player.. |
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Joe Krumel
From:
Hermitage, Tn.
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Posted 16 Jan 2019 7:00 am GFI Steels
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| I've owned a S-10 Ultra keyless for many years. More guitar than my talent deserves! Would recommend to anyone at any level.Service from GFI is above and beyond. Joe. |
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Leo Grassl
From:
Madison TN
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Posted 16 Jan 2019 6:57 pm
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| Agreed. The service from Bob at GFI was more than I would ever ask of any builder. He went as said before in this thread "above and beyond". And the guitar I had was a killer. Wish I'd kept it. I bought it used and even though I didn't get it directly from GFI he was right there to help as if I had. |
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Jay Coover
From:
Seattle, WA, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2019 7:27 pm
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I went from a Carter Starter to an S-10 Expo. I won't over-explain that to you.
Not bashing the Carter, it helped me realize what I ultimately wanted, which I wouldn't have known without it.
I was always a Fender guy anyway. Thanks Gene!
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GFI Expo S-10 3x5
Goodrich 120 |
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Jack Hargraves
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 19 Jan 2019 11:20 am Gfi
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I bought my S 10 W/pad in November, 2011 and it just keeps getting better.
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GFI Expo SD10, Nashville 112, Steelers choice Pak-a- seat, Carter vol. pedal, Stage one vol. pedal, Peavey Deltafex. Goodrich volume pedal. |
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Tim Howard
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 4 Jan 2021 1:47 pm
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I have just purchased a GFI Professional single body 10 string 3 x 4.
The guitar was built in 1995 and is essentially an ULTRA with a Bracus Berry pickup and milled alloy bell cranks (very similar to the parts on an old MCI 12 string I used to own).
It is in absoloute mint condition.
The barcus Berry pickup sounds OK but later in the week I'm taking delivery of a George L's E66 pickup.
I'm hoping that will beef things up a little as the tone at the moment is a bit reedy to say the least.
I've also ordered a vertical knee lever kit from GFI so I'll be fitting that at the same time as the pickup. May be looking for tips/help re that.
I'll post some "before" and "after" links to the new and old pickups when the new one is installed.
This is my second GFI, my first one being a D10 ULTRA which I sold in a moment of madness several years ago!
This is the new guitar
and this is the one I sold like a dumb ass!
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GFI professional (Ultra), Quilter Tone Block 202, Kustom defender 112 cab with Eminence Travis Toy 112, Boss Katana 100, Goodrich H120, Fender Telecaster, Dobro D60, Stelling Sunflower |
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