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Topic: Gfi Ultra |
Eric OHara
From:
Peru, NY, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2022 1:34 am |
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GFI guitars are stellar. It’s nice to get gear that covers all the bases!! EO
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GFI S-10 Ultra (GFI II pickup)
Sho-Bud Super Pro (wood necks) w/BL Pickups
RQ Jones Retrofit
Beard Decophonic 57/ Fishman JD preamp
Goodrich 6122-R
Walrus Slotva Reverb, JHS Thunderbolt, ZVEX fuzz factory
Evans JE-200, RE-150
Peavey Nashville 112, 400
Keal Cases |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2022 5:01 pm
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| I have had my GFI SD10 for a week and have found it easy to get used to. I think I may want the LKL lever a little more to the right and shorten the throw some if possible. It is a great guitar! |
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Larry Dering
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 9 Jun 2022 6:43 am
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| I scored my 1st GFI Ultra SD10 4x5 last year and it's new! It has the GFI III pickup. At 1st I didn't like the tones and considered swapping it for a Lawrence 705. After some lengthy experiments with various amps and buffers, I finally landed on a quality tone I love. The action is as smooth as butter and it holds tuning perfectly. I'm very happy with this beautiful guitar. |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 9 Jun 2022 8:06 am
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| Me too Larry. It is not a problem but the LKL is a lttle far to the left. I love the action and the pickup. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 9 Jun 2022 8:58 am
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On the two Ultras that I've had, a D-10 and the current S-10 with pad, there is basically NO cabinet drop.
On the GFI III, it didn't "play well" with my Quilter amp. I had to make drastic EQ changes and even then I wasn't happy. By coincidence (with the L710) my EQ settings are the same as Travis Toy's in a promo he did for the amp. I had set what I wanted and later saw the promo video and his EQ settings.
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GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 9 Jun 2022 6:38 pm
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A few years ago GFI had keyless or keyed guitars listed on their site. Then they offered the 12 strings only in keyless. My Keyed Ultra S12 is Serial No. 1193. I bought it from a friend about 6 years ago. My GFI S12 Keyless is Serial No. 1042. I bought it it from a man in Ohio about 3 years ago.
When I was setting up my S12 Keyless a few months I ordered some Bell Cranks from GFI. And I had to get 7 hole Bell Cranks, They had no 6 hole Bell Cranks in stock. Both my guitars are all 6 hole, Except for a couple 7 hole Bell Cranks needed for certain pulls.
Mr. Stoner when I saw the picture of your guitar you posted, The first thing that caught my eye was it has all 7 hole Bell Cranks. They must have went to all 7 hole Bell Cranks to cut down on inventory and order fowl ups. |
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John Hyland
From:
South Australia
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Posted 10 Jun 2022 1:16 am Re: GFI Ultra
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| Jack Stoner wrote: |
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Jack is that foam block to stop rod rattle and would it have been part of the steel package? Also what are levers made out of. ? Thanks |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 10 Jun 2022 2:31 am
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To answer a couple questions.
The 7 hole bell cranks, from what I see on the web site is all that is offered. I don't know when they switched to 7 hole. The D-10 Ultra I had was a 2000 year model and it had 6 hole.
The foam block, I think, is a Billy Cooper added item. I bought the guitar (new) from Billy Cooper's and a note came with it that the foam is for rod noise.
Previously I had a used D-10 Ultra and the previous owner told me at one time it had been at Billy Cooper's and it too had the foam block added.
I don't know what the lever metal is.
_________________
GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2022 8:04 pm
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The GFI's Ultra knee lever is an Aluminum Extrusion Blank, That has been slotted and drilled on the end where attached and the lever adjustment screw installed. Then to me, Looks like it is powder coat painted and baked.
GFI's Knee levers are 1 does all. The steel base frame has stop screws on both sides. With the 2 holes and the brass bushing insert. It can be used for a Left or Right or Vertical direction. No Reversing Mechanism needed.
When I changing 1 of my GFI's Ultra's from E9th Ext. to Newman's Uni. I took the LKR and rearranged its parts to a LK Vertical lever. |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2022 7:13 am
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| Just my opinion, but I believe much of, (most of) the sustain this guitar has to offer comes from the changer and nut being mounted directly to the dieboard top. The changer and nut do not appear to be directly connected to the aluminum neck. That may also be where the abundance of low-end comes from. I have never had a steel guitar where I had to trim the lows as much. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 11 Jun 2022 11:15 am
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| Bill Duncan wrote: |
| Just my opinion, but I believe much of, (most of) the sustain this guitar has to offer comes from the changer and nut being mounted directly to the dieboard top. The changer and nut do not appear to be directly connected to the aluminum neck. That may also be where the abundance of low-end comes from. I have never had a steel guitar where I had to trim the lows as much. |
I don't recall you mentioning what pickup you have, if its the GFI III that is what was on my new guitar and it had way too much lows and even "boomy". I changed to a Lawrence L710 and got rid of the too much lows and have a more even tone.
_________________
GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2022 11:47 am
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| Thanks Jack. You are right about the boominess. I am going to change out the pickup. |
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Ron Pruter
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 12 Jun 2022 2:49 pm
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Bill, looks like it would be easy to move your L/L lever. You have adjustable screws on both sides of your lever. First consider just a tilt adgustment.
If you don't like the look of the tilt, you could instead, move the whole lever mount closer by drilling new holes closer to the changer. The rod will slide freely through the bell crank by loosening
the set center set screw in the connector.
To shorten travel, move the small brass connector holding the rod to the bell crank, one hole further away from the cross-shaft. Do this on all bell cranks on that shaft. RP
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Emmons SKH Le Grande, '73 Fender P/J bass, Tick tack bass, Regal high strung, USA Nashville 112. |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 12 Jun 2022 3:54 pm
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| Thanks, Ron. I have tilted the lever with the set screw and I plan to play it a while before I make any permanent move. The lever is a little further left than t am used to, but not serious. |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 12 Jun 2022 4:52 pm
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| One of the GFI Steels I have was bought through Billy Cooper's Shop by a friend of mine. It had a piece of foam surrounding the rods also when I got it. When I was working on some changes, I took it out and had no problem with the 3/32" stainless rods rattling, After I moved a couple bell cranks . It is laying on a shelf, So I can replace it if needed. |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 12 Jun 2022 5:34 pm
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| Bobby, mine does not have the foam either and I have no rattle or noise problems. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 13 Jun 2022 2:00 am
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Several years ago there were a couple of forum threads by a guy in Nashville with some GFI "mods" and one to help tame noise in rods. One was adding nylon washers to the ferule that holds the rod on a puller. I didn't have the problem, or at least enough, on the S-10 Expo to warrant adding the washers. There was enough response to his washer mod that says some did or at least thought they did.
I look at the foam as eliminating a "possibility" of noise.
My new Franklin came with a foam piece. Not as big as the Billy Cooper pad. I've seen other brands with foam pads, apparently factory added.
_________________
GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 13 Jun 2022 9:26 am
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| Jack Stoner wrote: |
| Several years ago there were a couple of forum threads by a guy in Nashville with some GFI "mods" and one to help tame noise in rods. One was adding nylon washers to the ferule that holds the rod on a puller. I didn't have the problem, or at least enough, on the S-10 Expo to warrant adding the washers. There was enough response to his washer mod that says some did or at least thought they did. |
Here is the thread:
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=251283
~Lee |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2022 11:33 am
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| I finally changed out the stock GFI pickup for a Wallace Trutone I bought several years ago and had never used. The stock pickup was OK, but there tended to be some boominess with the wound strings. The Trutone is a little brighter but no boominess. So far I have not had a hum problem with the Trutone. |
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Thomas Alexander
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 26 Jun 2022 11:17 pm
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| Bill Duncan wrote: |
| Bobby, mine does not have the foam either and I have no rattle or noise problems. |
I added a piece of foam to my GFI Expo rods. The guitar developed a bit of rod noise when it had around 2 years of playing on it. I think after some time the connections get broken in and just rattle a bit. I used open cell air conditioner weatherseal foam--the same stuff bassists cut and put under their strings as a mute. |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 27 Jun 2022 4:01 am
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| I know what you mean, Thomas. I use foam separators on my other guitar. I plan to add it to this one as well. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 27 Jun 2022 6:16 am
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Billy Cooper will probably sell a pre-cut foam block.
_________________
GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit |
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John Russell
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 8 Jul 2022 7:42 pm GFI pickup
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| I recently retrieved my GFI Ultra from a friend I’d loaned. Lots of tweaking done, now it’s my main squeeze. I installed a Wallace trutone and the difference was obvious—very pleasant. I’m happy with the tone and action of this guitar. It’s an S12U on a single cabinet, no pad. Just a couple of issues: with the changer it’s a little hard to seat the ball ends when changing strings. Also the Grover mini tuners don’t fit the small slot on string winders, the knobs are too “fat.” Mine have become pretty stiff and oil doesn’t help. I do love the aluminum legs keeping the guitar very light. I’d like to change tuners but I don’t know what would fit and getting a socket on the hex nut on strings 6 and 7 looks like a challenge. It likely explains why GFI only builds 12 strings with keyless tuners. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 9 Jul 2022 2:34 am Re: GFI pickup
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| John Russell wrote: |
| I recently retrieved my GFI Ultra from a friend I’d loaned. Lots of tweaking done, now it’s my main squeeze. I installed a Wallace trutone and the difference was obvious—very pleasant. I’m happy with the tone and action of this guitar. It’s an S12U on a single cabinet, no pad. Just a couple of issues: with the changer it’s a little hard to seat the ball ends when changing strings. Also the Grover mini tuners don’t fit the small slot on string winders, the knobs are too “fat.” Mine have become pretty stiff and oil doesn’t help. I do love the aluminum legs keeping the guitar very light. I’d like to change tuners but I don’t know what would fit and getting a socket on the hex nut on strings 6 and 7 looks like a challenge. It likely explains why GFI only builds 12 strings with keyless tuners. |
I didn't like the small knobs on the Grover tuners and the reason I bought the keyless model. But I'm having second thoughts on the keyless as its taking me twice to three times as long to change strings as a keyed model, and more tools needed.
The slot instead of a pin for the ball end is popular on many brands of steels. Although this is my third GFI, I still hassle with the ball end when changing strings. My wife is my "third hand" to hold the string ball end in place when changing strings.
_________________
GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 9 Jul 2022 4:01 am
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| The string slot on the changer is a bit of a problem. It seems a little far down and below the edge of the top surface. I don't have a problem with the Grovers. I am now a fan of GFI. They are very well thought out and built right. The factory pickup is not a favorite. |
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