Kline Owners-Stand and Be Counted

[Alan Cook]

Kline sounds great. I like how the camera man points the camera in the wrong place most of the time!

Alan

[Alan Cook]

https://youtu.be/98zz0GLAgJE

[Jon Jaffe]

Nice picking Alan. I have never seen strings tucked in like that. I guess it's shirt out and strings in.

[Alan Cook]

Thanks Jon
I tuck the strings in to stop them stabbing you when you pick the guitar up. Not sure about the shirt!!

[Alan Cook]

[Alan Cook]

Jeff Newman actually recorded this woodshed on a kline according to his information at the start of the study book. Anyway here is my attempt

https://youtu.be/AR-FBWq_7q0

[Alan Cook]

https://youtu.be/8Y6jX6z9VPc

Alan

[Daniel Morris]

My Kline U12.
#4060 from 1984.
Black mica.
8 + 5. Pedal 8 added by Joe Kline.
Alumitone pickup added by Rick Troyer.

Took me a little getting used to, but now I prefer keyless.

And this through my Dr. Z Surgical Steel?
Look. Out.

[Alan Cook]

https://youtu.be/hLc99CAom38

Ps

Joe Kline has most parts in stock if anyone wants his email please pm me.

Alan

[William Seeders Mosheim]

Proud new owner of Kline #3983! I got this steel in a trade from a close friend who purchased it new in 1978, played it for a number of years on the road with Judy Collins and some years after. He went back completely to banjo and it sat in the case for most of its life. Other than a couple minor repairs needed, re-glue some aluminum trim, and a leg thread socket being a little loose (threads in end plate are fine just the thread stud moving in the leg) it's in almost brand new condition. Barely any wear on the pedals! Using the serial number it's #29 (the 30th Joe made counting the prototype) so it's a very low number.

It sounds fantastic and it plays like a dream. This is my first extended E9 guitar and first experience with a Kline in person. I'm blown away by the accuracy and stability of it as a whole. The engineering he put into these steels is top notch and I'm a big fan already. I have a feeling it will become one of my main steels I put on stage, if not #1.

It's a classic black formica with a copedent designed by Winnie Winston. Thinking of swapping the E's to the left to match my other guitars. I emailed Joe about some parts to do so but haven't heard back from him yet. I may just leave it as is as I'm adjusting to it just fine. Totally in love with my new Kline!

[Mike DiAlesandro]

Proud new owner of Kline #3983! I got this steel in a trade from a close friend who purchased it new in 1978, played it for a number of years on the road with Judy Collins and some years after. He went back completely to banjo and it sat in the case for most of its life. Other than a couple minor repairs needed, re-glue some aluminum trim, and a leg thread socket being a little loose (threads in end plate are fine just the thread stud moving in the leg) it's in almost brand new condition. Barely any wear on the pedals! Using the serial number it's #29 (the 30th Joe made counting the prototype) so it's a very low number.

It sounds fantastic and it plays like a dream. This is my first extended E9 guitar and first experience with a Kline in person. I'm blown away by the accuracy and stability of it as a whole. The engineering he put into these steels is top notch and I'm a big fan already. I have a feeling it will become one of my main steels I put on stage, if not #1.

It's a classic black formica with a copedent designed by Winnie Winston. Thinking of swapping the E's to the left to match my other guitars. I emailed Joe about some parts to do so but haven't heard back from him yet. I may just leave it as is as I'm adjusting to it just fine. Totally in love with my new Kline!

Congratulations, and thanks for the story. I am a big fan of Klines, and live in the county (Portage) where they were built. If you are a Facebook guy, I have a Kline group you might be interested in checking out, and Joe Kline is a member. .

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/NRcpsgD4vXo8iNEt/

[William Seeders Mosheim]

Thanks, Mike! I believe I just joined that group. Maybe I'll make a post there and see if Joe bites. I'm sure he'll get back to me at some point and I'm in no rush. I can always make the parts myself as I'm a machinist but would much prefer to get originals from him if possible. These Klines really are special instruments!

[Alan Cook]

Hi William

Your Kline looks great my black universal is 3993 so 10 after your guitar was made. Sometimes it does take Joe a while to reply so hang in there. Here is a YouTube video of mine.

Alan.

https://youtu.be/xkuURW2_CfU?si=pZarb4wdPaLOGuf1

[William Seeders Mosheim]

Great sounding steel, Alan!

I did hear back from Joe yesterday. He informed me he had a flood a couple years ago and has very little parts available now unfortunately and most are salt water stained. Really just need a few rods though so hopefully can get what I need. Being a machinist and fabricator myself I'm overdue to start making my own parts anyway though. A friend has been bugging to to do just that for his old Marlens for a while now so it's probably about due time. I build banjos for my day job when I'm not on the stage and currently in the process of building a new machine shop. Planning to setup a pedal steel specific bench finally!

[Alan Cook]

Thanks William

I’ve been working on the third Kline to be made 3955 I’ve made most of the parts so far vertical knee lever assembly and a few rods the split tuning rods are the hardest to make but I only have a basic work shop. Parts off Joe are the best. Banjos sound good my friend is a keen banjo man.

Alan.

[Dwight Lewis]

Does anyone know of anyone that can make these pull rods for the Klines? Or who might have parts for these. I have an S12 7p5kn.

Dwight

[Jim Reynolds]

I would like to say, I have Jeff's Kline. I also have a White Kline. They are both U-12's. White plays beautiful, but Jeff's I have a problem. It has been changed from Jeff's Day, to Emmons, so I cannot get the C#'s all tuned. I get one tuned, another is out, I tune it, and another goes out. Being a Universal it has 4 C#'s on it. The A & C pedals are on the same screw, but A goes in, C is out. adjust to put C in, A is out. put string 9 in, an pedal A goes out on string 4 goes out on both A & C pedals go out.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Hey Jim. Good to see you here. Best of luck getting your guitar straightened out.

Hopefully someone here can give you guidance working out the issues on your Kline.

[William Seeders Mosheim]

Any chance someone has a Kline with a fairly standard Emmons copedent and can post a photo of the undercarriage of their steel for me? I'm in the process of swapping my E's from right to left knee. I have to make some parts to do so and I have a solid plan for routing all the rods and swivels but I'm just curious how Joe may have routed some of the rods and swivels for these changes. The S12's can get pretty tight and I know it'll all fit, would just love to avoid some trial and error if possible.

[Jon Jaffe]

I'm not sure you want a photo of the undercarriage. I think you want the end plate section. Here is my plate layout for my 1983 Kline U12. Notice that some lowers are on the middle row. Some raises are also on the middle row, as that can be for a raise and a lower, depending on which side of the changer finger you hook the rod onto. I would be most comfortable discussing this in a phone conversation or FaceTime where you can look at my guitar and see how the rods are attached. PM me with your PH# and I'll call.

Kline2.jpg

Kline.jpg

[William Seeders Mosheim]

Thanks Jon! I'll send a PM.

[William Seeders Mosheim]

Does anyone know of anyone that can make these pull rods for the Klines? Or who might have parts for these. I have an S12 7p5kn.

Dwight

I'm in the process of making rods and swivels for mine and planning to make some extras. I'll send you a message, hopefully I can help you out!

[Jackie Anderson]

I have a lacquer S-10 for which I am in the market for a vertical knee lever assembly. For that matter, I would be in the market for someone to competently make and install that and rejigger an E9 3x5 copedent for me.

[Bruce Derr]

I have a lacquer S-10 for which I am in the market for a vertical knee lever assembly.

Me too! I have a mica S10 3x4. I'd love to put a vertical on it. I still have my old '78 S12, which has the vertical. Best vertical design ever.

I have never done much in the way of rodding on either of my Klines, but I did watch Joe Kline rerod my old one, back in the late '70s. He made it look easy!