Electric lap steel guitar

[Tod Gilding]

Hi All,
I am just researching my next build which will be something very different from my Acoustic guitars, I am going to have a go at an electric lap steel for myself, I can’t play one nor have I ever seen one in the flesh, but I think it may be a bit of fun to learn.
I am told that a lot of lap steels are played in C6 tuning but this gives a real Hawaiian sound and that an open E tuning would suit blues/rock better, can anyone comment on this?

Also the other thing that has me guessing is the scale length; I am told that the scale length has a bearing on the slide feel some like a trampoline and others like the strings very stiff. Any thoughts on this?

Also one of the electric builders may have some advice on the electronics , I have on hand a couple of Gibson humbuckers that I was thinking of using along with a 3 way selector , sort of a les Paul setup but with only one tone and one volume, any thoughts or advice would be appreciated .
Again with the electronics I was toying with the Idea of using a rotary switch to change between different capacitors to give me a range of tone, thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance

[jeffhigh]

I have a couple of vintage lap steels (well 4 actually)
You are right, they were intended to play in C6 originally, but I have mine in open E, open D and low base G
Because of the short scale length (about 22.5") they do tend to need quite big strings for these tunings
If I were building from scratch for open E or D I would probably go for 25" like a weissenborn.

I do not see any real need for anything besides a bridge pickup. With a neck pickup the sound will change dramatically as you slide towards it or over it. And just volume and tone, thats the way most were done.
A rotary switch as you suggest would work too.

[ozziebluesman]

Well Jeff has summed it up with good advice. I would go a 25" scale also as this scale creates the right tension under the tone bar for open D open G tuning. I built four solid lap steels before embarking on my first acoustic build. It was great fun and they where completely built by hand even cutting out the shape. Now that was a big job. Here is a pic of my first lappy with a 25" scale.

I have two students who own weissenborns that I am teaching to play so if you need some advice, tabs etc just let me know. I have built five weissenborns now and I love the instrument tone. Also I have many cds of slide players that I can put on a memory stick for you at anytime.

Cheers

Alan

[Tod Gilding]

Thanks for your advice Jeff,I didnt think of sliding with 2 buckers. 25" and one humbucker it will be, Thankyou.

where would I get strings for this beast would these do it ?

D'addario XL nickel wound EJ 22 these are .013 .017 .026W .036 .046 .056

Alan, I would say that lappy would have some sentimental value, it looks fantastic and your offers are very much appreciated, I believe I will take you up on those offers when I get it built, Thanks

[jeffhigh]

That set would work for you on a 25" scale for open E and for open D though you may find it feels better with a bigger top string for D a 15 or 16

[Geoff]

For more lap steel tuning information, Brad's Page of Steel is a goldmine: http://www.well.com/~wellvis/tuning.html
A lap steel is on my list of things to build now I have retired, very interested in your build.

[Jim Kirby]

lapsteel-front.JPG (101.93 KiB) Viewed 16396 times

Here's mine. Geometry is from the Supro plan obtained from Elderly. Tuners cost at least $10 US. Tele pickup assembly cost at least $15 (all the way from China, of course). Body is a piece of maple from the garage. fretboard is a piece of laminate with the fret positions gotten by sawing through the top black layer.

So, this one is an entry in someone's $30 and under contest.

[luke_lee]

I don't have any advice on the slide guitar but I have used a rotary switch for tone control in an electric I made.
I like the rotary switch tone control better than a standard pot arrangement, I think the caps I used were:
.22uf
.03uf
.01uf
.003uf
.001uf
by pass
The rotary switch was from Jay car
Hope this helps
Luke

[Tod Gilding]

Thanks Jeff I have a lot of odd strings hanging around, I should have a few 15 & 16 amongst them so no problem there.

Geoff Thanks for that link, some good info there, Thank you, If you’re planning on e yourself, then this may help http://www.buildyourguitar.com/books/eb ... e_full.pdf

Jim, That looks like the type of thing I’m going for and mine looks like being a cheapy as well, I have everything that I need ( Almost ) Laying around
Luke, Thanks also, I have a ton of Caps around the shop and I was Thinking about getting the lappy playing first and then use a Alligator clip to connect different caps until I find an assortment that I like, I’ll use the 022 and 047 for sure and add another couple.

[Tod Gilding]

Just a quick update on the lappy.
armed with advice from Jeffhigh and ozziebluesman, Alan, I decided to make a prototype and work it from there, but it seems to be coming along ok,the prototype may be it. I only have get some wiring worked out over the next couple of days and I should be trying to play it. I may even qualify for the Jim Kirby $30 contest

Check out the Bullet Fret Markers, Took a very steady aim to get those in the right place

[Gazm]

Annie Oakley eat your heart out!!.......Dead eye Dick is back in town!!!!! nice grouping there Tod & I'm liking your original thought out build.
Once you've strung her up, any chance of a demo on that lappy jobby

Gaz

[jeffhigh]

Hmmm...
One pickup, a switch, and 4 knobs, what's the plan?

[Tod Gilding]

Hmmm...
One pickup, a switch, and 4 knobs, what's the plan?

Someone had to spot that, didnt they Jeff

It may have piezo disks under the bridge (or Somewhere )( If they Work OK ) So that would be 1 tone 1 vol for Magnetic and same for piezo, 3 way selector for Mag/ Mag, Piezo/ Piezo

if I can get a suitable piezo tone then one of my valve preamps will also be installed and with the humbucker (which is suitable (a bit like a EMG ) ) it will become an all active pickup system ....well that's the plan, at worst I will end up with unused pots and will call it future proofing.

[ckngumbo]

What a sweet looking guitar.

[Tod Gilding]

All Finished, and an update for anyone interested.

I didn’t bother with any further photo’s as it looks the same except for strings.

My Idea of positioning piezo disks and switching with the 3 way toggle didn’t work, I couldn’t find a position for the piezo’s that sounded the way that I wanted so therefore the toggle is not used, also no need for a preamp so it ended up just a passive bucker with 1 tone and 1 volume.
But at least it was a good learning curve and I am very happy with the tone it sounds fantastic, I am thinking that could be due to the heavy strings.
Now I need to learn how to play it, the tuning is open E that’s E B E G# B e.

Thanks For all the help and advice.

[slowlearner]

I just swapped my lapsteel over to C6 last night from EBEG#be. I've got freakin idea where anything anymore...

Oh well, back to the woodshed I guess.

[P Bill]

Nice looking steel Tod. I've wanted to play one for awhile but I'm just starting to make headway on the instruments I already play.

I keep waiting for someone to build a Gitsteel. Jr Brown is one of the greats and can't be heard on the radio. He ties together all the best Texas / C&W vocal, string and writing traditions with blues , Hendrix , surf and rock and roll. And he invented the Gitsteel.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1bQfZCrhYU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRMNeoaosQw