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fretman_2 · January 21st, 2013, 02:22 PM

That Jackson Browne tune with David Lindley on lap steel made me want to build this thing. This is my relic lap steel...22.5" scale with a left over Strat pup, angle aluminum for nut and bridge, and #4 round head screws as position markers. I wanted it to look somewhat like it's been at a flea market, or come out of someone's attic. I used Radio Shack etchant to patina the hardware. It worked great with the exception of the chrome knobs...gotta use something else for those. Anyway...here are some pics. It sounds wonderful...I can't play it properly, but it sounds wonderful.

Rich Rice · January 21st, 2013, 02:39 PM

Like this one lot!

RogerC · January 21st, 2013, 02:43 PM

That's great! Just my kind of build

crazydave911 · January 21st, 2013, 03:23 PM

Good job Bill, I like your bridge

. I noticed how you had it strung, do you have it in open E? If you get to wanting to play around with tunings and want strings tailored to them, check out juststrings.com. They're great folks and can sell you hard to find string sets for very reasonable prices

. How does the strat pup sound?
Sorry about all the questions, well done

fretman_2 · January 21st, 2013, 05:02 PM

Yea Dave...open E. The Strat pup sounds very good to my ears...very full...not shrill at all. The short scale length probably has a lot to do with that. Plenty of drive to get a little amp break up too. I used 250K pots.

The bridge is similar to the LPJR wrap around bridge...but uses a half wooden dowel for the 'around' part.

No problem with the questions...glad your asking!!

The main issue, after attempting to do volume swells, is that I have the volume and tone knobs too close together. I'll also put the pup closer to the end of the fretboard next time too. Will also make some slight mods to the head stock shape to get the lower and upper E strings more inline with the tuners. The rest of the build works great ergonomically...but I really have very little knowledge of these beast.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazydave911

Good job Bill, I like your bridge

. I noticed how you had it strung, do you have it in open E? If you get to wanting to play around with tunings and want strings tailored to them, check out juststrings.com. They're great folks and can sell you hard to find string sets for very reasonable prices

. How does the strat pup sound?
Sorry about all the questions, well done

fretman_2 · January 21st, 2013, 05:03 PM

Thanks Rich and Roger!!!!

Picton · January 21st, 2013, 05:32 PM

Cool. But I can't help but think it'd be easier to play if you hadn't fastened that weathervane to the headstock.

Tim Armstrong · January 21st, 2013, 05:57 PM

Very cool!

crazydave911 · January 21st, 2013, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fretman_2

The main issue, after attempting to do volume swells, is that I have the volume and tone knobs too close together

I have a similar issue as well

Quote:

Will also make some slight mods to the head stock shape to get the lower and upper E strings more inline with the tuners

Yeh, I kinda sucked on this myself

Bentley · January 21st, 2013, 07:07 PM

I'm assuming this is for slide, so those dot markers are sick!

whodatpat · January 21st, 2013, 07:19 PM

I think it looks cool as hell. But, doesn't that weather vain get in the way?

kwerk · January 21st, 2013, 07:34 PM

I think it could be useful if you play with people playing wind instruments, they'll know which direction to land.

seriously though, nice job. I like the way the knobs look different in different lights too.

As far as the fret marker question, yup, slide is how a lap steel is played. It's why frets are optional, most just use lines as done here.

mgdesigns · January 21st, 2013, 07:56 PM

Love it - reminds me of when a neighbor let me use his late 40's Rickenbacker lap steel for about 2 months (when Running on Empty was on the charts). Big old horseshoe magnet pickup. Well done.

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Name: rick-lap.jpg
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Size: 11.2 KB

Tom Pettingill · January 21st, 2013, 07:57 PM

Great Job! ... I like it a lot!

fretman_2 · January 21st, 2013, 09:24 PM

OK...I promise to do that on the next build...LOL.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Picton

Cool. But I can't help but think it'd be easier to play if you hadn't fastened that weathervane to the headstock.

fretman_2 · January 21st, 2013, 09:24 PM

Yea Bentley...slide (tone bar) only.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bentley

I'm assuming this is for slide, so those dot markers are sick!

fretman_2 · January 21st, 2013, 09:26 PM

I have to be careful talking about wind at my house...especially after a couple of bowls of chili!

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwerk

I think it could be useful if you play with people playing wind instruments, they'll know which direction to land.

seriously though, nice job. I like the way the knobs look different in different lights too.

As far as the fret marker question, yup, slide is how a lap steel is played. It's why frets are optional, most just use lines as done here.

fretman_2 · January 21st, 2013, 09:27 PM

Thanks so much man!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgdesigns

Love it - reminds me of when a neighbor let me use his late 40's Rickenbacker lap steel for about 2 months (when Running on Empty was on the charts). Big old horseshoe magnet pickup. Well done.

Attachment 162535

fretman_2 · January 21st, 2013, 09:28 PM

Thanks Tom...that means a lot...your lap steels are works of art!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Pettingill

Great Job! ... I like it a lot!

thumbpick · January 21st, 2013, 09:37 PM

good job..bin thinkin of building one..are they all the same scale?

January 21st, 2013, 02:22 PM	#1 (permalink)
fretman_2 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: May 2011 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 1,807 86 Photos	"Honey Let Me Introduce You To My Red Neck Friend" That Jackson Browne tune with David Lindley on lap steel made me want to build this thing. This is my relic lap steel...22.5" scale with a left over Strat pup, angle aluminum for nut and bridge, and #4 round head screws as position markers. I wanted it to look somewhat like it's been at a flea market, or come out of someone's attic. I used Radio Shack etchant to patina the hardware. It worked great with the exception of the chrome knobs...gotta use something else for those. Anyway...here are some pics. It sounds wonderful...I can't play it properly, but it sounds wonderful. __________________ Please like my Facebook page at...http://www.facebook.com/DeltaGuitarWorks Visit my music and songwriting page at...https://www.facebook.com/TheWildwoodSessions

January 21st, 2013, 02:39 PM	#2 (permalink)
Rich Rice Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago 'Burbs Age: 58 Posts: 6,575 11 Photos	Like this one lot! __________________ When I grow up, I'm gonna be just like me.

January 21st, 2013, 02:43 PM	#3 (permalink)
RogerC Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Oklahoma Age: 40 Posts: 3,151	That's great! Just my kind of build __________________ "The difference is that you're crazy like Nicolai Tesla and I'm more like the guy who sniffs paint and rides his bike down the middle of the road" - Me to Crazydave911

January 21st, 2013, 03:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
crazydave911 Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: East Tennessee Age: 53 Posts: 6,991 2 Photos	Good job Bill, I like your bridge . I noticed how you had it strung, do you have it in open E? If you get to wanting to play around with tunings and want strings tailored to them, check out juststrings.com. They're great folks and can sell you hard to find string sets for very reasonable prices . How does the strat pup sound? Sorry about all the questions, well done __________________ "No trees were harmed in the creation of this message, however some electrons were temporarily inconvenienced." My Facebook

January 21st, 2013, 05:03 PM	#6 (permalink)
fretman_2 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: May 2011 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 1,807 86 Photos	Thanks Rich and Roger!!!! __________________ Please like my Facebook page at...http://www.facebook.com/DeltaGuitarWorks Visit my music and songwriting page at...https://www.facebook.com/TheWildwoodSessions

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January 21st, 2013, 05:32 PM	#7 (permalink)
Picton Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Reading, Massachusetts Age: 38 Posts: 1,850	Cool. But I can't help but think it'd be easier to play if you hadn't fastened that weathervane to the headstock. __________________ M Dixon Reading, MA

January 21st, 2013, 05:57 PM	#8 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Super Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Austin, Texas Age: 53 Posts: 18,815	Very cool!

January 21st, 2013, 07:07 PM	#10 (permalink)
Bentley Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Kelowna B.C, Canada Age: 15 Posts: 2,628	I'm assuming this is for slide, so those dot markers are sick! __________________ -BB I like guitars. You can make anything you want, and make it the way you want. That's what I love.

January 21st, 2013, 07:19 PM	#11 (permalink)
whodatpat Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: College Park MD Age: 41 Posts: 1,327	I think it looks cool as hell. But, doesn't that weather vain get in the way? __________________ I do all my own mistakes. My Guitar Page

January 21st, 2013, 07:34 PM	#12 (permalink)
kwerk Friend of Leo's Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: New Zealand Posts: 3,883	I think it could be useful if you play with people playing wind instruments, they'll know which direction to land. seriously though, nice job. I like the way the knobs look different in different lights too. As far as the fret marker question, yup, slide is how a lap steel is played. It's why frets are optional, most just use lines as done here. __________________ *Phil* I'm full of dust and guitars - Syd Barrett

January 21st, 2013, 07:56 PM	#13 (permalink)
mgdesigns Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Franklin, TN Age: 60 Posts: 2,381 4 Photos	Love it - reminds me of when a neighbor let me use his late 40's Rickenbacker lap steel for about 2 months (when Running on Empty was on the charts). Big old horseshoe magnet pickup. Well done. __________________ MGDESIGNS - Custom Hand Engraving Shopsmith '55 Greenie (now with 1990 headstock), ROSS, PC router, Craftsman router, assorted hand tools. Maker of Exquisite Kindling & Sawdust

January 21st, 2013, 07:57 PM	#14 (permalink)
Tom Pettingill Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: California Posts: 477	Great Job! ... I like it a lot! __________________ Some misc pics of lap steels I've built

January 21st, 2013, 09:37 PM	#20 (permalink)
thumbpick Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: somewhereville Age: 43 Posts: 1,337	good job..bin thinkin of building one..are they all the same scale?

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