Howdy decibel! Here's a partial thread about a partial build:
https://www.tdpri.com/threads/first-time-lap-steel-build.1065997/
Good luck with yours!
https://www.tdpri.com/threads/first-time-lap-steel-build.1065997/
Good luck with yours!
Building a Lap Steel
- Thread starter decibel
- Start date
guitar_paul1
Tele-Afflicted
Here are a couple of ideas that were helpful to me when I built mine if you are designing from scratch:
(I built an experimental one with 12 strings and a 27" scale just to see if it could be done).
Get a vernier caliper that reads down to 0.001" and you can lay out frets for any scale length. Just take the scale length and multiply successively by 0.94387 to determine fret locations measured to the bridge. (.94387 multiplied by itself 12 times is .5)
Make sure the break angle over the nut and down to the tuners is sufficient that the strings don't rattle.
If your tuners are located so the string pull is in a straight line you can get by with much less notching on the nut.
Before you rout for the pickup, build a little jig to suspend it upside down over the strings and experiment with where you want the pickup to be. It hugely influences the tone.
Think about adding a second pickup somewhere around the 22nd fret in the future.
Aluminum sounds good and is easy to work for both the bridge and the nut.
Work from the lengthwise centerline.
(I built an experimental one with 12 strings and a 27" scale just to see if it could be done).
Get a vernier caliper that reads down to 0.001" and you can lay out frets for any scale length. Just take the scale length and multiply successively by 0.94387 to determine fret locations measured to the bridge. (.94387 multiplied by itself 12 times is .5)
Make sure the break angle over the nut and down to the tuners is sufficient that the strings don't rattle.
If your tuners are located so the string pull is in a straight line you can get by with much less notching on the nut.
Before you rout for the pickup, build a little jig to suspend it upside down over the strings and experiment with where you want the pickup to be. It hugely influences the tone.
Think about adding a second pickup somewhere around the 22nd fret in the future.
Aluminum sounds good and is easy to work for both the bridge and the nut.
Work from the lengthwise centerline.
The 'fretboards' are really simple. The one on the Ric is ~16-ga aluminum sheet with the black paint silk screened onto it. It's glued to the top of the slab, and looks way more dee-luxe that it actually is. What appear to be frets and inlays are just where the black paint...isn't.
You can get super creative with the fret marking scheme (pearl or wood inlays, etc.), or you can keep things really simple.
Another simple approach: you can make the nut and bridge from allthread (threaded rod), just like Leo and company did with string saddles on the early Telecasters. The string slots are already figured out for you!
Remember that there are no rules. For example, you could go completely off the reservation and build it with the tuners behind the bridge. And it would play and sound just fine.
Last edited:
Mojohand40
Tele-Afflicted
all good advice in this thread. A lot is just preference.
I'll throw in my 2 cents, just some thoughts. I've built one steel and modified a few quite a bit; so these are just my personal thoughts based on those experiences and from playing a bunch.
Scale length: shorter scale can be easier to do bar slants at the lower end
(toward the nut), not a big deal, but on long scale, like 24" it can possibly be a little tougher then say 22", but not undoable by any means.
Personally I really like 23", though most steels are 22.5"; which is just fine.
IMO in a nutshell...longer scales can sound better and sustain more at the high end (towards the bridge) and are easier to play with good intonation way up the neck than short scale, on the other hand; short scale can be easier to play bar slants on. But really; I'm talking extremes on each end of the spectrum to see any huge differences. (I recently rebuilt a steel that is 20.62" scale..way short..it's playable, but does lack sustain when playing up the neck.)
String spacing: I much, much prefer completely parallel strings from nut to bridge, meaning the same spacing at both ends. I would say a lot of lap steels aren't like this, and they are fine; but I do prefer it. It's something I try and "fix" when I do a "rebuild" or I mod one.
Three reasons:
1) I like having the extra space between strings at the nut end; behind the bar pulls are way easier that way. On some steels I've seen; the closer spacing at the nut makes this nearly impossible for my fat fingers.
2) All the strings are the same length, so intonation if your bridge is not adjustable is slightly better. See..if the strings are spaced closer at the nut then the bridge, then strings 1 and 6 are going to be slightly longer, especially the short scale. It's trigonometry. Now, it's not a big deal; but it does exist.
3) I read an interview with Billy Robinson where he said he preferred it. His string pulls and bar slants are scary good. see:
Pickups: It's what ever you like.. listen a bunch and pick the tones you like and get a pup that is as close to the ones used there as you can get.
Bridge: adjustable saddles/ intonation vs. straight....IMO, either is good. Some folks say separate saddles rob sustain..eh..I'm not convinced personally that it matters so much that you should never have a steel that has them.
I do think having adjustable saddles can matter a bit to help intonation especially when string are not parallel; but would never say it matters so much it's necessary. Having said that; I currently own eight steels and only one currently has adjustable saddles. I'm still not convinced it matters one way or the other, but I'm in the minority on that.
Anyway; it's a long and wandering post; but I hope it helps anyone looking to build or buy a lap steel.
I'll throw in my 2 cents, just some thoughts. I've built one steel and modified a few quite a bit; so these are just my personal thoughts based on those experiences and from playing a bunch.
Scale length: shorter scale can be easier to do bar slants at the lower end
(toward the nut), not a big deal, but on long scale, like 24" it can possibly be a little tougher then say 22", but not undoable by any means.
Personally I really like 23", though most steels are 22.5"; which is just fine.
IMO in a nutshell...longer scales can sound better and sustain more at the high end (towards the bridge) and are easier to play with good intonation way up the neck than short scale, on the other hand; short scale can be easier to play bar slants on. But really; I'm talking extremes on each end of the spectrum to see any huge differences. (I recently rebuilt a steel that is 20.62" scale..way short..it's playable, but does lack sustain when playing up the neck.)
String spacing: I much, much prefer completely parallel strings from nut to bridge, meaning the same spacing at both ends. I would say a lot of lap steels aren't like this, and they are fine; but I do prefer it. It's something I try and "fix" when I do a "rebuild" or I mod one.
Three reasons:
1) I like having the extra space between strings at the nut end; behind the bar pulls are way easier that way. On some steels I've seen; the closer spacing at the nut makes this nearly impossible for my fat fingers.
2) All the strings are the same length, so intonation if your bridge is not adjustable is slightly better. See..if the strings are spaced closer at the nut then the bridge, then strings 1 and 6 are going to be slightly longer, especially the short scale. It's trigonometry. Now, it's not a big deal; but it does exist.
3) I read an interview with Billy Robinson where he said he preferred it. His string pulls and bar slants are scary good. see:
Pickups: It's what ever you like.. listen a bunch and pick the tones you like and get a pup that is as close to the ones used there as you can get.
Bridge: adjustable saddles/ intonation vs. straight....IMO, either is good. Some folks say separate saddles rob sustain..eh..I'm not convinced personally that it matters so much that you should never have a steel that has them.
I do think having adjustable saddles can matter a bit to help intonation especially when string are not parallel; but would never say it matters so much it's necessary. Having said that; I currently own eight steels and only one currently has adjustable saddles. I'm still not convinced it matters one way or the other, but I'm in the minority on that.
Anyway; it's a long and wandering post; but I hope it helps anyone looking to build or buy a lap steel.
Engraver-60
Friend of Leo's
One of the former forumites (who has passed away a few years ago) was an incredible lapsteel builder with such an artistic flair. Try to look at his designs: https://www.facebook.com/tom.pettingill.
bobrast
TDPRI Member
Re bridges with individual saddles, Kountry Kuz (Danny Jones) has been building lap steels for 45 years and likes them because it's possible to adjust string heights to exact level, partiularly if you change string gauges. True, if you make/cut your own bridges you can get strings level, but I've purchased a few cheaper bridges that resulted in string buzz. Matter of preference.
Newbcaster
Tele-Holic
Can I ask a dumb question?
(I'm gonna ask it anyways)
But why isn't adjustable saddles a thing on lap steels when it is on regular guitars. Ry cooder didn't seemingly get hurt by his Fender bridge?
Help me understand!
(I'm gonna ask it anyways)
But why isn't adjustable saddles a thing on lap steels when it is on regular guitars. Ry cooder didn't seemingly get hurt by his Fender bridge?
Help me understand!
No such thing as a dumb question...... On a lap steel you don't have any frets. There isn't any radius to the "fretboard" either. Note accuracy is determined by the player and the steel position.
weissguy
TDPRI Member
I used to play my original Weissenborn standing up with a dobro strap when performing in a band. A couple things I like to consider is a wider body, so it is not so close to my belly if I'm playing it like a dobro standing up. Wider string spacing similar to my Weissenborn. Also, there are benders like the certano benders that are fun to play pedal steel guitar licks. This requires some extra space behind the bridge to mount.
frankleppert
NEW MEMBER!
I have a question about the sustain, do you get better sustain using a roller bridge (like pedal steels used to have) instead of a fix one?
