DIY Lap Steel Build?

[IMadeYouReadThis]

So I'm GASing for one of those late '50s-'60s Fender Champion Lap Steels but don't want to spend the money for a vintage instrument. You know, one of these things:

20181205_201929

• IMadeYouReadThis
• Dec 5, 2018

This is one sold from RetroFret Vintage Guitars. It's a beauty. This may seem sacrilegious, but how can I build something similar myself with just hardware store parts, spare electronics, and some spare strip tuners?

I'm mainly looking for some measurements or a CAD drawing or something.

ie: Fretboard length and width, overall length, headstock length, bottom width, top of headstock width, body width at nut, all the other stuff you'd need to create a similar shape.

It's quite a bit to ask, but I can't get my hands on one to measure so help would be very much appreciated. Thank you for your time.

 

[nsmith01tx]

Brad's Page of Steel has a section on building your own lapsteel: https://people.well.com/user/wellvis/diy.html

This one's pretty basic, but functional - you could change the shape & still use the plan's dimensions & info: http://www.buildyourguitar.com/resources/lapsteel/

Also, see this thread here in TDPRI: Fender Lap Steel Template in PDF?

 

[24 track]

note the bridge pick up off a tele was originally designed for lap steel so a tele bridge would be a start, string spacing is already established and individual string hieght could be made, Machine heads are readily available , so then scale length, body designand Nut hieght are all left to your imagination

 

[IMadeYouReadThis]

note the bridge pick up off a tele was originally designed for lap steel so a tele bridge would be a start, string spacing is already established and individual string hieght could be made, Machine heads are readily available , so then scale length, body designand Nut hieght are all left to your imagination

Another thing I should have mentioned...I was thinking of going 18" Fretboard with 22.5" Scale and an overall length of 32", but figured it would be easier to essentially copy the Champ specs instead of try and figure out the proportions of everything.

After a little bit of searching, the "short-scale" Fender Deluxe 6 and late '50s Champs are pretty much my specs, so any blueprint/CAD/PDF of those will be a good guideline for me (with slight modification).

 

[24 track]

I typed "specs for making a lap steel guitar" into a google search and found a tone of info
along with this PDF : (link removed)

hope this helps

 

[JuneauMike]

Love your idea. This is my build thread. I may someday build that style too someday.
http://www.tdpri.com/threads/homemade-lap-steel.657810/#post-7118707

I used two poplar pieces sandwiched together, but cut from the same template. But you should use two templates for the two different shapes that I see. You can also find the string master tuning tray on Reverb.

If you can't find measurements you might have to do it forensically. You know about how wide a tele pickup is, so you could use a ruler to measure it on the picture then measure the lap steel and then convert to scale.

I couldn't find great dims for mine, so I sorta guessed and tried to refine the shape from pics. My scale is 23 inches, but I've been thinking about shortening it (relocating the nut) just to see how is changes the sound.

Good luck, homemade lap steels are fun and pretty cheap depending on how handy you are.

 

[IMadeYouReadThis]

What would you make this out of? It's probably going to be somewhere between 1-3/8 and 2 inches thick, so what would best handle the upward tension? Does it matter?

 

[JuneauMike]

What would you make this out of? It's probably going to be somewhere between 1-3/8 and 2 inches thick, so what would best handle the upward tension? Does it matter?

It depends on what wood is available and what kind of tools you have. It doesnt need to be a "tone wood" but I see value in using a hardwood. Poplar is technically a hardwood, but it machines well without dulling my router bits too badly. Although if I had oak available, I would have tried that first. Poplar is not as stable as oak, but mine has shown no sign of warping or bending.

I just would avoid light, soft woods.

 

[IMadeYouReadThis]

It depends on what wood is available and what kind of tools you have. It doesnt need to be a "tone wood" but I see value in using a hardwood. Poplar is technically a hardwood, but it machines well without dulling my router bits too badly. Although if I had oak available, I would have tried that first. Poplar is not as stable as oak, but mine has shown no sign of warping or bending.

I just would avoid light, soft woods.

That's convenient, I have a nice supply of oak in the shop. Should look nice too.

Less important, but what do I use for the fretboard? I don't have access to rosewood or any other dark wood, so I'm thinking lightly stained mahogany or a heavily stained pale wood (balsa's cheap) might do the trick.

 

[JuneauMike]

That's convenient, I have a nice supply of oak in the shop. Should look nice too.

Less important, but what do I use for the fretboard? I don't have access to rosewood or any other dark wood, so I'm thinking lightly stained mahogany or a heavily stained pale wood (balsa's cheap) might do the trick.

If you like mine, I'm thinking you just do that.

It's acrylic that's been masked off and painted on the back side. Was actually very easy and came out great.

http://www.tdpri.com/threads/lap-steel-3-day-build.697713/#post-7372871

I corrected my build thread link above too. Sorry bout that.

 

[IMadeYouReadThis]

20181206_170903

• IMadeYouReadThis
• Dec 6, 2018

A quick sketch and supply list for a Lap Steel Build.

I just threw this together in...maybe 20 minutes. Lot sure how legible it is, but this is my sketch and supply list for the build. I'll probably start the build next week and update with photos every day or two. Comments on the plan?

 

[IMadeYouReadThis]

One last thing...which bridge pickup do I use? Tele, P90, or Humbucker (all cheap ceramic variations). Keep in mind this is the bridge position.

 

[maxvintage]

Steelie

• maxvintage
• Feb 18, 2017

I built this one out of a piece of northern white pine. A lap steel is the easiest instrument in the universe to build I think. Well maybe woodblocks are easier.

The bridge and nut are pieces of brass bar stock. The "fretboard" is plexiglass spray painted blue. Pickup is a lace alumitone hum bucker. It sounds great. I just stopped playing it because it gave me bad tendonitis. But it sounds great and in C6 tuning the western swing licks just play themselves

(link removed)

 

[JuneauMike]

One last thing...which bridge pickup do I use? Tele, P90, or Humbucker (all cheap ceramic variations). Keep in mind this is the bridge position.

Yes.

(ha, you should make a pickup decision based on the style of music you like. I did a tele pickup because I was looking for that western thing, that country sound. Although, I'm sure I'd love a P-90. But if you were into Ben Harper, that would shape the tuning you pick and you'd likely decide on a humbucker. So basically, whatever you think you would prefer).

 

[IMadeYouReadThis]

Yes.

(ha, you should make a pickup decision based on the style of music you like. I did a tele pickup because I was looking for that western thing, that country sound. Although, I'm sure I'd love a P-90. But if you were into Ben Harper, that would shape the tuning you pick and you'd likely decide on a humbucker. So basically, whatever you think you would prefer).

EDIT: Resolved. Should be starting the build tomarrow.

 

[guitarbuilder]

Check out this thread for some ideas. It's a hybrid guitar and lap steel build. Simple to build.

http://www.tdpri.com/threads/completed-tidycatster-the-100-telecaster-challenge.147936/page-6

 

[Tbeers]

Is this post still live? I am currently trying to make a 3-D cad model of one of these but I lack dimensions for everything esp, the fretboard width and whether or not it tapers and the dimensions of kluson's tuner tray and tuners. everything else I can fake or close enough.

 

[clydethecat]

As long as we're bumping a zombie thread...

(link removed)

Anyone have any experience with the Hudson Champ lap steel kit?

 

[IMadeYouReadThis]

OP here.

A. It's been 2 years and I still haven't finished this build. It's sitting in the garage at 75% completion, and has for the past 18 months or so. Thanks for bringing it back in mind, I think I'll finish it up soon.

B. Tbeers, I tried hunting down the RetroFret page where I found the '57 Fender Champion image, but it seems to have been taken down. It had some great measurements, on which I loosely based my sketch. I believe the fretboard is 3 inches with no taper. Otherwise, I'm no help.

C. I haven't tried the Hudson Steel kit, but it tooks to be of decent quality. Can't say much else.