The Steel Guitar Forum

Regarding strings: After doing some research on correspondence of Indian and Western notes I figure that I want to tune my first string (thinnest string) to either G or G# when struck on the open. The second string is tuned to E or E#. Rest of the strings are not too important since I would play the...

Hello Friends, I am very happy to report that the knobs on my guitar got fixed. I got tremendous help from this group and especially from Jack. My deepest and warmest THANKS!!! I ordered the knobs from StewMac. (Ordered few extra as backup, but did not use them in the end.) Jack gave a lot of great ...

Great posts and responses. As Tim said, finding a vintage guitar takes effort, time and knowledge combined with a certain element of risk. This is why I am inquiring about the brand new guitars. I saw the ad for Asher and they look like they are closer to my budget. Photographs of them look quite ni...

Are the new ones considered as good as vintage guitars?

Are there still manufacturers who make lap steel guitars or is it only vintage stuff that is available?

If so, are there any makers which produce decent stuff?

Are they able to use new technologies and manufacturing processes and produce better sound?

I've gotten vintage parts for banjos, guitars etc from Bob Smakula: http://www.smakula.com/VGP.html You can try other vintage dealers like Gryphon, Carter's, Elderly. If none of them have the buttons, I can give you other dealer names (there's dozens). Thanks, Gene. The names are very useful. I loo...

StewMac produced both a video tutorial and a data sheet on replacing the plastic buttons. Scroll down in the listing above to view. Personally, I use a slightly different method. PM me for more info if you like. Differentiating between the Century and the Ultratone has been a source of confusion fo...

Erv, Jack. Thanks. The difference between Ultratone and Century is little subtle. Color is different and where the strings and tuner is, something is different.

Is the Century considered lower value or less desirable?

Frank James Pracher wrote:I'm for replacing the buttons.. I've done many of these over the years, most of the old tuners have plenty of life left in them.

Thanks. The tuner seems to be fine, just the plastic button/knob is bad.

Can I just put the knobs on the shanks without unscrewing the tuner itself?

This link includes both the parts and a tutorial on how to replace them. I am NOT saying that any one of these is the correct replacement part. This I do not know. You will need to confirm this by comparing measurements, or hopefully someone who is an expert in the Gibson tuners can comment. https:...

Actually, the guitar in the photo is a Gibson Century-6 that was manufactured from 1947 to 1951. I've replaced several of the white plastic buttons on old Klusons with StewMac ... A far more elegant solution is to replace the original Klusons with modern Gotoh SD90s So my guitar is not an Ultratone...

The tuning knobs on my lap steel Guitar are crumbling. The guitar is a Gibson Ultratone, probably 40-50 years old. When I try to tighten the strings, the plastic knob crumbles in my hand. Picture is attached below. Please help on how the knobs can be replaced? https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix...

What Bob, in the message above, mentions is correct. If you live near any large area where there are a lot of Indian immigrants, like Chicago, NYC, DC, LA, San Francisco, Vancouver BC, Toronto, you are bound to see a music shop with a lot Indian cassettes or CD's. Just go in and ask for "Hawiaa...

"<em> From Here to Eternity </em>" starring Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, and most importantly Montogemery Clift (and another singer/actor whose name escapes me) had Hawiaan guitar in the background. It was a great move that was based in Hawii and had that famous beach kissing scene betwee...

I am reading the forum after a long while (been busy & travelling and a little sick). Pleasantly surprised to know that I have suddenly become so popular on the forum!!! Hawaiian guitar has been very popular in India for 4-5 decades. I have some old (1940 or 50's) Indian songs which have music p...

Lefty, The gibson that you refer to, is it an Ultratone? -SS<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Surinder Singh on 16 October 2000 at 04:30 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Surinder Singh o...

I went through this excersice in the last two months. I am not an expert on lap steels by any means, but this is what I did: I checked out the local stores and played their guitars. Asked people on this forum (and others) about what they thought of many of those guitars. I finally found a guitar thr...

With all due regard, the Magnatone and Dickerson, even in good condition, are student-type guitar. The ones I have played sounded plain and, well, student-like.

-Surinder

I have just started playing my newly obtained Ultratone Gibson Lap steel. I find my neck aching after playing since my neck is bent down to the left looking at the fret board. Do others experience this ache on the neck?

-Surinder Singh

Are these champs "Student Guitars"? There is another Fender guitar called Champ, is that different or the same as Champion? I think I might have read in a Fender book that Champion name was changed to Champ due to some copyright issue or something. While we are on Fenders, is an Organ-Butt...

Is it possible for people who do/can not contribute songs but still get these songs? I don't have any Jerry Byrd songs to add but I would sure like to listen and own any recordings of his. I could contribute many Indian Hawaiian guitar songs, but I doubt if anyone would be interested. I can contribu...

I live in the suburbs of Portland, OR, and I drove down to Sierra's factory one day. Don is a very nice guy and he let me play a Sierra Lap steel, and it blew my mind away. I cannot get that sound out of my mind. I haven't played a Bakelite, but Don tells me that musicians call him and say that this...

Jim, Yes, I do have recording of Indian classical on lap steel, as do I have recordings of popular songs. What I don't know is a way how to convert it into a music file for a web site :-( ... If I can figure out how to do it, I would love to post it. I am glad to note that classical recordings in la...

It struck me today that I have never encountered lap steel guitar used in Western Classical music. Why is lap steel not popular in that? It would be great if some lap steel expert made a recording of rendering of Wester Classical with lap steel playing a major role. For instance on Mozart's 40th or ...

In our great city of Portland is the Sierra Peddle Guitar Company. I went there yesterday and talked to Don, the owner. He let me play their Lap Steel guitar. That guitar was something: incredibly melodious and warm sound, great sustain. While I am no expert on guitars, it was the best I have played...