New 8 string test bed

Lap steels, resonators, multi-neck consoles and acoustic steel guitars

Moderator: Brad Bechtel

Post Reply
User avatar
Leroy Beal
Posts: 33
Joined: 24 Jul 2009 9:04 am
Location: California, USA

New 8 string test bed

Post by Leroy Beal »

I just put the finishing touches on a new 8 string prototype. Just wanted to try out a few ideas I've been mulling over for awhile. It turned out quite nicely and sounds great. It has killer sustain.

Image

Construction pictures and beauty shots.

http://www.leroybeal.net/guitars/lap/lap02/index.html

Specs:

Body - Re-cycled Red Oak
Fret board - Walnut with maple frets
Nut and saddle - Steel allthread
Tuners - Economy Gotoh type
Pickups - Economy P-bass type
Strings - Scotty's 8 string C6
Scale 23 inch
6 lbs 10 oz
37" x 7" x 3"
Leroy Beal
User avatar
Dennis Brooker
Posts: 395
Joined: 3 Jul 2009 7:18 am
Location: Iowa, USA

Post by Dennis Brooker »

Leroy - Looks very nice to me - Quite clean looking - LOTS of red oak and walnut here in Iowa - got more than a few of them on my timber - DB
User avatar
Ray Montee
Posts: 9506
Joined: 7 Jul 1999 12:01 am
Location: Portland, Oregon (deceased)
Contact:

Where's the ARM REST and PICK Guard?

Post by Ray Montee »

These two items seem to be of interest to an increasing number of players these days.

I noted these were BOTH absent from your fine lil' g'tar. What price range is it in. How much does it weigh?
User avatar
Mark Bracewell
Posts: 104
Joined: 3 Jun 2009 8:10 pm
Location: Willow Glen, California

Post by Mark Bracewell »

I'll weigh in - no interest in an arm rest here, but if a pick guard will keep my son from stealing my picks, I'm all for it.

I got to strum a few bars on Leroy's 8 this morning and it's a serious contender - harmonics just pop out of it.
User avatar
Leroy Beal
Posts: 33
Joined: 24 Jul 2009 9:04 am
Location: California, USA

Re: Where's the ARM REST and PICK Guard?

Post by Leroy Beal »

Ray Montee wrote:These two items seem to be of interest to an increasing number of players these days.

I noted these were BOTH absent from your fine lil' g'tar. What price range is it in. How much does it weigh?
It wouldn't take much of an effort to fabricate those two things, but I like to keep things simple if possible. As I mentioned in the specs it weights 6 lb 10 ozs. Price? Not for sale at the moment. Mostly I'd like to inspire others to try their hand at making their own instruments. As you can see from the pictures on my website, there's not much to it.
Leroy Beal
User avatar
John Burton
Posts: 275
Joined: 8 Feb 2008 7:56 am
Location: Manassas, Va

Post by John Burton »

Very nice!
very simple, elegant design.
I've often thought of making one using pretty much the same construction method.
Is the head stock strong enough for the string tension? Would you add a stiffener to it next time or is it a non-issue?
So the P-Bass pup sounds good? I'd love to hear some sound clips!
Again thanks for posting! Very inspiring.
(You should make a few to sell!)
norm mcdaniel
Posts: 291
Joined: 5 Nov 2000 1:01 am
Location: waco tx

Post by norm mcdaniel »

Leroy-You have finally done it. Ive been thinking how I could make a neat little lap. I see ya have used some of my ideas as to all thread and a chambered body also staggering the pups. Ive been using red oak for a long time and it seems to work well for these kinda projects and as I cant get any other good wood locally Ive gotten by with it. Is it necessary to line the P/U chamber with copper to shield it?

Also I love the stone finishes on the guitars that you posted a few days ago. Please dont stop making the things you have been making. They are an insperation to a lot of us old guys.
Norm McDaniel
nmcdaniel001@hot.rr.com
User avatar
Leroy Beal
Posts: 33
Joined: 24 Jul 2009 9:04 am
Location: California, USA

Post by Leroy Beal »

John Burton wrote:Very nice!
very simple, elegant design.
I've often thought of making one using pretty much the same construction method.
Is the head stock strong enough for the string tension? Would you add a stiffener to it next time or is it a non-issue?
So the P-Bass pup sounds good? I'd love to hear some sound clips!
Again thanks for posting! Very inspiring.
(You should make a few to sell!)
The headstock (top) is 5/8 inch thick Oak. Stiff and solid. I don't think that a center stiffener is needed, but only time will tell. As for sound clips, I'll keep practicing or maybe find a player locally to give it a road test.

This is my only electric guitar that has a copper lined electronic cavity. Mark tells me he is pretty sure that the P-bass pups are humbuckers. It's probably a combination of both things, but all I know is this one is very quite.
Leroy Beal
Post Reply