Bass lap steel

Ferdinand van den Berg · Post by **Ferdinand van den Berg** » 13 Dec 2009 3:25 pm

Hi!

Anybody ever thought about a bass lapsteel?
Just wondering!

Fern

Ron Simpson · Post by **Ron Simpson** » 13 Dec 2009 4:40 pm

Leo Fender did. The outermost neck on the quad neck
stringmasters came with strings tuned one octave below the standard sets used on the inner three necks. I'd venture a guess that no one ever played it on their lap though.

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 13 Dec 2009 4:51 pm

I forget who, but someone posted a bass console they built a while back. It was a real nice one built out of aluminum.

I've been toying for a while with couple ideas for a baritone scale steel. Just need to find the time to work it into the schedule.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 14 Dec 2009 7:49 am

John Paul Jones did. Check out his CD "Zooma" for some good examples (his web site has some video examples).

Stephan Miller · Post by **Stephan Miller** » 14 Dec 2009 12:00 pm

Saw one on eBay last summer. It was a homebuilt job dating from the late 50's. Looked great. 30" scale, with 4 strings, standard (lo-hi E-A-D-G) bass tuning, and the wider string spacing you'd want. Thinking about what might be done with a volume pedal...I was tempted. The seller wanted $300 as I recall, which seemed about right for the limited amount of use it would get.

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 14 Dec 2009 1:55 pm

My first bass neck was a 5-string on Guitarzilla, that I made around 1990.

This is at a recording session. The vertical rods are woven in the strings of the front necks and a 12 string guitar is bolted on the back apron. This version weighs 110# in the case

This is Junior Blue, a 6-string bass guitar. it's machined from a billet of 7075 T-8 aero-space aluminum.

This is Guitarzilla 2, it's a titanium frame with a 12 string neck and an 8-string bass neck. It weighs 28#.

Ferdinand van den Berg · Post by **Ferdinand van den Berg** » 14 Dec 2009 2:17 pm

People!

Thanks for all the great reply!
Great pictures, Chas!

I will probably make at least one simple bass lap for my shop, just to see the reactions. It is nice to have some background. Brad, I will check out John Paul Jones CD, thanks.

When it is done anyway, I will let you now at the forum (but it will take a while).

Fern

John Ed Kelly · Post by **John Ed Kelly** » 14 Dec 2009 2:18 pm

Here's a link to a Youtube Fred Kinborn video:

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john

John Ed Kelly · Post by **John Ed Kelly** » 14 Dec 2009 2:20 pm

Sorry - I'll try again

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John Ed Kelly · Post by **John Ed Kelly** » 14 Dec 2009 2:21 pm

I can't paste the URL so just search Youtube for Kinbom Bass Lap.

Fred Kinbom · Post by **Fred Kinbom** » 16 Dec 2009 8:40 am

Here is the video that John mentioned above:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxOqcTNCfzc

It is a 1937 National New Yorker (which has lots of bass through its hidden neck pickups) through an Electro Harmonix octave pedal.

Cheers,

Fred