Anyone know anything about this lap steel?

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 30 Dec 2009 6:11 pm

The ad says "MG Guitars", don't know if it's the same people but there's a company in Germany with that name making guitars, weissenborns and lap steels:

http://www.mg-guitars.de/sitemap.html

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 30 Dec 2009 6:25 pm

It's probably made by a luthier who builds small batches to his own design. But he's not going to achieve fame unless he puts his name on his work.

Fontaine Burnett · Post by **Fontaine Burnett** » 30 Dec 2009 7:06 pm

Hi James! I don't think this is made by MG guitars in Germany. It appears to be an upgraded version of the Clearwater lap steel often seen on Ebay. Not a bad steel actually...cheap and good. The seller says he has these made, which would imply that he just imports them. Probably from China and not Germany.
I had a Clearwater for a while. I just sold it to a friend who is getting into lap steel. Could be a fun steel to mod out and experiment with.

F.

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 30 Dec 2009 7:33 pm

Yea, most likely an Asian import complete with a strap button on the tail.
Is it the pic or my imagination, but the fret spacing looks a bit goofed up from 19 on.

.

Terry Farmer · Post by **Terry Farmer** » 30 Dec 2009 8:33 pm

The bridge is goofed up also but it looks to have a beautiful finish on the molded body.

Roman Sonnleitner · Post by **Roman Sonnleitner** » 31 Dec 2009 1:56 am

Much better knob layout than on the Clearwater lap steel - this would be perfect for someone looking for a "donor body" for adding a Multibender...

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 31 Dec 2009 7:24 am

Orientals making batches of lap steels for sale usually compromise by using parts from solid electric guitars, hence they're always 6-string so that they can use regular tuners, nuts and pickups, and they usually have an adjustable bridge, which is pointless on a lap steel. Apart from the nicely-finished piece of wood, this is basically a regular guitar to lap steel dimensions.

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 31 Dec 2009 10:16 am

Roman Sonnleitner wrote:Much better knob layout than on the Clearwater lap steel - this would be perfect for someone looking for a "donor body" for adding a Multibender...

Exactly! However, it's an archtop and I can't tell how flat the space isbehind the bridge. It's also got a buy-it-now price of $599 plus $40 shipping. That's a lot for a donar body.

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 31 Dec 2009 11:34 am

Hard to say what the reserve is, but at the $600 price point, I'd say for a little bit more, the Asher Jr would be a better idea.

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 31 Dec 2009 12:51 pm

Tom Pettingill wrote:Hard to say what the reserve is, but at the $600 price point, I'd say for a little bit more, the Asher Jr would be a better idea.

Tom, I'm curious to know why you think that the Asher is a better instrument? I've considered the Asher for a while but there are certain things that make this one seem like a slightly better deal.

- They are both made in Asia.
- I'm going to strip just about everything off. The nut will be replaced by a roller nut. The pots and the pickups will have to go. Even the jack will be changed out for a TRS jack. On either model, I would probably only keep the knobs, pickup rings and tuners.
- the Asher is not very attractive. The shape is fine, but the tobacco burst is just not my thing.
- the Asher is flat, so the multibender is sure to install correctly, but that leaves the two holes for the stop tailpiece exposed. With the no-name steel, the bridge-holes would be covered by the multibender.
- this no-name instrument is arched, which is more attractive (and usually more expensive) and the finish is quite nice, in my opinion.
- The Asher has a 26" scale length which may prohibit the use of the multi-bender due to string breakage possibilities.
- The asher is solid mahogony which is good thing. The other steel is made of an unknown wood. The top looks like maple, but I'm no expert. I've sent an ebay question about wood and scale length to mgguitars and haven't heard a response.
- the no-name steel doesn't have fret-markers, which is kinda strange. I've considered how difficult it might be to remove the fretboard and have Chris Fouke build me an aluminum model to the same dimensions. The Fouke fretboards look cool and are very easy to see on a dark stage.

EDIT: It's not the German company. I found this site: http://mikejguitars.com/HOMEPAGE.html

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 31 Dec 2009 1:47 pm

Tom, I'm curious to know why you think that the Asher is a better instrument?

My thought would be in the context as a complete and ready to play instrument.
If your looking for something to strip and customize, then the unknown or a custom built body may suit you better.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 31 Dec 2009 1:51 pm

Roman Sonnleitner wrote:...this would be perfect for someone looking for a "donor body" for adding a Multibender...

If all you need is a donor body, go down to the local lumber yard and buy a length of wood. After all, a lap steel is just a plank with strings and a pickup.

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 31 Dec 2009 2:14 pm

James Mayer wrote: - the Asher is not very attractive. The shape is fine, but the tobacco burst is just not my thing.

It's also available in white and transparent red, here's mine:

The Asher has a 26" scale length

It's 25". I used to have a Hipshot Trilogy bridge on a 25,5" lap steel, never had a problem with string breakage there. A multi-bender might 'stress' the strings more than the Trilogy though, I've never used one so I can't say.

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 31 Dec 2009 4:23 pm

Alan Brookes wrote:
Roman Sonnleitner wrote:...this would be perfect for someone looking for a "donor body" for adding a Multibender...
If all you need is a donor body, go down to the local lumber yard and buy a length of wood. After all, a lap steel is just a plank with strings and a pickup.

That's a bit more than a plank, don't you think. The curves and the arched top would be somewhat difficult, I imagine.

James Mayer · Post by **James Mayer** » 31 Dec 2009 4:26 pm

Steinar Gregertsen wrote:
James Mayer wrote: - the Asher is not very attractive. The shape is fine, but the tobacco burst is just not my thing.
It's also available in white and transparent red, here's mine:

The Asher has a 26" scale length
It's 25". I used to have a Hipshot Trilogy bridge on a 25,5" lap steel, never had a problem with string breakage there. A multi-bender might 'stress' the strings more than the Trilogy though, I've never used one so I can't say.

ah, yeah, 25". I stand corrected. I'd read about pedal steels being 24" or 24" because anything longer would break the high G# when stretched up a semitone.

Steiner, is that your main axe? Is it just a Hawaiian Jr. with a custom logo? How do you like it? Notice the body shape differences between the no-name and the Asher. The Asher is a bit larger.

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 31 Dec 2009 5:06 pm

James Mayer wrote: Steiner, is that your main axe? Is it just a Hawaiian Jr. with a custom logo? How do you like it? Notice the body shape differences between the no-name and the Asher. The Asher is a bit larger.

Yes, it's my main lap steel,- in fact, it's been my only lap steel for more than a year now...
It's a standard Jr, but I've replaced the pickups (Duncan Seth Lover at bridge and GFS Dream 90 at the neck), pots, and added the "alien" decal behind the bridge.
The Asher is closer to a Weissenborn in body shape than the 'no-name', but not quite as large even though the scale length is the same.