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Author Topic:  10 string lap steel project completed
Dom Franco


From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
Post  Posted 17 May 2011 1:27 am    
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It plays and sounds great!
I am so happy with the George L Pickup.

Birds Eye Maple, hand rubbed finish (Rustic, non-glossy)

The case is actually made for a rifle with scope, but works great for the steel and accessories...







Here's a link to more Photos: http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.2063447269175.125439.1334539806
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Dom Franco


From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
Post  Posted 17 May 2011 1:57 am    
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Starting hole for Pickup:



Cutting Hole for Pickup:




Routing hole:






Drilling holes for tuners:








String Holes:






Completed and put to use!


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GeneRector

 

From:
Normangee, Texas USA
Post  Posted 17 May 2011 5:21 am    
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Smile Howdy! Beautiful steelguitar! What's your tuning for this 10 string? Thanks! Always, Gene
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Mike Harris

 

From:
Texas, USA
Post  Posted 17 May 2011 7:05 am    
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Judging by the inlays, I'd have to guess--some sort of A tuning, perhaps?

I love the look, and the inlay idea is truly inspired. Congratulations!
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Dom Franco


From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
Post  Posted 17 May 2011 4:21 pm    
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It is the basic A6th tuning on the middle strings (Low to Hi C# E F# A C# E) Hence the chords C=3rd fret D=5th fret etc.

But I added two lower strings to give me and E6/9 and two re-entrant strings at the top to give me diminished and seventh chords..

Low to Hi = G# B C# E F# A C# E G Bb

the G and Bb are actually lower in pitch than the "E" third string.

I have nearly every interval/chord I would ever want, and since I have been playing the A6th for many years, it is very intuitive.

Dom Smile
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Ron Whitfield

 

From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
Post  Posted 17 May 2011 6:07 pm    
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With the layout, hardware, and tuning involved, that's virtually the perfect lap steel. Plus it sounds great? Congrats, Dom!
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Dom Franco


From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
Post  Posted 17 May 2011 8:59 pm    
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Yea; I was tryin out a little amp at the music store the other day, and this old country picker was amazed, he thought it was a pedal steel, by the sound and the lush chords I was gettin.

The "George L Eon" P/U, does really have that bright clean pedal steel sound!

Dom Cool
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Don Barnhardt

 

From:
North Carolina, USA
Post  Posted 18 May 2011 5:15 pm    
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Hi Dom......Irecently acquired a MSA Sidekick and wanted to set it up for non pedal. Didn't know what to do with the extra two strings. What guages are you using for the G and Bb? I have E-9 PSG strings now. I've already tried your tuning and I want to set it up for C-6. By the way nice guitar. I've been dabbling with some building but nothing worth posting yet.
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Dom Franco


From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
Post  Posted 18 May 2011 7:22 pm    
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I use a .024 for Bb and .028 for the G (kinda on the heavy side but all my strings are heavy gauge)

The larger gauge seems to give more sustain,
and the scale length is 23".

I did have to file the nut and bridge grooves larger for the 1st and 2nd strings.
Also if you play pedal steel E9 you are already used to the first 2 being lower than the 3rd string...

Smile
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Billy Gilbert

 

From:
Texas, USA
Post  Posted 18 May 2011 10:18 pm     10 string lap steel
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Hey Dom, it looks great. Laminating 2 boards like you did makes fitting the pickup and tuners much easier than using a single slab of wood. Besides that, I can see the top of your workbench. How do you do that? I haven't seen the top of mine in years. Laughing Laughing
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Peter den Hartogh


From:
Cape Town, South Africa
Post  Posted 19 May 2011 11:02 pm    
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Hi Dom, I am busy designing a 10 string lap steel at the moment.
What gauges are you using for your tuning?
And if I want to make it a longer scale like 24", how much should I change the gauge?
Your guitar looks great.
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Dom Franco


From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
Post  Posted 20 May 2011 6:19 am    
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The gauges I use are:
Bb.024
G .028
E .016
C#.020p
A .026
F#.034
E .036
C#.042
B .046
G#.054

I use the same gauges on a 24" scale as well, and depending on the strings I have available, up or down by .002 doesn't seem to matter much.

The most critical thing I have found is to be sure that you cut/file the string slots so that your bar lays flat across all strings.
Since the hi "E" is much smaller than the wound strings, you will get a buzz or rattle if the bar is not in full contact with all strings.

This is easy to fix with a small rat-tail jewelers file.

I just love this tuning and I find new things everyday!
have fun

Dom Franco Smile
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