Any "home made" steels in use out there?

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 22 Sep 2011 3:01 pm

Here's a shot of a guy here in southeast Virginia named Dan Munford with his "home made" D-6 lapsteel. Dan plays every Saturday night in Chesapeake, Va. with the "Country Rebels" band and also some other venues on occasion. I worked with him a couple of years ago and he plays the fire out of his "creation".... He made it from a couple of 2X6 pieces of pine and a couple of stratocaster pickups. The fretboards are "drawn" right on the wood with a Sharpie. The bridges and nuts are made from angle stock. He tunes it to B6th on the outside and open E on the inside. You wouldn't think it by the looks of his guitar but this guy can really play.............JH in Va.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 22 Sep 2011 3:43 pm

Some might throw that guitar in the trash and then feel sorry for the trash, Jerry, but with steels we're lucky it's function over form, and in the hands of your friend it's like JB said "if you can't play, it doesn't matter what guitar you have, and if you can play, it doesn't matter what guitar you have".

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 22 Sep 2011 4:08 pm

i made a few of those myself! and they sounded good. heres one of them.

Scott Thomas · Post by **Scott Thomas** » 22 Sep 2011 4:13 pm

Check out the Homemade Guitars Showcase thread if you haven't seen it.

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... ight=build

Thiel Hatt · Post by **Thiel Hatt** » 22 Sep 2011 5:45 pm

Here's three of my creations. A pedal Dobro , 9 string with 6 pedals and 6 knee levers, tuned to D9th. A triple neck 9 string with the string spacing the same as the pedal steel, tuned to C6th, E13th and A6th. And my octave guitar tuned to E13th with each string pair tuned in octaves.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 22 Sep 2011 5:59 pm

Bill Hatcher wrote:i made a few of those myself! and they sounded good. heres one of them.

I was thinking of your dime store steel, Bill, when I saw the Mumford job, they're almost identical, maybe he saw your's! I'd be interested in knowing who got away cheaper for the best sounder. (yes, I just want to hear some good steel...)

Frank James Pracher · Post by **Frank James Pracher** » 22 Sep 2011 6:48 pm

Here is a link to one that I made.

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... +lap+steel

I dont have the pix in my computer anymore but it's still up in the for sale section.
It was fun, but working with that old maple was a bear. It was cool though, the only thing I bought new for the guitar was the strings. Everything else was recycled.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 22 Sep 2011 7:16 pm

Anyone remember the Bucket Steel?

Click on the picture! (...it's Not me playing!)

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 22 Sep 2011 9:54 pm

http://steelguitarfrance.forumactif.com ... ait-maison

Jouni Karvonen · Post by **Jouni Karvonen** » 24 Sep 2011 1:23 am

This is my "homemade" 12 string, mahogany plank and wenge blocks for tuning machines. My friend did the woodwork, I did the basic design. Together we did minor parts and assembly.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 24 Sep 2011 2:16 am

I'll bet that baby sounds and sustains like few others. Outstanding!

James Kerr · Post by **James Kerr** » 24 Sep 2011 3:08 pm

You have started something here.
This is my small collection of home made guitars. The Dobro and 1954 Teisco are store bought, the rest made by me.

You can hear them all playing here.

http://www.youtube.com/user/kerrsteel

James.

John Johnson Jr · Post by **John Johnson Jr** » 25 Sep 2011 5:00 am

sure looks like a lot of love for music on this page here is something i picked up i have mixed review most say it is handmade a few others say different but anyway it is something different good work on all those

instrument

Ron Yarboro · Post by **Ron Yarboro** » 25 Sep 2011 6:24 am

Heres one I built a little over a year ago. I did everything but the painting. Nitro scares me

Jerry Recktenwald · Post by **Jerry Recktenwald** » 25 Sep 2011 5:08 pm

I started out a year ago playing on a Rouge 6 string. They looked easy to make so , why not try. Here are some of my pictures. BTW they are made from cedar.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 25 Sep 2011 5:57 pm

Some may remember when this oddity showed up with an interesting story http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... t=shrapnel It's in Hawaii now, possibly nearer where she got'r scars, and ol' Jay proved to be a special guy, not only willing to sell but after declining the $300 I offered, he countered with $200, and I accepted, quickly. Inspecting it, I found yet a 4th scar, also in line with the others. Too bad we never could track down the facts about it's history, those that could tell have passed.

No pix to post, but I also have a sweet 8 str. from the 40s which was supposedly made in the wood shop at Alcatraz prison. Unlike the Pearl Harbor dbl. 8, this one says yes everywhere, and nothing to say no, but again, no proof.