My custom Ryan Rukavina lap steel - in progress

[Juan Calama]

So how is the neck joined to the body? Is that a glued butt joint or is it more complex than that?

I know that Ryan Rukavina has a profile on the Steel Guitar Forum, I'll alert him to your post and maybe he'll reply...I really don't know much about joints so I would not be the authority that Ryan would be.

[Ryan Rukavina]

I just doweled the neck on with some old tinker toys, and glued it up with some Bubble Yum.

...Then again I may have used two deeply set hard maple tenons, extending well into the body and neck.

The fingerboard is on now as well, with abalone dots installed.

[Liz Williams]

I was really hoping you meant it about the tinker toys and bubble yum...

[Juan Calama]

I'm certainly glad he doesn't...

[Juan Calama]

The latest...

Time to pick out the veneers for the pickups as well as the hand-carved knobs and hand-carved bridge (also, possibly, a bridge cover)...Ryan suggested, and I agree, that we go with the most marbled part of the block in order to contrast the top...here are some shots of that...







And here's another picture of the details of the maple binding...

[Juan Calama]

The pickup veneers...

[Mike Neer]

Looking sweet!

[Juan Calama]

More pics...

[Ryan Rukavina]

It is getting oiled up finally.
More pics as it comes together.

[HowardR]

well......go figure.....

[David Keller]

I sure would like to see the final finished pics. What a beautiful piece of wood, and a better use of it.

[Juan Calama]

Should be completed any day now...just in time, Axe FX 2 should be arriving on Wednesday...can't wait to try them both together.

[Neil Cameron]

Dramatically beautiful subject and photographs, look forward to viewing the completed instrument.

[Juan Calama]

Final assembly is right around the corner and Ryan uploaded this youtube video to show of the shininess of the "BastogneCaster" as he is calling it.

All I can say is wow!

I really am a lucky guy...thanks Ryan for all of your wonderful work on this project. I look forward to future projects together and can't wait to be enjoying my new lapsteel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVgcqGR7xRE

[Juan Calama]

I haven't received her yet, but everything indicates that it shouldn't be long now...thanks again Ryan for your persistence and hard-work, I look forward to enjoying this beauty for a long time.

[Dan Schwartz]

That is friggin gorgeous! The way the curve of the fingerboard matches the curve of the wood grain knocks me out. Wow!

[Stephen Abruzzo]

Beautiful steel. Tell us about the pups please.

[Juan Calama]

The most I can tell you right now is that I have yet to play through them...Ryan wound them himself after we talked a little bit about what I hoped to achieve tonally...

I know that he is out there, perhaps he will chime in...

In the meantime, here's another pic of the front...



and of the back...



and of the pups...



and another...

[Thomas Temple]

I have followed this thread and have seen this "beauty" develop just wondering if maybe Ryan hasn't become sort of like a surrogate mother that once the "baby" comes to life is reluctant to give it up!!

[Juan Calama]

Well...I think that Ryan could probably speak for himself on this one, but at one point I do recall him telling me that this is the most beautiful piece of wood he has ever worked with, so...

[Thomas Temple]

Juan,

Another week has come and gone, just wondering if you have gotten your hands on that beauty yet?

Tom

[Juan Calama]

Not yet...in fairness though, I told Ryan to take his time in getting it to me, making sure that it is just so before sending it off...keep checking in, believe me, I will post when it is in my hot little hands.

[Juan Calama]

Shouldn't be long now...first sound samples.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi5F9L8uyS0

[Juan Calama]

Also, a 5 minute video guided tour by Ryan Rukavina himself...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kobHc8J9 ... re=related

[Peter Jacobs]

Awesome! Congratulations -- it's not only beautiful, but should be incredibly versatile with those pickup combinations. How does it feel to hold and play?