older Fender Gibson or new console

[JW Adams]

i am new to lap steel and have heard a lot about the tone of the early Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker lap steels, but i have noticed some of the best at lap steel changed to a new model or special made console, such as Larry Bird and Roy Wiggins did later on, were they better guitars

[Matthew Dawson]

I think you mean Jerry Byrd! The early Rickenbacker, Gibson, National, Epiphone, etc.... lap steels are hard to beat for tone. Jerry Byrd switched from the Rick Bakelite because he needed better tuning stability (the Bakelite was unstable under hot TV lights). Most pro players eventually wanted to have two tunings available without re-tuning between songs. If you are just getting started I'd say learning one tuning could keep you busy for a long time.

If Larry Bird did take up the steel guitar I have no doubt that he would play the 26" extra long scale Fender Stringmaster.

[Matthew Dawson]

Here is Wayne Tanner doing just fine with an old 6 string Rickenbacker:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ng7XsFqT-k

(Brought to us incidentally by Ray Montee who is no slouch on an olde Bakelite himself!)