Melobar Lap Steel...on it's way

Terry VunCannon · Post by **Terry VunCannon** » 15 Sep 2014 4:27 am

I am in the middle of buying this one. This will be my 2nd Melobar....this one has a less flashy body that I think suits me. The first one was like a flying V shape...
Any thoughts guys?

Tom Snook · Post by **Tom Snook** » 15 Sep 2014 5:41 am

How flashy does it need to be? Flashy is in the eye of the flasher!

Timothy Foster · Post by **Timothy Foster** » 15 Sep 2014 7:11 am

Very cool! I think these are a great way to integrate lap into a live performance -- being a guitar player primarily I'm used to bouncing around and have a hard time sitting still.

I really dig the look of that one, nicely understated... does it have the foam body? There were some questionable aesthetic decisions made at Mel-o-bar for sure -- I have one shaped like an Explorer, covered in brown Naugahyde?!?!

Mine was a 10-string, but I had it converted over to 8 as the former spacing was too tight for anything but chord strumming. Also jammed a Lollar Gibson Console pickup in it in lieu of the EMG Select. Here it is in all it's brown, foamy glory:

Peter Jacobs · Post by **Peter Jacobs** » 15 Sep 2014 7:30 am

I like that it's more subtle than some of the wild shapes. Looks like a hard body material instead of the foam. It looks like it will do the job without calling too much attention to the guitar (instead of the playing). Nice score!

Chris Walke · Post by **Chris Walke** » 15 Sep 2014 10:43 am

Thoughts? Hmmm....maybe you don't need the Dynamic anymore? I can think of a good home for it - won't cost ya much at all!

Terry VunCannon · Post by **Terry VunCannon** » 15 Sep 2014 6:38 pm

I hear ya Chris. I will probably hang onto the Dynamics...I like the way you think.
And, yes I like that this one has a more standard guitar look...the Flyin' V shape was a little much for me at my age. Really looking forward to getting this one.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 16 Sep 2014 10:27 am

The neck-through-tail is actually the entire instrument, complete with pickups, electrical switchgear, etc., a masterpiece of design, but the body is purely cosmetic, whether it be soft and spongy (like the one I have) or solid. The body unbolts very easily and you can build your own to your own shape and design, as flashy as you want, and still be able to change back to the original if you ever wanted to sell it.

In these days of holographic wrapping paper, I'm surprised no-one has thought of covering a guitar body with it. Under the stage floodlights, especially those that rotate colors, it would create some spectacular effects...

Timothy Foster · Post by **Timothy Foster** » 16 Sep 2014 11:37 am

Alan Brookes wrote:The body unbolts very easily and you can build your own to your own shape and design, as flashy as you want, and still be able to change back to the original if you ever wanted to sell it.

Hmmmmmm... Melobar is already bought and paid for... Add $7,500 for the African Lion full body mount taxidermy...

Is anyone here able to fabricate a bracket to attach my Melobar to a... oh, nevermind.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 16 Sep 2014 11:49 am

I think bolting a Melobar to a stuffed lion might make it a little cumbersome to play.