High-quality photos of Sierra Lap Steel on E-Bay

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 22 Jul 2001 4:26 pm

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1448149895

You can get a very good look at the Sierra lap steel model right now on E-Bay ... better shots than their sales literature; close-ups, photos of the case etc. Is it just me or does it seem to anyone else like Sierra faces their logo & Geroge L's logo in the wrong direction?

b0b, are still playing yours? What are these guitars made of? How do they compare to the classic pre-war, 1/2" magnet Bakelite Ricks?

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 22 Jul 2001 4:52 pm

"Is it just me or does it seem to anyone else like Sierra faces their logo & Geroge L's logo in the wrong direction?"

I concur. Can't imagine it. But that is the way they all are.

Jes don seem rat ta me!

God bless you,

carl

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 22 Jul 2001 7:59 pm

Nice pictures. The case is a little better than mine.

I agree that the Sierra logo should face the other way. It's upside down when it's in a guitar stand on stage.

As for how it compares with a Rick - all I can say is that it's the best sounding steel guitar I've ever played. I never played a pre-war Rick, but it's hard for me to imagine a better tone.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (E9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 27 Jul 2001 4:43 pm

What are these guitars made of?

There is a slab of aluminum sandwiched between two rockhard maple slabs (not sure of the wood). All I know is that mine is far superior to both my Bakelite, Frypan or Dual Professional.

I noticed this one and the one on their website does not have a Rose Decal. A fellow forumite - Lockpick - said that they only put them on some. I'm glad mine has one - beautiful.

Anyone know the decal story???

Bob Kagy · Post by **Bob Kagy** » 28 Jul 2001 11:04 am

Rick, interesting. I didn't know there were haves and have nots when it came to the rose.

I have one on mine, 12th fret. It's unusual, but I think a very nice touch. Maybe it has to do with the serial number range? Mines #018; what's yours?

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 28 Jul 2001 2:46 pm

My decal is between the 16th and 17th frets on the side where the tone and volume knobs are. It is gold and when I first saw it I thought it was engraved but it turns out to be a raised decal. I also have a red rose as the 12th fret marker. Mine is #041.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 28 Jul 2001 3:15 pm

Against my better judgement I'm beginning to covet one of these. My only complaint about the bakelites is that the strings are awfully close to the fretboard. My thumbpick is always clicking against it. Ho high are the Sierra's strings off the fingerboard?

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 28 Jul 2001 4:54 pm

Almost 1/2".

lockpick1 · Post by **lockpick1** » 28 Jul 2001 5:39 pm

Tom at the Sierra factory here in Portland Oregon mentioned to me that the rose decal was just a nice touch put on a few of the earlier steels or a special order one. Mine has one (S#008). He still has a sheet of the decals at his shop.

STEVE

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Bob Kagy · Post by **Bob Kagy** » 30 Jul 2001 11:32 am

Rick, Steve -

Thanks for the info on the rose decal.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 30 Jul 2001 10:40 pm

I played mine with the Bar X Bunkhouse Boys the other day, and someone admiring it commented about the rose on the fretboard. I never thought much of it. The fretboard is pretty, though.

It's number #002. It doesn't have the decal.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (E9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)[This message was edited by b0b on 31 July 2001 at 12:25 PM.]

Alan Barley · Post by **Alan Barley** » 31 Jul 2001 10:56 am

Rick, I just acquired one of these today that had been sitting at one of the local guitar shop for many months, gathering dust. It is #042 and it does not have the decal but does have the rose on the fretboard at the 12th fret.

Alan

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 31 Jul 2001 4:04 pm

Alan, congratulations!!! Now your other quitars will be the dust collectors (mine are).

I got mine from Herby Wallace after hearing about it from another forumite - Oakley Hicks. I actually signed up as a forum member to find out info on Canopus steels. After a mixed assortment of replies Mr. Hicks emailed me and asked if I knew about the Sierra. I hadn't and looked at their website and did a search here. I was alittle concerned about the 24 1/2" scale since all I play is Jerry Byrd stuff so he did a nice comparison of angles associated with slants with his Bakelite, Frypan and the Laptop 8. This sold me and I am eternally grateful to him and this forum for this find (along with the Hilton Volume pedal I learned about here).

Since we have a nice collection of Laptop players here - let me ask ya'll a question. I had read that the George L pickups should be a "quarters" width height from the strings because of the plastic case. I originally tried this and got some harsh trebley overtones - so I backed it off to "two dimes" width. I seems perfect now - any comments???

Bob Kagy · Post by **Bob Kagy** » 31 Jul 2001 4:57 pm

Rick, when I got mine in late '99, the pickup came set up further away than 1 quarter's thickness. I tried decreasing the clearance, but didn't like it as much. I ended up with 1/8th inch as my favored setting.

I went to the St. Louis convention in '99 and got to try out many guitars, pedal and non-pedal. The Sierra laptop was the best lap steel I'd ever played, although I've never had a Rick. So it won me over and I managed to get one several months after the convention. (I also bought a D10 Carter at the convention, too; those trips can cost a lot of money

Caution: don't try a Sierra laptop unless you can afford one.

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 31 Jul 2001 7:56 pm

015 with rose decal. This is the Rolls Royce of lap steels.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 1 Aug 2001 8:02 am

Caution: don't try a Sierra laptop unless you can afford one.
Sounds like good advice to me. I'm afraid to buy any more guitars.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Bill Leff · Post by **Bill Leff** » 1 Aug 2001 11:39 am

I was able to demo one of these in the comfort of my own home. It had a beautiful, sweet tone and I enjoyed playing it and listening to it.

However, I'm not as taken with the look of the guitar. It's too industrial looking for my tastes. It kind of reminds me of a hotrod or a shiny new pedal steel. The body shape is also not asthetically pleasing to me.

So even though I tried it, I can resist the urge to buy one, at least for now.

I'll probably live to regret this posting

Bill