my new Yanuziello lap steel

Donald Rooke · Post by **Donald Rooke** » 31 Jan 2017 4:58 pm

Hi folks,

I wanted to share a couple of phone shots I just took of my new lap steel, which I got today from Joseph Yanuziello. Like all his work, it's a beautiful design, it's custom, and the workmanship is pristine. But the real joy came when I plugged it in. It's warm, clear, fat, full, and has wonderful sustain. The sustain surprised me, because I thought it was going to be more on the acoustic side, which it still is (it's chambered, including a lot of the neck), but long notes are surprisingly easy to come by. The harmonics are loud, the top string is stronger than I'm used to (a good thing!) and doesn't wimp out, even way up the neck.

Joe is a friend of mine, and I love his work. So this is not an unbiased review. But I have played a ton of lap steels over the years, and I've converted several guitars to play lap style. This guitar (and a bakelite Ricky I got from JW) is without doubt the best of the lot.

Don Rooke
Toronto

Will Houston · Post by **Will Houston** » 31 Jan 2017 5:09 pm

Nice one, what kind of pups?

Donald Rooke · Post by **Donald Rooke** » 31 Jan 2017 5:16 pm

Lindy Fralin. Joe makes the covers by hand. (And the knobs, bridge, tailpiece.)

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 31 Jan 2017 5:20 pm

Don's article on Joe Y in the recent Fretboard Journal is a great read and an even more wonderful visual presentation. Don's photography is stunning.

Don, congratulations and play it great health!

Donald Rooke · Post by **Donald Rooke** » 31 Jan 2017 5:29 pm

Thank you my friend. I feel like you with your beautiful Clinesmiths.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 31 Jan 2017 5:31 pm

Spectacular guitar, Don. Congratulations! Joe does stellar work and his design sense is elegant.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 31 Jan 2017 6:11 pm

Congratulations, Don! I look forward to hearing you play this thing.

Donald Rooke · Post by **Donald Rooke** » 31 Jan 2017 6:17 pm

Thanks Andy and Brad.

Brad, I'll be playing it with Doug Paisley tomorrow night in Toronto - see you there :) Bring a coat.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 31 Jan 2017 7:36 pm

That's beautiful Don! Flame/curly maple drop top, is it over mahogany?

Donald Rooke · Post by **Donald Rooke** » 31 Jan 2017 8:08 pm

That's right Mark.

Orville Johnson · Post by **Orville Johnson** » 31 Jan 2017 10:28 pm

Looks beautiful! Turn it up so we can hear it in Seattle!

Donald Rooke · Post by **Donald Rooke** » 1 Feb 2017 4:31 am

Thanks Orville, I'll try. At least I won't need to be heard over the 12s... ooops, sorry :)

Donald Rooke · Post by **Donald Rooke** » 1 Feb 2017 5:48 am

Mark,
1960s mahogany, Joe says. So it sounds like I should be able to play Motown on it?

Al Wiegel · Post by **Al Wiegel** » 1 Feb 2017 11:39 am

It sure is nice to see some of Joe's handy work up close. A great luthier and and an overall really nice person. Joe hotrodded (sp) a couple of my resos a few years back when he was in Toronto. They still play as bright and loud as they did after he worked on them. Enjoy.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 1 Feb 2017 8:29 pm

Really nice workmanship, and ideas on the hollowed body & neck !!

David M Brown · Post by **David M Brown** » 2 Feb 2017 6:08 am

Donald Rooke wrote:Mark,
1960s mahogany, Joe says. So it sounds like I should be able to play Motown on it?

I like that chambered design.

Geoff Cline · Post by **Geoff Cline** » 2 Feb 2017 7:58 am

Beautiful guitar and, as Mike Neer said, excellent article about one of my favorite luthiers in the FJ. Joe's work is consistently inspiring.

Samuel Bilyeu · Post by **Samuel Bilyeu** » 2 Feb 2017 3:14 pm

Where is the pickup selector switch on that beauty? I assume the two knobs are "volume" and "tone".

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 2 Feb 2017 3:20 pm

Those knobs are carved by hand!

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 2 Feb 2017 3:44 pm

Yes Don, '60s mahogany and Motown. I'd like to hear you cut loose on this guitar on I Heard it Through the Grapevine.

Donald Rooke · Post by **Donald Rooke** » 3 Feb 2017 5:46 am

Thanks guys.

Samuel, sInce I use a volume pedal, I opted to have a tone knob and a pickup blend knob. In the middle (detente) position of the blend, when the two single coils are equal, it's humbucking and is dead quiet.

Lee Holliday · Post by **Lee Holliday** » 5 Feb 2017 1:54 am

Josephs guitars are on my wish list with Asher, they are few and far between in the UK but I managed to have a close up look at one of his reso,s a few years back and quality and tone were superb.

Lee

James Williamson · Post by **James Williamson** » 5 Feb 2017 11:20 am

Well, this lap steel is a beauty for sure. But, you could put a board with a nail and a string together and Don would make it sound amazing.

So stoked that my old Ricky make the cut along side this one.

Don has managed to get me lusting for Joe's instruments as well.

Clearly a master builder.