Strat lap steel?

Jude James Shiels · From: near Dublin, Ireland

I got a cutaway stratocaster type guitar which I am not using right now, with two humbuckers, it has got a nice natural wood tone off it, but here is my question...

I want to raise the nut and use it as a lap steel, I am wondering if the strat scale neck has any drawbacks or advantages for trying this out, I know the string spacing is much shorter than on my Old Kraftsman lap steel and that kind of appeals to me with the less angled slants it would give me, any feedback would be appreciated from anyone who has tried this before, or anyone at all.

Mike Ihde · From: Boston, MA

My students in the Steel Guitar Lab at Berklee have to use a nut raiser when they don't own a Lap Steel. They have no problems. Some use a strat and some a Les Paul (too heavy) As far as slants go, they will actually be greater because of the closeness of the strings. But, the sound of a Strat is really nice when played like a Lap Steel. Have fun with it. The only disadvantage is the large body on the guitar. It won't lay on your lap properly. I tends to put your left hand at an awkward angle to the neck. Remember to slide the guitar as far as possible to your right to keep your hand at a perpendicular angle to the neck.

[This message was edited by Mike Ihde on 16 June 2000 at 10:49 PM.]

Jude James Shiels · From: near Dublin, Ireland

Mike,

Thanks for your reply, the beauty of this guitar is that the body is cut away so as to carry minimal weight, it actually looks more like a lapsteel already than a strat, only the neck is still the same.

Chris Walke · From: St Charles, IL

I started out by using my Strat on my lap, but I wasn't using a raised nut. Didnt' matter so much because I was using a reg guitar slide instead of a heavy bar. Worked fine for me before I got a lap steel, but I wouldn't go back.

Mike Tatro · From: Oregon, USA

Jerry Douglass used to play a strat style lap steel on American Music Shop. It had a permanent high nut but was otherwise a converntional strat.

Lefty · From: Grayson, Ga.

These nut raisers use to be available I believe from Dunlop. They had the name "Nick Manoloff" on them. They were a formed metal channel that fit right over the stock nut, and had grooves for the strings. They were, I believe a metal stamping (0.070) with stamped sting grooves. I used them for a while, and still have a couple in my pickbox. The strat scale works fine for slide (ask Bonnie Raitt, Ry Cooder, or Lowell George).

Jude James Shiels · From: near Dublin, Ireland

I'll see if I can find that nut raiser over here Lefty, maybe some music store in Dublin can find out if they are still available, thanks for letting me know what to look for.

Lefty · From: Grayson, Ga.

I will also keep my eyes open for these, or other improved nut raisers for you. I used these in the early seventies for slide guitar. They are an easy way to convert a guitar with no permanent modification.
The only drawback was that they raise the strings to a set height. If you are planning to play slide, and do some chording as well, you may decide to install a raised nut and adjust in for optimal performance.
With the nut raiser I used it for slide only, and had another guitar for normal playing.

Andy Alford · Posted 1 Oct 2001 11:06 am

I just have to write about the Fender Strat Lap idea.After trying this I must say that the tones from the 3 pickups along with the 5 way selector and 2 tones controls = A+.The body shape was easy to get use to since I have played a Chandler.You can buy a Squire Bullet for $99.00 raise the strings with a nut and have some great fun for little cash.

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

If you just want to play around with non-pedal steel then by all means try the Strat. But with all due respect, guys, don't reinvent the wheel. Get a lap steel! Both your ergonomics and learning curve will be better served in the long run by playing an instrument with the proper scale length, string spacing and body shape - not to mention pickups that are wound for a steel sound. I wouldn't take my cue from Jerry Douglas here. Jerry could probably take fishing line and a plank and make it sound great.

[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 01 October 2001 at 01:20 PM.]

Ian McLatchie · From: Sechelt, British Columbia

Jude: Extension nuts are available from Elderly Music (www.elderly.com) for under $5.00 U.S. I once had a cheapo Japanese vaguely Strat-style electric, with two Teisco pickups. It sounded lousy as a regular electric, but it made a great lap guitar. The only thing to be aware of, apart from the tight string spacing, is that raising the strings markedly increases tension on the neck. Watch for warpage, and keep string gauges a little lighter than you might on a lap steel.

Everett Cox · From: Marengo, OH, USA (deceased)

Jude -- eBay now and then has a listing for 'kits' to convert standard guitars to lap. I notice one currently that includes the nut raiser, a Stevens bar, and picks.

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1470048321

Have fun --Everett

nick allen · From: France

I believe Jerry Douglas' "Strat" style lap steel was basically a Strat-type body with 2(?) Strat pickups, and a squared-off neck blank (i.e. the neck before the back of it has been sanded down, rounded, smoothed, etc) and was produced specially for him by the Fender Custom Shop. I seem to recall reading they also did a "Tele" one for him.
Nick

Brandon Roper · From: Carrollton, TX, USA

Hey Fellas!
Sounds like a really fun idea to try out. What kinda tuning would you suggest on the strat? What setting allows you to get the closest to a steel sound? -Brandon

Andy Alford · Posted 2 Oct 2001 6:23 am

Brandon I have used open G,e-7,and high A bass.With the 3 pickups,2 tone controls,and the 5 position controler the tones are beyond a normal Lap Steel.That Fender sound is grand.

Andy Alford · Posted 2 Oct 2001 7:05 am

In the FENDER FRONTLINE VOL.27 pg.23 They show the Fender Chris Rea Signature Stratocaster that comes with a unique package of accessories that includes a replica of Rea's custom glass slide.When you think of going a step more and adding a nut for lap playing then that seems logical.Many love the FENDER sound.The Stratocaster makes a nice lap steel with a lot of tones for $99.00.

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