Received my SX lap steel

[Derrell Reagan]

Just wanted to let Brad Davis, Jerry Overstreet, and Charles
strange know that I received my SX lap steel today. It was very nicely packed and a sticker was placed on it " American Swamp Ash"; so maybe the company does ship wood over to China. Who knows? It's not that big of an issue with me personally, I was just curious if anyone actually knew for sure if our American companies did ship parts to other countries to be assembled over there .
Well, at any rate I have tuned it up and it sounds great to me; and I guess the bottom line is ; that's all that really matters.I just thought I would pass the info along to the guys that answered my post earlier. Thanks again guys.
Derrell Reagan

[Brad Davis]

Congrats. Rondo makes a nice little steel for the money, enjoy it.

[Derrell Reagan]

Thanks Brad...

[Frank James Pracher]

Having US wood used in Chinese manufacturing isn't all that uncommon from my understanding..

Glad you're enjoying the SX!

[Jerry Overstreet]

Congratulations Derrell. Enjoy your new guitar.

I just got up from playing my SX6. I'm still tickled with the tone and playability of this thing. You really get a lot for what you pay. I couldn't ask for anything else.

[Michael Johnstone]

I got one of those recently and I like it. I needed a 6 string tuned to DADGAD for one tune in my band's show and I didn't want to restring my 8 string or try to play it on A6 tuning cause it lays so nice on a modal tuning. I'd sold all my old 6 string laps 20 years ago and you can't get anything cheap anymore. Then I saw this thing and gave it a shot. I can't really say one bad thing about the build,materials,case legs,tuning machines,pickup,tone or aesthetics. Mine has a stud mounted intonatable bridge which is for a standard guitar. I think it would sound a little stronger with a solid bar type stud tailpiece but all the ones I have found have an arch to them which would make the strings arched also. Not good for steel. I may make my own bridge out of flat steel plate with a titanium rod embedded across it for a string contact point and I think that would make it really sing. For what it is tho,I don't think these days you can beat it for the price.

[David M Brown]

Mine has a stud mounted intonatable bridge which is for a standard guitar. I think it would sound a little stronger with a solid bar type stud tailpiece but all the ones I have found have an arch to them which would make the strings arched also. Not good for steel.

The 8 string version has a simple straight bridge.

[Jack Hanson]

I think it would sound a little stronger with a solid bar type stud tailpiece but all the ones I have found have an arch to them which would make the strings arched also. Not good for steel.

Totally agree. A major nitpick with most modern imports is the bridge/tailpiece. Someone should make and market a repro stud tailpiece especially for lap steel, patterned after the mid-'50s Gibson:

[Johnie King]

Congratulations Derrell good choice on lap steel with ash body.

[Michael Johnstone]

Someone should make and market a repro stud tailpiece especially for lap steel, patterned after the mid-'50s Gibson

It couldn't be too difficult to cut one out of 6061 aluminum or brass 1/2" round stock. Any machinists out there wanna take a crack at it? Prolly sell a few....

[Jim Robertson]

My wife worked as a field inspector for the state Dept. of Agriculture for 43 years and a big part of her job was going to lumber mills, examining lumber for vermin, and issuing photo-sanitary certificates following the regulations of the countries to whom it was being exported. China far and away had the largest amounts sent to them.

A word to the wise: if you like ash instruments buy them now. An insect called the Emerald Ash Borer is going to make that species extinct within our lifetimes.