Unique Hungarian lap steel

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 23 Oct 2019 2:10 am

Eastern European builders definitely have their own sensibility and decorative traditions. It's almost like they shot all the parts out of a cannon and this how they landed.

Steve Knight · Post by **Steve Knight** » 23 Oct 2019 2:13 am

There are a lot of unusual features; but, the inlays at the 2nd and 14th frets jump out at me. I've never seen them placed there before.

Glenn Wilde · Post by **Glenn Wilde** » 23 Oct 2019 2:35 am

It's kinda cool, did you get it? How's it sound?

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 23 Oct 2019 3:05 am

The back is even wackier than the front! And no, I do not own it - just a pic from the web.

Jim Graham · Post by **Jim Graham** » 23 Oct 2019 4:05 am

Steve Knight wrote:There are a lot of unusual features; but, the inlays at the 2nd and 14th frets jump out at me. I've never seen them placed there before.

I noticed that as well, I think it may be laid out for a particular scale related to the local culture. (?)

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 23 Oct 2019 4:12 am

I would vote for it just being a design feature - an add-on to the traditional markers.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 23 Oct 2019 7:27 am

I wonder what function those items on the back side serve?
Erv

Keith Glendinning · Post by **Keith Glendinning** » 23 Oct 2019 7:33 am

Hungarian Minor scale ?

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 23 Oct 2019 7:37 am

Hungarian goulash.

Keith Glendinning · Post by **Keith Glendinning** » 23 Oct 2019 7:44 am

Just found this on Wiki
A Hungarian Gypsy:
A B C Dâ™¯ E F Gâ™¯

C Hungarian Gypsy:
C D Eâ™ Fâ™¯ G Aâ™ B

E Hungarian Gypsy:
E Fâ™¯ G Aâ™¯ B C Dâ™¯

The structure of this scale is (w = whole-step, h = half-step, + = augmented

2 1 3 1 1 3 1

I also remembered it from â€œThe Guitar Handbookâ€ by Ralph Denyer. ( I bought a copy in Kuwait in 1983) A great book covering a multitude of guitar subjects.
Keith.

Keith.

Keith Glendinning · Post by **Keith Glendinning** » 23 Oct 2019 7:56 am

Iâ€™ve found this in the book, which may explain it better.
Keith.

Michael Maddex · Post by **Michael Maddex** » 23 Oct 2019 8:39 am

It is either strung backwards (to our way of playing) or else it is the left-handed model.

Andy Volk wrote:... It's almost like they shot all the parts out of a cannon and this how they landed.

Careful Andy, you may be giving away Trade Secrets.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 23 Oct 2019 8:47 am

The Hungarians were SO successful with this guitar they went on to invert goulash!

Erv

Steve Knight · Post by **Steve Knight** » 23 Oct 2019 9:09 am

It's probably coincidence, but the inlays work out to be the same intervals as a major pentatonic scale, starting from the second note of the 5-note scale. So, if a D pentatonic major scale is

D E F# A B;

and, I make a huge assumption that one of the strings on the instrument is an E, then the inlays line up with those notes of the scale. A pentatonic major scale would start over again at the 10th fret and go up from there. This would sort of a be a "mode" of a pentatonic major scale. The intervals are the same.

We do use the pentatonic major and minor scales, both of which use the same notes in the relative minor key, starting at a different point in the scale.

I like Andy's theory that it's just a design feature.

Chris Walke · Post by **Chris Walke** » 24 Oct 2019 7:00 am

Erv Niehaus wrote:I wonder what function those items on the back side serve?
Erv

Perhaps ornate non-slip surface?

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 24 Oct 2019 7:21 am

It looks like there is some metal involved.
Erv

Bill Groner · Post by **Bill Groner** » 24 Oct 2019 7:41 am

It might be two rubber pads held in place by the metal plate? The bottom design looks to me like the black portion is for some gription on the lap?

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Unique Hungarian lap steel

Unique Hungarian lap steel

Re: Unique Hungarian lap steel