My Most Valuable Lap Steel. Please Share Yours

[Larry Lenhart]

C.E. very cool photo !! What an experience...ironically the very first steel I ever owned was a Stringmaster quad-didnt know what I had..wish I still had it...it was my instructors steel that he had purchased new.

[Bill McCloskey]

Here is a new one that found its way onto my front porch yesterday morning: Made the year I was born, 1954.

[Glenn Wilde]

C.E. that picture is too cool!

[C. E. Jackson]

Here is a new one that found its way onto my front porch yesterday morning: Made the year I was born, 1954.

Bill, thanks for posting the photo. I know that you will enjoy playing that beautiful steel. Don't get rid of it.

C. E. Jackson

[C. E. Jackson]

On one of my visits with Don
we played our Console Grandes together as shown in this photo.

Great photograph, C. E. Thanks for sharing.

C.E. very cool photo !! What an experience...ironically the very first steel I ever owned was a Stringmaster quad-didnt know what I had..wish I still had it...it was my instructors steel that he had purchased new.

C.E. that picture is too cool!

Thanks Jack, Larry, and Glenn for comments on the photo. Don was a good friend and
over the years my wife and I had great visits with him and his wife. Don always tried to
help me learn to play his style music. Here are some additional photos you might enjoy.

I am playing Don's Console Grande, "Ol' Red", in photos taken when Don was instructing
me in his garage. It was a real honor to play that famous steel!

There are more photos in my YouTube video, "Don Helms-Memories of My Visits With
Don", that you might enjoy.












A true friend who is greatly missed.

C. E. JACKSON

[Glenn Wilde]

On one of my visits with Don
we played our Console Grandes together as shown in this photo.

Great photograph, C. E. Thanks for sharing.

C.E. very cool photo !! What an experience...ironically the very first steel I ever owned was a Stringmaster quad-didnt know what I had..wish I still had it...it was my instructors steel that he had purchased new.

C.E. that picture is too cool!

Thanks Jack, Larry, and Glenn for comments on the photo. Don was a good friend and
over the years my wife and I had great visits with him and his wife. Don always tried to
help me learn to play his style music. Here are some additional photos you might enjoy.

There are more photos in my YouTube video, "Don Helms-Memories of My Visits With
Don", that you might enjoy.












A true friend who is greatly missed.

C. E. JACKSON

Wow, just great stuff.

[Bill McCloskey]

I had no idea C.E. Great photos and a great experience to have had

[C. E. Jackson]

Wow, just great stuff.

I had no idea C.E. Great photos and a great experience to have had

Thanks Glenn and Bill for the kind comments on my last post. I have edited
the last post of photos and added the following:

....I am playing Don's Console Grande, "Ol' Red", in photos taken
when Don was instructing me in his garage. It was a real honor to
play that famous steel!....

Sorry I didn't get it edited before anyone saw the post.

C. E. Jackson

[Bill Sinclair]

....I am playing Don's Console Grande, "Ol' Red", in photos taken
when Don was instructing me in his garage. It was a real honor to
play that famous steel!....

I recognized the beat up decal. Those are some great memories C.E.! Can't say as I've tried playing my Console Grande in my lap much like you guys.

[Glenn Wilde]

Man, i bet that was special to play on THE guitar!

[Jason Otto]

I'm new to this forum... this thread got me away from years of lurking to actually contributing.

My interest lies mainly in collecting, building and playing the resonator guitar, but somewhere along the line I strayed and purchased the lap steel below.

It's a National (Valco) Triplex Chord Changer lap steel. There is a gear lever on the right side that changes tuning between E7, C#minor, and A major... at least, that's their claim. My StroboSoft tuner disagrees. Anyway, this thing has been relegated to storage, waiting for an Amphenol vintage microphone connector that I may or may not find time to chase down.

[Jack Hanson]

...waiting for an Amphenol vintage microphone connector that I may or may not find time to chase down.

Either the Switchcraft 2501F or the Switchcraft 332A will do the trick, and they're readily available on eBay and elsewhere.

[C. E. Jackson]

....I am playing Don's Console Grande, "Ol' Red", in photos taken
when Don was instructing me in his garage. It was a real honor to
play that famous steel!....

I recognized the beat up decal. Those are some great memories C.E.! Can't say as I've tried playing my Console Grande in my lap much like you guys.

Bill, here is a photo of the beat up decal on Ol'Red".

Playing a Console Grande on the lap is heavy. Don't
remember now why Don and I were doing it.




C. E. Jackson

[C. E. Jackson]

Man, i bet that was special to play on THE guitar!

Thanks for the photo, Glenn. It was very special for me to get to play "Ol'Red".

C. E. Jackson

[C. E. Jackson]

I'm new to this forum... this thread got me away from years of lurking to actually contributing.

My interest lies mainly in collecting, building and playing the resonator guitar, but somewhere along the line I strayed and purchased the lap steel below.

It's a National (Valco) Triplex Chord Changer lap steel. There is a gear lever on the right side that changes tuning between E7, C#minor, and A major... at least, that's their claim. My StroboSoft tuner disagrees. Anyway, this thing has been relegated to storage, waiting for an Amphenol vintage microphone connector that I may or may not find time to chase down.

Jason, welcome to the Forum. Lots of great members and information available here.
Thanks for the photos and comment. Glad you strayed and purchased that beautiful
steel. I use the Switchcraft Inc. 332A as a screw-on connector and am very satisfied
with it. Please notice Jack Hanson's post with 2 alternatives.

Again, welcome and thanks for your contribution.

C. E. Jackson

[C. E. Jackson]

...waiting for an Amphenol vintage microphone connector that I may or may not find time to chase down.

Either the Switchcraft 2501F or the Switchcraft 332A will do the trick, and they're readily available on eBay and elsewhere.

Jack, thanks for the photos and information. I also have used the Switchcraft 332A
for several years and am satisfied with it. Great suggestions, as usual.

C. E. Jackson

[C. E. Jackson]

Tristan Jackson, my youngest grandson, at 5, learning to play a 1949 Silvertone. It
was his favorite steel at the time. I was very proud he was learning to play steel.
Look how he is holding the bar, and the serious facial attitude.




Today, the phone rang, and a voice said, we are about to turn into your driveway. It
was Tristan and his father. They had been deer hunting, and had come by for lunch.

Tristan has changed a lot since the above photo was taken when he was trying to
learn how to play steel. Here is a current photo. He is now 16, in 10th grade, playing
high school football, on the track team, and has an interest in girls. No time for steel
guitar at present. He stands 6'-2", weighs 185 lbs., and has his own truck with a
loud muffler. Hopefully, he will continue steel guitar again later. It's hard not to brag
on your youngest grandson.




I hope all Forum members and their families have a happy and prosperous 2020.

C. E. Jackson

[Brian Saulsman]

C.E.
I can see why you are so proud. I would like to add that I have found your contributions to this forum to be both informative and fascinating. You are a treasure for people like me who do not have a long background in this music.

You also seem to be a true gentleman which might explain the trajectory of your grandson

Happy 2020 to you and yours.

All the best.
Brian Saulsman

[Jack Hanson]

Ditto what Brian said.

[Mike Anderson]

Here’s my favourite photo of the Drifting Cowboys, might be a larger version out there somewhere:



Thank you C.E. for your great photos and reminiscences and all the best in 2020!

[C. E. Jackson]

C.E.
I can see why you are so proud. I would like to add that I have found your contributions to this forum to be both informative and fascinating. You are a treasure for people like me who do not have a long background in this music.

You also seem to be a true gentleman which might explain the trajectory of your grandson

Happy 2020 to you and yours.

All the best.
Brian Saulsman

Thanks Brian, for the kind comment. A comment like that is always encouraging and I
will try to live up to expectations. I am looking for great things from Tristan. Happy
2020 to you and your family.


C. E. Jackson

Ditto what Brian said.

Jack, thanks for the comment. Your comments are always appreciated.
Happy 2020 to you and your family.


C. E. Jackson

Here’s my favourite photo of the Drifting Cowboys, might be a larger version out there somewhere:



Thank you C.E. for your great photos and reminiscences and all the best in 2020!

Mike, thanks for the photo and comment. A great photo of the Drifting Cowboys in their
younger years. I am glad you liked my photos and reminiscences. Best to you in 2020.


C. E. Jackson

[C. E. Jackson]

I would like to share my Father's most valuable lap steel. My Father began playing in the late 1920's on an acoustic steel.
Before he was 20, he, his brother, and their instructor played for social events, and on radio station WSKB. Our home burned
when I was about 5 years old and his steel was lost. After the fire he purchased another acoustic lap steel that he played until
1949. In 1949, he purchased the only electric lap steel he ever owned, a SILVERTONE DELUXE BLACK: 1949 from Sears. He
played the SILVERTONE until 1972, when he purchased the only other electric steel he ever owned, a SHO-BUD DOUBLE NECK
8 PEDAL/10 STRING,THE PROFESSIONAL. He played the SHO-BUD until his death in 2001. When the estate closed, I chose
the SHO-BUD and another brother chose the SILVERTONE. I own a SILVERTONE DELUXE BLACK exactly like the one he owned.

SILVERTONE DELUXE BLACK: 1949



The only tuning Dad used from the late 1920's until 1972 was the A tuning:

A Tuning (H-L)
E, C#, A, E, C#, A

He loved that tuning and played fast and slow Hawaiian, Western, Hymns, Country,
Folk, Popular, and Spiritual Songs. He taught me to play, and I sure miss him.

Thanks,

C. E. Jackson

[Jeremy Moyers]

While I have quite a large lap steel collection, this one has to be my most valuable.

This is my pre-fender, pre-k&f, radio shop lap steel from 1944-1945. This was one of the first instruments ever built by Leo Fender and uses the pickup that he and Doc Kauffman developed together back in 1943. This guitar was also featured on page 177 of John Sprung's "Fender Amp Book". This IS where everything started for Fender. Everything that we know today from Fender started right here! Pretty incredible piece of history!

[Jeremy Moyers]

Here are a few of my other lap steels. I should get them all together for a “family photo” soon!

[Bill Mize]

a couple of glamour shots of pure sweetness. 1950 Oahu