Do you ever stand and play lap steel like a dobro player?

[Mark Mansueto]

Here is why I ask... I played a gig the other night where the songs I was featured on were scattered throughout the evening and I could not keep my gear on stage. I also play electric and acoustic so it was a PITA getting my stuff on and off. Since I have never played lap steel with a strap I had two options: 1. play sitting on a chair. 2. Use a stand and a stool or stand up using the stand. Since I wanted to be the same height as playing guitar I opted to stand and use a stand. Moving the stand on and off the stage proved to be very cumbersome and now I wish that I could have used a strap and stood.

So any of you guys play standing and use a strap? I've never done it so i would appreciate some insight on which lap steel models lend themselves to this and how does it affect your playing?

[Mike Harris]

I have played dobro and Peavey Power Slide standing up. Haven't tried it with Dynalap (or with Fender T-8, for that matter). Power Slides and Melobars are made to play standing up.

[K Maul]

For years I played a Gibson BR-6 with a strap like a dobro. Never had a big problem doing it although I prefer sitting. I've used electric guitars as lap steels and played standing up and currently have an Asher that I sometimes play that way. I've held it out horizontally but also have done it flat on my stomach and upper leg, and just played it overhand vertically. I have used a large volume pedal or wood block to rest my foot and give a little angle. That makes playing a bit easier, but I'm comfortable doing whatever. Get a Melobar if you really need to play it horizontally but anything with a wider body is easier to play that way. You could get a cheap acoustic, put a pickup in it and crank her up!

[Nic Neufeld]

Megan Lovell started as a dobro player and went from there to lap steel, but preferred standing, so she had a rig made for her bakelite to use with a strap...here's a pic:

[Mark Mansueto]

Seem like I saw a device that you could add to a small lap steel that acted as a belly rest to make playing easier. Anyone know of it? If not I may have to do some searching.

[Chase Brady]

I only play my 6 string Johnny King electric occasionally at Blues jams. I'm mostly an acoustic player. I made a stabilizer bar for it out of small wood boards, adhesive backed felt and Duck tape purchased at Michaels crafts. Obviously a bit crude, but it works pretty well. I layered 1 x 1/8 strips to get the proper spacing, with felt on the jaws.

[Mark Mansueto]

Yes, that's pretty much what I'm after. I did a bit of searching and found that Asher makes a bar kit but I also found a pic of Jerry Douglas and I like what he's using.

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[Mark Mansueto]

For what it's worth, this was me the other night:

[Joel Meginsky]

I use a walker I got from Goodwill. It’s height adjustable
and I take the wheels off. Aluminum, folds up and is light.

[Steven Meyrich]

Jerry Douglas is using a Lap King by Jason Dumont who makes a belly set up for his guitars - he calls it the Stage Hand - it might fit others, he's easy to reach and ask.

Steve

[Mark Mansueto]

Thanks, Steve, I will

[Erv Niehaus]

I remember seeing a standing lap steel player from years ago on the Grand Ole Opry. It may have been String Bean, but I'm not sure.
He was playing a Gibson.
Erv

[K Maul]

Cousin Jody....but you gotta wear the hat and pants. I did and I used the same Gibson.

[Erv Niehaus]

There you go!
Erv

[K Maul]

Mark- if you don’t mind screwing a metal plate into the bottom of the steel....
http://www.lapking.com/options.html

[Mark Mansueto]

I won't be adding it to a collector item so no problem with attachment. In fact, the lap steel I played live was a modified Rondo that I gutted and installed all new hardware and electronics. I do like the way the Asher plugs into two holes but I like the pad on the Lap King better.

[Glenn Wilde]

Cousin Jody....but you gotta wear the hat and pants. I did and I used the same Gibson.

He's exactly who i thought of when i read the thread title. Hilarious!

[Brooks Montgomery]

Mark,
The Asher Electro Hawaiian Jr. with belly bar works great.

https://asher-guitars-lap-steels-store. ... it-upgrade

I had several different methods that I used before, but finally went this route. I'm no longer looking or fiddling about.

And I should add, I had Asher install the belly bar. Worth the extra cost.

[Peter Jacobs]

Sometimes, I’ll use a Supro Jet Airliner with legs, but most often I play my StrapSteel(tm), which I had made to do just what you’re asking about. I wanted a steel that was designed to be worn like a Dobro, so I could move around easily. It’s a lot more interactive on stage.

https://youtu.be/X8aUb0jEnSU

[Bruce Bouton]

I use the belly bar that Asher sells. It was actually designed by Tim Scheerhorn but he allowed Bill Asher to use it. It mimics the ergonomics of a dobro making it easy to play standing up. When I toured I had to move around alot. The belly bar was a godsend. I've got a lapking, which has a different belly bar design. Suits the same purpose.

[Mark Mansueto]

I glossed over the Nic's earlier post until I saw a Megan Lovell video. Wow, she's legit and that's her lap steel. Impressive skills.

Peter, You made the Strapsteel? Can you elaborate a bit on that? Looks interesting.

[Peter Jacobs]

Mark - I didn’t make the StrapSteel, I just came up with what I wanted and the basic specs. I worked with a fantastic builder, who took my ideas and made all sorts of improvements. The body is asymmetrical, so there’s less body on the treble side of t(e neck. This reduces weight and helps keep it from tipping forward. I wanted it to be chambered, both for weight and tonal qualities.

The body is blocks of maple with maple veneer on the sides and solid maple top and bottom. Scale is 22.5, the pickup is a split single that the builder wound, so it’s hum cancelling (an absolute must); it’s kind of a sound between a strat and a P90 - click the video link in my post to hear what it sounds like with a bit of overdrive. Nut and bridge are solid brass. The neck bolts on.

This was one of the last lap steels the builder made - he’s on to other things now. But maybe someone else will come up with their version. Hope this info helps!

[Mark Mansueto]

Peter, might be a project that I take on myself at some point In the mean time I think I'll try some sort of pad solution. Thanks for the info.

[Mark Eaton]

"Do you ever stand and play lap steel like a dobro player?"

Yeah - all the time. I did on Sunday and will again tonight.

This is my Asher Electro-Hawaiian custom. The pickups are Lindy Fralin P-90s. This guitar kills.

I had a hot rodded Electro-Hawaiian Jr. for a few years with Jason Lollar Imperial humbuckers and it was great - until it was stolen out of my car along with a lot of other gear going on two years ago. I see Bruce Bouton in this thread - thanks to Bruce, after some email exchanges I went for that now gone Asher. He had been playing a hot rodded Jr. on a few tunes when he was touring with Reba several years ago.

Awhile back I spotted the guitar below for sale in southern California and went for it, mint condition. The original owner was going for something different and was having Bill Asher build him a new one so he let this one go.

I was on a business trip to southern California a little over a year ago so I brought this guitar to Billy at his shop in Venice and dropped it off for him to install the belly bar and go through the electronics to make sure everything was up to speed. But I asked him to shorten the length of the inserts that go into the ferrules by one inch. I felt that on my Jr. the reach was just a tad long and different from playing dobro standing with a strap. On this newer guitar it's just the right distance.

Something to be aware of if you own a higher end Asher and are thinking about the belly bar. If your guitar has a chambered body it might not work.

That's my Bobby Poff strap. They don't come any better. Not sure why he needs so many, but a few years ago Bobby told me that Jerry Douglas has around 15 of his straps. I had a second one, but it went with the scumbag who broke into my car.

The strap is very important while playing lap steel standing.

At the widest point this Poff strap is just shy of 3" across.

You want serious width, and thicker, stiffer leather for good support. The way I put it to fellow dobro and lap steel players is that soft, floppy leather straps are fine for playing a "regular" guitar because it's resting against your chest.


But a lap steel or dobro is sort of "cantilevered" out from your body in an almost horizontal position. In a long playing session while standing up, these things start adding up after awhile and can tire you out. A wimpy strap doesn't help matters.

[Peter Jacobs]

out from your body in an almost horizontal position. In a long playing session while standing up, these things start adding up after awhile and can tire you out. A wimpy strap doesn't help matters.

No joke, Mark - I've had some shoulder and upper back issues for the last year. At first, I couldn't play the steel with a strap, and it was hurting to play banjo. I used my Supro with legs for a few months, and my Ome Triple-X, which has a lighter body than my Gibson (by almost 4 pounds -- with a pickup, not a big deal on stage).

I go back and forth between a 3.5" Levy's Kokopelli strap and a Neotech 3.5" strap for the steel. You're right that width and substance are key to playing these things standing up. I'm referring, of course, to the strap...