Tone, Sustain

Neil Aring · Post by **Neil Aring** » 30 Sep 2021 11:12 am

What (if anything) affects the tone of a lap steel instrument other than the pickup and the strings that are on it ?

David Knutson · Post by **David Knutson** » 30 Sep 2021 11:21 am

For me, the biggest tonal difference on my steels comes from where I pick the strings - brighter closer to the bridge, and warmer as I move toward the fret board. That holds true for my electric or acoustic steels.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 30 Sep 2021 11:25 am

The bar.

John Larson · Post by **John Larson** » 30 Sep 2021 11:33 am

Ensuring your pressure with the bar on the strings is consistent, not too light (this kills sustain), not too heavy (this kills intonation). Pickup height to the strings as well, depending on the guitar design, if the pickup is too close to the strings the magnets act like "brakes" on the vibrating string.

Gene Tani · Post by **Gene Tani** » 30 Sep 2021 12:14 pm

I'd say everything about nut and bridge/tailpiece: material, how slots are cut, how solidly attached to body, breakover angle etc. Single coil height matters a lot, also

Maybe you can post pix of steel that you'd maybe like to hear improvement and people make suggestions.

Noah Miller · Post by **Noah Miller** » 30 Sep 2021 1:09 pm

All of it. Everything matters to some degree or other; some of it matters so little that you'll never hear it, some of it plays a huge part in the instrument's sound.

Mike Christensen · Post by **Mike Christensen** » 30 Sep 2021 6:03 pm

Mostly the person playing it.

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 30 Sep 2021 6:39 pm

All of the above, but body material must have some effect, otherwise all pre-war Rics would sound the same no matter whether they are cast aluminum, bakelite, hollow brass or steel sheet.

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 1 Oct 2021 10:04 am

Scale length seems to be a big factor, in my humble opinion.

Gene Tani · Post by **Gene Tani** » 1 Oct 2021 12:45 pm

To expand on above: everything that touches the strings, so material and blade shape of finger and thumbpicks makes a big difference. You can try brass and stainless steel fingerpicks, tho it would be easier/cheaper to find a banjo or steel player that will let you borrow a variety (you have to promise not to bend them). Pretty straight and very curved blades on the picks makes a big difference