Plan on building a lap steel shaped liks a weisenborne
Moderator: J D Sauser
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Plan on building a lap steel shaped liks a weisenborne
I have been tossing around the idea of building a lap steel 8 string shaped like a weisenborn but semi hollow body with steam bent sides and a box center piece that will have the bridge and peg heads the top and back will be made fron1/8 inch thich oak planks that will be glued up from 8 inch wide boards then thickness will be planed to the 1/8 inch thickness the
sides will taper from the upper bout down to the beginning of the nut from side thicness of 4 inches to about 2 inches there will be instead of f holes there will be a celtic flame knot sound hole on either side of the top the bridge and nut will be made of brass i have a ten string bar style pick up and tone and volume knobs and was windering if a ten string pick up would work on an 8 string
sides will taper from the upper bout down to the beginning of the nut from side thicness of 4 inches to about 2 inches there will be instead of f holes there will be a celtic flame knot sound hole on either side of the top the bridge and nut will be made of brass i have a ten string bar style pick up and tone and volume knobs and was windering if a ten string pick up would work on an 8 string
- Andy DePaule
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10 string PU
Hi Michael,
A 10 string pickup should be fine. Wider than needed but that should not be a problem.
Most acoustic guitars have a top thickness of 3/32" though an 1/8" may help prevent feedback. However Oak it tough and may not resonate well. I've never seen an acoustic with an Oak top.
During the depression in the 30's some companies built guitars with Oak back & sides, but never the tops as far as I've seen.
I have no experience using Oak for any guitar.
Good luck
A 10 string pickup should be fine. Wider than needed but that should not be a problem.
Most acoustic guitars have a top thickness of 3/32" though an 1/8" may help prevent feedback. However Oak it tough and may not resonate well. I've never seen an acoustic with an Oak top.
During the depression in the 30's some companies built guitars with Oak back & sides, but never the tops as far as I've seen.
I have no experience using Oak for any guitar.
Good luck
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.
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I am going to use the hardware from an old pedal steel guitar that is made from oak i am not so concerned about resonance because most lap steel guitars are just a solid chunk of wood the reason for making it semi hollow body is to reduce the weight a solid chunk of wood is very heavy so making it semi hollow will significantly reduce the weight and as you know tone wood is very expensive so that is out because of budget i have a thickness planer that i can use to reduce the wood to a thin thickness so the weight will be less and oak lends itself to steam bending very well so the sides should be fairy easy to form what do you think thank you but it will not be an acoustic instrument
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Well i made my lap steel guitar out of a 2x4 after getting it done and tried it out it was awfull andpromptly threw it in the burn pile and set it on fire and i have given up the idea of making my own lap steel and have also given up on play8ng them i have no idea why i wated to do tat in te first place
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No i am not joking man as to wanting to make a lap steel in tha shape of a weisenborn instead of making it out of as you say a stack of oak that i have in my back yard i wanted to mae a semi holow one so it would not weigh a hundred pounds not to be an acoustic thing but simply to make the weight more managable it is people ike you that dscourage people from trying different ideas other than what you consider funny or the saddest thing you have ever seen i take it that you have seen and done everyting that there is to do in this field so you are the formost expert on every thing
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Sorry dude. I really thought you might be joking. You shouldn't give up so easily. I wasn't trying to mock your difficulties. We all start somewhere.... The first time I used a tablesaw I almost cut off my thumb. I have had no one to teach me anything and basically taught myself everything I know (which is not much) all before YouTube. I come to this forum to look in awe at the brilliant craftsmen and musicians willing to share their knowledge freely and selflessly. I think it also important to laugh at yourself. Lighten ups a little bit, Jesus! I really mean you no ill will. Only encouragement.
- Andy DePaule
- Posts: 2576
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12 Step program?
Quiting building steels is a 12 Step program.
Most people fail the first 18 times they try the program.
Most people fail the first 18 times they try the program.
Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.
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Michael if you are reading this I am happy, that means you haven't given up. If you think I am here to bully you into giving up, you are completely wrong. I want to see this guitar you are dreaming of. We are here for the exact same reason.
This really hurts me cause we don't know each other at all. My main passion with music and instruments is "different ideas".it is people ike you that dscourage people from trying different ideas
I have never claimed to be anything other than I am. If you want to know, I work at a grocery store to pay the bills and I have cobbled together humble little shop in my basement where I make humble instruments that I like. I have no illusions about my own limitations. I am actually new to steel guitar and am super stoked about the builders forum which is new. When I saw your post I was hoping to see someone building a Weissenborn inspired steel which sounds completely awesome. I have been hoping for more people posting pictures of their projects and asking questions. I found your thread surprising and baffling, because it started so hopeful and interesting and ended in flames with you quitting the forum all in less than a month. I am sorry again that my comment sounds harsh. There is one thing all the people on this forum have in common, they haven't given up.i take it that you have seen and done everyting that there is to do in this field so you are the formost expert on every thing
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Michael, You actually only asked one question here, which was answered,about the pickup.
If you expected detailed critique and step by step guidance on a thought bubble that you presented, I guess no one was interested in taking that on.
If you expected detailed critique and step by step guidance on a thought bubble that you presented, I guess no one was interested in taking that on.
Duesenberg Fairytale
1949 Supro Supreme
1950 National New Yorker
2008 Highland Baritone Weissenborn
2020 Highland New Yorker.
2020 Highland Mohan Veena
2021 Highland Weissencone
1949 Supro Supreme
1950 National New Yorker
2008 Highland Baritone Weissenborn
2020 Highland New Yorker.
2020 Highland Mohan Veena
2021 Highland Weissencone