Detective work on an old inexpensive lap steel NFS

Keith Calmes · Post by **Keith Calmes** » 21 Aug 2023 12:16 pm

Here's an old lap steel that I got on the cheap the other day. Surely some of you know about instruments like these. My newbie guess is that it's a National (or similar brand). I suspect that the tuners are (unfortunately) original and that the pickup has (also unfortunately?) been replaced and the input jack moved. Oh, and the volume and tone controls... Any advice, folks?

Noah Miller · Post by **Noah Miller** » 21 Aug 2023 12:35 pm

Harmony H1, 1960s. Replacement pickup and controls.

Fred · Post by **Fred** » 22 Aug 2023 10:23 am

Keith Calmes wrote:Any advice, folks?

If you like the way it sounds just play it. I have one of these and the "fretboard" graphics don't match the scale length. I could never play it in tune.

Fred

Keith Calmes · Post by **Keith Calmes** » 23 Aug 2023 1:12 pm

Thanks for the feedback on this instrument.
The fretboard graphics seem to be lined up.
Despite being a "lesser" instrument, it seems fine.
If anyone has suggestions for an original (or handmade) pick guard or pickup replacements, I'm all ears.

Noah Miller · Post by **Noah Miller** » 23 Aug 2023 2:23 pm

Looks like someone took a chunk of wood out of the body to install that humbucker. I'd leave it and the guard alone, as reinstalling originals (or facsimilies) would be problematic now and probably not be economically worthwhile.

Keith Calmes · Post by **Keith Calmes** » 23 Aug 2023 2:27 pm

Noah Miller wrote:Looks like someone took a chunk of wood out of the body to install that humbucker. I'd leave it and the guard alone, as reinstalling originals (or facsimilies) would be problematic now and probably not be economically worthwhile.

This sounds like good advice!

Chris Harwood · Post by **Chris Harwood** » 23 Aug 2023 3:30 pm

That's a good base to start with to mod.
Zillion choices...what would you like to end up with?

Keith Calmes · Post by **Keith Calmes** » 26 Aug 2023 10:11 am

Chris Harwood wrote:That's a good base to start with to mod.
Zillion choices...what would you like to end up with?

Thanks for the reply.
The modified pickup does sound good so I'll leave that alone. I've decided to just replace the knobs and "pick guard" with parts that look original. Those tuners are stubborn and will need to replaced also.

I looked for vintage parts online yesterday and didn't find anything suitable. It's much easier to buy parts that resemble the originals, right?

The Steel Guitar Forum

Detective work on an old inexpensive lap steel NFS

Detective work on an old inexpensive lap steel NFS

Re: Detective work on an old inexpensive lap steel NFS