What was your first lap steel?

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 15 May 2002 2:54 pm

First steel-type guitar was a Dobro Model 27 that my dad bought for me at McCabe's Guitar Shop. My first electric steel was a Fender Deluxe.

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Bill R. Baker · Post by **Bill R. Baker** » 16 May 2002 6:13 pm

My first was a six string Electromuse given
to me by my father around 1947. I still have
it. Thanks for the memories.

Chuck Trombley · Post by **Chuck Trombley** » 18 May 2002 6:28 pm

My first lap top was a National from a pawn shop in Scolly Square, Boston in 1947. Heard my first steel, a Vega, played by an electrician's mate on a Coast Guard cutter in Boston.Still the sweetest sound this side of heaven.

Sam Marshall · Post by **Sam Marshall** » 19 May 2002 12:56 pm

A warped Stella 6-string that I tuned to open G. I had gotten it when I was 6 to learn how to play guitar.

By the time I got to high school, I had a Gibson 6 string. I was quite interested in slide and steel; Duane Allman was a favorite. The warped Stella was bowed enough to use my slide as a bar when I laid it in my lap.

I still play it when I go back home. I think it has 2 strings on it now.

Regards,
Sam in AZ

Bill R. Baker · Post by **Bill R. Baker** » 20 May 2002 4:06 pm

My first was an Electramuse purchased for me
by my father around 1946. I still have it.
Thanks for the memories.

Mark Davis · Post by **Mark Davis** » 21 May 2002 1:52 pm

My first lap steel was around 1970 a 6 string Bakelite Rickenbacker 1 1/4" pickup white panels string thru body had the flip up headstock cover. A real screamer I'd love to habe it back again.

Russ Young · Post by **Russ Young** » 21 May 2002 8:55 pm

An MOTS Oahu six-string.

(Does it matter that I've had it for about 24 hours now?)

[This message was edited by Russ Young on 24 May 2002 at 06:18 AM.]

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 24 May 2002 9:01 am

Mine was a 1938 (dated from L.A. newspaper inside the body) metal body cream wrinkle paint Rick that had been sorely abused... when I got it it had a Gibson PAF PU, with a Stevens bar on its side braced against the PU for a bridge (and remarkably it chimed perfectly at the 12th fret...)

I had some custom SemiStevens shaped brass bridge and nut pieces made and slapped a Schecter "Strat" PU into it.

I still have it, it truly "rawks".

My son wrote his first "song" on it at 2 1/2. It is now his because it is virtually indestructable.

my second was a Rick Panda I got for about $100 as rent money from an old bandmate. Still have it. My son gets nowhere near it

[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 24 May 2002 at 10:03 AM.]

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 28 May 2002 8:17 pm

My first steel was a square neck Oahu with a nut to raise the bridge, with 60 lessons. I didn't finish the number lessons and bought the guitar.

My next was a 6 string Supro Electric with amp.
Then a National New Yorker, like Carl's black and white, a beauty and what a tone.

I couldn't afford to keep two guitar so I traded it in on a blonde birdseye maple Vega D8.
I played that until I got the original Gibson Electra-Harp.
Upward and onward....I still wish I could have afforded to keep all the guitars I had.......al

Paul Arntson · Post by **Paul Arntson** » 6 Dec 2005 11:23 am

I hadn't run into this thread before. Found with a search on electromuse.
I'd like to resurrect it and add my $.02 worth.
My first was a homemade guitar I made as a teenager in 1969. I took a 2x4 and cut the end down to accept a set of 6-in-line harmony tuners. The pickup was a lipstick from a danelectro. I actually played it on stage with a blues band for a couple years.
It still said "Weyerhauser Engineered 4 Square" on the side, so that was its name.
Sounded OK with a loud enough amp.

George Manno · Post by **George Manno** » 6 Dec 2005 11:34 am

My first lap steel was a National Clipper that was given to me by Johnny Goodday back in the early '60s. There is a long well documented history of the instrument being played by Jerry Byrd on the Two Guitars radio show with Chet Atkins. I still have it and play it often.

G

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 6 Dec 2005 12:09 pm

Actually my very first ‘steel’ was a Sears Harmony Guitar with a raised~nut, but; only for a few weeks of lessons. Then my first ‘real’ electric steel-guitar was a 6-string Supro with matching Amp.

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Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 6 Dec 2005 12:25 pm

A belated answer to a timeless question . .

1947 Fender Champion.
I paid $50 for it in 1982. I also bought a '48 Dual Pro for $75 at the same time.
Still got both of them!

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 6 Dec 2005 12:42 pm

An Oahu Diana borrowed from my uncle, almost 40 years ago. During a visit in 2000, I saw they still had it hanging on their basement wall. Last year they sent it to me to keep.

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 6 Dec 2005 1:10 pm

I wasn't going to post here, but since my uncle Doug did, I will. Yes, My uncle Doug Seymour gave me a beautiful s-6 Kisel, wonderful sounding guitar.
I guess it ruined my life, I haven't been able to put steel down ever since, 55 years of ruining my life and having a great time doing it!
Just think how rich I'd have been if he'd have given me a scalpel and a rectal thermometer, or a set of law books.
Of course if I'd have been a doctor, my Bonanza would have killed me. (like the club owners wanted to).
Anyway, Thank you Doug.
Wish I still had the "Kisel".

Nephew Bobbe.

Randy Reeves · Post by **Randy Reeves** » 6 Dec 2005 1:25 pm

my first lap steel was an Ebay purchase.
it's a 1939 Epiphone Century.
since then I have picked up a 1940 Epiphone Zephyr.
they are really nice sounding and playing steels. hope the secret doesnt get out because they are still affordable.

David McAnelly · Post by **David McAnelly** » 6 Dec 2005 1:54 pm

My first was a "Trick Brothers Special" (appears to be a Magnatone Varsity under another name). I bought it from a friend who had found it at a garage sale for $10. I still have it. I have even used it on a recording session.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 6 Dec 2005 3:12 pm

My first was a Gibson BR9 I bought new in 1946 or 47, with the matching amp. I worked for a farmer two summers to pay for it.
In 1950 I bought a new National New Yorker, which I still have, and it still sounds nice.

Terry Farmer · Post by **Terry Farmer** » 6 Dec 2005 3:48 pm

My first lap steel was a 1959 Rickenbacher with a matching amp. I think it had an 8-inch speaker. My second one was a 1959 Gretsch. I have the matching amp for that one too. Then I started building my own 8-stringers.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 6 Dec 2005 3:54 pm

*[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 05 April 2006 at 04:45 AM.]

Gary Boyett · Post by **Gary Boyett** » 6 Dec 2005 5:37 pm

Mine was a supro student model. I think it would have made a better door stop than a steel. I sold it and bought a Dobro Hound Dog. That was a great guitar after I put a quarterman cone in it![This message was edited by Gary Boyett on 06 December 2005 at 05:38 PM.]

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 6 Dec 2005 6:01 pm

My dad built me a 6 string in 1963. Tuning was A6. Made from a hunk of 1 inch thick oak, which then he bolted to a piece of 1/4" plate. It weighed about 30 pounds when he was done. It became more of a "table" steel. Bought a Supro 6 string in 1971. Still have it though it ain't been out of it's case in 15-20 years.

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 10 Dec 2005 3:58 pm

The very first electric guitar I ever laid eyes upon was a JANZ which was made by a chap named Bill Janz in Winnipeg. I fell in love with it and saved my paper delivery money, eventually buying one. Ian McLatchie probably recalls this guitar although he may not have been around the steel guitar back in 1944. It had a sweet tone and was the preferred guitar of (the late) Canadian great, Jack Mooney.

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 10 Dec 2005 5:44 pm

An old [1949]six string stella,raised the strings with a large pencil[guess I was writing music and did'nt know it]and a barlow knife for a bar.Some times a poor country boy had to improvise.

Richard Sevigny · Post by **Richard Sevigny** » 10 Dec 2005 6:44 pm

...an old Supro Student Deluxe which was a hulk without any hardware. I rebuilt it with off the shelf bits and pieces (sacrilege, I know

. The pickup is a Charlie Christian replica handwound by Pete Biltoff.