The Steel Guitar Forum

Kekoa Blanchet wrote:So how is the neck joined to the body? Is that a glued butt joint or is it more complex than that?

I know that Ryan Rukavina has a profile on the Steel Guitar Forum, I'll alert him to your post and maybe he'll reply...I really don't know much about joints so I would not be the authority that Ryan would be.

I just doweled the neck on with some old tinker toys, and glued it up with some Bubble Yum.

...Then again I may have used two deeply set hard maple tenons, extending well into the body and neck.

The fingerboard is on now as well, with abalone dots installed.

I was really hoping you meant it about the tinker toys and bubble yum...

I'm certainly glad he doesn't...

The latest...

Time to pick out the veneers for the pickups as well as the hand-carved knobs and hand-carved bridge (also, possibly, a bridge cover)...Ryan suggested, and I agree, that we go with the most marbled part of the block in order to contrast the top...here are some shots of that...







And here's another picture of the details of the maple binding...

The pickup veneers...

Looking sweet!

More pics...

It is getting oiled up finally.
More pics as it comes together.

well......go figure.....

I sure would like to see the final finished pics. What a beautiful piece of wood, and a better use of it.

Should be completed any day now...just in time, Axe FX 2 should be arriving on Wednesday...can't wait to try them both together.

Dramatically beautiful subject and photographs, look forward to viewing the completed instrument.

Final assembly is right around the corner and Ryan uploaded this youtube video to show of the shininess of the "BastogneCaster" as he is calling it.

All I can say is wow!

I really am a lucky guy...thanks Ryan for all of your wonderful work on this project. I look forward to future projects together and can't wait to be enjoying my new lapsteel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVgcqGR7xRE

I haven't received her yet, but everything indicates that it shouldn't be long now...thanks again Ryan for your persistence and hard-work, I look forward to enjoying this beauty for a long time.

That is friggin gorgeous! The way the curve of the fingerboard matches the curve of the wood grain knocks me out. Wow!

Beautiful steel. Tell us about the pups please.

The most I can tell you right now is that I have yet to play through them...Ryan wound them himself after we talked a little bit about what I hoped to achieve tonally...

I know that he is out there, perhaps he will chime in...

In the meantime, here's another pic of the front...



and of the back...



and of the pups...



and another...

I have followed this thread and have seen this "beauty" develop just wondering if maybe Ryan hasn't become sort of like a surrogate mother that once the "baby" comes to life is reluctant to give it up!!

Well...I think that Ryan could probably speak for himself on this one, but at one point I do recall him telling me that this is the most beautiful piece of wood he has ever worked with, so...

Juan,

Another week has come and gone, just wondering if you have gotten your hands on that beauty yet?

Tom

Not yet...in fairness though, I told Ryan to take his time in getting it to me, making sure that it is just so before sending it off...keep checking in, believe me, I will post when it is in my hot little hands.

Shouldn't be long now...first sound samples.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi5F9L8uyS0

Also, a 5 minute video guided tour by Ryan Rukavina himself...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kobHc8J9 ... re=related

Awesome! Congratulations -- it's not only beautiful, but should be incredibly versatile with those pickup combinations. How does it feel to hold and play?