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Topic: Homemade stand for lap steel |
Jon Kostal
From:
Westmont, Illinois, USA
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Posted 18 May 2006 5:59 pm |
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Who has made a stand for their lap steel, maybe with extending legs that you could stand up and play it? I need to make something like this and would like to see other's inventions. Also, does anyone know where to get a custom light weight case? My steel is 35 inches long.
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Jon
Uncle Jons Music
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Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 18 May 2006 7:08 pm
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| Don Burrows makes great lap steel standsand he also makes excellent custom cases. His craftsmanship is the best and he gets it done fast. |
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Jesse Pearson
From:
San Diego , CA
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Posted 19 May 2006 8:02 am
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Jon, I think a good keyboard stand works great if you make a padded platform for the steel to lay on, mine has 2 L brackets on the sides that hold the steel in place in case of any bumping into the stand. I have two lap steels on the stand with two padded platforms and run them into a selector switch that goes to the amp. Nice job on the steel.  |
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Jon Kostal
From:
Westmont, Illinois, USA
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Posted 19 May 2006 8:07 am
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Thanks, Jesse, I'll look into a keyboard stand. I didn't make the steel, however I modified it. I installed Grover tuners in place of the impossible to turn mandolin tuners it had on it. Also replaced the chicken head knobs with round ones that I can turn on the fly. I'm contemplating a true tone pickup.
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Jon
Uncle Jons Music
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Posted 20 May 2006 6:51 am
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Is that a "Bass" pickup on the steel in the photo? If so how does it sound? I have thought about using that kind of PU for an 8 string, but in the past, I have not had good results from other type bass pickups.
Thanks Dom |
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Jon Kostal
From:
Westmont, Illinois, USA
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Posted 20 May 2006 10:55 am
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| It is a bass pickup intended for a Jazz bass, and it really doesn't work that well. Click for info on this pickup.I intend to replace it. It doesn't pickup my high G very well, maybe because it's a bass pickup, and maybe the pole inside just doesn't cover far enough. The string span on a bass is about 2 1/4 inch, and the span on my steel is about 2 5/8 inch. I think it was a poor choice, but the guitar was cheaply made. I think it'll be OK with a new pickup, though, because the strings go through the body, and the body resonates very nicely. I defenitly would not recommend a bass pickup for this application. [This message was edited by Jon Kostal on 20 May 2006 at 12:02 PM.] |
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Stephan Miller
From:
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
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Posted 20 May 2006 11:26 am
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Jon and Dom, I think it depends on the bass pickup thats being used. I have a 7-string lap steel with a Bartolini pickup that was made for 6-string electric bass-- so it's an extended range bass pickup. Together with a piezo pickup under the saddle and active electronics, the guitar sounds really good. So does the Bartolini without the piezo-- full and clear, with a big tonal range.
Oh yeah...that guitar has never been on a stand. 
--Steve |
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Jon Kostal
From:
Westmont, Illinois, USA
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Posted 20 May 2006 12:51 pm
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| Stephan, I'm sure you're right. I've been messing around with my steel, and raised the pickup slightly higher on the high G side and it sounds alot better. It also sounds better through a micro cube than through a NV112. Go figure. |
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