The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi gang,

It took me ten years to complete this really only because I lost interest after the first year when I had it 90% complete. Something about that last 10% - story of my life.

I was trying to make a more interesting lapsteel going for a distinct three dimensional look. The base is maple and the neck and top are figured maple. The base is contoured using a scraper alongside the neck and the belly of the top. Before gluing on the top and sound board I routed out material in the base piece to make it lighter and resonate. There's quite a cavity under there. The bridge is aluminum angle and brass rod. The brass rod's final position is adjustable just to make sure it is properly intonated given mounting tollerances. The fret markers and dots are Delrin plastic. It has great sustain. It sounds a little thick which I think is due to the Dimarzio pickup for the most part. This is a four wire pick up and I plan to add switches and a vol pot - might even turn off one of the coils to see if I can get a brighter Fender like sound.

I've since finished it Tobacco sunburst which came out pretty good. I'll get another picture of it soon.

I have a D-size 1 to 1 plan in autocad that I made first that details everything if anyone is interested in making one, I will mail a copy.

I made the neck wide enough to accomodate 8 strings, however I'm a six string player and bought the nice Shaller 16:1 keys. The plan could easily be modified (neck as is) for eight strings. I also concluded the string angle at the nut was to steep so I have modified the drawing to include a 1/4" figured maple headstock overlay that allows mounting the keys at a higher elevation decreasing the string angle. Looks alot better too (on paper anyway)

Nice job Jim, well thought out and executed

That maple looks abasolutely stunning, Jim. Can't wait to see the stained version!

Greg

This is getting too much!!!! Another fine lap steel builder. I am trying to get my latest and first 8-string finished, just hope its up to snuff after seeing two great builds today.

The quasi-National medallion theme for the main body area is an absurdly nice touch!
I'd like to see that transfered to the entire body.
What a great looking piece.
And, how cool you have 'after the stain' pix coming.

The string angle post-nut should possibly even benefit from a bit less stress, tone wise.

I really like the design (and I'm usually a New Yorker body afficionado!). For some reason, it reminds me of an Oahu - not the design we're all familiar with, but the one of the really groovy shape (the bottom of the guitar looks like... a bottom).

Jim.
You did a very nice job with the woodworking on the neck and top of the guitar with your figured maple.

That is a real show piece.

Keep up the good work.

Aloha,
Don

I really like the sculpted/carved shape in the body. Nice inlay, smart bridge design, and beautiful wood that should really jump out when stained. One very clean build. A ten year project ... you should be extremely pleased with the result so far. Can't wait to see it stained and done.
D

I like that guitar-shape laid on top of the plank-shape approach. That figured maple looks great. Like the recessed plug jack, too. Great attention to detail all the way around. Gonna post a sound clip?

Vince

an Xcellent job there Jim

I dunno. Finish isn't my forte. Here are the shots.

If I do another I'd make the following changes:

1. Bound 1/4" figured maple peg head overlay to raise the mounting of the keys in order to reduce the string angle over the nut.

2. Use mahogany for the lower slab part, and only stain the neck, peg head, top maple a sunburst of some sort.

3. Use two book matched halves of figured maple contoured and carved like an arch top guitar for the lyre sound board.

4. Get it professionally finished.

A real nice design Jim. Congrats

Whoa!!! The flame on that maple is gorgeous!
If it sounds half as good as it looks you should be well chuffed!

The finish really brings out the work you've done (as well as highlighting the beautiful wood you used). Let's hear it!!

It looks like you used a brass round stock for the bridge. How close is the winding on the end of the string? It almost looks like its riding on the brass. Maybe its just the way the pic looks.Anyhow its a great build and I love the finish.

And as Brad said, we gotta hear the tone!!!!

Jim, im interested in the plans to this instument. i am ver impressed with your design and work. the stain looks very nice, too. i think you hit a home run and i'd love to hear you play it. thanks for sharing bud.

i dig the design of the raised body shape outlined with the binding. good job.

Wow, I'm honored this old post still draws interest.
Well I took it apart and added the peg head overlay,
plugged and relocated the peg holes higher in elevation to decrease the string angle over the nut, mounted a bone nut with bracket that's also bound, and replaced the tuning pegs with ones that have a smaller knob and look more vintage. Indeed it looks better I think.
Let's see now in 2008 it was 90% complete having started the project in 1996. I finally finished it but subsequently took it apart and redid the peg head in 2012. I haven't reassembled it yet and here it is 2014. Geesh! - the 90% guy.
Well I feel motivated again.
I plan to stuff the cavity with foam in hopes that I'll kill a peaky mid-range resonance that I'm not liking. Perhaps the string angle will help that too.
When I get it back together I'll post a sound bite.
Burney, PM me and I'll send you plans. All I ask is you don't commercialize it in case I want to do that myself some day.
I'll post pics of the updated LS as soon as I figure out how to lower the resolution of my new camera so the pics will xfer to the forum OK.
BTW anyone know how to do that?

Had to crop it: Here it is.

The peg head is begging for an inlay of some sort. Will get to that before I die hopefully.

Here's another photo. Reduced resolution too much perhaps.

Very nice. I noticed that there's no volume or tone controls. Do you use a volume pedal? Did you ever tap the pickup?

Paul, I originally included holes for a volume control, within reach of your pinky, and two small switches. The body cavity would alow it - access from pickup hole.
The two switches would have four possibilites with a dual coil humbucker. My plan was to dedicate one switch to series/parallel of the coiuls, and the second switch to in phase/out of phase.
I just never got around to it.
I do use a volume pedal.
I have to admit I don't play out with it much. I'm too busy doing Dobro and/or pedal steel gigs. I used to play lap steel in a modern country band ala rock and roll with an overdrive sound but kinda lost interest in that.

I dug this back in '08 and I dig it today.