The Steel Guitar Forum

Those of you who built your own lap steels, what kind of case are you using?

ha ha. I take my strat out of it's gig bag and put my lap steel in. tons of room.
I need a decent case with handle. the original is too worn out.

Funny Randy! That's exactly what I do. Lately I've been playing my National EH which is almost as long as a Strat (long scale).

Been thinking of building 1/4" plywood cases for my lap steels. How hard can it be?

Mark

Shotgun case

I heard you could use a Square shotgun case it has the convoluted foam in it

It will shape to any size and shape

LIKE THIS ONE

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... 01047_feat


MY SITE FREE C6 TAB

http://www.geocities.com/insp/SUPRO6420.html

Wow, those look exactly like Carlo Cases!

I've found the Squier Mini Strat gig bag to work great (I keep a Dynalap 8 in it but have also used it for National/Supro/Valco guitars) and for $24.99 with free shipping at Sweetwater.com pretty hard to beat:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/099-1411-000

I have a couple of these in the medium size:


http://www.opticsplanet.net/tactical-rifle-case.html

Ryan Rukavina turned me on to these. They make a great gigbag and are very well padded. The magazine pouches hold bars and picks. There is a velcro pocket that will hold a couple of cords. I think the large size may fit a baratone. The medium works for anything 22 1/2" scale or shorter. The price is right.

RH

Baritone ukelele gig bags work great and are available pretty cheap. And maybe you can convince hot chix you're Hawaiian.

KP

I took Gerald Ross' suggestion and bought a padded dulcimer case (the case is padded, not the dulcimer) from Elderly, I think it's this one:

http://elderly.com/accessories/items/DGB50.htm

Fits my 6-string Magnatone with room to spare, I imagine most single-necks would fit as well.

See later post....JH in Va.

Doug Freeman wrote:I've found the Squier Mini Strat gig bag to work great (I keep a Dynalap 8 in it but have also used it for National/Supro/Valco guitars) and for $24.99 with free shipping at Sweetwater.com pretty hard to beat:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/099-1411-000

Same here! Perfect fit for both my Valcos.

edit

Thanks to Rich for the referral to opticsplanet.com for their tactical rifle case. Very well padded and fits my old Fender Champion perfectly.

Delvin,
A cool solution I do is buy a TKL "universal strat" case. I get the tweed model. Next I go to a local fabric store that luckily has the same brown plush in stock. Then off to home depot and get some of that rigid foam insulation, it's pink and feels like nice dense styrofoam. You'll know it when you see it.
Then I remove the neck yoke via the screws on the outside. I cut the foam into a rectangle to fit the case exactly. I trace the shape of the guitar and band saw it out of the foam. I then transfer that shape to the fabric and cut out the top and a long strip to make the side. You can't simply wrap it around the foam because it bunches up and stuff. Think of it as making like a donut shaped seat cushion. Then with spray adhesive I spray the foam and place the fabric on it. Then I hot glue the insert into the case and put the neck yoke screws back in. Here are some pics of the finished result:


There are a million little teaks and things you figure out as you go but that is a basic outline of how I tackle it. Make no mistake it is a BIG pain in the butt but if you have a steel you'd really like to make a case for ......
Did I mention it is a total pain in the butt?

That's really nice, Jason. Thanks for sharing.

I think I'm going to take an old Strat case and set it up for 2 steels. What do you think?

I've had good luck with the smaller gig bags too- but I'm looking for something more substantial for a Rickenbacker B6. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Asa

Great idea Jason on retro fitting a Strat case.

Here is a build your own case tutorial over at Project Guitar that uses that pink foam too
http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index ... opic=18734

Asa ... another secure option is a universal take down shotgun case. They have egg crate foam inside and fit about anything.
You can also get some poodle fabric and cover the inside like Jason is doing with those Strat cases.

A quick google turns up this site, $32. Have not done biz with them but it will give you the idea.
http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product ... s_id=88990

.

I've had good luck with the smaller gig bags too- but I'm looking for something more substantial for a Rickenbacker B6. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Asa

Carpet glue!!I definately have to try that next time. The spray stuff gets everywhere!
Hey Mike if you put the bodys on opposite ends with the necks side by side sort of meeting in the middle I bet you could use one sturdy poplar board and cut two scallops for neck yokes. When I make one that has to hold legs, the weight of it gets to be a bit much so I used the boards to make the compartments and it worked great (albeit still weighed a ton...but it didn't fall apart )

I didn't build 'em, but for my Chandler six string lapsteel I use a Fender gig bag which works great.

For my old '52 National Grand Console D-8, I use a Yamaha hardshell keyboard case which fits it perfectly with about 2" left on one end to put the bar and tuner in.........JH in Va.

TKL makes a lap steel gig bag, no. 4629. You'll have to get your local store to order it. Melobar used to supply it with their lap steels.

Tom Pettingill wrote:
A quick google turns up this site, $32. Have not done biz with them but it will give you the idea.
http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product ... s_id=88990

.

The height of that case is listed at 4"......I think that may be a little too low for a steel......

I purchased this case at Cabela's a while back, and cut out the foam on the bottom of the case so my steel would fit. When the lid is closed the guitar is held in place with no movement. Works great.

Tenor ukulele cases will accommodate the Rickenbacker B6, B7, and B8 with a little extra padding and removal of the accessory compartment. The B10 needs something a little larger.