Using a jazz box for a lap steel?

Dave Sky · From: Columbus, Ohio, USA

Since I love the sound of a hollow body, 3.5 inch deep jazz box guitar, I am thinking of buying one, putting a nut extender on it and adjusting the floating bridge to use the guitar as a lap steel.

Since I haven't bought a guitar yet, I was hoping for input on what you think about this idea. I am tuning ACEGBD with string gauges 13-42.

Will the neck handle this? Do you see any problems with this set up?

I am just in the planning stages here so your ideas are appreciated.

Thanks,
Dave

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

I have done this a couple of times with my mid-50s National Debonaire. Sounded great! I use Thomastik-Enfeld Jazz BeBop strings, 14 thru 55. Tuned to D tuning. No neck worries on the Nationals. They've got a big hunk of magnesium or somethin' in the neck! Also, they have a nice neck tilt adjustment. Can't speak about other brands though. It's the sunburst.

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

Brij Bushan Kabra, the indian steel pioneer, has used a Gibson archtop for years.

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

Ulric Utsi-Åhlin · From: Sweden

You could certainly convert an arch-top into a Lap
Steel ; You might end up with a nice,Retro-flavoured
acoustic sound ; heavy strings,especially in combi-
nation with the needed high-action MIGHT introduce
a slight concave bend in the neck,but that´s not an
issue really...many round-neck Dobros suffer from
that,but it doesn´t affect the playability as long as
we´re talking "Hawaiian" ; a comment on "topography":
the bridge will be rather high,and some people
might be missing enough right-arm support but since
we´re not talking about a vintage Gibson ES 175,it
could be fixed my means of a "leftie" pick-guard...
I think it´ll work,do it...McUtsi

David Doggett · Posted 30 Dec 2008 10:12 am

It will sound very different than a typical lap steel. An arch-top hollow-body will not have the sustain of a solid-body, and the neck pickup will not be as bright as the bridge pickup of a lap steel. But who knows, you may like it. Also, lap steels generally use heavier strings than guitars, so that the bar pressure will feel solid and to improve the tone and volume. Arch-tops are not really built for that. Also, the radiused bridge and nut are not ideal for use with a flat bar. Also, the string spacing will be closer than most lap steelers prefer. So you are reintroducing several design problems that were solved years ago by thick-necked, solid-body lap steels with bridge pickups and flat bridges and nuts. But if you just want a different sound, and are prepared to sacrifice a nice arch-top for the experiment, only you can say if the results are what you want.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

David, he did say he was going to use a nut extender. The one that I have is perfectly flat. The slightly radiused bridge on my National didn't cause me any problems. I didn't play the guitar as an electric. Just miked it. Again, the Nationals are good choices because of the reinforced neck. They don't warp.

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

I think it wouldn't have enough sustain due to the construction of the bridge. Other than that, I'm sure the tone would be fine.
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Dave Sky · From: Columbus, Ohio, USA

Thanks everyone.
You raise important points about the neck and string sizes, sustain and maybe ruining a new guitar.

I can get a Rondo Jazz box for $200.

I just got a blinding glimpse of the obvious.

What I want is the sound of a jazz box.
My question should have been:
what can I do to get I get a warm, jazz box like sound from a lap steel?
Or do I need to go for the cheap jazz box?
Thanks

Ulric Utsi-Åhlin · From: Sweden

Maybe You should check out some of the Weissenborn
copies...that and a Shubb-Pierce Bar might do the
trick.McUtsi

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