The Steel Guitar Forum

Which lap steel do you recommend for a nice rich, mellow, thick Jazz sound?

Bakelite Ricky or a Clinesmith. They both have even overtones and strong clear mids.

Something with a neck pickup (or two pickups), preferably a P90 or CharlieChristian-type.

Try a CruzTone. I like a little more scooped twang out of mine but if you're going for that smokey dark thing it's in there too. Just add some mids and roll off some highs. It's all how you spin the knobs. Plus Colin has several pickup configs which will also make a difference.

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for a nice rich, mellow, thick Jazz sound?

I'm thinking long scale, semi hollow / chambered, 2 pickup, mahogany or black limba.

Asher Electro-Hawaiian - but with a 22.5" scale

My new Lap King Rodeo with two Lollar Charlie Christian-style pickups has a very rich and warm tone - in particular from the neck pickup. Here is a video demo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-Ir1eTU93w



Fred

Mike Ihde wrote:Which lap steel do you recommend for a nice rich, mellow, thick Jazz sound?

I gotta admit, I don't think that kind of sound works as a lap steel voice (i.e. a thick neck humbucker tone) but to each his own!

I find on my Chandler that if I roll the tone down quite far I get a really good strong present sound that's not overly bright or twangy and works well as a jazz voice. Those RH-2's have really bright pups in 'em though, so there's lots of room to bring 'em down.

I have to second the Clinesmith if you really want the Cadillac of tone!

squareneck hollowbody archtop with a floating humbucker

AJ Azure wrote:squareneck hollowbody archtop with a floating humbucker

Never heard of an archtop square neck till I found this today...

http://tinyurl.com/l8y5y7

All you need is a humbucker!!

Gibson EH-185.

I am buying a SX ngg7. I know it is not a lap steel but an actual jazz box. I will add a nut riser or a higher resonator bone nut.


These are inexpensive and have a warm sound.

Amazing consensus of opinion!

Some party pooper is gonna say 'go out and play a few until you find the humble, abandoned little chunk of wood and ivoroid that speaks to you.'

That would be me.

You sure don't want one of mine, they're only for (fat, aging) prog rockers who use too many effects.

Not a joke, actually.

Well, maybe a little.

I have considered this question too Mike.
Why not try an authentic Jazz Guitar Pickup?
Best Regards and let us know what you decide
on.

Roy

Canopus steel guitars are fat-toned and smooth. Especially the way Casey Olsen plays them.

1936 Epiphone Electar model M 7 strings (or six)

Mark,

I agree with trying a bunch, but in Boston there just aren't many or any to try out.

I may just try a nut raiser on a legit jazz arch top and see what happens.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Hi,
I'm not really sure whether a jazz archtop is a good choice for slide playing (no matter whether it's lap steel style or bottleneck) - they might have the classic jazz-tone, but on the other hand fully hollow archtop guitars (those without a center block, like an ES335 would have) have considerably less sustain than soldibody guitars - and a lack of sustain is NOT a good thing when playing slide or lap steel style...
I'd still recommend a regular solidbody lap steel, but one that has a very fat, warm, full tone - so something made out of mahogany, with the pickup closer to the neck, and a pickup type that is known for full, warm tones, like a P90, CC, or a humbucker, this is going to be more useful for slide tones than a "plinky" hollowbody archtop!

Playing Lap steel in a jazz situation, I prefer to distinguish my sound from the multitude of guitars out there. The tone is not as important as your playing style. (of course it must be a good tone)

When playing chords a nice medium bright clean tone gives me a good separation and contrast to the warm mellow hollowbody guitar sound.

Then for a solo or single string licks, I will kick in some overdrive, but not crazy distortion.
This adds sustain and can take the place a sax or clarinet in the mix.

The tone is also in the hands, picking style, blocking, harmonics, volume control swells.

Jazz is a very loose term, and can cover a large range of musical styles. The lap steel fits perfectly in my oppinion.

Dom Franco

Ulric Utsi-Åhlin wrote:Shorter scale & flatwounds equals mellower tone,on
ANY guitar.McUtsi

I think the "flatwound strings = mellow tone" equation to be a myth. Flatwounds aren't really "mellower" than roundwounds in my experience, they just have a different overtone "stack". They do tend to have a bit less perceived sustain though. I've put flats on one strat, round wounds on another and with the amp eq the same, the flats were actually "brighter" or should I say they "cut" differently, but they sure didn't turn a strat into a jazz box! I've had the same experience with flats on lap steels. You lose a bit of perceived sustain and gain far less string noise.

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If you want something that is at a good price with a solid pro feel the Asher Electro-Hawaiian JR would work great! We have one with a minor finish flaw at 30% off it is serial #J229. Give me a call and I can help you out with any other question and tone options.
Hope I can help, Bill 310-821-2888