The Steel Guitar Forum

I am just putting the finishing touches on my T8 modular console center. I'm not sure what to call it exactly, because it is more than just a T8 console. It incorporates a mixing console, laptop, DVD player, effects, and a breakout box. I wanted something that would be as versatile as possible. As a beginner, I need my training material to be conveniently at hand. This setup will work quite well I think.




These are just a variation on my Red Oak 8 string design. I figured with some small modifications, I could gang together any number of 8 string guitar modules. They can be easily rearranged to have any tuning arrangement I like.




I color coded the modules by using different wood stains. That way I'll know what the tuning is, no matter what the order.




All the multimedia controls are right at hand. Very convenient for watching training videos and playing backing tracks.




A side shelf for storing extras. My Korg tuner always ready connected to the mixing console.



Now I have no excuse to not practice.

Hello, Leroy - I'm pretty much a beginner, too. I'm impressed that you can have so much gear in one place and still have it look orderly.

I'd really like to know about those pickups. Pretty sure I've never seen an arrangement like that. What's the advantage to using those two four-pole units per neck?

Quite a command center you have there Leroy

I, too, am curious about those pickups.
Ryan Rukavina has offered to make me some split pickups similar to those for a those for a 10 string. If wired like the two coils of a standard humbucking PU, it could cancel out a lot of the noise usually associated with single coils. I've wondered, however, if there would still be a trade off in tonal characteristics. I like humbuckers, but I LOVE a hot P-90 sound. Who made your pickups, how are they wired, and do yours sound more like humbuckers, or single coils?
Also, nice, sleek design on your steels. The bodies appear to be 3/4" in thickness. Is that handling the pressure of string tension? I'm building some steels, myself, and yours look a lot more light and streamlined than mine. I like keeping it simple. I'm building out of thicker stock mostly out of fear of warping, especially on the 10 string I have in the works.
While I'm at it, do you have a specialty rack to mount them stair stepped like that, or are they just propped up on your desk? I've been toying with the idea of building a double 8 with a snap-in attachment to fasten on a 3rd, far neck when I need it. At that point, I get hung up in how to wire them without using an a/b box. That's probably the best solution, though.
I, too, send kudos to you for keeping everything so orderly. I once misplaced my double 8, and couldn't find it for several days under all the clutter that is in my music room. I finally found it hiding behind a stack of old tape recorders, trying to mate with my saxophone. Luckily, I caught them in the nick of time, as that could have turned out to make a very confused and conflicted offspring. I've since duct taped a pager to one of its legs, and put the sax in another room. At least it wasn't a banjo.
Thanks for posting. Makes me want to get my set up more organized. Actually, it just makes me want to go play steel for a while, and just think about getting organized. Maybe next week.

Wow! That's very impressive!

Don McGregor wrote:I, too, am curious about those pickups.
Ryan Rukavina has offered to make me some split pickups similar to those for a those for a 10 string. If wired like the two coils of a standard humbucking PU, it could cancel out a lot of the noise usually associated with single coils. I've wondered, however, if there would still be a trade off in tonal characteristics. I like humbuckers, but I LOVE a hot P-90 sound. Who made your pickups, how are they wired, and do yours sound more like humbuckers, or single coils?
Also, nice, sleek design on your steels. The bodies appear to be 3/4" in thickness. Is that handling the pressure of string tension? I'm building some steels, myself, and yours look a lot more light and streamlined than mine. I like keeping it simple. I'm building out of thicker stock mostly out of fear of warping, especially on the 10 string I have in the works.
While I'm at it, do you have a specialty rack to mount them stair stepped like that, or are they just propped up on your desk? I've been toying with the idea of building a double 8 with a snap-in attachment to fasten on a 3rd, far neck when I need it. At that point, I get hung up in how to wire them without using an a/b box. That's probably the best solution, though.
I, too, send kudos to you for keeping everything so orderly. I once misplaced my double 8, and couldn't find it for several days under all the clutter that is in my music room. I finally found it hiding behind a stack of old tape recorders, trying to mate with my saxophone. Luckily, I caught them in the nick of time, as that could have turned out to make a very confused and conflicted offspring. I've since duct taped a pager to one of its legs, and put the sax in another room. At least it wasn't a banjo.
Thanks for posting. Makes me want to get my set up more organized. Actually, it just makes me want to go play steel for a while, and just think about getting organized. Maybe next week.

Thanks guys,

The pickup is an inexpensive P-bass humbucker. I too really like the sound a P-90 and other single coils, but these sound really good and are very quiet. I have put together a photo album, with some explanations, that might answer most of your questions.

http://www.leroybeal.net/guitars/consol ... index.html

As for things being so neat. 5 days ago this area was over run with guitars, guitar parts, and woods of all sizes.

Thank you, Leroy,
That is a very nice and very informative pictorial tour of your design and assembly processes. Very cool. Really nice, crisp photographs, too, and they more than answered all of my questions.
I've heard of using P-Bass pickups, and would love to hear them. I guess I'll have to try some myself one day.
I really appreciate your posting all this. There are a lot of us out there designing and building steels, and it's great when we can inspire each other. I will post pictures of my projects when they are a little farther along.
Thanks again.

Leroy You are absolutely my HERO. I love what you have done with your Lap Steels and the photo albums that you have posted. I also go along with your school of building guitars. We are building for us and what works for us is exactly where it is at. Please keep up the good work. You are an insperation to me and I hope you will not be annoyed with me if I get in touch for information from time to time.

Norm McDaniel
nmcdaniel001@hot.rr.com