New section - for builders of all types of steel guitars

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 11 Feb 2022 1:07 pm

There's been a long-standing request for a section where people who build lap, pedal, console, and acoustic steels can share ideas and display their work. Here it is!

James Sission · Post by **James Sission** » 11 Feb 2022 3:25 pm

John Sims · Post by **John Sims** » 11 Feb 2022 6:33 pm

Thank you b0b for this one! Can't wait to see the rigs on this thread! Here's my first lap steel build:
https://youtu.be/_4wT47G_hi0

Allen Howington · Post by **Allen Howington** » 11 Feb 2022 10:35 pm

Nice added section for sure....

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 11 Feb 2022 11:13 pm

If you're a builder with a topic in another section that should be here, send me a PM and I'll move it.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 12 Feb 2022 2:00 am

Very Cool!

Gianni Gori · Post by **Gianni Gori** » 12 Feb 2022 6:31 am

Love it, thanks!

Samuel Phillippe · Post by **Samuel Phillippe** » 12 Feb 2022 7:48 am

John, Very nice looking and sounds great also.
Good work

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 12 Feb 2022 8:03 am

I don't know how to thank B0B for this.
Besides all he has given to us for now DECADES, uninterruptedly!

I recently put my name on his list of people who asked for the addition of this Forum-Section. Because I felt it was needed and because I intend to mild the last drop of milk out of it.

Thanks!... J-D

John Sims · Post by **John Sims** » 12 Feb 2022 8:28 am

Thanks again b0b and thank you Samuel. How are you doing JD? Here's some cigar box guitars I made: http://www.mojohandguitars.com/mojopics.htm

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 12 Feb 2022 11:58 am

A fine addition; thanks.

David Ball · Post by **David Ball** » 12 Feb 2022 5:23 pm

Very good addition--thanks b0b!

Dave

Barry Coker · Post by **Barry Coker** » 13 Feb 2022 11:03 am

This is going to be a great addition to the forum. Thanks bOb

Barry

Dennis Brown · Post by **Dennis Brown** » 13 Feb 2022 5:16 pm

Jeremy King · Post by **Jeremy King** » 14 Feb 2022 8:45 am

This is wonderful!

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 8 Jun 2022 10:43 am

Thanks Bob,
Was thinking I'd posted a thank you here already, but I guess I never got past the thinking I should do it stage?

I know there are thousands of steelers on the forum who will never build a steel of any kind and maybe only a couple of hundred who will try, But I bet this will become a very popular page.
Anyway, it sure is great to have this new thread on the forum.

Do you think it would be useful to have one of those permanent threads near the top listing all the places to get needed parts?
So many of the parts need tools or equipment not within the reach of the average guy working in a garage.
Thanks again!

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 8 Jun 2022 11:34 am

I'd second that motion, B0b

Thanks!... J-D.

Andy DePaule wrote:Thanks Bob,
Was thinking I'd posted a thank you here already, but I guess I never got past the thinking I should do it stage?

I know there are thousands of steelers on the forum who will never build a steel of any kind and maybe only a couple of hundred who will try, But I bet this will become a very popular page.
Anyway, it sure is great to have this new thread on the forum.

Do you think it would be useful to have one of those permanent threads near the top listing all the places to get needed parts?
So many of the parts need tools or equipment not within the reach of the average guy working in a garage.
Thanks again!

Jacobus De Bruyn · Post by **Jacobus De Bruyn** » 25 Apr 2023 2:54 pm

Hi All
I thought I will send you some pictures of my newly build Electro Pedal steel.
As a C6 Lap Steel player I decided to build another Lap Steel that I can set on E9. As I completed the Lap Steel, I found that E9 work more on a Pedal Steel, so I converted it to a Pedal Steel with a twist.
This steel does not have pulling rods. I use servo motors to pull the strings to its desire positions. The Pedals at the bottom I use WIFI communication to the main controller in the guitar.
The guitar work surprisingly well with the setup I have.
So, what can the guitar do - I can change from E9 to C6 with the flick if a switch. I can initialize the guitar as Standard E9 or Universal or Nashville or Extended or whatever setup I require by uploading the existing code I completed or creating a new..
Currently the guitar is setup with Pedal A, B and C. If I use C6 them 3 Pedals become the traditional 1, 2 and 3. The plan is to add another 3 pedals. It also has knee levers Left & Right

.

Greg Forsyth · Post by **Greg Forsyth** » 26 Apr 2023 9:03 am

Jacobus,
What an innovative approach to building a steel guitar! Thanks for sharing with us.
Would like to hear you play it sometime.
Greg

Jacobus De Bruyn · Post by **Jacobus De Bruyn** » 16 Jun 2023 4:07 am

Hi all. Its a long time since I posted my first introduction of my Electro-Steel guitar build. I progressed up to the point where I can now play my Electro-steel. Up to now I only played a Lap steel in C6. I tried to post a video of me playing but not sure if I can. So since the last post I made some upgrades which includes new pedals. The pedals are used as A, B, C, D and E in setting one. Then on setting 2 the pedals are configured as F, A, B, C and D. On setting 3 the tunings change from E9 to C6 and in this setting the pedals are used as traditional 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. The changes between settings are done by one toggle switch and the code do the rest. I also changed the feeling of the pedals, so to get the feeling of a mechanical steel pedals by installing tighter springs. I also changed the knee levers to another design as can be seen on the pictures. I am really happy with the guitar so far as it performs as expected. There are however still future upgrades that I will do, but for now I will concentrate to master the playing.

Jacobus De Bruyn · Post by **Jacobus De Bruyn** » 16 Jul 2023 3:22 am

Attach short video clips. Sorry for the quality will, will work on that next videos.
https://youtu.be/__O_YAn24Z8
https://youtu.be/Mfjc81kSHdI

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 16 Jul 2023 1:31 pm

Interesting.
Still needs refinement as to tuning.
I used to build RC model air planes in the 80's... I see the servos underneath your guitar. They don't seem to have changed much, but I would like to hope that they "digitalize" in finer steps as they used to 40 years ago.
I wonder what you use as a "reader" of your pedals and the controller of your servos (?).

You might have to use physical stops at the changer... like a Kline, ZB or even Push-Pull and an over-pull damper spring, so that your change-tuning doesn't depend on the servos' precision (?).

Still, my question remains... once one "reads" pedals and levers digitally, why not skip the mechanics and go to digital tone shifting and save ourselves all the mechanical hassle. But that's a huge step further. And some may actually not be inclined to even go down that route.

Thanks for sharing this with us!... J-D.

Jacobus De Bruyn · Post by **Jacobus De Bruyn** » 16 Jul 2023 10:08 pm

Hi JD
Thanks for your reply.
I had a servo from round the 90 and that servo was not as accurate as the servos today. I will post a video to show the accuracy. It is spot-on and consistent.

I tune the servos with a remote key-pad.
Just keep in mind the videos I send, I am very new on E9. I only start to teach myself a couple of weeks ago and only practice when time permits. If it sounds "out of tune" it probably is me that do the wrong note. My tuner prove the tuning is spot-on.

On the readers side I tried a couple of methods and the potentiometers are on top every time. I would still go to something else if I can prove its accuracy.

With the controller I use an ESP32 as the speed is much faster than some other controllers.

I wouldn't put stops on as I restrict my capability and also the servos would overheat.

On your question: I played with pitch controllers and pitch IC's a couple of years back and the sound is not as clear as the real thing. Think of it, the controller needs to record the previous tone and multiply it by a set factor within a couple of hundred thousand times per second. Your ear can pick up the difference between real and pitch manipulation easily.

With your question with the mechanics still present. Yes there is still levers but a lot less as some guitars out there.
I don't want to sound like a sales person but. The features of this steel is you can use that guitar as E9, C6 or any other tuning by a flick of a switch. As I state on a previous post the levers will be A,B,C,D and E with tuning E9 and with say C6 the same levers are used as the traditional 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Hope I answer all your questions. JDB

Jacobus De Bruyn · Post by **Jacobus De Bruyn** » 17 Jul 2023 1:21 am

I added some shortcuts to video clips to show the servo accuracy.
Hope that will answer more questions.
https://youtu.be/GxaM9HIhALY
https://youtube.com/shorts/T_L47UlFqcs
https://youtu.be/DOMkZrdLbTY
https://youtu.be/tpZdFS95ivk
https://www.facebook.com/10000199384491 ... 652899576/

Susie Fine · Post by **Susie Fine** » 18 Jul 2023 3:26 pm

Hi All, Susie, Jimmie Hudson and myself (Kelly Cornwell) are building 6 string (2 pedals 2 Knees), 10 strings (3 pedals 4 knees) steel guitars in North Carolina. We are taking orders and have 80 guitars, (red Mika, black Mika, and Natural curly maple and stained black cherry to name a few) and we are looking at briniging back the resonator Steel guitars. If you have any Questiions or would like to place and order check out the website Growlersteelguitars.com, we look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for all the support from the community, it has been overwhelming. Have a blessed day and play it like you stole it. LOL

The Steel Guitar Forum

New section - for builders of all types of steel guitars

New section - for builders of all types of steel guitars

Nice

builders

Thanks Bob.

Re: Thanks Bob.

Electric PSG

Growler Steel Guitars