NGD: Recording King Model RG-31-NA

Tony Oresteen · From: Georgia, USA

I have a new toy! We had to go to LaGrange GA for a meeting so on the way back to Newnan we stopped in Pawn Express "just to look". I mosey on over to the guitars and at the very end I spied a lap steel hanging on the wall and I asked to see it. It was marked at $150. Six minuets later I gave the clerk a fresh Benjamin and it was mine. Wife looks at me and says "Well, that was fast."

Model is RG-31-NA in natural mahogany.

https://www.recordingking.com/lapsteels

My copy is an older one as the logo doesn't match the current one.

Mine Old:

New:

The scale is listed as 23.5". It is not - it is 23 1/8". The plastic fret board measures 11.5" to the 12th fret so the scale should be 23.0". For an 1/8" I will live with it. Maybe in the newer ones this has been fixed - I do not know.

It came tuned to OPEN G (GBDGBD) which was what I was going to put on it to study Dobro licks. Can't ask for more than that!

The P90 is, well a P90. Sounds good. No complaints. What I did not like were the cheap bean head vintage tuners that came with it. They slipped and would not hold the tuning and yes, I always tune up.

I ordered a set of Grover 133-NK (nickle keystone) and put them on. They dropped right in but while I could have used the existing screw holes, they were put on cock-eyed. So I doweled the screw holes (all 12) and then lined them up the best I could do, re-drilled and screwed them down.

There is no serial number or model number on the guitar so I added one and the tuning:

It came with black knobs that I didn't like so I put a set of gold witch-hats that I think go better with the natural mahogany color.

Overall it is now a keeper! Total investment thus far has been $152.

You might see a similar lap steel from Recording King that is in a sunburst color:

Model RG-32-SN (w/old logo)

It is the same guitar.

They also make a model with a humbucker pickup:

Model RG-35-SN

I and seriously considering tracking one down used or even new:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LapSHumSB--recording-king-rg-35-sn-lap-steel-with-humbucking-pickup-sunburst

And for completeness there is a version of the RG-31-NA that had a slotted headstock and upward facing tuners (no longer made):

_________________
Tony
Newnan, GA

Too many guitars, not enough time to play
'72 Sho-Bud 6139, '71 Marlen 210
'78 Fender Stringmaster Quad black
PedalMaster D8

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