The Steel Guitar Forum

Brad,
I'm on the hunt for my first lap steel. I realize that new equipment is the way to go to avoid most problems, but I do not want to miss out on all the potentially great used stuff out there. So, I was wondering if you could give me some pointers on what to avoid. For instance, when buying used guitars I look out for warped necks, worn out frets, fret buzz, etc.

Thanks for returning my e-mail.

MS

Don't call me Mr. Bechtel; that's my dad.

Things to watch out for when buying a lap steel:
1) Tuners - more often than not, the plastic tuner buttons have shrunk or come off due to age. For some reason the plastic used in those tuner buttons doesn't seem to age well. Replacements aren't usually hard to find, but it can be a hassle.
2) Electronics - does the pickup sound good to you? Do the volume and tone knobs (if present) work without crackling or sticking?
3) Scale length - most lap steels are either 22-1/2" from nut to bridge. Longer scale lengths (such as my electric Dobro® ) make it somewhat easier to play, for some reason.
4) String spacing - are the strings too close together? Are the strings too far apart?
5) Case - does it have a case? What's the condition? Will you be able to take your lap steel out and play without it being damaged in transit?
6) Overall vibe - If possible, look at yourself in the mirror holding this guitar. Does it look like your guitar? Do you feel comfortable playing it? Does it feel comfortable having you play it?

Anybody else have any suggestions?

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Brad's Page of Steel:
www.well.com/~wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 19 February 2000 at 06:57 PM.]</p></FONT>

Thanks Brad. I appreciate it. I was looking on eBay recently and noticed some sellers mentioned that their used lap steels stay in tune ( as if this were some feat). Do used lap instruments have tuning problems fairly often?

Actually, my old Rickenbacker B6 has the worst tuning problem of any of my lap steels. Unless it's a really cheap guitar with bad tuners, I don't see why you'd have any trouble keeping in tune any more than you would with a regular guitar of the same vintage.

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Brad's Page of Steel:
www.well.com/~wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 21 February 2000 at 05:33 PM.]</p></FONT>

Another thing that will give you a clue to the sound of a guitar's pickup (if you can't play the instrument thru an amp--like at a flea market or garage sale) is how it sounds acoustically. A lot of guys will put in a pickup from guitar A in guitar B and expect guitar B to *sound like* guitar A. It seldom works that way. The wood is important to the tone and sustain.