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Topic: my home built lap steel in the white |
Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
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Posted 29 Apr 2008 9:52 am |
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Hi gang,
It took me ten years to complete this really only because I lost interest after the first year when I had it 90% complete. Something about that last 10% - story of my life.
I was trying to make a more interesting lapsteel going for a distinct three dimensional look. The base is maple and the neck and top are figured maple. The base is contoured using a scraper alongside the neck and the belly of the top. Before gluing on the top and sound board I routed out material in the base piece to make it lighter and resonate. There's quite a cavity under there. The bridge is aluminum angle and brass rod. The brass rod's final position is adjustable just to make sure it is properly intonated given mounting tollerances. The fret markers and dots are Delrin plastic. It has great sustain. It sounds a little thick which I think is due to the Dimarzio pickup for the most part. This is a four wire pick up and I plan to add switches and a vol pot - might even turn off one of the coils to see if I can get a brighter Fender like sound.
I've since finished it Tobacco sunburst which came out pretty good. I'll get another picture of it soon.
I have a D-size 1 to 1 plan in autocad that I made first that details everything if anyone is interested in making one, I will mail a copy.
I made the neck wide enough to accomodate 8 strings, however I'm a six string player and bought the nice Shaller 16:1 keys. The plan could easily be modified (neck as is) for eight strings. I also concluded the string angle at the nut was to steep so I have modified the drawing to include a 1/4" figured maple headstock overlay that allows mounting the keys at a higher elevation decreasing the string angle. Looks alot better too (on paper anyway)
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Greg Cutshaw
From:
Corry, PA, USA
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Posted 29 Apr 2008 10:07 am
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That maple looks abasolutely stunning, Jim. Can't wait to see the stained version!
Greg |
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Gary Stevenson
From:
Northern New York,USA
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Posted 29 Apr 2008 5:36 pm
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This is getting too much!!!!  Another fine lap steel builder. I am trying to get my latest and first 8-string finished, just hope its up to snuff after seeing two great builds today. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 29 Apr 2008 6:14 pm
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The quasi-National medallion theme for the main body area is an absurdly nice touch!
I'd like to see that transfered to the entire body.
What a great looking piece.
And, how cool you have 'after the stain' pix coming.
The string angle post-nut should possibly even benefit from a bit less stress, tone wise. |
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John Bushouse
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Posted 29 Apr 2008 8:02 pm
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| I really like the design (and I'm usually a New Yorker body afficionado!). For some reason, it reminds me of an Oahu - not the design we're all familiar with, but the one of the really groovy shape (the bottom of the guitar looks like... a bottom). |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 29 Apr 2008 11:17 pm
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Jim.
You did a very nice job with the woodworking on the neck and top of the guitar with your figured maple. 
That is a real show piece.
Keep up the good work. 
Aloha,
Don |
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Daryl Smetana
From:
California, USA
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Posted 30 Apr 2008 6:22 am Re: my home built lap steel in the white
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I really like the sculpted/carved shape in the body. Nice inlay, smart bridge design, and beautiful wood that should really jump out when stained. One very clean build. A ten year project ... you should be extremely pleased with the result so far. Can't wait to see it stained and done.
D |
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Vince Luke
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 30 Apr 2008 1:09 pm
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I like that guitar-shape laid on top of the plank-shape approach. That figured maple looks great. Like the recessed plug jack, too. Great attention to detail all the way around. Gonna post a sound clip?
Vince |
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Posted 1 May 2008 12:06 am
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an Xcellent job there Jim  |
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Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
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Posted 1 May 2008 7:09 am lap steel stained
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I dunno. Finish isn't my forte. Here are the shots.
If I do another I'd make the following changes:
1. Bound 1/4" figured maple peg head overlay to raise the mounting of the keys in order to reduce the string angle over the nut.
2. Use mahogany for the lower slab part, and only stain the neck, peg head, top maple a sunburst of some sort.
3. Use two book matched halves of figured maple contoured and carved like an arch top guitar for the lyre sound board.
4. Get it professionally finished.
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Ulf Edlund
From:
Umeå, Sweden
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Posted 2 May 2008 4:21 am
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A real nice design Jim. Congrats
_________________
1983 Emmons D10 SKH, Carter SD10, Nashville 112, Session 500, ProfexII, Lapsteels, GT-Beard reso, guitars of all kinds...
http://www.myspace.com/ulfedlund |
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Chris Drew
From:
Bristol, UK
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Posted 2 May 2008 4:36 am
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Whoa!!! The flame on that maple is gorgeous!
If it sounds half as good as it looks you should be well chuffed! |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 2 May 2008 7:34 am
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The finish really brings out the work you've done (as well as highlighting the beautiful wood you used). Let's hear it!!
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Gary Stevenson
From:
Northern New York,USA
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Posted 2 May 2008 5:03 pm
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| It looks like you used a brass round stock for the bridge. How close is the winding on the end of the string? It almost looks like its riding on the brass. Maybe its just the way the pic looks.Anyhow its a great build and I love the finish. |
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Gary Stevenson
From:
Northern New York,USA
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Posted 2 May 2008 5:04 pm
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| And as Brad said, we gotta hear the tone!!!! |
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Burney Warren
From:
Arkansas, USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2014 3:08 pm plans
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Jim, im interested in the plans to this instument. i am ver impressed with your design and work. the stain looks very nice, too. i think you hit a home run and i'd love to hear you play it. thanks for sharing bud.
_________________
_Burney Warren
Emmons 8-String Lap Steel
Vox Volume Pedal
Vox Valvetronics Amp
Fender Stage Lead Amp (used with Albert King by Keith Green)
Digitech Istomp
medicine bottle/1" copper pipe/Stevens Bar... |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 17 Jan 2014 4:00 pm
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| i dig the design of the raised body shape outlined with the binding. good job. |
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Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
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Posted 18 Jan 2014 6:11 am
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Wow, I'm honored this old post still draws interest.
Well I took it apart and added the peg head overlay,
plugged and relocated the peg holes higher in elevation to decrease the string angle over the nut, mounted a bone nut with bracket that's also bound, and replaced the tuning pegs with ones that have a smaller knob and look more vintage. Indeed it looks better I think.
Let's see now in 2008 it was 90% complete having started the project in 1996. I finally finished it but subsequently took it apart and redid the peg head in 2012. I haven't reassembled it yet and here it is 2014. Geesh! - the 90% guy.
Well I feel motivated again.
I plan to stuff the cavity with foam in hopes that I'll kill a peaky mid-range resonance that I'm not liking. Perhaps the string angle will help that too.
When I get it back together I'll post a sound bite.
Burney, PM me and I'll send you plans. All I ask is you don't commercialize it in case I want to do that myself some day.
I'll post pics of the updated LS as soon as I figure out how to lower the resolution of my new camera so the pics will xfer to the forum OK.
BTW anyone know how to do that? |
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Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
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Posted 18 Jan 2014 6:21 am
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Had to crop it: Here it is.
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Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
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Posted 18 Jan 2014 6:25 am
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| The peg head is begging for an inlay of some sort. Will get to that before I die hopefully. |
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Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
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Posted 18 Jan 2014 6:41 am
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Here's another photo. Reduced resolution too much perhaps.
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Paul Honeycutt
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 18 Jan 2014 10:44 pm
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| Very nice. I noticed that there's no volume or tone controls. Do you use a volume pedal? Did you ever tap the pickup? |
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Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
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Posted 19 Jan 2014 6:27 am
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Paul, I originally included holes for a volume control, within reach of your pinky, and two small switches. The body cavity would alow it - access from pickup hole.
The two switches would have four possibilites with a dual coil humbucker. My plan was to dedicate one switch to series/parallel of the coiuls, and the second switch to in phase/out of phase.
I just never got around to it.
I do use a volume pedal.
I have to admit I don't play out with it much. I'm too busy doing Dobro and/or pedal steel gigs. I used to play lap steel in a modern country band ala rock and roll with an overdrive sound but kinda lost interest in that. |
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 19 Jan 2014 6:46 am
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| I dug this back in '08 and I dig it today. |
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