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Topic: E9 Practice Board? |
Tim Kowalski
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 12 Sep 2008 10:40 am |
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I travel a lot for my job and would like to be able to practice some right hand and bar technique in my hotel room. (I have a big trunk, but can't imagine hauling and setting up a "regular" pedal steel guitar) I am looking for options and have some questions that you Forumites may be able to help me with.
Is there an inexpensive practice board on the market?
Does an E9 lap steel exist? Can a C6 lap be tuned (converted) to E9?
Does anyone have construction plans for such an instrument?
I have fairly advanced woodworking skills and some excellent equipment. It seems that this should not be extremely difficult to make, but I have also learned that there are often small details that are important without being obvious. (I have built a couple of acoustic guitars in the past and understand that pitch compensation is required due to string gauges.)
Maybe an advanced player would consider selling me something that they no longer use or need. I would much rather spend the time honing my PSG skills than starting another project which would further limit my available time.
Any help or suggestions about how to improve my E9 on the road would be greatly appreciated.
_________________
Bad wine is better than no wine. |
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Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
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Posted 12 Sep 2008 10:53 am
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Tim,Don Burrows BSG http://bsgsteelguitars.com/practice.htm makes a pretty cool looking practice board.
Stu 
_________________
Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
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Tim Kowalski
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 12 Sep 2008 11:02 am
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Thanks, Stu. That is definitely a reasonable price and something to consider. I could really use a full scale to work on intonation, but this one is sure portable.
Anyone have any experience with these little guys? |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 12 Sep 2008 12:41 pm
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| Lots of 10-string lap steels made now, and you can tune a lap steel any way you want! (No "conversion" required".) |
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Matthew Prouty
From:
Warsaw, Poland
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Posted 12 Sep 2008 12:45 pm
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Tom,
I travel a lot too and I take a lap steel with me. I keep it tuned to C6th even though I don't play much C6th when I am out and about. The nice thing is that with the A&B pedals depress you have an A6th tuning on the E9th and I can attest that if you play both C6th and E9th you will learn a lot faster. I found that by playing C6th, I can actually find almost everything I need on the E9th for C6th sounds. I know it sounds strange but for me after spending time traveling and playing only C6th, I went back to my E9th and I could easily find all of those sounds that are on an 8 string C6th. I take a pocket POD from Line 6 with me and all of my material I need on an iPod Shuffle and I have hours and hours of entertainment while on the road.
I don't think you need so much to be worried about 10 strings or trying to find a tuning that matches E9th. Its almost futile as the E9th without pedals is incomplete. Also the C6th stuff might one day transfer to your D10 if you go that route. |
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Tim Kowalski
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 12 Sep 2008 1:22 pm
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Great information everyone - thanks. Other suggestions are welcome!
_________________
Bad wine is better than no wine. |
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Andy Sandoval
From:
Bakersfield, California, USA
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Posted 12 Sep 2008 1:27 pm
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| Mayby I'm missin something here. What can you do with the "practice board" besides practice grips? |
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Matthew Prouty
From:
Warsaw, Poland
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Posted 12 Sep 2008 1:36 pm
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Andy,
That's exactly what I am talking about. I would think that time spent playing a lap steel with a traditional lap steel tuning will benefit someone seeking to practice away from there PSG much more than just a practice board. I think I would get bored practicing on a practice board.
m. |
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Carl Vilar
From:
New Jersey USA
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Posted 12 Sep 2008 2:26 pm
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Tim the BSG boards are small I have one they are great for practicing right hand grips and picking but thats it but for the price that's all I wanted it for anyway. You can tune it but remember that the length of the string is short so they are going to be tight no give like you would have on a long string. I kind of tune out the sound and just practice picking and grips when I have a few minutes here and there while I'm on the road.
_________________
JCH 9/7
1971 Blond Twin Reverb 15" custom
Randall Steel Man 500 |
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robert kramer
From:
Nashville TN
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Posted 12 Sep 2008 2:26 pm
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Tim, I have a 10 string practice board David Jackson made for me many years ago which I could sell to you at a fair price. It has an Emmons fretboard but no pickup. It's tuned to C-6th but I can put E-9th strings on it. I can e-mail pictures tomorrow. I have since upgraded to a practice board with Emmons parts and a pickup.
If you were to fabricate a practice board, the main consideration is to get the fretboard scale length correct. I'm sure there are forumites who know these measurements. |
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Tim Kowalski
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 12 Sep 2008 3:18 pm
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Matt - This would be mainly for blocking. I am pretty weak there and could make use of the extra time. I appreciate the suggestion about the C6 lap and will consider that also. Good point about the short strings on the practice board.
Thanks
_________________
Bad wine is better than no wine. |
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Mike Poholsky
From:
Kansas, USA
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Posted 12 Sep 2008 3:27 pm
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If your going to pay money for a piece of wood with a neck, tuning head, and strings why not end up with something that actually works? I say get a Lap Steel and you can tune it to whatever you need. If you want it to relate to PSG I would go with at least an 8 string. Although I get a lot out of my 6 string. It is great for practicing when traveling and after awhile you know how to play a little Lap Steel! About the ONLY thing I don't like about Pedal Steel is the time and effort involved in moving it. I get invited to small jams & partys where knowing a little Lap Steel lets me come and go easily.
I agree with Matthew, playing a Lap Steel gives you a different, and I think a better, perspective when you sit down at your PSG.
Just my 2 pennies.
_________________
Zumsteel 12 Universal
SGBB
ShoBud VP
'64 Fender Twin Reverb/Fox Rehab
Fender Steel King w/BW 1501-4
FX to Taste |
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Michael Strauss
From:
Delray Beach,Florida
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Posted 12 Sep 2008 4:52 pm
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Hi Tim,
I had the same problem, lots of time on the road and no way to practice. I solved the problem by buying a Lapstick travel guitar. It's expensive but tiny (20.5”). It has a 17” scale and string spacing is a little less then 3/8”, not much different then my Carter U12. The guitar was modified by the company (Phil Neal was great)to raise the nut and the bridge so I can use it as a lap steel. Yes the scale is all wrong, but it is tuned to C6 and I can come home throw a knee lever and play everything I learned during the week on my steel. It has it limitations, but fits in my carry-on suitcase which was the deciding factor in my case. I also have a Korg PX4D which allows me to have a tuner, drums and bass , 150 effects and I can plug in my mp3 player and my headphones (fits in my backpack). I guess having a bunch of basses with 30” and 34” scales allows me to not think about switching between instruments and scales. I hope this helps.
Michael
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Carter S-12U, Sho-Bud LGD (80's), Fender Jazz King, Korg Pandora Toneworks PX4D, Modulus Q6, Ampeg B5R, Lapstick Travel Guitar mod to lapsteel |
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