| Author |
Topic: Type of wood for Lap Steel |
Jim Mitchell
From:
Phily,Pennsylvania, USA
|
Posted 2 Nov 2008 3:26 am |
|
I am going to build a 8 string Lap Steel Guitar this Winter.
I am getting some ASH trees cut down
Is ASH a good wood for making these Guitars?
I plan to make my first out of POPULAR wood I can get from HOME DEPOT
MY TUBE AMP SITE
http://www.geocities.com/insp/SUPRO6420.html
_________________
I am trying to play a Harlin Brothers 1956 Multi Kord 6 String 4 Pedal Steel Guitar
and a RONDO lap
Retired from Boeing Helicopters in Ridley Park Pa.
we build the CH47 |
|
|
 |
Eldon Cangas
From:
Ontario, Canada
|
Posted 2 Nov 2008 5:42 am Wood For Lap
|
|
| Jim, I just finished a 10 string lap made from white birch. I'm sure poplar would work but it's not classed as a dense hardwood. My choices boiled down to maple or birch their specific gravities were really close and I'm very happy with the result. My concern as far as the ash is that it needs time to dry to a proper moisture content before you sue it. All the best. It's a great way to get a steel. Eldon |
|
|
|
Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 2 Nov 2008 8:20 am
|
|
Poplar makes a good tone wood, it has a balanced tone and is easy to work and machine. The main down side of poplar is it often has lots of greenish mineral staining making it not so nice for clear or natural finishes.
Ash is another great wood and was used by Fender a lot.
Eldon brings up a good point in that the wood needs to be cured and dry before you use it. Google has lots of info for drying wood, but in general, for air drying it takes about 1 year per inch of thickness to dry.
If you have a bunch of it, you might consider building a solar kiln. Here is a helpful link to a Virginia Tech page on building your own solar kiln
http://www.woodscience.vt.edu/about/extension/vtsolar_kiln/
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here |
|
|
|
Edward Meisse
From:
Santa Rosa, California, USA
|
Posted 2 Nov 2008 12:05 pm
|
|
Herb Remington makes his out of swamp ash. Combined with an E66 George L pup it sounds grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat! I believe the old Fenders were of swamp ash as well.
_________________
Amor vincit omnia |
|
|
|
Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 2 Nov 2008 5:35 pm
|
|
Go for it Jim!! It will be fun, and after the first one you will be hooked!! 
BILL
Enjoyed your site !! |
|
|
|
Phill Martin
From:
Whitewater Kansas, USA
|
Posted 2 Nov 2008 6:35 pm
|
|
Tis the season so it seems. I to am looking to build a lap steel this winter 8 or 10 sting baritone. I found a person to get African Mahogany for 6.50 a board foot. My blank will be 10x48x2. Should be plenty of wood to start with.
_________________
YOU CAN TUNE A GUITAR BUT YOUR CAN'T TUNA FISH!
Bronson Melody King 6 string
National New Yorker 6
National D-8 Totem Pole
Rickenbacker D-6
Rickenbacker D-8
Frankensteinslide (OAHU/body) (SUPRO /string through pickup) (LESTREM/vibrato bridge)M88
Rickenbacker Amp M88 1953
1/2 watt sweet custom tube amp
Valco Supro Brown and White
Danelectro Twin 12
Crate all tube 12 watt with reverb sweeeet.... |
|
|
|
Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 2 Nov 2008 10:51 pm
|
|
| Nice collection of geetars you have there Phil! |
|
|
|
Jim Mitchell
From:
Phily,Pennsylvania, USA
|
Posted 3 Nov 2008 4:17 am
|
|
Thanks for the replies
I got hooked 3 years ago building Tube amps
I did get a 6 string RONDO To learn on
I also have the MULTI KORD
I have a new garage now to put my woodworking shop in
I am going to try POPULAR first and the ASH I will store in my loft in my Garage
I am 61 and this may make me rich when I retire 
_________________
I am trying to play a Harlin Brothers 1956 Multi Kord 6 String 4 Pedal Steel Guitar
and a RONDO lap
Retired from Boeing Helicopters in Ridley Park Pa.
we build the CH47 |
|
|
|
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
|
|
|
|
Jim Mitchell
From:
Phily,Pennsylvania, USA
|
Posted 3 Nov 2008 5:10 am
|
|
Thank you Andy you answered my next question
I will save these sites
as you can see I have to trim my front yard a lot of LAP STEELS here
_________________
I am trying to play a Harlin Brothers 1956 Multi Kord 6 String 4 Pedal Steel Guitar
and a RONDO lap
Retired from Boeing Helicopters in Ridley Park Pa.
we build the CH47 |
|
|
|
Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
|
|
|
|
Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 3 Nov 2008 6:38 pm
|
|
| I knew you were hooked on tube amps Me too. |
|
|
|
Jim Mitchell
From:
Phily,Pennsylvania, USA
|
Posted 4 Nov 2008 3:42 am
|
|
| Tom Pettingill wrote: |
| Quote: |
| as you can see I have to trim my front yard a lot of LAP STEELS here |
There is enough lumber there to keep you busy for a while  |
You should see my 1 1/2 acre in the back
never has been cleared Oak, popular, walnut I can not get my arms around some of the trees about 2000 feet tall 
_________________
I am trying to play a Harlin Brothers 1956 Multi Kord 6 String 4 Pedal Steel Guitar
and a RONDO lap
Retired from Boeing Helicopters in Ridley Park Pa.
we build the CH47 |
|
|
|
Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 4 Nov 2008 6:40 am
|
|
You ought to get some of that walnut drying then, it makes a great guitar. Its fundamental tone is similar to maple, but not as bright.
Here is a walnut based steel I'm finishing up for a guy, its going to use one of the Lollar Gibson Console Grand 8 reproductions.
.
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here |
|
|
|
Jim Mitchell
From:
Phily,Pennsylvania, USA
|
Posted 4 Nov 2008 6:51 am
|
|
Like I said I just got my new garage finished it will not have any cars in it just a wood working shop.
I am 61 I hope I have a few years left
That is a strange neck the hole pattern for the tuners, I would like to see it with strings on
Does the wood make the tone or a great pickup
_________________
I am trying to play a Harlin Brothers 1956 Multi Kord 6 String 4 Pedal Steel Guitar
and a RONDO lap
Retired from Boeing Helicopters in Ridley Park Pa.
we build the CH47 |
|
|
|
Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 4 Nov 2008 7:34 am
|
|
| Quote: |
That is a strange neck the hole pattern for the tuners, I would like to see it with strings on
|
I use that staggered tuner arrangement to get a strait pull over the nut
Below are a couple strung up pics of another one I did in that style.
| Quote: |
| Does the wood make the tone or a great pickup |
It is all the above, the sound of a guitar is a sum of all it parts.
That said, each component has a varying degree of what it contributes. Pickups and electronics have the lions share of influence and I think wood second.
.
 [/quote]
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here |
|
|
|
Phill Martin
From:
Whitewater Kansas, USA
|
Posted 4 Nov 2008 9:15 am
|
|
Tom what is the spacing on the strings for this lap?
thanks
_________________
YOU CAN TUNE A GUITAR BUT YOUR CAN'T TUNA FISH!
Bronson Melody King 6 string
National New Yorker 6
National D-8 Totem Pole
Rickenbacker D-6
Rickenbacker D-8
Frankensteinslide (OAHU/body) (SUPRO /string through pickup) (LESTREM/vibrato bridge)M88
Rickenbacker Amp M88 1953
1/2 watt sweet custom tube amp
Valco Supro Brown and White
Danelectro Twin 12
Crate all tube 12 watt with reverb sweeeet.... |
|
|
|
Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
|
|
|
|
Jim Mitchell
From:
Phily,Pennsylvania, USA
|
Posted 4 Nov 2008 10:14 am
|
|
I like that I was thinking about something like that
what strings did you use what tunning
_________________
I am trying to play a Harlin Brothers 1956 Multi Kord 6 String 4 Pedal Steel Guitar
and a RONDO lap
Retired from Boeing Helicopters in Ridley Park Pa.
we build the CH47 |
|
|
|
Jim Mitchell
From:
Phily,Pennsylvania, USA
|
Posted 5 Nov 2008 4:39 am
|
|
I showed it to a BOEING Engineer
He said it looks like the Space Shuttle
Typical Engineer can’t see the Forest for the trees
_________________
I am trying to play a Harlin Brothers 1956 Multi Kord 6 String 4 Pedal Steel Guitar
and a RONDO lap
Retired from Boeing Helicopters in Ridley Park Pa.
we build the CH47 |
|
|
|
Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
|
|
|
|
Jim Mitchell
From:
Phily,Pennsylvania, USA
|
Posted 5 Nov 2008 10:13 am
|
|
I paid $99.00 for my RONDO
I bet you could get at least $110.00 for yours
Because it has two more strings
Do you make cases
I was thinking just making a square one that fits all
easy to stack and carry
_________________
I am trying to play a Harlin Brothers 1956 Multi Kord 6 String 4 Pedal Steel Guitar
and a RONDO lap
Retired from Boeing Helicopters in Ridley Park Pa.
we build the CH47 |
|
|
|
John Subik
From:
Sun City, California, USA
|
Posted 6 Nov 2008 7:27 am
|
|
Tom, those are some seriously great looking guitars.
When I got into this I told myself that unlike my regular guitar stash I would keep this involvement minimal.
Hmmmmm......... |
|
|
|
Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 6 Nov 2008 10:21 am
|
|
Jim .. those Rondo's are one of the best bang for the buck steels out there.
I have not ventured into making any cases yet, though will try my hand at it someday.
A handy case for a steel are the take down universal shotgun cases with the foam inside. I took some gaudy royal purple lycra / satin type material and lined one for grins.
Thanks John, I enjoy building them, its a labor of love and a great creative outlet for me.
| Quote: |
| When I got into this I told myself that unlike my regular guitar stash I would keep this involvement minimal. |
LoL ... if only it worked that way ... once the bug hits, its all over 
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here |
|
|
|
Jim Mitchell
From:
Phily,Pennsylvania, USA
|
Posted 18 Nov 2008 3:37 am Anybody looking for a good piece of ASH
|
|
Anybody looking for a good piece of ASH
I took the advice I got on the thread and when I had my front yard cleared of some ASH trees I kept the long straight pieces to cut into lumber to make LAP STEEL GUITARS
Looks like I got a lot of guitars in this pile, should keep me busy for a long time.
I have four more trees to come down the pile will be bigger.
You know one hobby leads to another I played music first then Ham Radio, Wood working. I am now building Tube Amplifiers and about to Embark on Guitar making.
I have to make these logs into lumber so I have to go in the Sawmill Business now
I am going to build one of these.
http://picasaweb.google.ca/procutbc/Procutwebsite#
from this site
http://www.procutportablesawmills.com/pictures.html
Thank God I have a big back yard 1 ½ acres yes as far back as you can see is mine
I am going to build a prototype in about two weeks and post it.
it will be my first
_________________
I am trying to play a Harlin Brothers 1956 Multi Kord 6 String 4 Pedal Steel Guitar
and a RONDO lap
Retired from Boeing Helicopters in Ridley Park Pa.
we build the CH47 |
|
|
|
