No Tonebar Needed...

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

I designed this instrument back in 1963 and then built a better one (seen here) in 1999.

I wanted to combine the features of a fiddle and a lap steel in one. The instrument has an ebony fingerboard, like a fiddle, but otherwise it's a lap steel. You play it by sliding your fingers directly on the strings, rather than using a tone bar. You don't need any slants: you can play chords you could never play with a bar. You can play the instrument with a bar, but you have to be careful not to rattle, as there's no riser nut.

I designed the instrument mainly for playing the blues on.

Gary Stevenson · From: Northern New York,USA

Looks pretty kool Alan!So its like a non-fretted instrument?

Chris Scruggs · From: Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Could you post a sound clip? I'd love to here this!

CS

Tom Pettingill · From: California, USA (deceased)

Very cool Alan, love the old world look and its a very unique idea Smile

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John Subik · From: Sun City, California, USA

Ditto on the sound clip request, what an interesting looking instrument!

It looks like some of the stuff in my instrument closet got out of their cases for a night of revelry Mr. Green

Mark Mansueto · From: Michigan, USA

So then it's played similar to how Jeff Healey played but with no frets?
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