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Topic: Is this little Lap any good? |
J Hill
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 10 Dec 2011 8:41 am |
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Okay, I need some opinions. I just bought this Lap Steel on eBay a couple a days ago and there wasn't alot said in the description. I just figured if I can't play it, it might just look good on the wall. Does anybody know what this one measures from top to bottom (not scale length but overall length)? Big thanks to anybody that can tell me more than I know about this little lap steel (which is pretty much next to nothing).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/320807000284?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_1689wt_929 |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 10 Dec 2011 8:55 am
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Leila,
I would guess that it has a 22 1/2" scale.
And be careful when you tune it, it looks like one of the tuners is bent. |
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John Dahms
From:
Perkasie, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 10 Dec 2011 10:57 am
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It's a Magnatone (derived from early Dickerson) from between 1950-54 by the features in the pictures. Overall length is about 30". That color green MOTS is not at all common. These are pretty good all purpose guitars that have a devoted following because they are small, light comfortable to play, sound good and (if you are a mother of toilet seat fan) look good.
It's no bakelite Ricky but useable and cheap. Enjoy.
_________________
Time flies like an eagle
Fruit flies like a banana. |
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Bruce Terrell
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 10 Dec 2011 2:28 pm
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They also have a nice funky sound. I love mine!
Search past threads. They have problems w/the wax potting that can be easily fixed. |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 10 Dec 2011 3:07 pm
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| I have the exact same guitar, same color except the name on it is Amerloha.......it's a screamer....mine also came with the matching bar....a Nick Manoloff bar which itself is worth about $50...... |
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J Hill
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 10 Dec 2011 3:46 pm
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Say, this is all good news! Thanks for all your responses. I can't wait to receive it. I'm taking due note of all you fellows said and anyone else that's got more information feel free!
I'll come back with a little review when I receive it. Thanks again. |
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Frank James Pracher
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 10 Dec 2011 5:39 pm
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Count me as one of the devoted following for these steels. I have six and I love them all. I think they really sound great in C6th. You will enjoy it. If not, I don't thing you will have a hard time getting your money out of it.
_________________
"Don't be mad honey, but I bought another one" |
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J Hill
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 10 Dec 2011 6:24 pm
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Thanks Frank, this is so encouraging to me. I was looking at all one million lap steels they have on eBay the other night and just kept going back to that little green one. I liked the shape of it and loved the color. I'm tracking the shipment about every 5 minutes. LOL Should be here early this next week. I'll be stalking Fed Ex every day for sure.
Tell me more if you want. I'm all ears. From what I've been reading I think I'll settle in on the C6 tuning. If I have one big regret in my life it's that I did not know a person could actually buy a steel guitar when I was young. Oh well, I guess better late than never.  |
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Bruce Terrell
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 10 Dec 2011 9:05 pm
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| I keep mine tuned to Emajor for David Lindley type stuff, but found that it does real well for some of the Xmas stuff we did this season: Christmas on Christmas Island and Mele Kalikimaka. |
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Hugh Turner
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2011 5:45 am
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| I was watching that one myself Leila. Very nice. |
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J Hill
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2011 7:21 am
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Thanks Hugh for just 'watching' it!
Now I'm wondering....which bar do you guys prefer when playing the lap steel? Is a pedal bar okay? I already have one of those.
Edit: Forgot to say....those little bars with the handle on top, that looks handy but is doing slants easier with an all round bar? |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 11 Dec 2011 3:27 pm
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| Derrick Mau has one, and uses it occasionally.... |
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Michael Maddex
From:
Northern New Mexico, USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2011 5:29 pm
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| Leila Tuttle wrote: |
| Now I'm wondering....which bar do you guys prefer when playing the lap steel? Is a pedal bar okay? I already have one of those. |
Leila, there is a current, albeit not very serious, discussion of bars here:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=216333&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
I think that the choice of steel (bar) it is a matter of personal comfort and suggest trying out a few. I don't put much stock in the dogmatic requirements of some players who feel that you must use a particular type of bar for a particular instrument or style of music. As I said in the other thread, I prefer a Stevens bar, but, among others, I've got a Shubb S-P, which is sort of a Tipton shape with a hardwood upper and stainless lower which looks big and clunky to me, but is surprisingly comfortable to use. All I'm saying is don't judge the bar by its looks or someone else's opinion, give a few of them a try. Me, when I've got a kitchen drawer full of them, I'll sell them all off but one or two, take the money and spend a week on the beach in Old Mexico.
HTH & Enjoy your new guitar.
_________________
"For every expert, there is an equal and opposite expert." -- Arthur C. Clarke |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 12 Dec 2011 7:49 am
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I don't want to recommend a brand of bar but I would suggest a bar that is smaller for your 6 string instrument than for a pedal steel: less strings, less bar.  |
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Randy Reeves
From:
LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 14 Dec 2011 7:49 am
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I like this lap steel. it is very light in weight, yet it has a very nice tone. yours looks the same.
I use a standard Dunlop bullet bar. I think it has a 5/8" diameter. the bar has a nice weight to it. a lot lighter than a bar I used for pedaL steel. that one is heavier and has a bigger diameter. |
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David Soreff
From:
North Las Vegas, NV
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Posted 14 Dec 2011 12:06 pm
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| Count me in as another fan of these great little steels. I just picked one up a couple of months ago and it has quickly become my go to steel on stage. Great sound, light weight, and of course, you can't beat MOTS for retro cool. |
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J Hill
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 14 Dec 2011 12:21 pm
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Would you believe I'm stalking Fed Ex right now as we speak. I'm sitting here semi-patiently waiting for that truck. I've got everything ready except for that Evans Amp that my daughter stole.
I can't wait to see that retro-green! LOL And what you guys are telling me about how good these old lap steels are just makes me more hopeful as I sit here and wait....patiently....
Where is that truck!!! |
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Bill Leff
From:
Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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Norman Markowitz
From:
Santa Cruz, California
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J Hill
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 14 Dec 2011 9:21 pm
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Thanks guys for the good links. Patty is good on that lap steel! Boy do I have a lot to learn. LOL
My Magnatone arrived not 5 minutes after I wrote the above post about stalking the Fed Ex truck. It's in great shape. I'm not quite sure about the strings yet. I'm getting my Evans Amp back tomorrow so that'll help. It doesn't sound exactly right coming thru a Fender amp....
Let me ask a question.... If you have a tab that's got 3 stacked notes and the bottom two are at the 8th fret and the top note is at the 9th, how in the world do you do that slant? When the bar is slanted there's no way I can hit "both" 8 frets if the bar is also covering the 9th fret. Or is there?
(I'll be back later tomorrow afternoon.) |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2011 8:56 am
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I don't know about the three string slant you are talking about but Jerry Byrd would do a three string slant with the top to strings on the same fret and the lower third string on the lower fret. He did this with the nose of his bar.
Not for the timid! |
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J Hill
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2011 7:24 pm
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| Well, there's an idea. I guess the nose of the bar in my case would have to be the other end of the bar. |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2011 7:30 pm
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Sounds like a misprint ... Should be :
--9--
--9--
--8-- |
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J Hill
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2011 8:12 pm
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| It's Amazing Grace in Mel Bay's C6th book. From top to bottom it's 9 - 8 - 8. Just ain't possible. I'll try 9 - 9 - 8 and see what happens. |
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