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Topic: Stand up playing lap steel |
Peter Jacobs
From:
Northern Virginia
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Posted 22 Mar 2012 6:26 am |
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Okay, here's some photos. First, this is a shot of my old system. It's a Melobar LS-6 with one of Ted Smith's "Outriggers". Long time SGF members will recall Ted introducing this product 6 or 7 years ago. It's a fiberglass shell filled with Styrofoam and bolted to the back of the steel. Worked well, but after years of playing with it, the fiberglass was starting to crack near the endpin.
I wanted something designed specifically as a stand-up steel, like an electric Dobro. So I came up with some specs: there needed to be enough distance away from my body, space for my right arm to fit through the strap, chambered to save weight and get that "chambered" tone, enough body depth to keep it from flipping around.
I considered something like the dance bar, but I didn't want something proprietary that I might lose (knowing me), although I still think it's a good idea. Also, unlike the Outrigger, the strap needed to attach directly to the guitar at both ends (there's a Dunlop Straplok at the tail end).
Basically, the actual "steel" part is from the peghead to the bridge. Everything else is for holding it up. The pickup is one of Randy's "Split Singles" -- sounds like a Strat/P90 cross, and no hum.
Front view:
Flip side (yes, that's a bolt-on neck. The heaviest part of the instrument is that joint):
There are obviously many ways to skin this cat. Randy's solution met, and then exceeded, my design goals brilliantly. We went back and forth for a couple of months discussing and debating design options. I figured he was the right guy to take on this challenge based on the samples of his instrument building on his website, especially the chambered Tele.
He doesn't appear to be building steels anymore, but I'm sure many of you could figure out how to build something similar, or work with a luthier to get what you want.
_________________
Peter
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www.splinterville.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@splinterville6278/videos |
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oj hicks
From:
Springville, AL
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Posted 23 Mar 2012 7:50 pm
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| I have used a folding keyboard stand with rubber mesh wrap around the horizontal top bars. This keeps the guitar from sliding, and also lowers the risk of scaring your instrument. Just a thought. |
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Jean Haas
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 29 Mar 2012 9:59 am Stand Up Lap Steel
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Have you checked out the Peavey Power Slide for stand-up playing?
It has a three-point strap setup. It is a Very economical guitar, but I've heard some nice things about it.
_________________
Jeanne |
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Tim Tweedale
From:
Vancouver, B.C., Canada
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Posted 29 Mar 2012 1:41 pm
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| I've checked it out. I think it looks absolutely hideous. |
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Tim Tweedale
From:
Vancouver, B.C., Canada
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Posted 29 Mar 2012 2:16 pm
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Sorry - those words may be inflammatory. I should say that I don't much care for the look of them.  |
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Peter Jacobs
From:
Northern Virginia
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Posted 30 Mar 2012 5:14 am
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The Power Slide actually came out while Randy and I were discussing the StrapSteel build. In fact, he had suggested the 3-point strap attachment before we ever saw a Power Slide, but I wanted to make sure I could use any strap in an emergency (if the Power Slide strap breaks or you forget to pack it, you're hosed).
I gotta agree with Tim -- I don't care for the looks of the Power Slide at all, and I'm a guy who like the looks of Supros, Teiscos and Eko guitars.
_________________
Peter
---------
www.splinterville.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@splinterville6278/videos |
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Rob Fenton
From:
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 30 Mar 2012 6:26 am
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I had a luthier-friend of mine build me a bolt-on squareneck for a telecaster so that I can play dobro-style material standing up. I do a lot of singing in one of my bands, and it's just not a very good show if you're singing lead sitting down, with a tiny-bodied, short-scale instrument.
Still looking for the right pickups. I've got a Duncan Little '59 in the bridge to darken it up, but I still can't use the bridge pickup alone. It's too trebly, but the neck pickup sounds like a tele, and the two together sound like a lapsteel with some dobroish bite.
I had him make the neck with a snakehead peghead, similar to my Meredith, so that I could use a Webb strap. Just had to experiment a little bit with the strap button, moving it outwards about two inches, to make the guitar balance better.
The body isn't as big as the dobro, obviously, so it doesn't sit in the same place, but I find it quite comfortable, and there's no belly-bar sort of accoutrements. I'll post a picture later today. |
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Jean Haas
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 30 Mar 2012 8:55 am Stand Up Playing Lap Steel
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Tim, I definitely agree with you on the look of the Power Slide. That is Not the style and appearance of a guitar that I would ever be attracted to. I'm way too "Country" for that. Good Luck on your hunt.
_________________
Jeanne |
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Peter Jacobs
From:
Northern Virginia
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Rob Fenton
From:
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 30 Mar 2012 12:09 pm
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I do find that the tele wants to move a bit. At first it wanted to fall away from me, and now with the strap button further along it wants to fall back a bit by itself, but is decently stable with my right hand in playing position.
I just try not to wear a slippery shirt whilst playing. |
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Peter Harris
From:
South Australia, Australia
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Posted 30 Mar 2012 11:23 pm
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| Rob Fenton wrote: |
I just try not to wear a slippery shirt whilst playing. |
Yeah, but does the Tele move???  |
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