| Author |
Topic: Lap steel bass |
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 5:50 am |
|
I've been really thinking about this a lot for the past year or so. I want to have a lap steel bass.
I have an upright bass and I sold my electric bass, but what I'd really like to do is have a lap steel bass, maybe 5 strings (probably flatwound), that would enable me to emulate some of the Moog synth bass sounds you hear on recordings by Stevie Wonder (ie, Boogie On Reggae Woman) and Jan Hammer, etc. as well as just play Jaco Pastorius flavored bass lines.
Here's one I've been working on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSUk8bSVHYc
Sounds like a kooky idea, right?
I have a tuning in mind for it, too.
I'm really burning for something like this. I want to design something. Probably a super long scale of 30" with a little wider string spacing of 1/2". Any thoughts?
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
|
|
 |
Raymond Jones
From:
British Columbia, Canada
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 6:15 am Bass lap steel -
|
|
I like your idea, Mike. I think I remember Chas Smith had one fastened to one of his exotic multi neck steels. It was titanium metal? He could be a wealth of information. Follow the sound in your head and heart.
Cheers - Ray |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 6:18 am
|
|
Mike,
Back in my youth when I was playing with a polka band, I put bass strings on the bottom 4 strings on one of the necks on my Stringmaster. On the Fender Stringmaster one of the necks was designed for bass strings with wider grooves on the nut and larger holes in the tuners. |
|
|
|
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 6:32 am
|
|
Erv, I was going to try that with my Fender T-8 Custom, but the tuning pegs wouldn't accommodate anything thicker than about .060, unlike the Stringmasters.
Besides, it's a short scale instrument.
Roll out the barrel, Erv!
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
|
|
|
Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
|
|
|
|
Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 7:01 am
|
|
| Quote: |
| Sounds like a kooky idea, right? |
Not to me, but then I might be a little off myself 
Seriously though, a bass or baritone build is something I've thought about for a while now. Fat strings steel style sounds like a great way to bring the thunder 
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here |
|
|
|
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 7:03 am
|
|
I'd love to commission someone to build this, but it would have to be super low budget without any frills.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 7:07 am
|
|
I can let you have a 2 x 4.  |
|
|
|
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 7:09 am
|
|
| Erv Niehaus wrote: |
| I can let you have a 2 x 4. |
All I need now is a string and a pair of nails.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
|
|
|
Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
|
|
|
|
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 7:30 am
|
|
I saw a pic of JPJ standing and playing what looks like a Melobar, but isn't.
Up to now, I've been using an EHX Ring Thing to give me an octave lower. It's works fine if I'm careful. The bass line in this vid (simple muted line) and the effect on the chords were both done with the Ring Thing. I need the real deal, though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcdFxx7quU
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
|
|
|
Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 8:10 am A long time ago.................
|
|
Most of you kids are too young to remember but......
JERRY BYRD did an entire recording with Ann Jones on KING lable playing "bass" on his Rickenbacher. The tune was "Too Old To Cut the Mustard".......
Sounded so realistic, she had to tell me otherwise I would never have guessed. |
|
|
|
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 8:17 am Re: A long time ago.................
|
|
| Ray Montee wrote: |
Most of you kids are too young to remember but......
JERRY BYRD did an entire recording with Ann Jones on KING lable playing "bass" on his Rickenbacher. The tune was "Too Old To Cut the Mustard".......
Sounded so realistic, she had to tell me otherwise I would never have guessed. |
Never heard this one before, thanks. Kind of sounds like a tuba.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-onkgjb0bQc
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
|
|
|
Jean-Sebastien Gauthier
From:
Quebec, Canada
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 8:37 am
|
|
| Mike Neer wrote: |
| I'd love to commission someone to build this, but it would have to be super low budget without any frills. |
You can ask to Hugo Tremblay from Tremblay Guitar, I'm sure he can do a very good job with a tight budget.
http://www.tremblayguitars.com/products/steel/ |
|
|
|
Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 9:03 am
|
|
| Mike Neer wrote: |
| I'd love to commission someone to build this, but it would have to be super low budget without any frills. |
No frills and super low budget certainly limits your choices. One option might be picking up a $100 SX bass from Rondo and having a conversion neck made for it.
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 9:06 am
|
|
Mike,
Why don't you just buy you an inexpensive solid body bass and get a nut riser for it?
Or something like this:
 |
|
|
|
Raymond Jones
From:
British Columbia, Canada
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 9:11 am Found it -
|
|
Check out - "14 December, 09. Guitarzilla 2 - 8 string bass and Junior Blue - 6 string bass plus the bass built into a multi neck.
Ray |
|
|
|
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 9:15 am
|
|
I don't think a bass with a conversion neck will work for me. I have a feeling I wouldn't enjoy playing it. I would probably fare better making my own.
Edit: who am I kidding? I couldn't build my own...I have the patience and attention span of a child.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
|
|
|
chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 10:20 am
|
|
Let's see here, bass lap/console steel guitars and they all get used. The one that is getting the most use is the 7-string, which conveniently unbolts from the Cadillac.
5-string bass, Guitarzilla1, 3rd neck:
6-string bass, Junior Blue:
7-string bass:
8-string bass, Guitarzilla2 shown here with The Replicant bolted on the front right:
This was from a solo that I did for the guitar geek Festival;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plk8H9f69Rs |
|
|
|
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 10:23 am
|
|
Chas, my brother, you are an inspiration.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
|
|
|
Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 10:23 am
|
|
| Quote: |
Edit: who am I kidding? I couldn't build my own...I have the patience and attention span of a child. |
LoL ... while I know nothing about your wood working skills, I'd have to disagree with you about your patience. The time and effort you spend refining your music and steel skills is not a trivial task.
| Quote: |
| I don't think a bass with a conversion neck will work for me. I have a feeling I wouldn't enjoy playing it. |
An instrument that is not enjoyable is not a bargain at any price.
While I'm certain that my vision and your budgetary needs are most likely at odds, I'd still be happy to chat and share my thoughts if you like. I'll PM you my number.
_________________
Some misc pics of my hand crafted steels
Follow me on Facebook here |
|
|
|
Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 10:47 am
|
|
Speaking of Stevie Wonder and steel in the same sentence - enjoy some Sneaky Pete (the very song that fades into Boogie On Reggae Woman), and happy Friday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_j-MxKALFU
Hope the bass steel thing comes together Mike, sounds very cool. |
|
|
|
Jerome Hawkes
From:
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 10:49 am
|
|
dont they have an octave pedal to simulate lower pitch. i would try that before having something built.
i would think that there would be way too much string noise.
that Moog lapsteel is what you really need mike
_________________
'65 Sho-Bud D-10 Permanent • '54 Fender Dual-8 • Clinesmith T-8 • '38 Ric Bakelite • '92 Emmons D-10 Legrande II |
|
|
|
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 10:57 am
|
|
| Jerome Hawkes wrote: |
dont they have an octave pedal to simulate lower pitch. i would try that before having something built.
i would think that there would be way too much string noise.
that Moog lapsteel is what you really need mike |
I've got a few pedals that change the pitch, but a bass lap steel set up just right would be amazing, I know it. This is an experiment, though, that's why I not looking to spent a ton of dough on it. If it is something that really works for me, then I'd have a better instrument built. But I have experimented enough with the regular lap steel and the pedals to know that it is something I want to do.
The Moog lap steel is cool, no doubt. I'm not sure that's the answer either. I have a bunch of Moogerfooger pedals now, though, and I am enjoying them.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
|
|
|
Jerry Gleason
From:
Eugene, Oregon, USA
|
Posted 15 Jun 2012 12:00 pm
|
|
That's a really interesting idea, Mike. As someone who plays bass a lot myself, I can already imagine the possibilities. You've started some wheels turing in my head.
I'm nearly finished with the double eight console I'm currently building. Maybe for the next project... |
|
|
|
