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Topic: New member/home made lap steels |
Xavier Baron
From:
Mahina, Tahiti
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Posted 14 Jan 2013 12:55 am |
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Hello everybody
I'm new on the forum, I'm french, living in Noumea, New Caledonia
I'm almost new on steel (I should say on slide guitar)
Coming from the 5string banjo I began to learn at 40
For a little more than one year I'm trying to learn the slide guitars (Dobro and Lap steel)
I thought you may be interested to take a look at my two home-made lap steels:
The first one is a 8 strings New Yorker copy, maple body, headstock veneer and fretboard are ebony, nut is corian, inlays are bone, the scale is 23'', the PU is a custom made PU made by Pete Biltoft:
The finish is polyurethane 2parts automotive varnish
The second one, finished about one month ago has a design of my own (welle, maybe I took a look at some Oaho Tonemaster pictures:-))
22,5 scale, all curly maple, custom single coil PU built by Jason Lollar:
Just have to really learn to play now with your help 
Both are tuned C6
Xavier |
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Peter Funk
From:
Germany
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Posted 14 Jan 2013 2:11 am
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Wow! What beauties!
... and what a nice view from your window  |
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 14 Jan 2013 5:05 am
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Xavier, if you are a beginner, it is obvious that you have done your "homework." Those are fine looking and well thought out instruments. Greetings from the other side of the Coral Sea.
_________________
Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 14 Jan 2013 5:44 am
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Excellent job, Xavier.
_________________
Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
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Stephen Abruzzo
From:
Philly, PA
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Posted 14 Jan 2013 9:11 am
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Just beautiful lap steels.....gorgeous....especially the Tonemaster as I love the look of natural wood.
On the New Yorker, what does the chicken-head knob at the bottom end of the steel do? Is that a "blend" control for the pups? I guess the knobs on the "audience" side are volume and tone? |
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 14 Jan 2013 2:19 pm
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 That is some inspiring craftsmanship!!! Thank you for posting. |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 14 Jan 2013 3:27 pm
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 thems is some mighty purdy geetars!!!...... |
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G Strout
From:
Carabelle, Florida
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Posted 14 Jan 2013 4:49 pm
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Xavier...Wow!! Very nice.... Look on the bright side. Even if you never learn how to play them.... you sure can build em'!!! Nice work. Thank you for sharing with us.
Gary |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 14 Jan 2013 5:27 pm
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| I just recently saw a picture of the Oahu shaped that way in "Vintage Guitar" magazine, they've been doing a series on Oahu. I remember wondering how come everybody else (Asher etc) were copying the boring Oahu instead of that one. Yours is a whole lot nicer, of course. Is there anything resembling native Hawaiian culture there at all? |
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Xavier Baron
From:
Mahina, Tahiti
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Posted 14 Jan 2013 11:31 pm
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| David Mason wrote: |
| I just recently saw a picture of the Oahu shaped that way in "Vintage Guitar" magazine, they've been doing a series on Oahu. I remember wondering how come everybody else (Asher etc) were copying the boring Oahu instead of that one. Yours is a whole lot nicer, of course. Is there anything resembling native Hawaiian culture there at all? |
Thanks for the kind words guys. I really like the second one too.It took me 4 monthes of my sparse time to built it, thanks to my wife and son )
When I shaped it I just had an idea of what an Oahu was in my mind, and let the magic of the Bezier curves work (designed on Turbocad), and... yes, it looks better than the original. Unlike the New Yorker (beginner's mistake), I placed the pots out of the way of the picking hand, and enlarged the string spacing (the steel bridge rod is 90 mm long). and the sound... is great
Unfortunately there's nothing resembling native Hawaiian culture here... native are melanesian, not polynesian, just some tahitian ukuleles played by the native tahitian and wallisian people living here. NO steel guitar!!! even if we are in the south pacific 
Stephen, the chcken knob is there because there's on on the original and to have the full use of the humbucker. whatever the position, the sound does not change so much...
Yes, I might know to built not so bad one, but I'd prefer to play!!!
What kind of exercices I can do to to enhance my knowledge of the fretboard? Picking technics is not a problem (I can be a real workhorse whan I want) but I don't have anything nor anybody to learn the fretboard... in C6 and in G (I own a Dobro too)
Thank you for your help,
Xavier
From Noumea |
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Posted 15 Jan 2013 2:17 am
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Bienvenue Xavier
Content de te retrouver ici  |
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Dennis Smith
From:
Covington, Georgia, USA
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Posted 15 Jan 2013 10:08 am
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Hi Xavier, real nice guitars. Check out Doug Beaumier's 25 songs for lap steel and 25 more songs. Good way to learn chords and your way around the fret broad and 50 songs.
Dennis |
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Xavier Baron
From:
Mahina, Tahiti
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Posted 16 Jan 2013 12:06 am
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Thanks Dennis
My problem is not to find tunes to learn and play, as I'm good enough for transcribing tunes from CDs and Youtube videos (I did it with some Josh Cho videos and a Doug's one (It's now or never). I can play these tunes... not so bad. Cause I learned them and played them hundred times before I could play decently each tune.
My problem is that I realize that... I don't know what I'm playing on the fretboard (I can find the chord chart as I play with Band in a Box) and I'm really frustrated not to be able to play even a simple melody that I hear... I dont find the notes on the fretboard.
Since today I began to practice the major scales as described by Mike Neer... It' time to really work for me.
Do you think the Doug's books would help? Any other good stuff?
Thanks for your help
Xavier |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Posted 16 Jan 2013 2:05 am
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Xavier, your lap steels are gorgeous! Really stunning.
Regarding my C6 song books, they do not teach "how to play C6", like a method book would... but many, many players have told me that they've learned a lot about chord positions, majors, minors, two string harmonies, 3rds, 6th, slants and slides, and basically how to get around on the tuning... by playing through the 25 songs in the book(s). The CDs are very helpful too. The first book is slightly easier than the second book. The songs are familiar, the arrangements are intermediate level, and some beginner tunes. The tab is large, easy to read. I've received a lot of positive response from buyers in the last couple of years, and I really appreciate it.
For more info, song list, audio clips, pictures, and ordering information click on the link below for "25 Songs C6 Lap Steel!". Thanks
_________________
My Site / My YouTube Channel
25 Songs C6 Lap Steel / 25 MORE Songs C6 Lap Steel / 16 Songs, C6, A6, B11 / 60 Popular Melodies E9 Pedal Steel |
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Thomas Ludwig
From:
Augsburg, Germany
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Posted 16 Jan 2013 2:22 am
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| ...just wow !! |
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Xavier Baron
From:
Mahina, Tahiti
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Posted 16 Jan 2013 2:45 am
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| Doug Beaumier wrote: |
Xavier, your lap steels are gorgeous! Really stunning.
Regarding my C6 song books, they do not teach "how to play C6", like a method book would... but many, many players have told me that they've learned a lot about chord positions, majors, minors, two string harmonies, 3rds, 6th, slants and slides, and basically how to get around on the tuning... by playing through the 25 songs in the book(s). The CDs are very helpful too. The first book is slightly easier than the second book. The songs are familiar, the arrangements are intermediate level, and some beginner tunes. The tab is large, easy to read. I've received a lot of positive response from buyers in the last couple of years, and I really appreciate it.
For more info, song list, audio clips, pictures, and ordering information click on the link below for "25 Songs C6 Lap Steel!". Thanks |
Hi Doug,
I just placed an order for the first book
Xavier |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Billy Mostyn
From:
Queensland, Australia
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Posted 16 Jan 2013 3:47 am
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| You make really nice steels Xavier. Although Doug Beaumier says his books and Cds do not teach you how to play. I have learnt so much from them and playing different tunes of Doug's has made me feel more comfortable up and down the neck as well as helping me to create a few licks of my own. Even though you are playing a melody of a song, it quite often hits you in spots where all of a sudden you think "Hey, I can use this little piece here in another song backing someone. I cant wait for Doug to produce another book and Cd. Love the 2 C6 Books and Cds I have. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Xavier Baron
From:
Mahina, Tahiti
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Posted 16 Jan 2013 10:59 am
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Thank you guys
There is the only sample sound I recorded with that new one:
https://soundcloud.com/banjo980/new-aloha-oe
I recorded it with Amplitube fender (Twin 65) directly to the mac, BIAB and Garageband, Let me know...
Since I recorded this tune, I rebuilt another nut with V shaped grooves (the open strings sounded a bit "underwater", and replaced the .11 first string by a .12 one.
Now I feel unable to play again as I'm working on my palm blocking and can't manage to place my right hand in the right position (maybe I could cut my ring and pinky?) and reshaped my fingerpick... I took bat habits with banjo and dobro, I think...
If interested, the building process can be seen here in english
http://steelguitarbuilder.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=861
Or, in french, but with many more pictures, here:
http://www.lutherie-amateur.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=17163
Xavier |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Dennis Smith
From:
Covington, Georgia, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2013 12:48 pm
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Hi Xavier
Do you have any sound clips with the one that lools like a new yorker? I would like to hear the custom pickup.
Dennis |
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Xavier Baron
From:
Mahina, Tahiti
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Mike Anderson
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 16 Jan 2013 2:10 pm
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| Xavier, been busy with my own threads but really wanted to stop in and say, these steels are absolutely gorgeous! |
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Dennis Smith
From:
Covington, Georgia, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2013 2:59 pm
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Thanks Xavier. I like the sound of that pickup and you playing and tone is very good.
Dennis |
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