| Author |
Topic: Lap Steel Rebuild / Restoration |
Brandon Tice
From:
Tennessee, USA
|
Posted 19 Mar 2013 8:59 pm |
|
My father bought this lap steel for me when I was a small child, somewhere around 1980-1983. At some point over the years, pops decided he was going to tear it down and restore it for me. Well he got the "tearing down" part of the project done, and then never got around to the rest of it 
Fast forward to present day and I now have the guitar back. My dad recently passed so I'd like to go ahead and have it restored by a pro. It has a lot of sentimental value and I'd love for it to be in beautiful, like-new shape if at all possible.
Unfortunately don't know much about these guitars or what would be involved in restoring one. I'm open to any suggestions for best places or individuals to perform the work as well. I've attached the best pics I could get from my cell phone. Any insight that any of you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
 |
|
|
 |
Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
|
Posted 20 Mar 2013 12:24 am
|
|
Looks to me like all is that is missing is the nut (up at the tuning peg end).
Maybe the tuners are bad but you can only check that by stringing it up. Maybe the pickup and/or electronics don't work - you can test that by plugging it in to an amplifier (turned down low!!!!!) and tapping the metal end of a screwdriver on the pickup. If you get a thumping noise, chances are the pickup works. If the volume and tone controls work too, even better (as you turn the tone, the "thump" will get more or less bassy sounding). You'll need one little grub screw for the pickup but should be able to find one easy enough.
If all you need is a nut you've got a pretty easy job there. It doesn't look in bad condition and the case looks in really good shape.
Doesn't look like anything could be wrong with it that would challenge a guitar tech.
Those Airline steels are nice. Once it is fixed up you should take some time to learn to play it - lots of helpful people will help you I'm sure. |
|
|
|
John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
|
Posted 20 Mar 2013 10:32 am
|
|
Wow! This is funny! In a couple of days, I was going to start a thread about cleaning/restoring my Airline Rocket! Smoke damage. It looked like this;
It now looks like this, almost done.
I had always thought my guitar was painted, but it's not! It's monochromatic MOTS, and I assume yours is too. I went at it with Meguiare's Professional Swirl Remover 2.0, as that is what I use to clean painted or lacquered guitars. It did wonders for the MOTS. Removed the smoke and nicotine stains. Then applied wax. The Swirl Remover is so gentle, that it will not damage the finish at all, but will really put back some shine while removing shallow swirl marks. Good stuff!
You can fill the hole in the end of the peghead with a dowel. Glue it slightly below the surface level of the MOTS. Then you can drop fill it with Testor's Gloss Black Enamal, using a small, soft artist's brush. |
|
|
|
John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
|
Posted 20 Mar 2013 10:53 am
|
|
| If your fingerboard is thick plastic, with the fret markers painted on the bottom side, don't take it off! I have seen the fretboard paint stick to the body in some cases. The swirl remover will clean the clear top nicely to. Just work around it. |
|
|
|
Gary S. Lynch
From:
Maryland, USA
|
Posted 20 Mar 2013 2:42 pm
|
|
Hi Brandon,
I believe Jeff is right. The nut is clearly missing. I just bought one of these exact models just because I like the pickup, "valco style" they are on a lot of old National steels.
Nice little practice guitar.
I think this was sold by Mont. Ward. Anyway it will have a great sound. You can buy replacement lap steel nuts on eBay or if you have a local music store it is a pretty easy fix. PM me and I might be able to help you further. |
|
|
|
David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
|
Posted 20 Mar 2013 3:05 pm
|
|
You can also test the electronics by plugging it into an amp, strumming the strings of another guitar and holding yours with the pickup right over the strings. You may be very close to playing, replacing a nut is no big thing when you find the guy with chunks of bone around who does that sort of thing - every town's got one.  |
|
|
|
Gary S. Lynch
From:
Maryland, USA
|
Posted 20 Mar 2013 3:17 pm
|
|
Brandon, it is hard for me to tell from the pictures but you may also be missing two magnets, one on each side of the pickup and the pickup cover plate. The plate is held on top by two machine screws and two wood screws.
Do you have any other parts? |
|
|
|
Gary S. Lynch
From:
Maryland, USA
|
Posted 20 Mar 2013 3:20 pm
|
|
Forgot to add, you can clearly see the cover plate I am referring to in John's
guitar pictures. |
|
|
|
John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
|
Posted 20 Mar 2013 3:53 pm
|
|
| Contact Jason Lollar for pickup parts. He makes exact replicas. |
|
|
|
Brandon Tice
From:
Tennessee, USA
|
Posted 22 Mar 2013 8:01 pm
|
|
Thanks for all the replies! John, that is a good looking Airline you have there. It cleaned up nicely.
I could probably piece it together as-is and get it playing, but if possible, I'd much rather spend a little money and have a complete restoration done. Shiny new tuning knobs, all new hardware, and even slicking over the wood and repainting/staining or whatever might be involved. Now this type of work is definitely not my strong suit.
I work in IT (Security specifically). If it has electronics, I can probably fix it but when it comes to wood work and paint and things like that, the outcome usually isn't pretty.
That being said, I'd gladly pay the right person to fix it up for me. So if you guys can suggest someone that may be up to this type of task, I'd love to contact them.
I'm really not a big fan of the gold. I'd rather have some nice nickel or chrome there. Also, I did find one little box of parts for it, pictured below.
Thanks again for all the help!
 |
|
|
|
Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
|
Posted 23 Mar 2013 12:27 am
|
|
Looks like you've got the side magnets (top row middle) and cover plate (bottom left) that Gary was referring to and the piece in the middle of the bottom row is obviously part of the pickup too - almost certainly the screws and washers.
As a player/collector I would say leave it as it is and just get it cleaned/setup but I appreciate that to you the sentimental value over-rides any actual value and you would prefer it shiny and new looking as this was your father's intention.
You can get brand new tuning pegs easily - they look like three-on-a-strip Klusons as used on Les Paul Junior and similar guitars. Ironically, I am trying to get some aged/discoloured tuners exactly like that for my battered Gibson lap steel so if you do replace them and want to sell the old ones, let me know.
I can say with certainty that you won't find any of the other hardware brand new. Maybe you could get the hardware chromed, although I'm not sure if chrome would take over the existing finish - you'd need to talk to en electro-plating shop.
One of these exact guitars sold recently on Ebay for $199 with black hardware so buying another one and swapping over the hardware (and then selling the other guitar) might be an easier and cheaper route.
Similarly, refinishing the body may be a problem in that the fingerboard looks painted on so the refinisher would have to paint a new fingerboard as well as refinishing the body.
Another thing to consider is if you refinish the body and replace the tuners and other hardware, how much is left of your original guitar? Just the wood really - which you can't even see as it's hidden under a layer of new paint! |
|
|
|
Gary S. Lynch
From:
Maryland, USA
|
|
|
|
John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
|
|
|
|
Keith Cary
From:
California, USA
|
Posted 25 Mar 2013 10:04 pm Valco lap steel
|
|
I believe that's a Valco short scale steel, almost exactly like one I have. I think mine has a scale length of about 21". Mine has the same fingerboard pattern and it's either paint or a decal. (It's out in my shop now but I can check later if you're interested) Because it's so small I've used it as a travel instrument a lot. Very nice sound from those Valco side-by-side humbucker pickups. (They manage to be single coil humbuckers the same way a Fender P-bass is humbucking.)
I'd advise against doing any repainting. The fingerboard is an important part of its style and charm. The tuning machines on the several Valco steels I've owned have been Klusons, decent enough tuners but it's about time for the knobs to start disintegrating. I replace just the knobs. It's a straightforward job that I've done many times. The bone nut is an easy thing to replace. I think this one fits into a slot at the head of the fingerboard. --- Mine had a wired in output cord which I replaced with a jack. --- I believe I have a couple of those pickup pole pieces.
I'm a steel player by night but an instrument repairman by day, and have been doing it thirty years. I'd be happy to advise you or to do the work. My website is keithcary.com. |
|
|
|
