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Topic: Homemade lap steel |
Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 16 Jun 2017 6:00 am |
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So, having never built an instrument before in my life, I have now built a crude lap steel. That actually turned out great sound-wise. 
My girlfriend's half-brother (he's 12 years old) needed to make something for a school project as a collaboration with someone else, and the opening scene of the film "It Might Get Loud" (where Jack White makes a crude 1-string slide guitar) gave me the idea to suggest that something along those lines could be a good idea.
However, when I started looking for parts, I realised that tuners, bridge etc. always come for a 6-string anyway, so the idea was "upgraded" to a functional 6-string lap steel.
I got really cheap but decent components, to keep the costs minimal, and we used an old Epiphone Les Paul stock humbucker that I had. We had no access to even a work bench for this project, it was made out of two planks of wood (I think from an IKEA bed) with a drill and a sub-standard saw. We went to a carpenter's shop to have the pointed "headstock" cut, a friend helped with the soldering of the pickup/pot/jack, and Jason Dumont of Lap King Guitars kindly made me a 23" fretboard that he e-mailed as a PDF and we printed and fastened under a piece of plexiglass.
Here is the result:
While crude (apart from the stylish fretboard) in looks, it actually sounds really good! A special, sort of hollowbody sound. I will make a video and post when time allows.
And - best of all - the 12-year-old owner and co-builder shows real talent for playing it (he studies classical guitar). I was really amazed at his intonation and ability to handle a bullet bar without having ever played a lap steel before. So I will teach him to play it too.
One more lap steel, and one more lap steeler, in the world.
Fredrik
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www.fredrikkinbom.com - New lap steel album out now - listen here: fredrikkinbom.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-lap-steel-and-harmonium |
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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 16 Jun 2017 9:01 am
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It looks good from over here in the USA!
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Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40 |
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Ron Simpson
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 16 Jun 2017 9:20 am
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| Excellent steel. |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Will Houston
From:
Tempe, Az
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Posted 16 Jun 2017 12:44 pm
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| Crude but cool, I'd love to hear your Gm tuning on it. |
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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 16 Jun 2017 1:08 pm
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Danka
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Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40 |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 16 Jun 2017 1:45 pm
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| Unique pickup placement. |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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