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Topic: New Build |
Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 25 Mar 2021 4:54 pm |
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Today I completed my 10th lap steel. There are two steels from the 30's I am very fond of. One is the Audiovox the other the National New Yorker. Since I don't think I will ever own either one, I decided to combine the 2. Love the New Yorker head and the Audiovox body. So I thought I'd call it an Audio-nat.
 Hopefully I will have time to take some pictures tomorrow of the finished project. (2 months) I still have to wire it.
I always admired Mike Holland's Satin Black Epiphone Electar Century. I found some acrylic that was satin and best of all it shows NO finger prints. The steel is 3/4" thick. Top and bottom are 1/8" acrylic and the core is 1/2" aluminum. There are 3 places it is a bit thicker, but that was to accomadate the end of the cable and to get the steel high enough to play it laying down without the tuner buttons hitting the surface it is sitting on. It plays very nice acoustically on my desk top, but I think it will sound much better when I get that Lollar String through wired up.
Here is a picture of how I started......Stay tuned.
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Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40
Last edited by Bill Groner on 26 Mar 2021 11:54 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Joe Elk
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 26 Mar 2021 4:44 am
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I am Tuned!!
Joe Elk Central Ohio |
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Stephen Abruzzo
From:
Philly, PA
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Posted 26 Mar 2021 9:38 am
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Love the Audiovox body and idea of that Lollar pickup.
That pickup really growls when pushed.
Tom Pettingill and I had bantered about basing a steel off the Audiovox body.
Looking forward to the finished product.
What scale length is it and what tuning will you be using?
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Four Pettingills and a Clinesmith Aluminum. Fender Blues Junior. Quilter Mini-101. |
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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 26 Mar 2021 10:30 am
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C6, 22.5"
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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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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 26 Mar 2021 12:03 pm
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 Here is the Audionat after 2 months of work. I put it together to make sure all was working properly. It is, so in a couple of days it will be disassembled, and things like the nut, the profile will be polished and fine tuned. I thought since the head was a New Yorker, and this year will be the 20th Anniversary of one of the worst days in the History of America I would add a little something on the back of the headstock. I do have a National decal to put on the front of the head, but that will be the last thing to go on. I may wire it up later tonight? As you can see, it is pretty thin......but that aluminum core has a real nice sound. Hope y'all like it.
_________________
Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40
Last edited by Bill Groner on 27 Mar 2021 9:44 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Eric Gross
From:
Perkasie PA, USA
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Posted 26 Mar 2021 3:08 pm
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| Looks great bill -- I would love to stop by sometime to give it a whirl! |
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Kevin Glandon
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 26 Mar 2021 3:24 pm
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| Vey cool Mr. Bill. Well done. |
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Ralph Czitrom
From:
Ringwood, New Jersey
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Posted 26 Mar 2021 3:56 pm
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| Beautiful work, Bill! |
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Cliff Swanson
From:
Raleigh, NC
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Posted 26 Mar 2021 5:52 pm
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That's a sharp looking steel Bill. Well done!
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Cliff |
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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 26 Mar 2021 6:09 pm
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Now we’re talking’! Thanks for posting the finished pictures. It looks great! Nice work.
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Current Tunings:
6 String | G – G B D G B D
7 String | G6 – e G B D G B D (re-entrant)
https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database |
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Mike A Holland
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 27 Mar 2021 4:08 am
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| Looks just fantastic........a real piece of art also! |
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Carl Gallagher
From:
New York, USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2021 4:11 am
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| Thats beautiful.I'm especially fond of the WTC memorial. |
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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 27 Mar 2021 4:27 am
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 Here is the backside with the cover off. I think I might try to lighten it up a little more. I have a few spots I can lose some weight. (me and the steel) That slot running down the neck was machined for building purposes. It originally was 5/8" wide. The mill I use has slots in the table 5/8" so I made a "key" that fit both the mill and the guitar. Once the profile was cut, I had no straight edges to use as a reference. This steel was the most challenging one I have built. I'm sure if I hae a CNC it would have been much easier, but not to be.
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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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Joe Elk
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2021 4:47 am
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Fantastic Bill I love fretboard and the headstock!!!
Joe Elk Central Ohio |
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David Becker
From:
California, USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2021 7:11 am
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| You're really elevating your game, Bill. That is one fabulous looking lap steel! The art of it is truly worthy of the New Yorker influence. Bravo! |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2021 7:35 am
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that is really great!! post an audio clip and lets hear it.
may i ask why you milled out all that aluminum from the neck? that adds so much strength and sustain. even if it was a little neck heavy, that is no problem with a lap guitar.
also the severe angle of the outer strings at the nut. i would just wrap those strings the other way and lessen that angle.
a wonderful looking instrument. you are to be commended! |
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Joe Cook
From:
Lake Osoyoos, WA
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Posted 27 Mar 2021 8:31 am
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| Fantastic job on a very beautiful design, Bill! |
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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 27 Mar 2021 9:06 am
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| Bill Hatcher wrote: |
that is really great!! post an audio clip and lets hear it.
may i ask why you milled out all that aluminum from the neck? that adds so much strength and sustain. even if it was a little neck heavy, that is no problem with a lap guitar.
also the severe angle of the outer strings at the nut. i would just wrap those strings the other way and lessen that angle.
a wonderful looking instrument. you are to be commended! |
OK.....I like Tom Pettengill am a builder, not a player. I can muddle through some songs, but I cannot do any of my lap steels justice. I have had only one guy Eric Gross who lives very close to me play my steels as they should be played. Thanks Eric, you are welcome anytime to come over.
Bill, have you ever built a lap steel from a solid piece of aluminum? Before anything was ever milled from the piece it rang like a bell. As I stated the 5/8" slot was used in constrution. When I used an edge finder to find the center of the key, I automatically had the center of the steel and all was parallel with the ways and table of the mill. Aluminum is not wood. (P 51 Mustang vs Jap. Zero) LOL Aluminum has a lot of sustain. I might take some more material out of the body in some places, but the neck won't get any more removed. The neck I might add has a generous radius so there is still plenty of meat in it. You won't be bending the 1/2" aluminum with a .036 Low E string.
Like I said this was just a mock up to make sure everything was good. I think you are right about the angle of the outer strings, and it is exactly why I posted pictures to get everyone's feedback and suggestions to make it better while it is still at this point.
BTW, if anyone was wondering......(Joe E?) The fretboard I made from 1/8" Matt white acrylic. I milled slots .046 wide and used a Sharpie to highlight the slots. The 12th.....are you ready???? It's a tube from a can of CRC- 36 you stick in the nozzle to spray in tight spots. It pressed in the slot real nice. Yeah, I'm cheap for some stuff! LOL
Bill, I'm glad you said commended and not condemed. I thank you for your positive input and want you to know I dig the stuff you make.
Now, Steve, Eric (my Test Pilot), Kevin, Ralph, Cliff, Allan, Mike, Carl, Joe E., David, Bill, and Joe C. thank you all for your positive comments.
I don't know if I have another one in me.....this one took a lot out of me! (in a good way!)
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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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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 27 Mar 2021 10:06 am
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Bill here is another one I built 3 years ago. Eric has played this one and knows much more about playing than I do. Maybe if you have questions, he can answer them for you.
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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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Peter Jacobs
From:
Northern Virginia
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Stephen Abruzzo
From:
Philly, PA
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Posted 1 Apr 2021 1:19 pm
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Bill, just wonderful work with your steel. Very aesthetically pleasing. Tom P. would have loved it.
Congrats on a job well done.
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Four Pettingills and a Clinesmith Aluminum. Fender Blues Junior. Quilter Mini-101. |
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