| Visit Our Catalog at SteelGuitarShopper.com |

Post new topic Ash as a lap steel wood
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  Ash as a lap steel wood
Michael Aspinwall

 

From:
Arizona, USA
Post  Posted 25 Oct 2005 5:36 pm    
Reply with quote

After trying padauk & maple with good results, I put one together out of ash (not "swamp ash", just plain old "ash.") Doesn't seem like I've seen too many ash laps; I'm real pleased with the tone & sustain of this one. Lessee if I can post a couple of pics: http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/archiemaxwell/Image110.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/archiemaxwell/Image113.jpg
Purists please note that the new lever design lets you swing 'em out of the way so you can play it "conventional:" http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/archiemaxwell/Image123.jpg
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Roy Thomson


From:
Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada
Post  Posted 25 Oct 2005 6:13 pm    
Reply with quote

Michael,
Are you making the lever hardware and selling seperate?
More info please.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
HowardR


From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
Post  Posted 25 Oct 2005 6:30 pm    
Reply with quote

Swing out levers! Great idea. That way, they're not a pain in the ash....
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Roy Thomson


From:
Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada
Post  Posted 25 Oct 2005 7:01 pm    
Reply with quote

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
George Rozak


From:
Braidwood, Illinois USA
Post  Posted 25 Oct 2005 7:05 pm    
Reply with quote

I think Herb Remington uses ash in his line of non-pedals.

------------------
Sho-Bud: Professional & Fingertip

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
George Keoki Lake


From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
Post  Posted 25 Oct 2005 7:25 pm    
Reply with quote

Elva West (Tradewind Guitars of Anaheim, CA) makes very nice guitars using ASH. Nice thing about ASH, it is a light weight wood.
View user's profile Send private message
Michael Aspinwall

 

From:
Arizona, USA
Post  Posted 25 Oct 2005 7:48 pm    
Reply with quote

Thanks all--Roy, I could fix you up with a mech if you want to--Would be well under $200USD, made to order. I'm not a guitar company, just a hobbyist; I'd email but you don't seem to have a listing. I have three other similar instruments I've made but thisn's by far the best;it's the first "pedalap" I've made with a "free-standing" mechanism (incorporates an "under-bridge" to increase the down tension on the bridge)--Just screws into the top of the guitar instead bolting through the body. No rollers, but stays in tune real good thanks to the un-notched stainless steel bridge. Sounds real purty too. You can email me direct for more info....and thanks for your interest!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Dom Franco


From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
Post  Posted 26 Oct 2005 12:28 am    
Reply with quote

I have made several Lap steels out of ASH. The grain is beautiful. It is a very "hard" wood. http://www.freewebs.com/steelman777/lapsteelguitars.htm

Sincerely;
Dom Franco
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Mark Vinbury

 

From:
N. Kingstown, Rhode Island, USA
Post  Posted 26 Oct 2005 4:28 am    
Reply with quote

Mike- Nice looking steel. Very cool bender device. Any chance of some sound samples?.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Michael Aspinwall

 

From:
Arizona, USA
Post  Posted 26 Oct 2005 7:14 am    
Reply with quote

Dom--Nice axe! I've gotten a couple of requests for sound samples; soon's I figure out how to do it I'll post. (That may take awhile............)
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Bill Hatcher

 

From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
Post  Posted 26 Oct 2005 9:06 am    
Reply with quote

Ash is a fine tone wood. Negatives are wide open grain that makes finishing tough. You have to use a pore filler or slop on a lot of lacquer and wet sand until pores are filled. Even then, the finish will sink into the pores and look uneven over time. The other is weight. Regular ash is much heavier than swamp ash which grows in wet areas and has more white growth wood between the rings.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
James Quackenbush

 

From:
Pomona, New York, USA
Post  Posted 26 Oct 2005 10:15 am    
Reply with quote

George,
Swamp Ash is the Ash that is light in weight ....There were a lot of early Fenders made out of Swamp Ash and Alder.....Your typical Ash is HEAVY !!!....This is the Ash that they use to make baseball bat's from !!..... There are some companies that use the heavy Ash for their guitars , but it's a very HEAVY wood, but has good tone qualities ......I'm pretty sure that Elva uses Swamp Ash which is also very resonant , but light in weight .. ....Jim
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Charlie McDonald


From:
out of the blue
Post  Posted 26 Oct 2005 10:54 am    
Reply with quote

Man, do I like that. Great levers.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Stephan Miller

 

From:
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
Post  Posted 26 Oct 2005 2:10 pm    
Reply with quote

Michael-- I like it! What's the current tuning...also how much extra space is needed behind the bridge for installation? --Steve
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Michael Aspinwall

 

From:
Arizona, USA
Post  Posted 26 Oct 2005 2:22 pm    
Reply with quote

Distance from the bridge to the axis of the changer mech is 4 1/4"---It's tuned open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E top to bottom) & the levers are set to raise the 2nd string a whole step and the 3rd string a half step to achieve that I-IV change when using both levers; the 2nd string changer alone gives you a minor. Simple and minimal--Just like my playing skills!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  
Please review our Forum Rules and Policies
Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction, and steel guitar accessories
www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

The Steel Guitar Forum
148 S. Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425 USA

Click Here to Send a Donation

Email SteelGuitarForum@gmail.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for Band-in-a-Box
by Jim Baron