stand up mount for lap steel

Jason Dumont · From: Bristol, Connecticut, USA

Hi Folks, I thought some of you might be interested in a mounting arm I put on a custom Bel Aire for Jerry Douglas. He's already played a couple of shows with it and says it works great and will be his steel for this tour-cool. It was pretty easy to make and very stable. I'm sure anyone who wanted to could retro-fit their steel with it no problem.

I first installed some threaded inserts into the body so the arm can be removed without hacking the body up. I used the ones from a Les Paul bridge because the collar on them prevents the paint from chipping out where you drilled.

I used a stainless steel bar from the hardware store and bent an "L" shape into it by heating the area in a vise and bending it. I drilled holes correctly spaced so the distance can be adjusted.
Two thumb screws are key so it doesn't spin on you.

I made a very large curved support pad from mahagony and padded it with some thick black suede, stitching it up the sides making a pouch of sorts. (so you can clean it--)
Here is a pic of it from the bottom

The large support and "L" arm really fights that "fulcrum" effect.

Then with a standard strap button at the tail and a strap your in business!
I used a tie at the head stock to keep the strap out of his left hands way.
Here it is in "action"

Here is a pic of the front.

You can't really see it but there is a set of dice at the twelfth fret.
This one was cool because Jerry wanted the neck pick up reverse wound/reverse polarity
and I put the pick ups closer to each other to get the strat like- outa phase-middle/bridge pick up vibe he wanted.
Anyway I degress....
If you want to stand up and play with a strap give this a try it was pretty easy and works like a champ.

[This message was edited by Jason Dumont on 24 September 2006 at 05:49 PM.]

Loni Specter · From: West Hills, CA, USA

Hi Jason,
That's pretty cool! I was thinking of a similar set up, only my idea is to come off the inside edge with the holes and use two rods in round holes. Same thing, only your's is more adjustable.

[This message was edited by Loni Specter on 24 September 2006 at 09:06 PM.]

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

On a guitar (a converted Melobar Skreamer, gumby body removed) where there was no horn at the body end to wrap the strap around, I needed a solution to reverse body roll--the tendency of the bass end of the guitar to roll inwards, especially with a guitar with improper center of gravity. I added an addtional strap, saxophone style, that clips to the gut rack. Works perfectly though it is not conducive to super-quick onstage guitar changes.

Plumbing supplies. Is there anything they can't do?

Peter Jacobs · From: Northern Virginia

Cool beans, Jason - very simple and elegant. I've been planning to do something similar, although the Melobar Outrigger is doing the trick for me right now:

Your solution is very clean, and works well with your (beautiful) steels - they have enough length on the tailpiece end so the whole set-up feels balanced. Do you think some steels may be too short to try this?

Regards,
peter

Jason Dumont · From: Bristol, Connecticut, USA

I'm with you Jon, plumbing supplies are erector sets for grown ups. Duct tape rocks.
Peter, I haven't tried a Rodeo or more traditional shaped body but I usually find where there is a will there's a way. Perhaps the arm coming out at an offset or something of that sort. Definately food for thought that's for sure!

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

Cool solution Jason, seems like it will fit most waistlines!
Oh, and congrats with the custom job for Jerry Douglas (now if he could only learn how to play that thing....

).

Steinar

------------------
"Play to express, not to impress"
www.gregertsen.com
Southern Moon Northern Lights

Chuck Fisher · From: Santa Cruz, California, USA * R.I.P.

Very nice steel Jason, I like the idea of a bent roundbar doing that and sliding in and out of body w/setscrews or thumbscrews to lock it.

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