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Topic: An interesting Idea |
Buck Dilly
From:
Branchville, NJ, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 20 Dec 2006 8:49 am |
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| I have several lap steels. I don't always like to plug in, and often I want a warm woody sound. Old German zithers are designed to be louder when placed on a wooden surface or on its case. I thought that someone might build a simple steel lap steel sized box with a resonant chamber that would acoustically amplify the steel. It would not have to be loud just nicely audible. It could even accommodate a pickup to amplify this acoustic sound if pleasant enough. I am sure one of you guys has already tried this. I would love to get something like this, but can't make it myself. |
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Gerald Ross
From:
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Richard Sevigny
From:
Salmon Arm, BC, Canada
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Posted 20 Dec 2006 8:56 am
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| At home, I've used the kitchen table to get the same effect. |
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Kay Das
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 20 Dec 2006 9:23 am
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or guitar case...
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kay
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John Bushouse
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Posted 20 Dec 2006 9:26 am
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Here's a picture of the tuning fork I have:
Notice the wood resonator box it's sitting on, made out of spruce. It's surprisingly loud.
Like Gerald and Richard said, there are lots of things that can be used to acoustically amplify your steel - but it might be cool to see what someone could come up with from scratch. |
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Michael Johnstone
From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2006 9:47 am
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I've seen Joaquin Murphey lay an 8 string Ricky G-Deluxe on top of a dresser with the drawers slightly open and stand there and practice be-bop licks all day long.
Nowdays however there are a couple of dulcimer sized compact "backpacker" style flat-top round hole lap steels with a an acoustic chamber. I can't remember where I saw them advertised but it was just recently - and not a lot of money either. |
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Mike D
From:
Phx, Az
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Posted 20 Dec 2006 9:47 am
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Interestingly (at least to me  ) this was one of the early attempts by John Dopyera at amplifying an acoustic (steel) guitar. John Beauchamp had Dopyera build him a guitar with a walnut cabinet it sat on, creating kind of a horn effect.
I have also seen a classical guitarist that plays in the upright position sort of like a cello. The guitar has a steel rod mounted in the endpin and it is set on a box similar to John's tuning fork picture.
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Half-assed bottleneck and lap slide player. Full-assed Builder of resonator instruments.
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Gary Stevenson
From:
Northern New York,USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2006 6:13 pm
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| Buck, I am building lap steels and this sounds like an interesting project. This could make a nice winter project. I have seen the cigar box type and I think I could build something similar out of ash wood. I will think this over and see what I can do for a design. Send me an email if you are interested in having something built.I would be very reasonably priced for a Forum member. |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 21 Dec 2006 5:15 am
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Paul Galbraith......8 string classical
he keeps a ham & cheese sandwich in his resonance/lunch box for tonal quality....& after the gig, he chows down.....
[This message was edited by HowardR on 21 December 2006 at 05:16 AM.] |
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Gerald Ross
From:
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Buck Dilly
From:
Branchville, NJ, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 21 Dec 2006 10:12 am
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| I like the idea of trying a dresser drawer. Another possibility might be a similar idea using a resonator in a small box. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 21 Dec 2006 10:56 am
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| Forumite Roy Thomsen has built several resophonic acoustic steels that are basically big, rectangualr, hollow boxes and they sound very good. |
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John Kavanagh
From:
Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada * R.I.P.
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Posted 21 Dec 2006 1:48 pm
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| I've got one of Paul Galbraith's CDs - he's a heck of a player. Uses a fan-fret 8-string (BEAdgbe'a') and frets some bass notes with his chin. I don't know how much difference the box makes, but he's got a huge tone, with the registers so well balanced it makes you hear standard classical guitars differently. |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 21 Dec 2006 6:38 pm
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I have seen him a couple of times as the leader of The Brazilian Guitar Quartet.
In the quartet there is another 8 string player but Paul is the only one using the external resonance box. His tone is more outstanding, not a lot, but enough to be noticed, and particularly that high first string.
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 22 Dec 2006 3:28 pm
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In addition to being a steeler I have been building fretted zithers for decades. The idea you suggested came to me years ago so I built what looks like a large mountain dulcimer, acoustic but also with a magnetic pickup. In order to play in various keys I built several removable fingerboards.
When I remove the fingerboards completely I have a lap steel which plays, exactly as you describe, acoustically on a table, or electrically through the pickups.
I've also built several other lap steels that are hollow and intended to be heard when the amp is turned off. Just as a lap steel is basically a plank with a pickup, an acoustic/electric lap steel is just a long box with strings !
I would post some photos but I don't have a website. |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 22 Dec 2006 3:35 pm
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| Check out BasilH's topic on Attache Case Hawaiian. |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 13 Jan 2007 8:53 pm
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I built this 12-string lap steel about a year ago. Because it's hollow it can be used for practice without amplification. It seems to be the answer to problem raised here.
If you're wondering about the lack of a fingerboard, notice the little brass markers. |
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