| Author |
Topic: steel and guitar at same time, a la Junior Brown |
James Mayer
From:
back in Portland Oregon, USA (via Arkansas and London, UK)
|
Posted 26 Jun 2007 11:37 am |
|
| has anyone found a solution besides having a custom instrument made? |
|
|
 |
Gary Lynch
From:
Creston, California, USA
|
|
|
|
James Mayer
From:
back in Portland Oregon, USA (via Arkansas and London, UK)
|
Posted 26 Jun 2007 12:00 pm
|
|
To me this model seems unnatural. why not have the steel half parrallell to the floor? Ideally, I would like to have some sort of right-angle contraption with clamps at both ends to secure a steel and guitar of my choosing. The "arms" could be adjustable and the clamps could be padded so the instruments aren't damaged. Or, the contraption could hook onto the strap buttons of the electric guitar instead of using clamps.
Each instrument would thus be in it's natural position, the electric perpendicular to the floor and the steel parallel. This would be a sitting instrument but could also be used standing. |
|
|
|
Terry VunCannon
From:
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
|
Posted 26 Jun 2007 12:24 pm
|
|
I play guitar & lap steel together all the time...
I run my guitar & lap into a ABY box, then to my amp, & set my lap on a stand. |
|
|
|
Gary Lynch
From:
Creston, California, USA
|
Posted 26 Jun 2007 1:01 pm
|
|
Terry,
That is what I was thinking. Why not just play them like Terry shows in his photos if you need to mix both in one tune? That way you still have the natural feel of how they play separately and that's what is natural for most of us. |
|
|
|
Terry VunCannon
From:
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
|
Posted 26 Jun 2007 1:12 pm
|
|
It can be done...
I have a Tele with one of Loni's Rednecks on it...
...but I put it on a stand or sit & play it as a lap steel also. |
|
|
|
Todd Weger
From:
Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
|
Posted 26 Jun 2007 2:32 pm Gracie or Mbrace?
|
|
If you wanted to not have to wear the guitar, one could use a Gracie stand:
http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/GGH-ELEC.htm
...but they're kind of pricey.
Or, there's a new product called "Mbrace."
http://www.theguitarfiles.com/product_id-35.html
It's a lot less pricey, but not sure how stable it is. Just click on the pic to see the back side of it.
Then, you could have the guitar set exactly at the right level and angle, and also have your steel set up at the correct angle/level, and not have the guitar hanging around your neck when you go to the steel. Not sure how well it would work, but it's always nice to not be encumbered.
Here's Mbrace's website: http://www.mbracestand.com/
Pretty cool idea, actually.
_________________
Todd James Weger --
1956 Fender Stringmaster T-8 (C6, E13, A6); 1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (C6, B11/A6); Custom-made 25" aluminum cast "fry pan" with vintage Ricky p'up (C6); 1938 Epiphone Electar (A6); 1953 Oahu Tonemaster; assorted ukuleles; upright bass |
|
|
|
James Mayer
From:
back in Portland Oregon, USA (via Arkansas and London, UK)
|
Posted 26 Jun 2007 2:49 pm
|
|
Thanks for the responses!
I don't want to stand as I use volume and expression pedals constantly. I need to sit and use both feet. I use to have my steel velcroed to the top of a keyboard stand, but it's too cumbersome and takes up too much space. Also, I simply play better when the steel is on my lap. I can't explain that one, but I just feel much more comfortable with my arms and hands at that level/angle.
That second link is interesting. The stand doesn't look stable, but the attachment device would be perfect if it was connected to another device that could lock in a steel.
I could simply lay the steel on my lap and play the guitar, but the steel could very easily slip off my lap. |
|
|
|
Gary Lynch
From:
Creston, California, USA
|
Posted 27 Jun 2007 5:47 am
|
|
James,
You sound like a one man band. Post a photo of all this gear in action....... |
|
|
|
Charley Wilder
From:
Dover, New Hampshire, USA
|
Posted 27 Jun 2007 5:49 am
|
|
| I used Terry's setup for twenty years or more, But as I was more comfortable with a steel on my lap, I finally fiddled around and set the middle and left leg down so the steel was slanted slightly until I found an angle that was comfortable and went with it. Why this worked I don't know as I always kept a lap steel as straight as I could. It was sort of strange, but such is life. It also looked weird and I got a lot of helpful tipoffs from people who were sure that my steel was going to collapse! Sounds strange but it worked for me. I also learned to pick a lot of stuff on the steel with a flat pick so I could use one with my "regular" guitar if I wanted. |
|
|
|
Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
|
Posted 27 Jun 2007 6:03 am
|
|
This method works for me:
Even though I got started many years ago playing a Stratocaster with flaming bics and foaming bud longnecks -
now I'm sober, and I prefer to have the guitar vertical and the steel horizontal . .
_________________
BIG STEEL |
|
|
|
Bill Leff
From:
Santa Cruz, CA, USA
|
Posted 27 Jun 2007 6:26 am
|
|
I play like Terry, but I do find the guitar gets in the way when I'm playing steel.
Slightly off topic, what's a good, simple straplock system? I don't use one and occasionally have near-misses with my guitar falling off the strap... |
|
|
|
James Mayer
From:
back in Portland Oregon, USA (via Arkansas and London, UK)
|
Posted 27 Jun 2007 6:35 am
|
|
| Gary Lynch wrote: |
James,
You sound like a one man band. Post a photo of all this gear in action....... |
Ha! I'm definitely not a one-man band. I play the role of leads, fills, atmospherics, etc. I'm the tone freak in the band. I used to play solo flamenco guitar and this new role is a lot less stressful. Lot's of improvisation and live experimentation. However, I find that I need a lot of different sounds to keep it interesting for me. I find myself wanting to pick a lick on the guitar now and then, throw in a chord with a tremolo bar, palm-mute a surf lick, etc.
I'm still a beginner on steel. Guitar is the instrument I am, far and away, most comfortable with. |
|
|
|
Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
|
Posted 27 Jun 2007 6:35 am
|
|
| Quote: |
| what's a good, simple straplock system? |
Schallers are good, and so are Dunlops . . |
|
|
|
Todd Weger
From:
Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
|
Posted 27 Jun 2007 7:21 am dunlops
|
|
I've used Dunlop straplocks for 25 years (about 200 gigs a year), and have never had them fail. I'm still using the same ones I bought way back then.
Highly worth replacing your old strap buttons, IMO.
_________________
Todd James Weger --
1956 Fender Stringmaster T-8 (C6, E13, A6); 1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (C6, B11/A6); Custom-made 25" aluminum cast "fry pan" with vintage Ricky p'up (C6); 1938 Epiphone Electar (A6); 1953 Oahu Tonemaster; assorted ukuleles; upright bass |
|
|
|
John Rosett
From:
Missoula, MT
|
Posted 27 Jun 2007 9:14 am
|
|
I have a home made stand with an old car wheel as the base. We call it the steel wheel. It has abuilt in bar holder, and makes it pretty easy to switch back and forth. |
|
|
|
Charley Wilder
From:
Dover, New Hampshire, USA
|
Posted 28 Jun 2007 5:56 am
|
|
Bill, on straplocks: I have used the dealies that they use to seal loaves of bread as straplocks for thirty years and have never had a problem. What do they call those things, anyway? Actually mine are a bit larger and thicker than the bread wrapper ones. You can find them all over the place. I've used a set of those things for three or four years before the plastic finally fatigues.  |
|
|
|
Andy Zynda
From:
Wisconsin
|
|
|
|
Drew Howard
From:
48854
|
|
|
|
Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
|
Posted 28 Jun 2007 8:37 am
|
|
| Drew, my back hurts just looking at that pic! |
|
|
|
James Mayer
From:
back in Portland Oregon, USA (via Arkansas and London, UK)
|
Posted 28 Jun 2007 8:41 am
|
|
| Drew, that's sweet! I would love to have something like that, but with modular parts so I could slip a different steel in the mold when I feel like it. |
|
|
|
Todd Weger
From:
Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
|
Posted 28 Jun 2007 11:36 am yep
|
|
| James Mayer wrote: |
| Drew, that's sweet! I would love to have something like that, but with modular parts so I could slip a different steel in the mold when I feel like it. |
I like it, too, but I wonder if one could make some kind of latch at the bottom of the Tele, and then have it where one could attach a separate steel to the bottom that had a preset angle, so that it 'locked' into place, and you were all set to go. It also wouldn't require any special kind of case, as each could go in regular guitar/steel cases, respectively.
I have to say though, GREAT job on building that, Andy!
_________________
Todd James Weger --
1956 Fender Stringmaster T-8 (C6, E13, A6); 1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (C6, B11/A6); Custom-made 25" aluminum cast "fry pan" with vintage Ricky p'up (C6); 1938 Epiphone Electar (A6); 1953 Oahu Tonemaster; assorted ukuleles; upright bass |
|
|
|
