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Topic: Lap Steel Blues |
Scott Kubel
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 9 Feb 2009 12:04 pm |
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Hi
I just joined the forum. I have played bottleneck slide guitar for years and have decided to teach myself lap steel. I am primarily a blues player and plan on playing in open tuning such as open E, open G and open D. I have seen a few people do this on YouTube and it sounded fantastic. I am looking for a recommmendation for a 6 sttring lap steel priced under $500 that would be a good blues machine. Also what size stings would be needed in order to play the open tunings above and not screw up the neck or bridge. Thank you for you help.
Scott |
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Edward Meisse
From:
Santa Rosa, California, USA
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Posted 9 Feb 2009 12:25 pm
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I would recommend the Chandler RH-2. It comes with an open E set on it. And Chandler sells string sets in their recommended guages for their guitar. Musician's Friend. About $350.00. Joe Perry currently plays Chandler's 8 string studio model.
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Amor vincit omnia |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 9 Feb 2009 8:28 pm
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Electric lap steels do not have the wide variety of tones electric and acoustic guitars have. They mostly have similar bodies (a plank), pickups and pickup placement. Any of them are good for blues.
Also, because of their simplicity and solid plank bodies, they are very sturdy and unlikely to be damaged by heavy gauge strings and high tensions (assuming there is no resonator involved). Unless you get one with really cheap tuners, only string breakage determines the upper limits of tension. You want a good bit of tension, so bar pressure doesn't unduly affect intonation. And you want similar tension on all the strings.
There is a wide variation in scale lengths, from 22 1/2" to over 25", and this makes a good bit of difference in string gauges for a given pitch. Longer scales can use thinner strings and give better sustain and richer harmonics. But many Hawaiian, swing and jazz players prefer shorter necks to facilitate slants on the low frets. This is less a concern for traditional blues, but could be a consideration if you like jazzier blues. When comparing string gauges and prepackaged sets, pay attention to the scale length they are intended for. If your scale is shorter, use slightly thicker strings, and if yours is longer, use slightly thinner strings. Most modern lap steels have the shorter necks. |
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Ray Langley
From:
Northern California, USA
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Posted 9 Feb 2009 11:29 pm
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What instrument were you using to play blues, bottleneck style? If you like the tone you were getting with THAT instrument, a nut-raiser just may do the trick for you. I love the various tones I am getting on my Variax 300 electric! I prefer the tighter string-spacing. Many lap steels have a pretty wide string-spacing.
What I'm saying is that you don't have to spend several hundred dollars to see if you like the style. I'm using VERY heavy gauges on my Variax.
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Bluesman's Epitath: "Didn't get up this morning"!
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/LapSteelGuitar/ |
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John Drury
From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
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Posted 10 Feb 2009 4:49 am
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Eastwood "Airline" $349- shipped, from Elderly instruments. I use E and G tunings on it. Check out demos on youtube.
16-18-28-36-46-56
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John Drury
NTSGA #3
"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 10 Feb 2009 8:36 am
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Welcome, Scott. You won't have to worry about heavy gauge strings screwing up the neck on a lap steel. As David said, the necks are one piece of wood and very thick to withstand just about any string tensions you provide.
A typical set of regular or medium gauge electric guitar strings (.013 to .056) works well for open E tuning, although some people find it a bit "flabby" for open D tuning. You can certainly go heavier, as John recommends, but it's relatively easy to find string sets in those gauges.
Keep an eye out on eBay and in your local vintage guitar stores for Valco-made instruments such as the Supro lap steels, the ones with the rectangular pickup where the strings pass through the pickup. They sound great when overdriven, which is typically the sound people use for playing blues.
Here are four from Rick Alexander's collection:
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Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Denny Turner
From:
Oahu, Hawaii USA
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Posted 15 Feb 2009 6:44 am
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Scott,
I play all styles of music, lotsa Blues, and have many lap steels for sale. I would be delighted to answer any questions you might have via email (click 'email' button below this message); I often cannot get here to the SGF for visits, replies, etc.
Of course, as you already see, the great Folks here on the SGF are also most generous in answering any questions, and the 'Intruments For Sale' board here is a good place to look also.
Lap Steels
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Aloha,
Denny T~
http://www.dennysguitars.com/
Please help support humanity:
http://www.redcross.org/en/aboutus |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 15 Feb 2009 8:50 am
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John, I'm lucky enough to have an original Monkey/Ward Airline Rocket. It has the same pickup as the guitars in Brad's post. Abdo-lute screamer! If I had a new one, I'd put in one of Jason Lollar's "Chicago Style" pickups.
http://tinyurl.com/bhao77
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John Drury
From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
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Posted 15 Feb 2009 9:07 am
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| John Billings wrote: |
John, I'm lucky enough to have an original Monkey/Ward Airline Rocket. It has the same pickup as the guitars in Brad's post. Abdo-lute screamer! If I had a new one, I'd put in one of Jason Lollar's "Chicago Style" pickups.
http://tinyurl.com/bhao77
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John,
You are killin me!
I looked high and low for one of those things! Naturally when Eastwood came out with theirs I bought one. Turned out to be a great axe!
It appears to have a humbucker pickup, but under the cover is a very gnarly little single coil, I am very pleased with this horn and highly recommend them!
Thank you for posting that picture!
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John Drury
NTSGA #3
"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 15 Feb 2009 9:14 am
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| Ah! You're most welcome, John. BTW, the amp is badged "Oahu," but is a National/Valco "Chicago 51." Just turn everything all the way up! |
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Michael Stover
From:
Kansas City
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Posted 26 Feb 2009 3:58 pm
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| John Drury wrote: |
| I looked high and low for one of those things! |
This may be of interest:
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/msg/1052011761.html
The picture is crummy, so it COULD be an Eastwood--but I'd wager it's the real deal.
Louisburg is about 1 hr south of Kansas City. |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2009 4:02 pm
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| Dat be a real one! Case is eggs ackley like mine too. |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 26 Feb 2009 6:13 pm
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yup....case & legs are what I have also.....
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Danny Bates
From:
Fresno, CA. USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2009 2:19 pm
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Scott,
WOW! These guys have some cool looking guitars for sure. 
If I was you, I'd save up for a bakelite Rickenbacker.
You can find them for under $600
IMHO, It's the holy grail of lap steels. |
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