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Topic: artian ea-1 lap steel |
Paul Fowler
From:
Louisville,Kentucky, USA
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Posted 12 Aug 2011 9:03 am |
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IS the aritsan ea-1 lap steel any good ,i found 1 used locally for $75.00 plus case .i do not play however i would like to try,would this one be OK.or shouls i look for other alternative,Thanks Paul.
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Recently purchased 6 string lap steel hope to learn how to play it.also Allen Melbert 8 string. |
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Steve Green
From:
Gulfport, MS, USA
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Posted 12 Aug 2011 9:27 am
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You can get the same guitar from Musicians Friend for $79.99 (free shipping) that includes legs and a gig bag. It's the Rogue EA-1, but it's the same as the Artisan.
I started out on a borrowed Artisan, and it was enough to find out whether or not I liked playing lap steel. Once I decided that I did like playing lap steel, and set out to buy my own, I decided on a better quality instrument.
_________________
Some songs I've written |
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Rick Winfield
From:
Pickin' beneath the Palmettos
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Posted 13 Aug 2011 2:17 am Artisian
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I started with an Artisian and tuned it to
Low>hi EGACEG, so I could follow Cindy's DVD
Soon I needed 8 strings, so I sold it for $50
Well worth the money to "find out" if it's for you.
Rick |
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Brian Hunter
From:
Indianapolis
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Posted 14 Aug 2011 5:16 am
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Many here will dump all over these but it was just the ticket for me to get started.Bought one, got a Mel Bay book and a Cindy dvd. Shortly after that I ended up with one of these.
Don't expect much more than a bare bones beginner instrument and you should be okay.
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Brian |
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Paul Fowler
From:
Louisville,Kentucky, USA
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Posted 14 Aug 2011 6:20 am artisan lap steel
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Thanks for all the info guys I did order a rogue at musicians friend.now i was wondering about the dvd from cindy cashdollar.with it being for 6 or 8 string should i get that one or any other suggestions.i do not want to at first get something over my head.thanks again.Paul.
_________________
Recently purchased 6 string lap steel hope to learn how to play it.also Allen Melbert 8 string. |
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Brian Hunter
From:
Indianapolis
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Jerry Recktenwald
From:
Louisville KY
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Posted 14 Aug 2011 5:05 pm
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| I started with a Musicians friends Rouge lap steel this year. It won't cost you a arm and a leg to see if you would like to play a lap steel. you'll see how easy that it is to make your own. Now I have a double neck 8 string that I made from cedar. |
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Stephen Abruzzo
From:
Philly, PA
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Paul Fowler
From:
Louisville,Kentucky, USA
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Posted 15 Aug 2011 3:23 am cds,
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thank you stephen i will look into it as soon as i can ,i have already ordered a c6 book mel bay lap steel method.Paul
_________________
Recently purchased 6 string lap steel hope to learn how to play it.also Allen Melbert 8 string. |
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Kekoa Blanchet
From:
Kaua'i
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Posted 15 Aug 2011 10:12 am
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On his website, pickup guru Jason Lollar describes some mods he made to a couple of those Aritsan/Rogue guitars. He also replaced the pickups, but according to him, "The most important thing I did was I replaced the nut and bridge and I converted the guitars to a string through body like an old Telecaster". If you have the time to do his mods (or some of them), you can improve what you have for very little money. Here's a link to that writeup.
http://www.lollarguitars.com/blog/tag/modify-lap-steel-guitar/
Enjoy your new guitar! |
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Paul Fowler
From:
Louisville,Kentucky, USA
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Posted 15 Aug 2011 10:19 am up grades
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thank you kekoa for the web site info .have a great day Paul.
_________________
Recently purchased 6 string lap steel hope to learn how to play it.also Allen Melbert 8 string. |
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Steve Ahola
From:
Concord, California
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Posted 16 Aug 2011 12:18 am
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| Kekoa Blanchet wrote: |
| On his website, pickup guru Jason Lollar describes some mods he made to a couple of those Aritsan/Rogue guitars. |
Here are two YouTube videos of Orville Johnson playing a converted Rogue EA-3 with the Lollar Supro pickup and one with his Chicago Steel pickup:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOYaQU7CjO0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYNUN1058Bs
I printed out his article and tried to follow what I could last summer. I didn't have the rig to drill the holes in the body for the strings so I modified the existing bridge which did not lengthen the scale as much as Jason's mod. I was going to redo it with strings through the body since I found the ferrules that go in the top of the body at Stew-Mac (the ferrules on the bottom as used on the telecasters are very easy to find).
I tried a Supro pickup first, wasn't really crazy about the results and then redid it with a Fender no-caster bridge pickup hoping to get a vintage Champ vibe but it isn't as bright as I wanted so I will probably replace that with a different tele pickup. I ended up putting the legs and leg sockets on a 1960's Harmony Roy Smeck model.
I have 2 more EA-3's coming in later this week- I have some new ideas I want to try. (I think I will be using one set of legs to use on my 1961 Supro by fabricating adaptors.)
So even if you outgrow the EA-3 (the short scale is one of its weak points) it may find a new life, if not with you, then with someone you sell it to.
Steve Ahola
P.S. There are a lot of free resources at this site and at member's websites for learning C6.
_________________
www.blueguitar.org
Recordings on electric guitar:
http://www.box.net/blue-diamonds
http://www.box.net/the-culprits |
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Brian Hunter
From:
Indianapolis
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Posted 16 Aug 2011 3:45 am
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| Steve Ahola wrote: |
P.S. There are a lot of free resources at this site and at member's websites for learning C6. |
Paul, Steve is dead on here and I feel like a moron for neglecting to say this myself. Ton's of good stuff to find by searching around the forum.
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Brian |
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Paul Fowler
From:
Louisville,Kentucky, USA
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Posted 16 Aug 2011 3:10 pm rogue lap steel
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hi Guys recieved my new rogue this pm.have only opened,box,and made shure i had sound off all strings to my amp.I do now i am going to ask a question i am almost afraid to ask ,someone said i could not tune this with my chromatic tuner.can any let, me know before i break a string or two.  Thanks Paul
_________________
Recently purchased 6 string lap steel hope to learn how to play it.also Allen Melbert 8 string. |
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Steve Green
From:
Gulfport, MS, USA
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Posted 16 Aug 2011 3:26 pm
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The strings it came with should be suitable for an open E tuning, if you want to try C6th, you'll need to change the strings (available on the forum).
_________________
Some songs I've written |
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Steve Perry
From:
Elizabethtown Ky, USA
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Posted 17 Aug 2011 8:52 am
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| Yes, you can use your chromatic tuner to tune the steel. |
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Paul Fowler
From:
Louisville,Kentucky, USA
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Posted 17 Aug 2011 9:19 am tuning
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Thank you Jerry I jusr recieved my rogue lap steel yesterday,and was not shure about using my chromatic tuner.I had to tune it to g tuning as i was told,I could not tune it c_6 due to string gauge.I also recieved a book i ordered today a mel bay basic c-6 non pedal lap method by dewitt scott.now i will have to get the proper strings tomorrow while i am out.Paul
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Recently purchased 6 string lap steel hope to learn how to play it.also Allen Melbert 8 string. |
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Steve Ahola
From:
Concord, California
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Posted 17 Aug 2011 3:29 pm
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Harbor Freight has an on-going coupon special for a 6" digital micrometer- something like $9.99. A "real" one will set you back $30+ but this one is good enough for measuring string gauges. There can be a small discrepancy between the measured diameter and the stated gauge but it gives you a good idea.
If you have a growing menagerie of lap steels it can get expensive to keep changing strings. In many cases you can move existing strings around (something not recommended on a regular guitar because of the intonation and the fact that there are frets). On a 6 string you can usually move the 4th string down to the 5th or 6th position, and the 5th down to the 6th position. Depending on how many turns were used you can sometimes move the strings in the opposite direction: the 6th to the 5th position or the 5th to the 4th position.
That trick can save you a lot of money when you are experimenting with different tunings or string tensions for the same tuning. Once you figure out the tuning and the gauges you want to use you can order the appropriate sets here or at Just Strings or one of the other distributors.
BTW I have a hard time finding strings for lap steels locally. However, you might be able to find E9th and C6th sets for pedal steel with the gauges that you need. (E9th typically goes down to .038 while C6 goes down to .066 or .070.)
Enjoy your steel!
Steve Ahola
_________________
www.blueguitar.org
Recordings on electric guitar:
http://www.box.net/blue-diamonds
http://www.box.net/the-culprits |
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Paul Fowler
From:
Louisville,Kentucky, USA
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Posted 17 Aug 2011 4:11 pm strings
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Steve i ordered the dvd set from George board today,and tomorrow i am going to pick up a set of Strings for C-6 tuning,and have an on line order,for another set.I can already see how some of those mods you suggested will help,me relocating the Jack and remacking of the nut out of aluminum.also i recieved the,Basic c-6th non pedal lap steel by dewitt scott.thanks again.Paul
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Recently purchased 6 string lap steel hope to learn how to play it.also Allen Melbert 8 string. |
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Steve Ahola
From:
Concord, California
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Paul Fowler
From:
Louisville,Kentucky, USA
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Posted 19 Aug 2011 1:31 am fret board
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Thanks Steve for the info ,picked up the strings thursday,plan on changing them today,and try her out for now and see what would be comfortable,for me ,I know i want to move Jack position,to side.lso builsing a new nut in few days.Have a great Day.Paul. 
_________________
Recently purchased 6 string lap steel hope to learn how to play it.also Allen Melbert 8 string. |
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John Burton
From:
Manassas, Va
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Posted 19 Aug 2011 3:29 am
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| Steve Ahola wrote: |
Paul:
Easiest and most important mod for the EA-3 is to bevel the fretboard using a sanding block. Those darned raised frets would bug the heck out of my fingers whenever I'd be playing.
Steve |
? How would you fingers touch the frets at all when playing it? Just curious.
The mods I've done on my Rogue are: 1) Replacing the nut with a good chrome steel one (ebay) and replacing the pup with a emg from stew mac. Doesn't sound bad, but a little dark. The only thing I don't like about the Rogue is the really short scale.
With a few easy mods, they are very functional steels for hardly any money.
Here's a song I recorded awhile back on my Rogue:
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=7207710 |
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Steve Lipsey
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 19 Aug 2011 5:34 am
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| for your tuner - make sure you put it in chromatic mode, not guitar tuning mode, so that it will recognize all those other notes in other octaves |
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Mike Harris
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 19 Aug 2011 6:36 am artisan/rogue question
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| I have two artisans, one with legs, one without. Great practice/travel guitars but I'm wondering if the quality of the wood (seems pretty cheap to me) merits the kind of mods mentioned here. I can see the nut and bridge mods and I've wondered myself about drilling the string holes, but some of those pickups are a bit high-priced for these entry-level instruments, are they not? |
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John Burton
From:
Manassas, Va
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Posted 19 Aug 2011 7:06 am
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I've been thinking of doing this to the bridge of my Rogue. (see pic).
The green lap steel in the pick had the same type of bridge as the Rogue. I simply removed the saddles, springs and screws, left the mounting plate where it was, and replaced the saddle them with a piece of angle. String tension keeps it in place quite well, and you can slide it back and forth a tiny amount for intonation.
I kind of think it improved the sustain of the green lap steel in the pic a wee bit.
Dirt simple mod. |
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