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Topic: Aluminum Acoustic Frypan, WIP |
W. Johnson
From:
Oregon, USA
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Posted 22 Jul 2015 7:55 am |
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I am currently building an acoustic fry pan lap steel guitar. Basically, I just wanted an acoustic lap steel, decided to make one, from aluminum. Here are a few WIP photos. Actually, not far from being completed. Both the body and neck are hollow. The neck passes through the body connecting at both ends. The neck does not touch the sound board top. There will be sound holes in the neck, and in the top. The fret board will be aluminum, raised and not touching the sound board top. I will be putting a piezo pickup into this guitar. But it seems to me it will be loud enough acoustically. (tested a little bit but with only one old string.) This guitar is an experiment.
Hope to be finished in a day or two. Waiting on the metal for the fret board. Still need to make the back plate. Entire guitar will be polished to a mirror finish.
Wayne
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I am on Facebook as Innovative Guitars. Photos of all my work in photo album. I no longer make lap steels, but still make tone bars. |
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Mark Roeder
From:
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 22 Jul 2015 8:48 am
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Looks like a fun project. I had experimented with some extruded aluminum in the past in a similar way. I found the extruded to be very treble heavy in tone, not anything like cast aluminum. You might experiment with a wood top when you get that far to mellow the tone.
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www.deluxe34.com lap steel stands, Clinesmith, Gibson Console Grande, Northwesterns, The Best Westerns
https://www.facebook.com/TheBestWesterns |
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W. Johnson
From:
Oregon, USA
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Posted 22 Jul 2015 9:59 am
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| Mark Roeder wrote: |
| Looks like a fun project. I had experimented with some extruded aluminum in the past in a similar way. I found the extruded to be very treble heavy in tone, not anything like cast aluminum. You might experiment with a wood top when you get that far to mellow the tone. |
Yes, the extruded aluminum should be different than cast, (brighter tone, and more sustain too). I have to take measures in my other aluminum guitars to counter the brightness of extruded aluminum. Probably this guitar, may be treble heavy. On resonator guitars, they use wood for the bridge, especially on all metal guitars, for this very reason. I may experiment with various materials for the bridge and nut, possibly even deer antler (have some on hand, deer antlers are not uncommon in the woods in Oregon). I'm more concerned with how loud I can get it.
Wayne
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I am on Facebook as Innovative Guitars. Photos of all my work in photo album. I no longer make lap steels, but still make tone bars. |
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W. Johnson
From:
Oregon, USA
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Posted 29 Jul 2015 1:57 pm
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I have completed this guitar. This guitar has been an experiment from the beginning. Here are a few final pictures:
I made a recording with this guitar (acoustic recording), and created a slide show, has more images, sort of a stage by stage through the building process, uploaded to YouTube.
https://youtu.be/JExB_KrtjCU
Comments on tone and such appreciated. (I play using a flat pick, BTW.)
Wayne
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I am on Facebook as Innovative Guitars. Photos of all my work in photo album. I no longer make lap steels, but still make tone bars. |
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David Knutson
From:
Cowichan Valley, Canada
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Posted 30 Jul 2015 12:58 pm
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Wayne, I bet that's been a fun project. It definitely sounds bright in your recording, and kind of bluesy, with just a hint of open back banjo. (You should hear me at a wine tasting….)
How much different does it sound plugged in?
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David K |
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W. Johnson
From:
Oregon, USA
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Posted 30 Jul 2015 10:34 pm
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| David Knutson wrote: |
Wayne, I bet that's been a fun project. It definitely sounds bright in your recording, and kind of bluesy, with just a hint of open back banjo. (You should hear me at a wine tasting….)
How much different does it sound plugged in? |
Tone of this guitar is interesting, as you point out, kind of like a resonator and also like a banjo. I didn't want to say banjo, though, as I've heard derogatory remarks a number of times from steel players (not sure why?)
The piezo pickup, well, I used an inexpensive bar piezo. I don't think it sounds so good amplified. I have never used a piezo pickup before. Probably a better piezo pre-amp and mike could be used, perhaps a different type. I'll have to experiment with this, am looking to spend a bit more money on a better quality pickup for my next one I put together.
I noticed that one of the strings, it has an issue at the bridge notch, string 3, affects tone, resonance, makes it weak, you might be able to tell by listening to the sound clip. i didn't notice it so much until today. Gotta fix this, should improve tone a bit.
The next one I put together will have a resonator cone in it, and the better pickup. Suggestions for a better piezo, would be appreciated. The budget allows up to $100 for the next piezo pickup. It has been suggested to me to use the resonator cone, and also I've been thinking about it as well. I think it should make it considerably acoustically louder.
Wayne
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I am on Facebook as Innovative Guitars. Photos of all my work in photo album. I no longer make lap steels, but still make tone bars. |
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