DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
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DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
After building a lot of CBG,s Stomp boxes, and Wooden bullet mic,s whit success I want to start a new project by building my self a lap steel guitar. I have a couple of idea,s. All so seen a lot of YT clips But i am looking for a building plan with info of the size and so on. I have looked on the net but did not really found a spectacular model ore plan. I want to use laminated wood (i still got in the barn) and the left over stuff of years collected Guitar pieces ( just a pile of crap fore my wife and an capital for me ) I will cover the body with parquet wood for the looks. So will the fretboard.
Is there anybody out there who ones one or have some measures of the scale and so on.
Is there anybody out there who ones one or have some measures of the scale and so on.
You can't bend the rule, Every man is some womans fool
- vancouverois
- Posts: 922
- Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:55 pm
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
Hope this can help:
http://www.buildyourguitar.com/resources/lapsteel/
http://www.bluestemstrings.com/pageLap.html
http://www.bluestemstrings.com/page5.html
Although it may not be the shape you want to build, scroll down to get a PDF build template.
http://www.buildyourguitar.com/resources/lapsteel/
http://www.bluestemstrings.com/pageLap.html
http://www.bluestemstrings.com/page5.html
Although it may not be the shape you want to build, scroll down to get a PDF build template.
Jan 15th 2007
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
Thanks for those links, but i discover them already. I want to make a more classic model like the 1960 Gibsons. I have started this afternoon. It's gonna be a model that i have seen on a site (the dutch version of Ebay) The head is from an old classic Spanish guitar. I planned to build the first one at a no-budget base. Every part ore solution has to be in my collection of crap i own, or build out of it. Good fun fore the brain
I will keep you informed. I use the scale from a Strat (because i have a Scale model 1:1 fore the frets the Nut and the bridge) I will post some pictures if you want.
I will keep you informed. I use the scale from a Strat (because i have a Scale model 1:1 fore the frets the Nut and the bridge) I will post some pictures if you want.
You can't bend the rule, Every man is some womans fool
- vancouverois
- Posts: 922
- Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:55 pm
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
You're welcome.
Sure pics are more than welcome, I have a passion for builds and woodworking.
Sure pics are more than welcome, I have a passion for builds and woodworking.
Jan 15th 2007
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
I just remove the clamps and make two pictures to show the start. The Hull gonna be covered with parquet strokes of different color dark / light Just show how i make the headstock.
- Attachments
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- Put the neck into the body, after flatted the back site and glued the parts together
- 100_5781.JPG (18.81 KiB) Viewed 17929 times
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- Used an old very short scale neck of a wrecked child guitar
- 100_5777.JPG (26.09 KiB) Viewed 17929 times
You can't bend the rule, Every man is some womans fool
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
This afternoon i did some work on the lapsteel. Start draw the lines for the bridge position. Make a tale piece,, a top nut, a bridge, and the position for the pick up with the router. Do some sawing an rough shaping. It stars looking like a lapsteel already.
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- 100_5782.JPG (25.33 KiB) Viewed 17905 times
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- A impression of the colors and the shape
- 100_5783.JPG (37.63 KiB) Viewed 17905 times
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- The drawing and the place of the Pick Up
- 100_5784.JPG (17.32 KiB) Viewed 17905 times
You can't bend the rule, Every man is some womans fool
- vancouverois
- Posts: 922
- Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:55 pm
- VikingBlues
- Posts: 4466
- Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 7:44 pm
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
Wow - quick indeed - looking forward to seeing how this develops.
That's a proper looking workshop you have btw. Beats my porchway and back garden!!
That's a proper looking workshop you have btw. Beats my porchway and back garden!!
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
- rocknroll93
- Posts: 79
- Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2010 12:45 pm
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
that thing looks sexy. you better post clips for us to hear when you are done.
that single may cause a fair bit of hum though. shield it as much as you can, and make sure the grounding is good.
that single may cause a fair bit of hum though. shield it as much as you can, and make sure the grounding is good.
"Playing the blues is like being black twice. Stevie Ray Vaughan missed out on both counts, but I never noticed" - BB king
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
Yesterday i was working on the lap steel But i was not happy with the strength of the body. So I decided to make, and install a truss rod. Still i didn't trust it. So this afternoon i start all over. Because i have a template with the scale and did not have to think of the shape the work goes very fast. The results are much better The backbone is a piece of redwood 75mm X 40mm I screw and glued three slats on both sides. I use the same headstock. I use the router to shape the pickup-, the, volume pot, and jack-plug hole. I shape the parquet strips for the left and right wing, and selected the three parquet strips for the back side, maple, wenge, maple On top maple, mahogany, maple, All so make a pick up ring.
Monday i will router the truss rod slot, create a cover for the volume knob & the jack. Before i cover the basic body i have to make the fret slots. I doubt if i will keep the frets straight ore will make them like a staple, witch i think look great and no sharp ends left.
some one on the dutch bluesharp forum told me that this model most be inspired on "The New Yorker" a lap steel model of the 1930's (anyone familiair with that model?) I did not know that model ore the name but i can imagine that the called them that way ( looks like a skyscraper)
Some pictures of the (partial 2e) project.
Monday i will router the truss rod slot, create a cover for the volume knob & the jack. Before i cover the basic body i have to make the fret slots. I doubt if i will keep the frets straight ore will make them like a staple, witch i think look great and no sharp ends left.
some one on the dutch bluesharp forum told me that this model most be inspired on "The New Yorker" a lap steel model of the 1930's (anyone familiair with that model?) I did not know that model ore the name but i can imagine that the called them that way ( looks like a skyscraper)
Some pictures of the (partial 2e) project.
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- fretboard whit the pick up cover
- 100_5789.JPG (15.5 KiB) Viewed 17848 times
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- The home made truss rod
- 100_5793.JPG (31.16 KiB) Viewed 17848 times
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- Truss Rod
- 100_5792.JPG (17.21 KiB) Viewed 17848 times
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- Back of the lap steel
- 100_5791.JPG (16.33 KiB) Viewed 17848 times
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- Headstock
- 100_5790.JPG (21.28 KiB) Viewed 17848 times
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- Router work
- 100_5788.JPG (15.92 KiB) Viewed 17848 times
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- Pick up cover
- 100_5787.JPG (16.3 KiB) Viewed 17848 times
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- Overview
- 100_5786.JPG (30.56 KiB) Viewed 17848 times
You can't bend the rule, Every man is some womans fool
- vancouverois
- Posts: 922
- Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:55 pm
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
It's a nice work, so finally the strings tension was strong enough to make the instrument body bending?
About the pickup, is it a red bobbin PU coming from some early 80's strat reissue?
About the pickup, is it a red bobbin PU coming from some early 80's strat reissue?
Jan 15th 2007
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
Indeed the body was not strong ore stiff enough, even within a truss rod. I have to mount a strip of steel on the back of the headstock Witch i don't want for the ugly looks. If i connect it to the rod it was Oke! But on 1 afternoon i been much further and a have a better result the pine is as strong as needed. the sides where simple tree strokes. The headstock is mounted on the pine wood and fits as a glove. The pickup is from a Fender strat a blond, that i had replaced for others when it was stolen on a gig in Germany 1981. This is the Middle i allso have the neck and the bridge and the tree way toggle.
You can't bend the rule, Every man is some womans fool
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
Because of Jimmie the project is a bit slowed down. Yesterday i used the router to put the (self made) truss-rod in to the neck. After that i shaped the back side with Maple and Wenge and glue the parts together after fixated the truss rod. This afternoon i take of the clamps and sand down the maple cover-wood, You can see the Nut from the rod. If i have the time tomorrow i start to shape the fretboard. I am thinking of make the frets of welding-thread. I bend it like a cram drilled two holes and gently hammer the cram down into the soft wood under the mahogany. I start the frets small and let it go each one a tiny bigger just like a normal fretboard.
While i was waiting to dry the glue i produce a bullet mike for our harp player in the band. This one has his initials on the head instead of holes.
While i was waiting to dry the glue i produce a bullet mike for our harp player in the band. This one has his initials on the head instead of holes.
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- custom mic
- 100_5811LB.JPG (31.99 KiB) Viewed 17797 times
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- The rodd is there I hope it works
- 100_5807kl.JPG (17.14 KiB) Viewed 17797 times
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- Still some glue on the wood I have sand it off this afternoon
- 100_5806kl.JPG (22.37 KiB) Viewed 17797 times
You can't bend the rule, Every man is some womans fool
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
Just between two walks with the doggie i pimped a bluesharp with wood coverplates.
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- Coverplates of Wood
- 100_5817.JPG (12.78 KiB) Viewed 17777 times
You can't bend the rule, Every man is some womans fool
- HalfBlindLefty
- Admin
- Posts: 2015
- Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2010 1:23 pm
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
Got to love your work El Mano, impressive.
My only comment would be towards the headstock usage, you have good woodworking skills, make a great one in stead of using the classical one just for it's functionalty.
Keep us posted.
My only comment would be towards the headstock usage, you have good woodworking skills, make a great one in stead of using the classical one just for it's functionalty.
Keep us posted.
A long time ago, in the old forum : Registered: Mon, 27 Nov 2006. Wonder were the other old members all went....
- VikingBlues
- Posts: 4466
- Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 7:44 pm
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
I'm TOTALLY in awe of your skill at building work ElMano.
Nice to see a craftsman at work.
Nice to see a craftsman at work.
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
You do very nice woodworking!
"Throw yo' big leg over me Mama, I might not feel this good again!"
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
+1 You 've got the time AND skills!VikingBlues wrote:I'm TOTALLY in awe of your skill at building work ElMano.
Nice to see a craftsman at work.
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
My little fluffy friend has stopped the process of building the lapsteel fore a while. But in the meanwhile i build a template for the router to fabricate cover-plates for the blues harps of my buddy Midnight Special. Last night i have pimped one just for fun. Wat do you think of it.
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- 100_5827 kl.JPG (30.86 KiB) Viewed 17650 times
You can't bend the rule, Every man is some womans fool
Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends
Fantastic - I'd like such a thing on my axes!