DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

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ElMano
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DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by ElMano »

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 :high5: :high5:) 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.
You can't bend the rule, Every man is some womans fool
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vancouverois
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by vancouverois »

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.
Jan 15th 2007
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ElMano
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by ElMano »

Thanks for those links, :thumbsup: 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 :tease:
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. :cool:
You can't bend the rule, Every man is some womans fool
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vancouverois
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by vancouverois »

You're welcome.
Sure pics are more than welcome, I have a passion for builds and woodworking.
Jan 15th 2007
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ElMano
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by ElMano »

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
Put the neck into the body, after flatted the back site and glued the parts together
Put the neck into the body, after flatted the back site and glued the parts together
100_5781.JPG (18.81 KiB) Viewed 17899 times
Used an old very short scale neck of a wrecked child guitar
Used an old very short scale neck of a wrecked child guitar
100_5777.JPG (26.09 KiB) Viewed 17899 times
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ElMano
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by ElMano »

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.
Attachments
100_5782.JPG
100_5782.JPG (25.33 KiB) Viewed 17875 times
A impression of the colors and the shape
A impression of the colors and the shape
100_5783.JPG (37.63 KiB) Viewed 17875 times
The drawing and the place of the Pick Up
The drawing and the place of the Pick Up
100_5784.JPG (17.32 KiB) Viewed 17875 times
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vancouverois
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by vancouverois »

Nice!
You work very fast :thumbsup:
Jan 15th 2007
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VikingBlues
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by VikingBlues »

Wow - quick indeed - looking forward to seeing how this develops. :thumbsup:

That's a proper looking workshop you have btw. Beats my porchway and back garden!! :big_smile:
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
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rocknroll93
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by rocknroll93 »

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.
"Playing the blues is like being black twice. Stevie Ray Vaughan missed out on both counts, but I never noticed" - BB king
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ElMano
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by ElMano »

:tease: 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" :icon_whoknows: 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.
Attachments
fretboard whit the pick up cover
fretboard whit the pick up cover
100_5789.JPG (15.5 KiB) Viewed 17818 times
The home made truss rod
The home made truss rod
100_5793.JPG (31.16 KiB) Viewed 17818 times
Truss Rod
Truss Rod
100_5792.JPG (17.21 KiB) Viewed 17818 times
Back of the lap steel
Back of the lap steel
100_5791.JPG (16.33 KiB) Viewed 17818 times
Headstock
Headstock
100_5790.JPG (21.28 KiB) Viewed 17818 times
Router work
Router work
100_5788.JPG (15.92 KiB) Viewed 17818 times
Pick up cover
Pick up cover
100_5787.JPG (16.3 KiB) Viewed 17818 times
Overview
Overview
100_5786.JPG (30.56 KiB) Viewed 17818 times
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vancouverois
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by vancouverois »

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?
Jan 15th 2007
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ElMano
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by ElMano »

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
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ElMano
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by ElMano »

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.
Attachments
custom mic
custom mic
100_5811LB.JPG (31.99 KiB) Viewed 17767 times
The rodd is there I hope it works
The rodd is there I hope it works
100_5807kl.JPG (17.14 KiB) Viewed 17767 times
Still some glue on the wood I have sand it off this afternoon
Still some glue on the wood I have sand it off this afternoon
100_5806kl.JPG (22.37 KiB) Viewed 17767 times
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ElMano
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by ElMano »

Just between two walks with the doggie i pimped a bluesharp with wood coverplates. :banana: :harp:
Attachments
Coverplates of Wood
Coverplates of Wood
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HalfBlindLefty
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by HalfBlindLefty »

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.
A long time ago, in the old forum : Registered: Mon, 27 Nov 2006. Wonder were the other old members all went....
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VikingBlues
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by VikingBlues »

I'm TOTALLY in awe of your skill at building work ElMano. :pray:

Nice to see a craftsman at work.
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
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Blindboy
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by Blindboy »

You do very nice woodworking!
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12bar
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by 12bar »

VikingBlues wrote:I'm TOTALLY in awe of your skill at building work ElMano. :pray:

Nice to see a craftsman at work.
+1 You 've got the time AND skills!
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ElMano
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by ElMano »

My little fluffy friend has stopped the process of building the lapsteel fore a while. :banana: 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
100_5827 kl.JPG (30.86 KiB) Viewed 17620 times
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12bar
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Re: DIY Lapsteel, need some help from my friends

Post by 12bar »

Fantastic - I'd like such a thing on my axes! :clap:
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