Build a lapsteel

[madrab]

Everyone want a new guitar. I wanted a lapsteel and built one in a few hours. Had a plank, a pickup and bought tuners for 10€ and strings for 20€. Come on, you can all build and play better than me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRRtCIxuzo8

[henwrench]

thats pretty damn cool slide playing there. what tuning are you using? my favourite (low-high) is A E F# A C# E
                                          henwrench

[Wiley]

Ok!!! Good ? Henwrench.  so we build a guitar!! Sounds fun.  Now here comes all the questions. What kind of tune pegs, What kind of pickup?  What did you use for the nut and the bridge or whatever you call that where you attach the strings? What kind of strings?  And yes how do you tune a lap top guitar? What kind of plank?  Cedar, maple, oak?     I am sure I could come up with more. but it would be fun to try!!  And yours sounds great!!
PJ

[Geir]

WOW that was cool !!

Looks like a quite doable project,  .... yes I think I do want a lap-steel !!!!

Thanks for sharing !!!

[cuthbert]

In my ample spare time  , I think I might like to build one of these. I found these instructions online:

http://buildyourguitar.com/resources/lapsteel/index.htm

[Ted]

I've been keeping my eye out for a cheap, used lap steel.  Never occurred to me that I could build one.

I just took one look at the tools required.  I shall continue my search for a used one.

[henwrench]

And yes how do you tune a lap top guitar?
PJ

             there are as many ways to tune a lap steel as there are players. a good place to start is open E (E B E G# B E) or the one i mention above is a good one. when i hit upon this tuning, my lap steel pretty much came alive.
                                        henwrench

[madrab]

I use open E. Remember to get thick strings. The only really important info is the position of the frets (that I just marked with a pen). You can find it here:
http://buildyourguitar.com/resources/lapsteel/table.pdf
google on build lapsteel if you want.
Use the tuners you get your hands on cheap. I had a dean humbucker. I used steel T-bars for nut and bridge - a lot of mass for sustain. Wood? Pine, leftover from making a deck around the house (it might matter that it is heat-treated,  I don't know)

My best advice is this: make it simple and cheap, experiment and learn.  (I would like to see one made in steel.)

good luck

[OsCKilO]

Playing a Guitar is one thing...


Being able to build one is just freaking AWESOME!