Thoughts on Scale length & material for practice board.

Frank Montmarquet · From: The North Coast, New York, USA

Hello, been a way from the forum and steel for awhile. Now back practicing since I'm retired. I would like to make a lap steel for practice when I travel.

I play a Sierra U12 with 25" scale. If I were to duplicate it, my practice board would probably be 32" long. I'm thinking that is too big. Any experiences with one that long? Might be OK on a table or desk in a hotel, but on my lap camping?

If I were to make one with a scale length of 21.022" and tune to G9, it would duplicate my fret board spacing, pitch and string tensions from the 3rd fret down to the bridge. That is, the nut on the board would be the 3rd fret on my U12, and all the remaining pitches and fret spacing's would be identical. I could go shorter with similar results. For example a scale length of 19.842" would have the boards nut equivalent to the 4th fret, and I would tune to G#9.

I think shorter would be better for travel, even shorter and I could take it on motorcycle trips. But would I be missing much going shorter? I need to practice blocking and getting around scales etc. with the bar.

Also, I have lots of oak, would that be OK, my other free choice is a piece of 2X6.

I plan to use a pickup and probably something like a Vox Amplug (which one? thinking Blues or Clean)

Do I need all 12 strings? if not what would you suggest?

I do not have that munch experience, on PS and none on any stringed instrument. My main ax has been tenor sax.

Thanks,
Frank
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H-D Dyna Lowrider, Siera U-12, Emmons SG-10

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Shorter neck means lighter string gauge. So the guitar will feel different, and not just because it is smaller. It will probably sustain differently too. A 12-string short-scale lap steel would certainly be a rare bird. Lots of string tension on the wood, so I would use something with plenty of mass and stability, like oak or maple (which would be heavy too, for camping out purposes). Finding bridge, nut, and head for it might prove challenging, especially with your overall length limitation.

Why not just build an easy 8-string job with George Board parts? It is going to sound and feel different from your Sierra anyway, and no pedals mean you think about it and play it differently too. Also opens up your choices for wood. For just keeping your right hand chops while on the road, that's what I would do. Who knows, maybe you'll make some interesting music on it too, and discover why so many pedalers keep their non-pedal guitars.

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Oops. Shorter neck means shorter string length means heavier gauge, generally speaking. However, you are also planning to tune higher, so that generally means lighter gauge.

Best to consult an expert on this.
http://www.hawaiiansteel.com/learning/gauges.php

Frank Montmarquet · From: The North Coast, New York, USA

I just finished making a lap steel from a piece of 2X6.

10 strings,the top 10 from my U12, 25" scale, used a piece of 5/8" round bar stock for the bridge, 7/8" threaded rod for the nut (14 threads per inch gives a spacing of .285" every 4 threads, 9/32 is .281", real close).

Closed back turners, not too expensive. Made a few string retainers from some screw L hooks. Used a Kent Armstrong 5 string bass pickup (twin blade splitable HB). Used a Dado to make groves for the neck and bridge and one on back for the strings.

Hardest part was making a pocket for the pup, used a forstner bit, spade bits and a hand chisel. A table mounted router would be good for that.

Tuners, string ferules, and jack mounted to plate from CB Gitty. Used a Sharpie to mark frets, thumb tacks as fret markers. Finished with some Danish Oil.

Now when traveling I'll have something to practice on.

Lessons learned:

Probably best to do something different for a nut. 7/8 threaded rod has the right spacing but is not high enough, so I needed the hooks between tuners and nut to pull the strings down. Alternative would be to recess the tuners a little.

If its only for travel practice no need for a pup, it's much louder than I thought it wold be.

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H-D Dyna Lowrider, Siera U-12, Emmons SG-10

Nathan French · From: California, USA

I'm surprised you didn't try to eliminate the headstock somehow. That would have been super compact.

2x6 is a good choice of wood. Softwoods are lighter and make fine soundboards. I made my first lap steel out of maple and it was a huge pain to work. Sounds good though!

Frank Montmarquet · From: The North Coast, New York, USA

Yeah, the head stock is 7". I was thinking of some type of keyless system on the back, but couldn't come up with a quick and cheap roller nut. That's part of the reason I used only 10 strings, going to 12 would have added about another 1 1/2".
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H-D Dyna Lowrider, Siera U-12, Emmons SG-10

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