Low cost and I do mean Low cost lap steel

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 27 Aug 2007 6:33 pm

7 bids at $12.50 with 2 days left!

Why, oh why, do I have to be broke now?!

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 27 Aug 2007 6:40 pm

The Duct Tape alone is worth about $1.25

Terry Farmer · Post by **Terry Farmer** » 27 Aug 2007 7:49 pm

I like it! It reminds me of the time I installed the pickup from an old lap steel into a cheap spanish acoustic I had at the time, then hot wired an old radio for an amp. I was 11 years old at the time and wanted to play like Elvis! It didn't cost anything and I had a ball with it! I applaud this guy's drive and ingenuity. He doesn't misrepresent his steel in any fashion on ebay. What's the matter with you guys? Been eating nails or something? Jeez.....Live and Let Live!

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 27 Aug 2007 8:51 pm

Since we're on the topic of home made guitars, I'm sure DON WOODS will fondly recall the amazing guitars which (the late) Norman English brought to the AISGC convention year after year. Amongst them were his beautiful toilet seat steel guitar and his amazing 2 x 4 (x 12) guitar! Norm made those "instruments" sound great...he was an excellent steel guitarist who earned the reputation of being the "Victor Borge of the steel guitar"...a really funny guy on stage.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 27 Aug 2007 9:32 pm

I think I figured this out. It's a school project for Mrs. Clark's 4th Grade Science Fair.

Gary C. Dygert · Post by **Gary C. Dygert** » 29 Aug 2007 11:49 am

Hey, they laughed at Les Paul when he built The Log.

Steve Wilson · Post by **Steve Wilson** » 2 Sep 2007 6:50 pm

I just noticed the Homeade Lap Steel that has been the subject of this post sold for $32 with 13 bids. I am in the camp of those who applaud the efforts of anyone interested enough to make a musical instrument - no matter how crude it may seem to others. I have several vintage steels, but also enjoy making lap steels from unorthodox materials, including wine barrels, cigar boxes, and in this case - an old bed pan.

The 22.5" string-through design is maple and walnut. Please note the generous use of Mother of Toilet Seat on the fretboard and side panels. The forward mounted pickup is a Kay from the 1950's and has a very warm sound - especially on the "bottom end" - and the fretboard includes a picture of Whistler's Mother. I always thought she looked like she was sitting on a bedpan and perhaps could be playing a lap steel. I call this instrument a "Crap Steel", and it sounds better than the name may imply - especially when played by someone other than me. I say build them if you can, and damn the torpedoes from the nay sayers!
Hope you will enjoy the photos, toilet paper not included.
Steve

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 2 Sep 2007 9:07 pm

Andy Volk wrote:I'm reminded of a similar guitar built by luthier Danny Ferrington to test pickups. He built that guitar out of scrap wood laying around the shop in exactly one hour. Ry Cooder stopped by, borowed it and wouldn't give it back 'cause it sounded so good! The steel here may be extremely crude but it represents a yearning to play music that's kind of touching.

Yes, but there's a photo of that guitar in Danny Ferrington's book. Although he built it in an hour it's like a Rolls Royce compared to this one !

This guy is no Danny Ferrington !

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 2 Sep 2007 9:10 pm

Steve Wilson wrote: I am in the camp of those who applaud the efforts of anyone interested enough to make a musical instrument - no matter how crude it may seem to others...

Me too. I've been thinking of building a lap steel out of a real frying pan...

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 2 Sep 2007 9:14 pm

A well built, playable guitar made from scrap parts is an admirable thing. I can appreciate that. But let's be honest. The one is this auction was an absolute piece of junk. The builder gets an 9 for his positive attitude, and a -1 for his luthier skills!

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 2 Sep 2007 9:18 pm

You're being kind, Doug.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 2 Sep 2007 9:19 pm

Thanks Alan! I'm trying.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 2 Sep 2007 9:24 pm

LT Zinn built a steel using a frying pan. He played it in Winchester if I remember correctly. The frying pan itself was an avacado-green color as I remember.
Sounded fairly good too

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 2 Sep 2007 9:40 pm

Did he keep the handle on ?

Steve Wilson · Post by **Steve Wilson** » 2 Sep 2007 10:34 pm

Years ago I got one of those cast iron popcorn poppers designed to be used over an open fire. It is two hinged pieces - with a resonator cover like top with little holes to let the steam out. I have been threatening to make a lap steel out of it - minus the handle. I was going to call it a Redenbacher! I would love to see a picture of LT's if someone has one.
Steve

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 3 Sep 2007 2:52 am

The instrument's not an absolute piece of junk. It's just as playable as any professionally made 6-string out there. I think there's a lot of people out there that still blame the instrument (and sometimes even just its looks!) for their inability to sound good. Or maybe they got bullied a lot in 4th grade. Oh well. Human beings.

I know Bobby Ingano could play that thing and make it sing.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 3 Sep 2007 10:59 am

The instrument's not an absolute piece of junk. It's just as playable as any professionally made 6-string out there.

Yes Jeff... you are right. It's as playable and as accurate as any Fender, Rickenbacher, or Gibson ever made.

The fret spacing is dead-on accurate. The guitar plays in tune all the way up the neck. There is no hum from the electronics.

Love is Blind. We all love the steel guitar, but let’s be realistic.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 3 Sep 2007 12:00 pm

It's a piece of crap. It doesn't even have any salvagable parts. If I found that in my woodpile I'd wrap it in paper, so that no-one would see it and think it was mine, and throw it in the trash, assuming that I don't use it first to relieve my inhibitions by turning an axe to it. Maybe the wood would help stoke the fire.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 3 Sep 2007 3:29 pm

I agree Alan. I don't mean to be contrary here, but when forum members say things like ...this junk lap steel is "just as playable as any professionally made 6-string out there" ...I can’t just sit here and let it pass. I can not believe that any member of this forum would say such a thing.

Does anyone really think that the hand painted fret markers on this pile of junk are accurate? Does anyone really think the intonation is True at fret 12? I’ll bet the intonation is at least ¼ tone off on fret 12... probably ½ tone off. That alone would make it unplayable… by anyone. Does anyone doubt that the electronics hum? Does anyone believe this thing stays in tune? Like I said, love is blind.

I know Bobby Ingano could play that thing and make it sing.

Not if the frets are off. Not if it’s noisy. He would throw it in the dumpster, where it belongs.

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 3 Sep 2007 4:50 pm

Maybe we rely on our ears more out here.

What confirms that the frets are off? What confirms that the electronics hum? You've knocked this instrument without even trying it.

People that knock things without trying them frighten me. Big time.

So I had to say something.

And honestly yeah, given the information at hand... I really do believe this steel could play as well as any professionally made Fender, Gibson etc. It's a slab of wood with a pickup, some strings, and markers... what more do you need.

With the information given, the only thing that the professionally made steels have over this homebuilt is visual aesthetics. And I don't factor that much into the sound I get out of an instrument.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 3 Sep 2007 5:30 pm

... I really do believe this steel could play as well as any professionally made Fender, Gibson etc. It's a slab of wood with a pickup, some strings, and markers... what more do you need.

You're right again, Jeff... what more do you need?

By the way, I have a Car for you. I put it together in my barn, and it runs. It will get you from Point A to Point B. It runs as well as any professionally made Toyota, Honda, Lexus, Chrysler, Ford, Chevy, etc. It's got 4 tires, a seat and a steering wheel. What more do you need? Do not criticize this car before you drive it. People that knock things without trying them frighten me. Big time. How do you know it doesn't run as smooth and as fast as any professionally made car out there? The only thing that the professionally made cars have over this homebuilt is visual aesthetics. What confirms that it does not run as well as a new Lexus?

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 3 Sep 2007 6:00 pm

Jeff, anyone, buy it for Bobby Ingano and let's see!!! Make a liar out of one of us!!

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 3 Sep 2007 7:24 pm

What Jeff said is only true because of the nature of the lap steel. I've played lap steel with my eyes closed and kept in tune. In fact I have a 12-string lap steel that I built without a fingerboard....

When I was at school we had an instrument called a Sonometer, which was basically a single string stretched across a rectangular soundboard. One end of the string passed over a pulley to a pan, onto which weights were put, the idea being to demonstrate the laws of physics relating to pitch, and the connexion of pitch to tension and sound length. We used to play tunes on it with a bar.

The point I'm making is that ANY lap steel, no matter how badly built, CAN be played. I'm sure that someone with Jeff's experience could play a tune on a wire fence.

But that doesn't change the truth about the instrument that was sold on eBay. That instrument was TRASH with a capital T. The person who made it couldn't even take the time to put the strings and pick up in the centre of the plank.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 3 Sep 2007 7:37 pm

It's true that any instrument can be "played".

...like the 1 string fiddle, with the styrofoam cup body! Once it warms up it stays hot longer. Why waste money on Quality when this will do just fine?

James Harrison · Post by **James Harrison** » 3 Sep 2007 10:10 pm

I hate to see anyone that drives a nice new large car make fun of of an old junker car, this topic is about the same. Did anyone of you negative posters bid, if not why comment? I would say all of you are better players than I, but I don't pay much attention to where the frets are, I can tell by the sound if my bar is in the right place. I would not buy the Guitar but the high bidder is probably happy with his purchase. Why can't we just try to be good steel players and not make fun of others? There are steel players out there better than any of you, but do you want anyone to get on here and tell you that you are not as good players as they are? I was taught to help the person that had less than me and not make fun of them. Enough said. James

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