what is a good steel (acoustic) for under 400

[David Innerebner]

I am looking for a good acoustic lap steel for under 400. I have been playing for a little over a year. Had set up an early sigma with a nut extender and started learning. Now I have been using the sigma for open tunings in standard acoustic style.

I sold a couple guitars and am looking for a good steel with decent sound. Trying to stay under 400.

What are your thoughts on some of the cheaper wiessenborn steels on ebay? I do not play hawaiian. I play from a blues base, mostly just fills and simple textures in recordings.

I also have a notion to get a 1940's harmony arch top wondering if that guitar would convert well for a steel. Messed with one at an auction once and it sounded great as a steel.

[Brad Bechtel]

You'll probably be just as happy with your acoustic guitar with a nut extender as you will with any of the sub-$400 Weissenborn guitars.

Good guitar. Decent sound. Under $400. Pick any two.

[James Kerr]

On the other hand, a lot of players don't really want the same sound as everyone else and seek out something different from the Guitars everyone else buys. David I think has already noticed this and has a mind to listen to what an old Archtop can do.

If you buy the same top of the line Guitar as a Top of the line Player, buy all his Tabs and learn to play them where exactly would that get you?

James.

[Jack Aldrich]

If you can find a store which sells Regal's, look through the bunch of them. I've found that one in 4, or so, of them sounds pretty good for around $400. - Jack

[Michael Wolfe]

I don't know a whole lot about resonator guitars except what I have picked up listening to other people who own them, but I have been very happy with my SX squareneck from Rondo music:

http://www.rondomusic.com/rg1fsna.html

Sure, it doesn't sound like a $1000 dobro but it's not $1000.

[Brad Bechtel]

But we're not talking about resonator guitars. We're talking about Weissenborn style lap steel guitars. I agree, the SX resonator guitars are about as cheap as you can get.

I owned one of the bargain Weissenborn style guitars that came up on eBay. It was fine for what it was, but it was very quiet. I sold it with a hard shell case (purchased separately) for a bit less than I paid for it.

The main thing with guitars in this price range is the hardware and construction. You're cutting costs by providing a plastic nut or bridge, cheap tuners that don't hold their tuning well, etc. You can buy something for under $400 and spend lots more to upgrade it to a decent playing instrument. Or you can spend more and not have to do the upgrades. It's your choice.

Keep an eye out on eBay for certain Oahu acoustic lap steels. This Oahu 66K at Elderly Instruments needs some work but is probably a much better guitar than anything you'd buy that's new.

[Michael Wolfe]

Just throwing that out for consideration, the OP sounded like he had more than one option he was considering.

[David Innerebner]

thanks for the thoughts. I am looking for good tone and volume mainly. I checked out the oahu, seems interesting but would take some work.

The resonator sound does not fit well with what I do. I have played around with a few and have not felt wowed by the sound. I am probably looking at newer and cheaper models though.

I am curious to know if anyone has used an an old arch top guitar as a steel ad how they liked it.

[David Matzenik]

David, I bought a very nice solid mahogany, rope bound Weis copy recently for $500. Generally, guitars are more expensive in Australia, so I'm sure similar models are available in the US for around $400. The first thing I did was to check this this and similar websites to get an idea of what was going down.

http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/chinese ... uitar.html

[Peter Jacobs]

Wasn't Georgeboards selling inexpensive Weissenborn style guitars at one point? I don't know anything about them, but I think I remember him mentioning them here on the forum.

[Rick Barnhart]

There's a Gold Tone LM blem on eBay for $369. I've played the SM (solid mahogony) nice tone, but a little on the quite side. I've not tried the laminated model.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-BLEM-Gold-T ... 43b740f9ac

[Ron Randall]

Look for a square neck OAHU. Student model is plenty good. It is not a resophonic.

[David Innerebner]

any ideas about this guitar
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1930s-O ... 416f898a66

[Brad Bechtel]

That looks like the kind of Oahu guitar I was talking about. It's rather quiet, but has a good tone.

You asked about archtop guitars as a lap steel (with a nut extender). I see these types of guitars modified for Indian style steel guitar, and they seem to do quite well. See this example.

[David Innerebner]

thanks, I am going to consider the oahu there on ebay. I have become a huge harry manx fan and the mohanveena is very interesting to me. nice to see the arch top. I have a line on some old arch tops.. I will think about it for a while. I really like old vintage guitars so 30's and 40's guitars are catching my attention

[Danny James]

Check your mail.

[David Mason]

One of my many ones that got away was an old Epiphone 12-string, with a homemade bone nut. The 12-string necks can handle just about any tuning you can think of with six electric strings. I used to jam with a metal-bodied dobro player and he got mad because the Epiphone was actually louder!

[Mark Eaton]

Okay - it's not under $400 ($554 from Beard Guitars), but the guitar I would go for were I in the market for something like a flattop acoustic for lap playing is the Paul Beard Signature Gold Tone PBK Model Acoustic Squareneck. Perhaps with some shopping it could be found for a little less, perhaps a used one or maybe a new one with a "cosmetic blem," but in buying it direct from Beard you'll be getting final assembly and setup from the Beard shop in Maryland on this Asian-built guitar which was designed by Paul.

I played one of these awhile back and I thought it was pretty nice, I think Brad might have played one when they first came out a few years ago.

You might find something for under $400 - maybe something like an old Oahu that's decent. This Beard has pretty good volume, is enjoyable to play, and is ready to go right out of the box - you don't have to dink around with something which might require work. Some extra money spent up front will pay off in possibly less hassle and greater peace of mind later.

I think it's a nice looking guitar as well - and that's worth something for sure.

Here is link to the guitar on the Beard site:

https://www.beardguitars.com/Merchant2/ ... _Code=GTRG

[Terry VunCannon]

I got lucky with my Regal at Guitar Center...used, $250. It had a quarterman cone in it, they did not even know what they had.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu8T33f5Y3A

[Steve Branscom]

I just bought one of the guitars Mark Eaton mentioned, a Gold Tone Paul Beard acoustic lap steel, PBKG, off an ad on the Seattle Craigslist for $300. My reasoning was that this is fairly new, 1-2 years the Oahu's were student models back in the day, 30's, so cheaply built. I wasn't confident that they had gotten better with age.

In addition, there's a Superior weissenborn on ebay with an opening bid of $450.

[Mark Eaton]

Nice score Steve!

So what do you think of the Gold Tone/Beard squareneck so far?

Not all Oahu branded guitars were student models, some were real beauties - but yes, getting one of the upper level models in good shape for under $400 is unrealistic.

[Bob Blair]

David, if you are interested in Harry Manx and Mohan Veenas, you should have a look at the resonator veenas my friend Grant Wickland is building. They are patterned after the Mohan Veenas that VM Bhatt and Harry Manx play. I believe Harry Manx has at least one of them - he lives on Salt Spring Island, as does Grant. They of course do not fall within your current 400 dollar target, but you will find them interesting. Grant has posted some cool videos of people, including Harry Manx, playing his instruments. The website is:

www.banjosonsaltspring.com

[Steve Branscom]

Mark,
Thanks. I literally just bought it this afternoon. It is going to be shipped to me here in SoCal from WA in the next day or so.

[David Innerebner]

In the last two days I have a line on two vintage oahu guitars for under 200 each. I am going in that direction for now. When I get a little better at the craft i will go for the bigger prize.

I appreciate the leads and the info. Besides picking up on steel, for the last year I've been playing my acoustics almost exclusively in open D and D minor and learning banjo after 35 years of standard tuning. I am rejuvenated with all the possibilities. Some day I hope to add the pedal steel and Mohanveena. In the mean time, trying not to over whelm myself.

[Mark Eaton]

I get what you're saying but don't sweat it - I've been overwhelmed musically for years.