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Topic: What would you want if you could design a lap steel |
Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 7 Dec 2017 7:42 pm |
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Friend of mine came over to the house today. He is an electric guitar luthier, who is up and coming and winning a lot of awards these days, plus being an incredibly nice guy. Chihoe Hahn of Hahn Guitars. https://www.hahnguitars.com/
We started talking about lap steels. He says: let's make a lapsteel. So, we'll see.
But if you had a friend like Chihoe who told you you could help design your ultimate lap steel, what is important to you? |
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Brooks Montgomery
From:
Idaho, USA
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Posted 7 Dec 2017 9:42 pm
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I think I'd want a lap steel that was colored *exactly* like his model 229, but had a body more like the 910. With a belly bar and with humbuckers that really have the blues tone.
Those guitars of his are beauties!!
_________________
A banjo, like a pet monkey, seems like a good idea at first. |
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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 8 Dec 2017 6:40 am Re: What would you want if you could design a lap steel
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But if you had a friend like Chihoe who told you you could help design your ultimate lap steel, what is important to you?
What would be important? I think keeping him as a friend would be top of the list! That guy builds some really nice stuff! Talented man. 
_________________
Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40 |
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James Hartman
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 8 Dec 2017 7:44 am
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Met Mr. Hahn before he was "famous", at one of the NY Amp Shows, played the Tele he'd brought along. Nice guy, sweet guitar.
If I was having a custom build done, I'd be considering the obvious: scale length, string spacing, fretboard material and design, overall size and weight of the instrument, body structure (solid? chambered or hollow? wood&metal plate sandwich?).
If it turns out he enjoys building this one for you, I'd be happy to volunteer to receive the next one.
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Stephen Abruzzo
From:
Philly, PA
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Posted 8 Dec 2017 7:44 am Re: What would you want if you could design a lap steel
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| Bill McCloskey wrote: |
Friend of mine came over to the house today. He is an electric guitar luthier, who is up and coming and winning a lot of awards these days, plus being an incredibly nice guy. Chihoe Hahn of Hahn Guitars. https://www.hahnguitars.com/
We started talking about lap steels. He says: let's make a lapsteel. So, we'll see.
But if you had a friend like Chihoe who told you you could help design your ultimate lap steel, what is important to you? |
Pretty cool offer to get!
Pick a steel shape, either of your own design or his and then you both give input as to what is likely to work and come to an agreement as to shape.
What kind of music you play will help determine the pickups you get in conjunction with the selection of wood.
This is EXACTLY how it was for me when Tom Pettingill would build a steel for me. Throwing ideas around and making selections.
It is an incredibly FUN process to be involved in. You want your steel to sound awesome.....and you also want it to be aesthetically pleasing too.
Enjoy!
_________________
Four Pettingills and a Clinesmith Aluminum. Fender Blues Junior. Quilter Mini-101. |
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Terry VunCannon
From:
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 8 Dec 2017 9:15 am
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I have done just that with my laps. It is a lot of fun.
1-Shape, 2-Scale, 3-# of strings, 4-Pickup, 5-Wood. |
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 8 Dec 2017 12:59 pm
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An important consideration is the position of the controls. The volume control should be easily reached from the general picking area of the strings, so volume swells are not awkward. The tone control can, perhaps should, be moved well clear of the playing hand.
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Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 8 Dec 2017 1:22 pm
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| Funny, before I posted this I had no idea that Chihoe was so well known. He is just a guy from the neighborhood who I knew built guitars. I know him more as a musician who plays the local open mics and jams. Very very nice man. We are planning on getting together in January to play some music. |
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted 8 Dec 2017 9:37 pm
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Good question:
1. Scale length = 22.5 - easier for slants
2. Nut and Bridge same string spacing - also made of steel/aluminium - pedal steel string spacing
3. 12 strings - more options
4. Volume and Tone Controls lower than string height
5. George E-66 pickup or if you can get a re-issue of the Charlie Christian pickup
6. Tuners facing up easier to tune
7. Machine head like a pedal steel
8. Lightweight - simple shape like a Straight body pedal steel/gibson EH 150 if you can.
9. Hardwood body for max resonance
10. 4 legs/mark roeder stand deluxe
_________________
Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com
"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist" |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 10 Dec 2017 1:16 am
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Yar, agree on strings. The MSA guys do a tasteful job with the SuperSlide of allowing either a 12-string narrow spaced or 10-strings with wider spacing. It's downright tragic to see all the incredible work done on all these beautiful sixers, but they forget the last four strings! I guess you can use them to prop up the window or something. And then two further, subtle-but-dealmakers for me - a SLOT where the bridge goes, all ready to receive your delrin, ultem, steel, brass, or aluminum rod. And, even sneakier, a pickup PLATE, mebbe a flamey maple plate for the pickup(s) to mount upon - with a swimming pool rout underneath. So you could go all hog-wild with PICKUP PLACEMENT. If I have ONE minor sniv about the Superslides, it's that with all that aluminum, and a laminated birch (Dymondwood) neck, it's just naturally gonna be "bright" and the pickup is right butted up against the bridge. I put some little resistors on alligator clips and bridged them across BOTH the tone and volume pots, it worked, but still. If you've ever got Fouked, you see all that aluminum and some... resin stuff? It "wood"* be teeth-cracking bright but the pickup's a good 1.5" out so it isn't. It's not really a secret, look at Fenders. Does Mr. Hahn "relic?" I have a specific policy against EVER giving anyone who does that my money.
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| But the neck is rounded just like an old vintage guitar that been played for NARRNARRNARR!!! |
If your THUMB is scraping off binding, rounding off wood and fret ends, what, you're a LIZARD? Exoskeletal LOBSTER?!?
*(no) |
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