7 String Lap Steels...tell me more!

[Tyler Nuffer]

Purchased a bunch of Jerry Byrd transcriptions in his Diatonic Tuning from Scotty's Music and itching to dive in!

After digging through the forums it seems that the string spacing/neck width is crucial for proper slanting. 8 string steels generally have narrower necks so it seems a 7 string with a wider neck would be worth the investment...

If anyone has an opinion on this would love to hear it. Also figured it could be a chance for you folks to show off your 7 stringers!

[Jack Hanson]

For C6, I prefer a 6-string with wide string spacing. Most Gibsons and Rics work well. Valcos and most Fender 6-strings have narrower spacing.

I have one 7-string that I tune to A6. It's a rescue Gibson Ultratone with Stringmaster-style pickups and the same wide string spacing as a 6-string. I dubbed it the "Ultramaster" and I love it:

[John Rosett]

Jack-Did your guitar start out as a 7 string?

[Tyler Nuffer]

For C6, I prefer a 6-string with wide string spacing. Most Gibsons and Rics work well. Valcos and most Fender 6-strings have narrower spacing.

I have one 7-string that I tune to A6. It's a rescue Gibson Ultratone with Stringmaster-style pickups and the same wide string spacing as a 6-string. I dubbed it the "Ultramaster" and I love it:

Good to know thanks Jack! Cool steel! Also wondering if you modified it?

The old gibson ultratones are very cool and seem very comfortable to play. Would love to find a fairly priced 7 string Gibson or Ric...they are rare and expensive online...keeping my eyes open.

keep those 7 strings coming folks!

[John Rosett]

Here's a cool old Epiphone on ebay for cheap: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vtg-40s-Epipho ... 2833046712

[Bill Sinclair]

Here's Astro boy, my 60's(I think) Japanese Teisco Model 7L. Short scale (20.5") but with very wide parallel string spacing. Currently has an A6 tuning with E on top. Wish the scale was a couple inches longer.

[Jack Hanson]

Jack-Did your guitar start out as a 7 string?

The Ultratone came out of the factory as a 7-string. It had been heavily modified somewhere along the line. I saw it on eBay, recognized what it was, and won it with a fairly low bid.

It had been butchered into a 6-string by adding the pickup and a chopped down mounting plate from a Gibson Skylark:

[Jack Hanson]

Also wondering if you modified it?

Indeed I did. Since the instrument had already been severely altered from its stock configuration, I decided to take a few liberties.

I had always liked Freddie & Leo's Stringmasters and Deluxes with their twin pickups. I had Jerry Sentell in California custom build a pair of 7-string Stringmaster-style pickups with the polepieces spaced to match the wider Gibson-style string spacing.

Forumite Dave Peterson in Arizona machined a custom 7-string bridge with the same string spacing as Gibson's 6-string bridges. (Thanks, Dave!)

I made a new 7-string nut from aluminum bar stock with the same string spacing as a Gibson 6-string nut.

I fabricated a pickup mounting plate and a jackplate from StewMac plastic pickguard material, and installed all new knobs, pots, tone caps, wiring, and output jack. The keystone tuners are Gotohs.

It doesn't look all that great, but it's comfortable to play and it sounds wonderful. I had originally considered a complete refin, but just can't come to grips with pulling it all apart at this point -- it's just too fun to play.

[Tyler Nuffer]

Jack, that is very cool you were able to Frankenstein that old steel and bring it back. Seems like it was worth all the work...respect!

Bill, that 60's Teisco is making me very jealous. Love everything about the design (i agree could use a few more frets maybe). I'll keep my eye out for one!

[Bill Creller]

Nice save, on an old instrument, Jack ! Looks great

[James Kerr]

Here is my 7 Stringer Tyler, self build and I love it Here is what it sounds like (please excuse the vocal, I was in trouble with my throat and just recorded this to hear how bad it was getting.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKZQFcoHu9o

And here where you can see the Instrument played. 23 Inch Scale and 3 octave fret board,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTmg9o1UXOo



James Kerr

[Tyler Nuffer]

Here is my 7 Stringer Tyler

Wow that is a rad steel! I'll check out Springfield Guitar Co.

Watching you play "Pua Lilia" on youtube, awesome stuff!

I know there are more folks out there with 7 stringers...bring them on!

[John Rosett]

Here's an old Gibson BR-4 that I converted to 7 string. I received it stripped of finish and missing the pickup.

[John Rosett]

7-string Resonator conversion:

[John Rosett]

7 string neck of my '48 Gibson Console Grande:

[Tyler Nuffer]

By the way, have done some research on 7 strings and optimal dimensions for slants...

it seems that 3/8" string spacing at both nut and bridge ("Straight No Taper") and a 22"-23" scale length is ideal...if anyone has an example of a steel like this would love to see it.

Have found a couple Epiphone Electar Zephyr 7 strings but not sure about their dimensions...22 1/2" scale and 2 1/2" nut width (seems like it's roughly a 3/8" string spacing for their 6 strings...not sure about 7)

Any examples or thoughts on the subject would be appreciated!

[Mark Helm]

This beauty was mine for a while, then I lost a job and freaked, so it was sold to Bobby Ingano. Two days after I sold it, I got another full-time gig. Ugh. Bummed I lost it, but it could scarcely be in better hands!

[Josei Alfonsi]

Here’s a picture of my 7 string John Morton tricone and a 7 string Bakelite.

[Kevin Brown]

Here’s my own designed ‘wave’. Built by the late John Blakey. Console twin that converts to two identical instruments that can be used as ordinary stand alone models. Mounted on collapsible matching stand and stool. Heavily inspired by danelectro and valco industries.

[Tyler Nuffer]

Dang, I guess I should get more creative. Love the modified steels and the classic additions as well!

[Allan Revich]

Just got this beauty today. Still trying to decide how to tune it. I haven’t come close to mastering C6, so leaning towards open D

D F# A D F# A D

or maybe a simple G6

G B D E G B D

[Allan Revich]

I tried the G6 tuning with the middle E. The 6th didn’t really cause me problems, but I had trouble adjusting to a tuning without the root at both ends.

I’ve retuned to G B E G B D G and that seems to be working for me.

To simplify my life, I’d like to do an open G tuning on my 6 string lap steel too, but I’m not sure about the best route that will still give me a G on strings 1 and 6.

Suggestions?

Edit: After a bit of experiment, the 1 5 1 3 5 1 like open D (or E) seems to be working for me...G D G B D G.

Also a simple matter to get the G6 / Em happening with GEGBDG

[Allan Revich]

The National has left for a new home, but these two have joined me in my home.
A post-war Rickenbacher B7, and Fouke Industrial Guitars 7 string made for me by Chris.



Tuned to G9, gGBDFAD.

EDIT: Joined by a Gibson EH-100 7 string in 2021. Same tuning.[/b]

[Allan Revich]

Figured I’d post a pic of the Gibson, and maybe encourage some folks besides me to post pics of their sevens!

[Jack Hanson]

I'm a sucker for rescues. I obtained this well-worn carcass:

and converted it into this well-worn, totally functional, awesome-sounding 7-string.

I set it up in A6 with an E on top and an A on the bottom. It's fun to play and it sounds wonderful.