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Topic: My 1st 10 string lap steel DIY Kits Thoughts? EHarp E13 C6 |
George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
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Posted 28 Apr 2022 1:49 pm |
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Hello from George Mr.Boards
We created the 1st GeorgeBoard S10 String Lap Steel Slide Guitar DIY Kits.
It is designed to be a wide variety of straight across lap steel set ups.
23 scale with string through dots set to help you place the dill bit.
My Graduated™ HeadStock in 10 string. Nearly perfect straight pulls to the tuner posts adds sustain and tone.
I am confident that there will be no up lift deflection.
I've wanted to make a contemporary eHarp - so I chose to make the pickup pocket for a 4" Alumitone Tone Bar.
With a pick guard you could house a lot of off the shelf pickups.
We are back into the brass bar cnc milled nut and bridges, super nice, - waiting now for the protos to come back.
My new secret formula allows you to set up the depths of the strings to any gauge you desire.
Now I'm thinking the E13th folks and extended C6th might like these.
So .. wadda you think, I like the input before investing into making a bunch of anything.
_________________
GeorgeBoards S8 Non Pedal Steel Guitar Instruments
Maker of One of a Kind Works of Art that play music too.
Instructional DVDs
YouTube Channel |
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Bob Tuttle
From:
Republic, MO 65738
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Posted 28 Apr 2022 6:25 pm
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| I think it's a great idea. I'll definitely be a customer. Let me know when they are available. |
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted 28 Apr 2022 10:26 pm
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A few thoughts these are mostly subjective so you don't have to agree. Just ideas.
1. Won't the tension mess up/crack the headstock as its wood - MSA Superslide use metal to avoid this
2. Stringing it up looks like it may be harder with the wood under the headstock - so a quick change may not be possible if a string breaks
3. 12 string versions would be cool
4. A coke bottle style/hour glass/tear drop body shape is always more appealing - but hey that's subjective. I think the Gibson EH150 is the slickest body shape ever.IMHO
5. Can it be made at an affordable entry level price - an add on would be a hard case that actually fits the exact model shape
6. George L's E66 pickup option would be nice too.
7. Scale length 22.5 " is easier for slants with narrow string spacing for me at least. Allows me to cover modern inversions over a wider number of strings.
8. A little extra might be a smoother volume and tone control pots with more smooth curve to and wider range so designed for steel players like a Hilton.
Whew.. just some ideas. Don't know if its possible but those would be some ideas I would go for. 
_________________
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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George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
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Posted 29 Apr 2022 5:25 am Answers to your questions
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Hello and good morning to all. Thank you guys for the input so far.
Thanks Bob - I am making Fretboards next week or two, and same with the nut and bridge system.
Stephan Thanks for input too. I'll try to answer your questions.
1 That head stock won't crack under tension for a great number of reasons, 1.724 inches thick to start.
I've built and sold world wide this head stock over 500 times with no cracking or feed back about such problems.
I talked extensively with Maurice Anderson as he developed his super slide.
His use of metal, had little or nothing to do with head cracks, it had everything to do with MSA already owning all of the Metal Working machinery - and the accuracy it provides.
2 The tuners point up just like all of the pedal steels in the universe so I think it is easy to change strings in a hurry.
3 I have 12 string versions programmed too.
4 I've made hundreds of "Hula Body" laps and agree in the looks department-
in todays world of out of control inflation my effort to reduce the cost makes a guitar style head stock and shapely body doubles my cost to make.
5 These are made at the most cost affordable right now.
I've had custom G&G cases made over the decades, they are more cost than this Kit and I have to order so many to get even one made to fit a custom shape.
6 I can cut any pickup pocket I can draw in a computer graphics program. Just add programming and proto-typing Fees.
7 This current model can be set up 22.5 quite easy. Just move the N&B a 1/4" before attaching.
8 The control is set up to take full sized pots, every flavor on the market should drop right in.
Looks like I've covered a lot of your Ideas and could cover all of the others with some Custom Order Fees.
So Folks , I am not doing some big sales pitch just looking for input and eyedeers.
I very much appreciate the input so far and would love more please keep it coming.
_________________
GeorgeBoards S8 Non Pedal Steel Guitar Instruments
Maker of One of a Kind Works of Art that play music too.
Instructional DVDs
YouTube Channel |
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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 29 Apr 2022 8:54 am
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It looks pretty nice Geo. I love to see a plain piece of timber after it is machined. I guess those 2 in the pics are poplar?
If I was in the market for one, I'd check it out. I have a friend who has a MSA 8 string with an aluminum head. He told me it takes a while for it to settle down when the temp changes, so your wood I'm sure would be less prone to going out of tune. Good luck with your new venture.
_________________
Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40 |
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C. E. Jackson
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Adam Tracksler
From:
Maine, USA
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Posted 30 Apr 2022 6:16 am
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| What would they cost? |
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George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
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Posted 30 Apr 2022 12:03 pm Thanks fellows
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Bill, thanks I've loved following your builds always nice. I can't say about the Aluminum VS Wood ,
but I did sell a lap steel to the player in the Disney World Polynesian Show, for that same reason,
his Frypan did the same thing is what he told me anyway.
CE Thanks too , you are the real treasure chest so to speak a major inspiration for me.
Adam, 200 usd for what you see, a milled 1 piece solid body plus a control cover plate set for 2 full sized pots.
The way we do our Kit's is; Ala' Carte per part - or per labor fee.
Everything else we offer is per part. FretBoards - Nut- Bridges- Tuners- Jackouts- Pots Cap.
Labor is stuff like tuner holes string through holes pre set the nut and bridge to length.
What I would really like is for serious folks to come to Albuquerque
stay at an extended place across the street where make these.
Make 20 or more and take them home to finish out and sell under your own name.
You do not need to own or maintenance any of the expensive machinery Robotics computers or software, pay for any power, or even have a shop.
This savings alone is enough to make over 100 lap steels.
Just invest money. We can get nice enough wood here too.
_________________
GeorgeBoards S8 Non Pedal Steel Guitar Instruments
Maker of One of a Kind Works of Art that play music too.
Instructional DVDs
YouTube Channel |
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted 1 May 2022 2:32 am
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Thanks for the reply George
Happy with a detailed response that answers questions. I wish you tons of success and maybe one day hope to own one.
Sounds like a cool idea - a bit difficult for me with no tools or limited space here. However may be a project I can tackle at some point.
Love the laps you make nice touch. Keep going.
_________________
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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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 1 May 2022 4:24 am
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Looking at Geo's pics. I think if you had a screwdriver, a sanding block, some sand paper, and a hand drill, you could easily finish what Geo has started. You would need to buy the B n N, tuners and Pup, but most of the physical and mental work is done for you. Maybe if you are limited with your tools, Geo could put the tuner holes in? I think that would be the hardest part, getting them straight. 
_________________
Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40 |
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George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
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Posted 1 May 2022 5:10 am Bill got it.
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Thanks Stefan if I had any youth left I would be making completed steel guitars. My aging Lungs and muscles no longer allow me to make things as I did for all of those years.
Bill you are on the right track, as I briefly described above, Some folks want to do all of the hole drilling and so on, I can and do help folks by providing all of that.
I Charge Labor to preset the nut and bridge, drill string throughs ready for top ferrules, drill tuner holes, jack out holes.
Basically speaking I can completely make these playable out of the box, just no sanding or painting. The other side of the equation is Labor Fees to do all of that.
The big idea is I sell Kits
and for money I can make these so a person can do a set up on their kitchen table if they have no work area.
For that matter I have clients who prefer to not do any sanding or painting, just raw wood.
I have clients that pay extra for Exotic woods like Walnut - Sapele - Mahogany.
Our simple motto: Add Money and Stir.
The eyedeer that a Kit to create a professional quality lap steel guitar should cost 59 bucks is a fantasy.
_________________
GeorgeBoards S8 Non Pedal Steel Guitar Instruments
Maker of One of a Kind Works of Art that play music too.
Instructional DVDs
YouTube Channel |
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Paul Strojan
From:
California, USA
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Posted 5 May 2022 5:23 pm
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| I would be interested in a keyless 10 or 12 string kit to be a combination of a practice board for pedal steel and a quality travel guitar. |
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George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
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Posted 6 May 2022 6:26 am Intersting Idea
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Paul, interesting Idea , How many do you want to make?
It costs so much to create a design to full fruition, then program a Robotic Router to cut it out.
You may as well make as many as you can to amortize the initial costs across the quantity you make.
Sonny Jenkins is the man for keyless steel guitars, I'm not certain if he is still building, I've seen him in the builders corner recently.
_________________
GeorgeBoards S8 Non Pedal Steel Guitar Instruments
Maker of One of a Kind Works of Art that play music too.
Instructional DVDs
YouTube Channel |
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Paul Strojan
From:
California, USA
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Posted 8 May 2022 7:46 pm
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| I would just like one guitar, I don't think it would be too hard to chop off the keyhead and make a keyless guitar. |
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George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
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