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Topic: My home made lap steel 4-string bass |
Mark Mansueto
From:
Michigan, USA
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 22 Jun 2022 8:09 am |
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| very cool. i made a few lap basses. i found that the types of strings used made a big difference in how it sounds as does the scale. the longer the scale the better. |
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Mark Mansueto
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 22 Jun 2022 9:01 am
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Thanks Bill. I did see one of your basses that I think was an 8-string? What I remember for sure is that it looked and sounded great. Mine is definitely not in the same league as yours. I actually wanted it to be at least a 30" scale but I'm happy with 29" since it does seem to have good tension and I don't think I would like the frets any wider than they are now. I tried a set of round wound strings but ended up with flats that work better on this guitar.
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https://markmansueto.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/65dQ3EyZC2RaqawA8gPlRy?si=dOdqc5zxSKeJI9cISVVx_A |
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Joe Elk
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 22 Jun 2022 11:53 am
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Fine looking instrument!
Joe Elk Central Ohio |
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Lee Gauthier
From:
Victoria, BC, Canada
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Posted 22 Jun 2022 11:22 pm
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| Cool looking build. What kinda pickup did you put in, I have something that looks similar in one of my basses and I really like it. |
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Lee Gauthier
From:
Victoria, BC, Canada
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Posted 22 Jun 2022 11:28 pm
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| I like octaves 5ths and 4ths a lot in my bass lines. I'd try something like EAEA or EAEG# if I had one to play with. If you palm mute while plucking I bet you can get a real thumpy sound out of it. It's a bit tricky on bass when playing with two fingers, but I found it works if your hand position is pretty close to what we use for palm blocking. |
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted 23 Jun 2022 1:20 am
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So many creative and amazing luthiers here.
Great job. Love the headstock and colour (British spelling of colour) as well. 
_________________
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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Chase Brady
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 23 Jun 2022 5:07 am
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| For those of us who lack the skills/tools/patience to make our own, are there any builders out there offering bass laps at a reasonable cost? Alternately, has anyone tried modifying a standard bass guitar? |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 23 Jun 2022 7:02 am
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When I was playing a T-8 Stringmaster, I put bass strings on one of the necks, just the bottom four.
On the Stringmaster, one of the necks was made to do that.
Erv |
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Mark Mansueto
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 23 Jun 2022 1:29 pm
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| Lee Gauthier wrote: |
| Cool looking build. What kinda pickup did you put in, I have something that looks similar in one of my basses and I really like it. |
Lee, I don't know the brand since I've had it a while and there is no ID on it. There are a whole bunch of MFG's that make pickups that look exactly the same so I have a feeling they might all be made in the same factory. This pickup does sound good and the guitar is dead silent between notes.
Also, thanks for the tuning suggestions.
_________________
https://markmansueto.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/65dQ3EyZC2RaqawA8gPlRy?si=dOdqc5zxSKeJI9cISVVx_A |
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Mark Mansueto
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 23 Jun 2022 1:36 pm
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| Chase Brady wrote: |
| For those of us who lack the skills/tools/patience to make our own, are there any builders out there offering bass laps at a reasonable cost? Alternately, has anyone tried modifying a standard bass guitar? |
I personally don't know of anyone who builds lap steel basses which is why I picked this as a project. Before I started I tried my regular bass with a steel and it seemed to work but the strings were too low. I don't see why you couldn't raise the strings and play with a steel. The main difference is that the neck won't be as chunky as an actual lap steel guitar and string spacing will be closer together.
_________________
https://markmansueto.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/65dQ3EyZC2RaqawA8gPlRy?si=dOdqc5zxSKeJI9cISVVx_A |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 23 Jun 2022 4:44 pm
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| Chase Brady wrote: |
| For those of us who lack the skills/tools/patience to make our own, are there any builders out there offering bass laps at a reasonable cost? Alternately, has anyone tried modifying a standard bass guitar? |
I can build you one. Email me. |
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David DeLoach
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 23 Jun 2022 4:49 pm
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oops - duplicate post
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https://www.MasterGuitarists.com/
Last edited by David DeLoach on 24 Jun 2022 3:01 am; edited 1 time in total |
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David DeLoach
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 23 Jun 2022 4:49 pm
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Nice!!!
If I had a lap steel bass I think I'd try this tuning...
E-A-C#-E
It gives you a 4th
E-A-x-x
a 5th
x-A-x-E
a Major 6th
E-x-C#-x
a major 3rd
x-A-C#-x
a minor 3rd
x-x-C#-E
an octave
E-x-x-E
and a major chord
E-A-C#-E
You could get some really nice 2 note harmonies going up high on the neck with that tuning - and of course the obligatory disco bass octaves from the 70's lower down on the neck.
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https://www.MasterGuitarists.com/ |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2022 4:43 am
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i would only recommend tuning a lap bass like an electric or upright. so easy to play anything you want. here is a lap bass i made playing some music that really should not be able to be played on a lap steel  ....thats what cool about tuning like a bass. you can play any style a standard bass can play. tune it like you like, but E A D G will get you any bass part played. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s330c5gBx8s |
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Mark Mansueto
From:
Michigan, USA
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2022 8:06 am
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| Mark Mansueto wrote: |
| Bill, wow, your playing in that last video is excellent. I definitely need to spend some time practicing on mine. |
thank you sir.
practice is a good thing....been there...done that. |
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