How many Lap Steels is too much???

Terry VunCannon · Post by **Terry VunCannon** » 22 May 2004 7:45 am

Some times it seems that buying just one more Lap Steel or Guitar is like a sickness. Like everyone, I have my favorite one or two laps that I always play on gigs. But when I go on the forum, or eBay, & see a certain lap for sale, I just "have" to buy it. This seems to happen more with lap steels than with guitars. One friend told me that he does the same thing, that you have to buy these laps & play them to know if they are right for you. Certain ones just seem right, others you play for a while & just sell them.
This is so true. I took inventory this month & realized that I had 14 laps, plus my guitars. I just listed about 1/2 a dozen laps to sale on the forum, but I already have my eye on a couple of instruments that I would like to buy. I just like the process of buying & selling laps(More than Guitars). How many of you out there find yourself in this position of constantly looking, buying, & selling, & how many laps do you own?

Russ Young · Post by **Russ Young** » 22 May 2004 8:23 am

How many Lap Steels is too much?

Hmm ... how about "one more than I now own?"

I only have two electric lap steels right now -- a Rick B-6 and an MOTS National "Chicagoan." So I have my GAS completely under control! (Provided you don't count my two acoustic lap steels, and three squareneck resonators.

)

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 22 May 2004 8:44 am

It's definitely the most sensible way to find the instruments that are for you. This is how I acquired all of the guitars I currently own, including archtops. I do find that, left unchecked, it does become a major distraction that takes away from playing time. For the time being, I'm completely set with the instruments that I want/need, so that energy can now go to more productive pursuits.

Loni Specter · Post by **Loni Specter** » 22 May 2004 8:57 am

You can never have too many instruments. For me, that includes lap steels, guitars, bass, trumpet, drums, harmonica, amplifiers, cameras, firearms, and motorcycles.
My wife doesn't understand this and after 27 years together, she finally has stopped asking, "Where did that old thing come from?"( sometimes, I thought she was talking about me)
Oh yes, I recently found an old upright grand piano at a yard sale and managed to sneak it into the garage.(I don't play piano, yet) She did comment on that.
With musical instruments, I always buy whatever strikes my fancy knowing that I can always sell it at a profit or at least break even selling to a friend, if I decide not to keep it.I often search for instruments for friends knowing what they like. Most of the time I'm just buying a 'cleaner' version of something that I already own. I then put up worn piece for sale.
I often loan guitars and such to friends, sometimes forgetting about it for years, until they are returnred, or I visit the friend and and comment how I have a guitar like that, and they reply to me. "Loni, That's yours"
As you know guitars and lap steels etc, each have their oun voice. Even two of the same exact model will almost always sound a little diferent. That's the beauty of it!
If I could get away with collecting wives...
well you have to draw the line somewhere ;-}

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 22 May 2004 9:44 am

I think the ole saying,

"The only difference between men and boys, is the cost of their toys!",

is appropo here

carl

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 22 May 2004 10:09 am

How many of you out there find yourself in this position of constantly looking, buying, & selling,....?

Dum de dum de dum.......

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

[This message was edited by Steinar Gregertsen on 22 May 2004 at 11:09 AM.]

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 22 May 2004 10:20 am

How many Lap Steels is too much???

Hmmm, I'm still trying to find the answer to that one....

When you have to take out a home equity loan to replace all of the strings would be a good indication.[This message was edited by HowardR on 22 May 2004 at 11:21 AM.]

Dave Mayes · Post by **Dave Mayes** » 22 May 2004 10:31 am

One Lap Steel = "Sitting at the right hand of God"

Two Lap Steels = "At the Table"

Three Lap Steels = "Serving Those At the Table"

Four Lap Steels = "Purgatory"

Five Lap Steels = "Limbo"

Six Lap Steels = "ETERNAL DAMNATION" !!!

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 22 May 2004 10:37 am

Seven Lap Steels = Kosher Deli

John Pelz · Post by **John Pelz** » 22 May 2004 1:32 pm

"Too many lap-steels?" No such thing.

Although Howard does have a good point above-- you might have too many if you have to take out a home-equity loan just to replace the strings...

Kevin Ruddell · Post by **Kevin Ruddell** » 22 May 2004 1:38 pm

My name is Kevin and ... I'm a lapaholic. I started on a Regal squareneck , tried a Morrell for a while and now I have a Goldtone . Sometimes I have to play it before noon.
I just bid on another lap steel on that ebay place.
One's too many and a hundred ain't enough
doh !

Chuck Fisher · Post by **Chuck Fisher** » 22 May 2004 3:36 pm

Iagree that its necessary to buy a few to try them for a while, some are you, some are not...

I'm thinning mine down to all 22.5 to 22 7/8 scales with wide spaceing. I play 6 tunings, I musta gotta have:
<ul>
[*]two 6-strings one for D tunings one for E tunings
[*]An 8 string for E13
[*]My Benoit 8 Reso

[/list]

I kinda think a C6 ic going to need to be here but I'm not sure.

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 22 May 2004 3:47 pm

I'll try to settle with this setup:

GeorgeBoards 8-string in A6.
'Readneck' equipped strat in D, E and G related tunings (has Hipshot Trilogy bridge).
National New Yorker in E and C#m7.
National Dynamic in G and G6.
Oahu Diana in C6.

As I said, I'll try to settle with this setup, which theoretically should cover a lot of ground. but as we all know, there's always one more out there....

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 22 May 2004 4:09 pm

Steel Guitars are like money and spare time ... you never have ENOUGH !!!

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www.horseshoemagnets.com

Tighe Falato · Post by **Tighe Falato** » 23 May 2004 4:07 am

I think the Lay's potato chip slogan almost applies.....you can't own just one! So many flavors, tones, body styles, etc. plus it's a lot cheaper than collecting vintage archtops

! Of course just the historical significance since they were some of the first electric instruments marketed makes them even more interesting. I'm sure several SGF members have collections that require that second mortgage come string changin' time

!

Ian McLatchie · Post by **Ian McLatchie** » 23 May 2004 4:40 am

Better you should ask how much income is enough to buy all the lap steels one wants. As to how many steels one actually "needs" (a broad term, for which my wife's definition is very different from my own), my priorities have changed somewhat over time. At one point I had about 25 lap steels, in addition to my resophonic and acoustic Hawaiian guitars, and loved - and used - them all. The majority were Valcos, Harmonys, Oahus and so on - comparatively low-priced but visually appealing instruments which I valued as much or more for their beauty as their playability, although many were also excellent sounding guitars. If I'd had the foresight to grab more high-end Rickenbachers and Fenders when the prices were still relatively low, I'd probably still have many of those other guitars. Instead, I've gradually sold them all off to help finance the instruments I most desired; here the priority was overwhelmingly their value as players, although these also happen to be the lap steels I most treasure for their visual beauty. The current lineup includes pre-war 6 and 7 string bakelites, a Silver Hawaiian, a 7-string EH-150, a triple-eight Stringmaster and a Dual Professional, none of which I'm likely to part with in the foreseeable future, although I'm actually giving serious thought to selling my Fender Deluxe 8 to help finance a Weissenborn copy. Of my other instruments, the Yanuziello resophonic is certainly not going to leave my hands and the only conceivable way the Knutsen would do so would be to get me a frying pan.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 23 May 2004 8:17 am

I haven't reached that magic number myself yet.
Let's see - three Fenders, a Gibson, two Nationals, a Magnatone, two Rickenbackers... and a Zumsteel. That's not counting acoustics.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 23 May 2004 11:03 am

I guess I'm headed for "eternal damnation" (above) with 17 in my collection so far. Not that I am proud of it, well, perhaps I am. But each guitar has something distictive. Almost like each individual child in a family ... hard to part with any one of them. It's definitely an addiction ... difficult to pass up a guitar seen hanging forelornly on a retail wall or might be found in a dusty garage sale. But there are far worse addictions in this world ... right ?

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 23 May 2004 11:30 am

When the walls in your music room are too small on which to hang/display them.

John Pelz · Post by **John Pelz** » 23 May 2004 11:48 am

Isn't that when you just build another room, Ray?

I agree with George-- there are far worse things than lap-steel to be addicted to. But I prefer to call it an "avid interest"... (I'm not in denial, I swear I'm not!) It's a well-known fact that, like humans and apes, lap-steels are social animals and become depressed when isolated and when kept from enjoying the company of other lap-steels.

The most humane thing to do let them be around other lap-steels...

(But what do I know? I've just got 2, as you can see in my signature. That doesn't keep me from regularly monitoring "Buy & Sell" & E-bay, though...)

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1952 Fender Dual 8 Professional
circa 1938 Rickenbacker 59 student lap-steel
Peavey Delta Blues

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 23 May 2004 1:14 pm

"You don't need another steel guitar."-Mrs. Lee

(I love her anyway.)

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax[This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 23 May 2004 at 02:15 PM.]

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 23 May 2004 2:05 pm

Ask David Siegler

David Siegler · Post by **David Siegler** » 23 May 2004 2:15 pm

Hey Stephen, I only have 5 of them and would be happy to get rid of two of them. I like my new Ric, my Fender 6 Deluxe and my Gold Tone. The Chandler Hawaiin and the Gibson BR-9 are gonna go.

But then there's the issue of all the other types of guitars I like besides lap steels! I envy those who only have GAS for lap steels!

Donald Ruetenik · Post by **Donald Ruetenik** » 23 May 2004 3:50 pm

OK, I'll bite. What is 'GAS'? I suspect that it doesn't have anything to do with crab cake burritos and beer?.