D6 steel on the cheap

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Here my thoughts.... I already have a black Rogue RLS-1 lap steel (with legs). Thinking about buying another black one, modifying it like I did the first one. (Aluminum angle nut, line up bridge straight across, get rid of volume & tone controls). May also look at some upgraded tuners.

Now, how to make these into a D6 steel... would you:

1) use a black painted board to mount both steels side by side, with the "front" steel raised 1/2", attaching the Rogue leg sockets (4) to the bottom, and use the Rogue legs, and build a case for such, or,

2) use a keyboard stand with a carpeted board on top and just set the steels side by side on it.

Of course I plan to make up a switch box to switch between the steels.

And before you say "buy a better D6", I'm on a budget, and on SSD.
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Steve Green · From: Gulfport, MS, USA

By the time you bought an additional Rogue, (plus a board, carpet backing, switch box, possibly keyboard stand), not to mention all the time you would invest - you could purchase one of these for $145 + free shipping. It's basically a Rogue anyway, with a different name on the headstock. A rose by any other name . . . . .

CLICK HERE for $145 Double Six lap steel for sale
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Jeff Mead · From: London, England

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

I've looked at some close ups of those, and the build quality is not as good as the Rogues. I've seen bridges off as well as pickups. And I understand the Rogue is not a class A steel.
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William Rosen · From: Washington, USA

I've found one of these Cozart D6s to not be playable "as is" (strings are too low off the fretboard) but has potential after some fooling around with new nuts or nut risers, shimming up the bridges and pickups, new strings, etc. Sounds OK for what I paid for it. Cheap tuners seem to function fine. Nice paint finish, Only 20-1/2" scale.

Bill Rosen
Seattle

Stefan Robertson · From: Hertfordshire, UK

Work within your budget.

Calculate your totals for everything then decide if it's best to go this route.

As I know there are tons of cheap Chinese D6 I see all the time on the Bay. Usually in red.
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Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

If you are like me... I have tons of pickups, switches, pots, wires and all kinds of wood in my workshop. (I hate to throw anything away)
So it wouldn't cost me anything to combine the two rogues.

I would suggest you join the two, add wood filler where needed sand and paint etc. Finish it well! Spend extra time not money on the project.

I assume you have other steel guitars to play while doing the build.

It would be too bulky to play on your lap so the legs would be best option.

Just my opinion
Dom
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Larry Carlson · From: My Computer

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

Sounds like the keyboard stand would work as well; depending on the joinery (or lack of) between two bodies,
legs might not be as stable ultimately. I'd say do it. I like unique solutions.

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Thanks for the comments and ideas.

What I plan to do is use a good quality blank of wood, sanded 4 sides, and sanded some more, to join the steels side be side be attaching them to the blank. The outline would follow the outer edges of the lap steels.

The "front" guitar will be raised 1/2" by being mounted to a 1/2" blank cut to the outline of the guitar, and sandwiched between the larger blank and guitar. (NOTE: if you think the 1/2" dimension is not correct, let me know.)

I have saws, sanders and routers,and my neighbor has a car shop and a good painter.

I plan to use automotive quality paint for the blank, along with a good clear coat.

The switch may actually be leg mounted, with a common jack to the volume pedal, and two pigtails going to the guitar outputs.
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Bill Sinclair · From: Waynesboro, PA, USA

Hey Scott,
As much as I like the idea of you bolting a couple of Rogues together, I think I have a better solution. I've got one of these that I'm not using:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/on-stage-stands-platform-keyboard-stand

I think it would be much sturdier than the legs that come with a Rogue. You can have it for the price of shipping which will be about $25 from MD to TN. It weighs 16 lbs. but more like 20 when boxed. The top is 13 inches wide so you might not even need a carpeted board on top. Maybe you could devise some wingnut method (figuratively and literally)of strapping the two guitars together that could be easily undone so you still can use them as single necks. There are a couple of threads where this stand had been discussed and found to be a pretty good option. I've got a vintage Oahu tripod stand that I like using for single necks and my double neck has a set of legs so I don't really need this one anymore. Let me know.

Tom Pettingill · From: California, USA (deceased)

George Piburn · From: The Land of Enchantment New Mexico

I am with Tom
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Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

I suggest you abandon the rogue volume and tone controls and wire up the pickups up to a selector switch.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/fender-vintage-telecaster-control-plate

Then use a telecaster control plate in between the necks.

With a single volume and tone control for both.
It will look more professional and be useful as one or both necks
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Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Thanks for the offer Bill, I have a stand similar to that.
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I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

I generally play older gospel ("Red Backed Hymnal" stuff) which resides in these keys... G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F.

Here's what I am thinking about for copedent. NOTE: I play a weird "6th" tuning...

What do you think...?
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I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

your two "different" tunings really only offer the same intervals at different frets.

May I humbly suggest you keep one of them and use the other neck to reach extended chords and those intervals not possible on the first neck.

The Leavitt tuning would be a great compliment to the 6th tuning.

Dom
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Jamie Mitchell · From: Nashville, TN

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Thanks for the info Dom, I may look at that tuning some.

The 6th tunings I came up with (and by all means have probably be used before) lend themselves nicely to playing melody lines, and for doing just comping chords along with the band.

In looking at the two tunings I have in the chart, the E6 makes G, Ab, Bb and C keys appear centered on the steel.

The A6 makes C, Db, Eb and F appear centered on the steel.

These are keys that the "traditional" gospel songs are written in when using the "red backed church hymnal", Heavenly Highway Hymns, Mulls, and other convention books.

This keeps (IMHO) the playing in the optimum range, not getting into the "squeakiness" of the high range, nor getting into bar lifting when near the nut.
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Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

Scott;
That makes sense. You have essentially added lower and upper range to the same tuning and as long as you can remember where to find each chord on both necks you have the option of playing in two different octaves.

Dom
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Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Dom, believe me, I'll have cheat notes on the necks for a little while!
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I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

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