Do you prefer the jack on the bass or treble side of a lap steel ?

[Pat Briggs]

Hi, just started playing lap steel guitar. I have an order in for a Clinesmith 8 string long scale frypan. I can have the jack placed on either the bass or treble side of the guitar. Wondering what placement you prefer and why ? Does it make any difference or is it a matter of personal preference ? I am currently playing an Asher Electro Hawaiian and the jack is on the treble side. I think I like the placement as the cord goes away from my body. My lap steel teacher likes it on the bass side. Any comments are appreciated. Thanks.

[Noah Miller]

Assuming you're right handed, I'd go for the treble side. I have a couple of old steels with the jack on the bass side, and the cable pokes into my leg.

[Michael Kiese]

Hi, just started playing lap steel guitar. I have an order in for a Clinesmith 8 string long scale frypan. I can have the jack placed on either the bass or treble side of the guitar. Wondering what placement you prefer and why ? Does it make any difference or is it a matter of personal preference ? I am currently playing an Asher Electro Hawaiian and the jack is on the treble side. I think I like the placement as the cord goes away from my body. My lap steel teacher likes it on the bass side. Any comments are appreciated. Thanks.

Aloha Pat,

That's a great question. I have a decent amount of vintage steels at this point, so I just got used to however they came. Some have jacks on the Treble side, some have jacks on the Bass side. I found that if I use a guitar cord with a right angle plug, it's comfortable for me either way. If you use a straight plug, your guitar cord sticks out like a sore thumb and screams "please trip over this". lol. It also looks a bit unkempt to my eye.

Here's my take: My preference is input jack on the bass side.

1) It's more comfortable for me to play that way because it reduces tripping hazard. The guitar cord is by your hip, not your foot. When you play steel in your lap, sometimes there is a tendency to step on your guitar cord when standing up. It can be clumsy, especially on a cluttered stage (which happens a lot).

2) Input jack on the bass side looks better on camera for pictures, video, and marketing. Having a clean audience perspective of your instrument just looks nice on camera.

All that being said, I just adapt to however the steel comes, where ever and however it is made. But in your case, you have the choice. I recommend putting the input jack by the Bass side and use a right angle plug on your guitar cord. That's my preference and it's the most comfortable for me. There's no "right" answer. It's just your personal preference.

Main thing is that you ENJOY playing your steel, and I'm sure you will with a Clinesmith. It's going to sound and play great no matter where you put the input jack.

[Ian Rae]

Ignorant question from a pedals-only player - Why can't it go on the end?

[Pat Briggs]

Thank you Noah and Mike. I am right handed . Ian , I’m not sure if it could go on the end , I was only told of the bass / treble options. Michael, the bass side is making more sense as I start playing more on my lap and become a bit more mobile as far as where I might be playing. The treble
side works for me now as I have the steel on a stand against the wall and back away from the guitar when I am done playing so no tripping. I appreciate the insight. Thanks, Pat.

[Michael Kiese]

Ignorant question from a pedals-only player - Why can't it go on the end?

Aloha Ian,

That's a good question.

I suppose as far as Todd Clinesmith is concerned, he's working with the molds he casts the aluminum in. If there's space for an input jack to be installed on the butt end on his current mold, I'd say it's possible. If there isn't space, he'd need to make a new mold, which means making a new design.

Playing lap steel kinda forces you into the vintage market. There have been all kinds of wacky steel guitar designs since 1930. That's part of what makes playing lap steel fun. It's like a treasure hunt for weird artifacts. I really enjoy finding weird steels around the country, and then I take a picture of it and text them to my mentor, Bobby Ingano. He usually knows what they are. At one time or another, Uncle Bobby has owned or played just about all the steels out there. He has quite a steel collection. That said, even he gets excited like a little kid when I find something he's never seen before.

I do believe I've seen one or two really old steels that did have an input jack on the end. Most steels don't have it on the end because there's not enough "real estate" on that side of the instrument. Sometimes Steels will have a string-through-body design, or like the post war Bakelites, there is a claw where you insert the ball end of the strings. For Rickenbachers, the end of the guitar is where the horseshoe magnet is, so there's not much room to put an input jack there.

As a side note, the old supros used their own proprietary input jack. You needed a special cord to use it. It looked kinda like an RCA plug. Terrible idea. You need to buy an adapter or opt to just take it out and put a 1/4" input jack (that's what I do).

Enjoy!

[Michael Kiese]

Michael, the bass side is making more sense as I start playing more on my lap and become a bit more mobile as far as where I might be playing. The treble
side works for me now as I have the steel on a stand against the wall and back away from the guitar when I am done playing so no tripping. I appreciate the insight. Thanks, Pat.

You're welcome, Pat! Glad to be of help.

Enjoy!

[Pat Briggs]

Mike, do you prefer a certain brand / length of instrument cable ?
Thanks, Pat.

[Jack Hanson]

Since virtually all of my playing nowadays is done with the instrument on a Deluxe34 stand, it really makes no difference to me. I have lap steels with the jack on the treble side, the bass side, and the butt-end. They all work equally well in a Deluxe34.

I'm right-handed; if I played an electric lap steel in the traditional method -- on my legs/in my lap -- I would prefer the jack and cable either on the treble side facing away from my body, or on the butt-end.

[Tim Whitlock]

I play old Rickenbacker lap steels with the jack on either the treble or bass side. Another vote for using a right angle plug. It looks so much cleaner than having a straight plug sticking out and mitigates problems that might occur with bumping the plug into something. Honestly, the question never occurred to me because the right angle plug works so well from either side.

[Bill Groner]

On this one I like it on the treble side and top. The steel is too thin for a jack mounted on the side or butt end.

[Glenn Wilde]

Ignorant question from a pedals-only player - Why can't it go on the end?

Aloha Ian,

That's a good question.

I suppose as far as Todd Clinesmith is concerned, he's working with the molds he casts the aluminum in. If there's space for an input jack to be installed on the butt end on his current mold, I'd say it's possible. If there isn't space, he'd need to make a new mold, which means making a new design.

Playing lap steel kinda forces you into the vintage market. There have been all kinds of wacky steel guitar designs since 1930. That's part of what makes playing lap steel fun. It's like a treasure hunt for weird artifacts. I really enjoy finding weird steels around the country, and then I take a picture of it and text them to my mentor, Bobby Ingano. He usually knows what they are. At one time or another, Uncle Bobby has owned or played just about all the steels out there. He has quite a steel collection. That said, even he gets excited like a little kid when I find something he's never seen before.

I do believe I've seen one or two really old steels that did have an input jack on the end. Most steels don't have it on the end because there's not enough "real estate" on that side of the instrument. Sometimes Steels will have a string-through-body design, or like the post war Bakelites, there is a claw where you insert the ball end of the strings. For Rickenbachers, the end of the guitar is where the horseshoe magnet is, so there's not much room to put an input jack there.

As a side note, the old supros used their own proprietary input jack. You needed a special cord to use it. It looked kinda like an RCA plug. Terrible idea. You need to buy an adapter or opt to just take it out and put a 1/4" input jack (that's what I do).

Enjoy!

I have an Oahu islander from '41 and it's Jack is on the end, it makes the most sense. I have all the options, bass side, treble side and end, it's my favorite. Always use a right angle plug on all of them.

[Pat Briggs]

Thanks for all of your replies. Looks like there is a definite preference for right angled cables. Opinions vary on jack placement although sometimes the guitar construction might dictate the placement.

[Jack Hanson]

I do believe I've seen one or two really old steels that did have an input jack on the end.

Virtually all postwar Gibson Ultratones, and all Gibson Centuries with the exception of the red ones from 1966 & 1967 have the jack mounted on the butt end.

[Michael Kiese]

On this one I like it on the treble side and top. The steel is too thin for a jack mounted on the side or butt end.

That's a really cool custom steel! It looks like a Bakelite, but made out of metal, and fitted with a valco pup. Certainly one of a kind right there.

Bet it sounds great.

[Michael Kiese]

Thanks to Glenn and Jack for chiming in about vintage lap steels with the plug on the bottom end.

I have not come across many of those steels, but it's very cool to know that they are out there!

Do you guys know if National had any steels with the input jack on the butt end? I can't recall clearly the one or two steels I saw with butt end jacks, but I seem to remember one may have been a National. Or at the very least something with a body like looked like a National New Yorker.

[Mike Harris]

FWIW, a Fender Stringmaster original input jack is sunk in and cannot accommodate a right-angle plug.

[Michael Kiese]

FWIW, a Fender Stringmaster original input jack is sunk in and cannot accommodate a right-angle plug.

Aloha Mike,

Not intentionally looking to discredit your contribution, because it very well may be the case.

That said, I have a 1955 Q8 Stringmaster, and my right angle plug fits into the recessed jack.

So perhaps, it could just be a matter of trying out a couple of right angle cords and finding one that fits.

[Roland Sturm]

I have a 1950s stringmaster, two necks. They have the jacks on the bass side, but not on top, rather on the side. Works fine, obviously has for generation of players, but a location that I always thought a bit awkward - at least with a standard cable - and the rear/treble side would have been a better choice. I can also fit a right angle cable into mine, then it pretty much doesn't matter, but there can be right angle plugs that are a little too fat or have the 90 degree turn too quickly to fit into the recessed outlet.

[Tony Oresteen]

I prefer the end. I have all 3 types. They all work.