Lap Steel Stand

Bill Leff · Post by **Bill Leff** » 7 Jan 2005 4:12 pm

Don't know if this particular solution has been discussed before, but I heard about it on the IGS guitar forum
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/451292/

Gary Boyett · Post by **Gary Boyett** » 7 Jan 2005 4:21 pm

Check your email I sent you a picture of my stand.

Bill Leff · Post by **Bill Leff** » 7 Jan 2005 4:54 pm

Thanks Gary.

I'm set for a lap stand (had the good fortune of picking up a vintage stand at the Joliet HSGA convention this year). Just wanted to pass along the info on the Morrell stand in case anyone might be interested. I've only seen the picture, can't vouch for the quality etc.

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 7 Jan 2005 5:31 pm

I have one of those. It's adequate, but far from ideal. It's essentially just a keyboard stand with a clamp. 3 or 4 years ago they were about $40, now they cost more than some lap steels. It's too bad somebody doesn't make the old Oahu-style stands anymore.

I recall a thread where Rick Aeillo was talking about a sawhorse that Home Depot sells that could be adapted and used as a stand - a bit heavy, but then having a low center of gravity is good for stability.

When I got my first steel (a Champion) I took the center shaft out of a standard mic stand and screwed a second base upside down onto the lower shaft - sort of like a barbell. Then the steel sat on it. The height isn't adjustable, but it worked for me at the time.

For versatility and stability, nothing beats a great set of legs.

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Rick Alexander
57 Fender Stringmaster T8, 69 Strat, Rickenbacker BD6
Music Man & Peavey Amps

Kevin Ruddell · Post by **Kevin Ruddell** » 8 Jan 2005 4:35 am

I came across an old broken high school type desk with attached book shelf bin that was being thrown out due to a broken desktop and broken rivets on the book shelf. After removing the two pair of adjustable legs I screwed their bases onto a piece of wood with edges sanded down and stained and sealed. I attached one inch pipe clamp hangers that accept 3/8" threaded rod to each leg and threaded rods from each leg to it's opposite mate on the underneath of the wood base. A piece of non slip material from K Mart's rug aisle and I have a nice light stand for my Georgeboard lap with adjustable legs in one inch increments. When I get a digital camera this year I'll post some pictures on the No Peddlars forum

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 8 Jan 2005 5:33 am

, nothing beats a great set of legs

Rick,are you "fishing" for the straight man position in my act?

That one's just to easy. I'll leave that to the newbies...

The HD metal saw horse is compact but the darn thing is heavy and the legs are adjustable in increments by removing wing nuts & screws. IMO, not convenient and it's weight is not desirable for lugging around.

I've had this idea to buy legs & sockets, cut and shape a piece of wood, cover it with thin non slip material with 1/2" holes drilled all over but not all the way through. You could then place any lap steel on it and secure it in place by using 6 short 1/2" dowels on the sides, the top, and bottom.

Denny Turner · Post by **Denny Turner** » 9 Jan 2005 8:06 am

Looks to me like that Morrel stand could be made rather easy out of 2" PVC pipe and fittings, 2 sets of pipe clamps, a stainless spanner strap, and some rubber O-rings or other padding.

Aloha,
DT~[This message was edited by Denny Turner on 09 January 2005 at 08:08 AM.]

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 9 Jan 2005 10:09 am

The HD metal saw horse is compact but the darn thing is heavy and the legs are adjustable in increments by removing wing nuts & screws. IMO, not convenient and it's weight is not desirable for lugging around.

But between sets ... it does make a dandy "Horizontal Groupie Welcoming Station" ...

Try that with the Morrell or a Vintage Frypan stand ...

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Aiello's House of Gauss


My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

Mike Simpson · Post by **Mike Simpson** » 9 Jan 2005 10:45 am

A while back I played on a Slide guitar Showcase and one of the other performers was a band called Major Lingo and Tony Bruno uses a fender leg steel with a blanket on it as a stand for his bakelite Rick. I suppose it could also serve as a back up in case something went wrong with the Rick.

I have a chrome folding lap steel stand that folds up but the legs or whatever it stands on is missing, all I have is the part that holds the lap steel with some felt pads on it. It has 3 wing nuts on the bottom where it would have attached to the legs, there is no name on it.

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Big Mike
http://www.blueswizards.net

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 9 Jan 2005 12:33 pm

Well, that's about as useful as a one - legged man in a butt kicking contest!

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 9 Jan 2005 12:34 pm

.[This message was edited by HowardR on 09 January 2005 at 12:35 PM.]

Denny Turner · Post by **Denny Turner** » 10 Jan 2005 9:16 am

PVC pipe could also be used to make 2 twin "H"-leg units that fold up against a plywood top, ...similar to the leg sets that are sold in hardware stores to make plywood tables with folding leg-pair sets. I think an additional horizontal bar at the top of each leg unit would be required for stability (a squared "A" affair).

A top could be made in a 2 piece laminated affair, with the top piece having a cut-out matching the shape of the Steel intended for it. A 1 piece top might utilize 4 pieces of 1"x3" blocks with slots cut in to receive wing-nut bolts to allow adjusting the 4 pieces as fences for any Steel shape. Rubber protective surface can be painted on with liquid rubber made for tool handles; Although many plastics and rubbers can stain a nitro guitar finish if left in contact with the instrument over a period of time.

Aloha,
DT~[This message was edited by Denny Turner on 10 January 2005 at 09:16 AM.]

Alan Kirk · Post by **Alan Kirk** » 10 Jan 2005 11:55 am

I would like to post some pictures of an adjustable height lap steel stand I made that is based on a stand I saw Persian Santur (hammered dulcimer) player using. It cost me about $12-$15 to make and works in either sitting or standing position. (I’m 6'4" tall.)

If you are at all handy, this is an easy project. It’s based on a triangle, and is very stable. The eight main pieces of wood are 1"x4"x24". It uses four 1-3/4" carriage bolts (with two each flat washers, one each lock washer and one each nut), two hinges, some rubber feet, and cork for the surfaces upon which the lap steel rests.

I’ve had one of those x-type lap steel stands, and it didn’t get high enough for standing, for me, or low enough for sitting (it was too wide for my smaller lap steel). Unsatisfactory for my purposes, which is why I made my own.

I need assistance in posting these pictures.

Thanks.

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Bill Leff · Post by **Bill Leff** » 10 Jan 2005 12:12 pm

I love that the Major Lingo steel player carts a Fender single-neck Stringmaster to the gig so he can lay a blanket on top of it and plays a Rickenbacher bakelite on the gig!

Mike Simpson · Post by **Mike Simpson** » 10 Jan 2005 12:46 pm

Bill,
Tony Bruno in Major Lingo is an amazing steel player. Their style although quite original is a rock style and may not be your cup of tea but worth a listen to see what else can be done with a steel. There are some MP3's on their site. You can also see some pics of his setup there.

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Big Mike
http://www.blueswizards.net

Bill Leff · Post by **Bill Leff** » 10 Jan 2005 1:29 pm

Hey Mike - I listened to the mp3s before I posted and dug what he was doing. Sounded great. I wasn't dissing him - just thought it was funny to use a Stringmaster as a table

Mike Simpson · Post by **Mike Simpson** » 10 Jan 2005 1:33 pm

Yeah, I thought it was funny too, that's why I posted it. I've never seen him play the Fender but he might sometimes. I have only seen him play the Rick.

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Big Mike
http://www.blueswizards.net

Denny Turner · Post by **Denny Turner** » 11 Jan 2005 12:39 am

Alan,

Here are the pics of your lap steel stand.

Aloha,
Denny T~
[This message was edited by Denny Turner on 11 January 2005 at 12:40 AM.]

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 11 Jan 2005 10:43 am

I'd like to find a good stand for my Dobro, I hate playing the dang thing with a strap and usually just set on a chair with it on my lap.....JH

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Livin' in the Past and Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

Kenny Brown · Post by **Kenny Brown** » 11 Jan 2005 5:20 pm

I took apart my ironing board and zip tied a grate to the legs, stapled a piece of green felt to rectangle shaped piece of plywood, set that on top of the grate, set my lap steel on that. Nothing fancy, in fact, kinda redneckish, but I couldn't invest a lot of money when I wanted to get started on steel and there you have it!

Works great! And I get to play my favorite instrument, so necessity is the mother of invention, or something.

Gary Boyett · Post by **Gary Boyett** » 11 Jan 2005 6:27 pm

Did I read the ironing board right?

ROFLMAO!!!

That ain't right...

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50'sFender Dual-Pro, 56 Fender Double Stringmaster, Melobar "Red Rat" 63' Gretsch Country Gentleman, Fender TV Front & my lil Roland Micro Cube!!!

Kenny Brown · Post by **Kenny Brown** » 11 Jan 2005 7:30 pm

you read it right Gary!

not a good pic of the whole honky tonkin ironin' board, but the puppy works!

Travis Bernhardt · Post by **Travis Bernhardt** » 11 Jan 2005 7:59 pm

You can get a cheap keyboard stand at your music store for around $10USD. There are any number of cheap ways to modify it to take your lap steel after that.

-Travis

Denny Turner · Post by **Denny Turner** » 12 Jan 2005 9:01 am

I use an ironing board in the shop as a quick set-up / storable / portable "table" to inspect or do minor work on guitars. I was playing a Rick lap steel on it tonight and was surprised how stable it was. It reminded me to visit this thread; And lo and behold, I see Kenny's similar experience! I don't think there would be enough leg room to sit and play though. Shootz, I thought it would look pretty "trick" on a stage!

Aloha,
DT~

Denny Turner · Post by **Denny Turner** » 13 Jan 2005 1:00 pm

Hey Kenny, ....tell Wild Man Steve a voice from the distant past said hello!

Aloha,
DT~