All Things Lap Steel!

[Mudfuzz]

I've been eying this thing pretty hard: http://www.ebay.com/itm/370616937342?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619

I understand that the quality won't be top notch but it looks like a fairly decent instrument considering the price.
As Lapsteel (the person) stated there are far less things that can go wrong/be bad with a lap steel than with a guitar.
This will be my first lap steel and the only real concern I have is that it might suck so bad that it puts me off playing
lap steel for the foreseeable future.

Is that possible?

Other then the pickup and tuners.. no.. really all a lapsteel is a 2x6 with strings...

[MEC]

I've been eying this thing pretty hard: http://www.ebay.com/itm/370616937342?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619

I understand that the quality won't be top notch but it looks like a fairly decent instrument considering the price.
As Lapsteel (the person) stated there are far less things that can go wrong/be bad with a lap steel than with a guitar.
This will be my first lap steel and the only real concern I have is that it might suck so bad that it puts me off playing
lap steel for the foreseeable future.

Is that possible?

Other then the pickup and tuners.. no.. really all a lapsteel is a 2x6 with strings...

That's pretty much what I was thinking. Worst case, I spend a couple more bucks to get it sounding
like I want it to.

It also looks like that pickup kind of just sits up on the top so I could probably throw what ever
I wanted on there with little modification.

Check this out: (3:13 )

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvKbbDBeBNo[/youtube]

[Chankgeez]

... the only real concern I have is that it might suck so bad that it puts me off playing
lap steel for the foreseeable future.

Is that possible?

Other then the pickup and tuners.. no.. really all a lapsteel is a 2x6 with strings...

Yeah, it's possible.

Think about it. Would you wanna play the crappiest beginner guitar you can find or would you wanna spend a little bit more and get something half way decent?

It's true that a lap steel is just wood & wire, but the more you spend, the higher the quality, the happier you'll be.

Cheap lap steels just feel cheap and flimsy. I'd advise you to spend a couple of hundred dollars more and come away with something that might hold your interest for awhile. If you don't take my advice, you should at least go out and try to play as many lap steels as you can so you can see for yourself the difference between how a $100 lap steel plays and how a $300 lap steel plays. You asked, I told. Of course, if you wanna buy it with the intention of modding it, forget about everything I've just said.

[Derelict78]

If you ever make it to Hawaii bring a couple hundred extra dollars there are some REALY good deals on lap steels out there.
also
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9ohBMozCzI[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTrNQCYh70Y[/youtube]

[lapsteel]

I've been eying this thing pretty hard: http://www.ebay.com/itm/370616937342?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619

I understand that the quality won't be top notch but it looks like a fairly decent instrument considering the price.
As Lapsteel (the person) stated there are far less things that can go wrong/be bad with a lap steel than with a guitar.
This will be my first lap steel and the only real concern I have is that it might suck so bad that it puts me off playing
lap steel for the foreseeable future.

Is that possible?

Anything is possible....
Unlike a standard guitar, comfort and playability are not a crucial issues. As long as you can reach the volume and tone and the string spacing is adequate it will likely play well. It certainly doesn't have the mojo of a vintage instrument, but if it is priced nicely you can use it to learn until you find your sweet baby....Then you can modify it to try out some stuff. Single coils are pretty standard for lapsteels (P90 are the best imho). Just throw a muff into the signal chain and you will have a good time...

[lapsteel]

Looking for some contemporary lapsteel artists.

Anyone listening to Andrew Winton? I find his vocals a little cheesy, but man, when he performs instrumentals is is pretty sick...

[adrianlee]

If you ever make it to Hawaii bring a couple hundred extra dollars there are some REALY good deals on lap steels out there.
also
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9ohBMozCzI[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTrNQCYh70Y[/youtube]

schwing.

[Mudfuzz]

NPD

This pickup rocks so hard!

[Chankgeez]

Nice.

Yeah, those Dynasonic/DeArmond pickups totally rip.

That a TV Jones?

[Mudfuzz]

It's a Seymour Duncan Elwood gave me for a different project which I never got to feel right interns of where the rest of the guitar was going and I woke up this moring, looked this guitar on the wall and LIGHTBULB!

[Chankgeez]

It's a Seymour Duncan ...

Nice, Duncans usually do the trick.

Looking for some contemporary lapsteel artists.

Anyone listening to Andrew Winton? I find his vocals a little cheesy, but man, when he performs instrumentals is is pretty sick...

Sorry, missed this, lapsteel.

I've listened to Andrew Winton a little, though not recently. I didn't really like what I was hearing.

Not sure what exactly you mean by "contemporary lapsteel artists". If you're talkin' about people who're alive and currently play lap steel, there aren't too many I really enjoy wholeheartedly (fewer still who play in more modern styles). As you say, there's something "cheesy" about many of 'em.

I like these steelers:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7DPXzDLBs8[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxwRYx3Mk7E[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX06XkUhkbs[/youtube]

[Chankgeez]

Not contemporary, but awesome:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHlmsMhcdrM[/youtube]

[Chankgeez]

Forgot about this man:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K17MsJOCD2E[/youtube]


(And I'm not even counting Indian Classical steel guitarists. OK, I'll include.)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyEW-aWuTQ0[/youtube]

[lapsteel]

Sorry, missed this, lapsteel.

I've listened to Andrew Winton a little, though not recently. I didn't really like what I was hearing.

Not sure what exactly you mean by "contemporary lapsteel artists". If you're talkin' about people who're alive and currently play lap steel, there aren't too many I really enjoy wholeheartedly (fewer still who play in more modern styles). As you say, there's something "cheesy" about many of 'em.


Oh too bad. I really liked hearing his lucky 13 guitar and all those cool indian inspired sympathetic overtones...wicked instrument...with active pickups.

Thanks for the vids gonna check these dudes out.


Oh yeah Mudfuzz.....I am liking the pan...never played one....but the simplicity is refreshing. What scale is that one? I would like to get my hands on that pickup...damn!


Contacted Mtl Asbly about the Nasa Attribute....should be getting hooked up soon...slide licks and arpeggios simultaneously...that there shit might be fun.

[Mudfuzz]

Oh yeah Mudfuzz.....I am liking the pan...never played one....but the simplicity is refreshing. What scale is that one? I would like to get my hands on that pickup...damn!

Thanks! the scale is 24.75" Other then the shape it isn't anything like a real one [I think] playing it.. well I wish it was heavier.. it like to try and escape some times
oh and here is a clip of the pickup [with really bad playing ] into my orange TV200 http://www.bias-inc.com/ipr/data/files/ ... a2a750.wav really about the playing.. I'm sorry.. my steel chops are shit these days...