Quarter Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 Here is my latest steel Black walnut and birdseye maple 25" scale Lollar reproduction Gibson Console Grand 8-string pickup Tru Oil finish . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 In the words of my dad, "beautious maximus!" What an engaging piece! 8 strings... what is it tuned to? And that's just Tru-Oil? I'll have to consider it for a finish on my walnut/maple/mahog guitar, if mine comes out that good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarter Posted March 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 Thanks Xanthus It's tuned in kind of a hybrid C6 tuning I guess, something that the customer requested, from low to high - C-E-G-A-Bb-C-E-G Its all Tru Oil, it took a bit of effort to build and fill the walnut, but it wasn't too bad. This time around I tried some of their Tru Oil in a rattle can for the last couple finishing coats and it worked ok. I've thinned Tru Oil with mineral spirits and shot it through my gun with good results. Though, the rattle can stuff seems to dry / cure just a little bit faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thirdstone Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 I love it , art meets function. What hight are the strings?? and what gauges , scale length ect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarter Posted March 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 (edited) I love it , art meets function. What hight are the strings?? and what gauges , scale length ect Thanks Strings are at around 7/16, scale is 25", and its strung with 12-14-16-18-22-26w-30-36 Edit: forgot to add, here is a good string gauge chart for steels http://www.hawaiiansteel.com/learning/gauges.html Edited March 28, 2008 by Quarter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andronico Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 Beautiful, beautiful and beautiful !!! That´s great, congratulations ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarter Posted March 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 Thanks Andronico, I have a blast dreaming them up and then bringing them to life Looks like I screwed up a couple of the thumbnail links, so here they are fixed with a couple more . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 A beauty - I've been thinking about making a lap steel for a while now. Is 25" a standard scale length on these things? I know little to nothing about them. I take it a trussrod isn't needed on these builds? Anything hiding under the left hand side plate, or is it just for symmetries sake? Is that white knob for east of tailpiece removal? (and how is that thing held on, anyway? All in all, really gorgeous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarter Posted March 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 Thanks j. pierce 25" would be considered a long scale, Asher uses a 25" scale too. 22.5" was / is more common, with vintage steels, but then the bulk of those were student models. Though, many say the best sounding Fender Stringmaster was the 26" scale model. Construction is pretty strait forward, no truss rod and no frets to level or dress. Because of the way it is played, you have a bit more design freedom as compared to a fretted instrument. Nothing under the left hand plate, just decoration. The bridge cover is a 3 point mount. There are two 1/4" dowel pins mounted forward in the cover that seat into shallow 1/4" holes in the body. It is held in place with the maple knob that has a 8/32 brass shaft that mates with a threaded brass insert in the body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim290280 Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 Construction is pretty strait forward, no truss rod and no frets to level or dress. So did you use MOP as an inlay where the frets would have run? Also the true oil has really brought out the walnut, looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarter Posted March 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 Thanks Tim Tru Oil really does do a great job of bringing wood to life while offering a little more protection than a strait oil. The fret markers are strips of .032 aluminum and the bezel surrounds on the paua is 9/32 aluminum tubing. I didn't get a good pic of the inly on this one, but here is a pic of the same type inlay on a 6 string mahogany build. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 Awesome work! Love lap steels.... I've been trying to learn, but it's not as easy as you would think! Dobro-style tunings are one thing (Open G, Open D, DADGAD or whatnot) but more lap-oriented tunings like C6 are a different kettle of fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarter Posted March 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Thanks GregP I am just a hack player on steel but its such a ton of fun to play. I mostly stick with some open E or D as its a little more familiar territory for me. But, the instrument itself is so versatile, it can do rhythm, lead, country, rock, blues, jazz, gospel, you name it. Its really great to see it make it back into todays music a little more. Here is a cool YouTube of a cover of Modern Love by Last Town Chorus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdw3332 Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 This is a coincidence. I have been thinking about building a lap-steel. I broke my left arm and until I have my shoulder replaced, I can't reach the first 3 or 4 frets of a guitar, so I figured a lap steel would be fun. And I've been staring at a piece of walnut and some quilted maple for it. I'm just about finished with a bass that is quilted maple over walnut - the contrast of those two is just beautiful. I'm in the process of re-doing a friends walnut rifle stock with Tru-Oil. I've put about 5 coats on now and wet-sanded 2 of them. It's starting to look real nice and certainly is easy to use. Beautiful work by the way. Congratulations. Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 (edited) Very nice. You guys make me want to build another guitar just to try tru oil. Nice looking finish. Edited March 31, 2008 by lowrider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarter Posted April 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2008 Thanks mdw3332 and lowrider mdw3332 ... good luck with the steel, they are a fun build and a kick to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Rocker Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 Very impressive piece of work. Tru-oil does bring out the beauty of the dark walnut and that's what my guitar body is. Today I'm waiting for the UPS guy to show up. Can't wait to see it but I'll have to wait for the package to cool off before opening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarter Posted August 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 Thanks Old Rocker ... Looking forward to seeing your build Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFR Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 Here is my latest steel Black walnut and birdseye maple 25" scale Lollar reproduction Gibson Console Grand 8-string pickup Tru Oil finish . . <a href="http://"http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g94/quarterbend/TD8/td8-5.jpg"" target="_blank"></a> Damn Fine Piece! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Rocker Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 (edited) Thanks Old Rocker ... Looking forward to seeing your build Look in the build forum, I started a thread with a couple of pics. I couldn't find tru-oil at my local shop so I got some clear gloss poly instead. Also got foam brushes, painter's tape, sandpapers in 5 grits, gloves, and mineral spirits. How'd I do there? Am I set? Edited August 14, 2008 by Old Rocker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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