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Author:  russ [ Sat Oct 07, 2006 9:51 pm ]
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A few weeks ago, I picked up a copy of the Pink Floyd "Pulse" DVD, and it looked like Gilmour was having so much fun playing the lap steel that I just had to give it a try....one problem..no lap steel!

After poking around on the new a bit, I came across Lap King steel guitars, and really liked the design, so I decided to whip one up for myself.

I am not selling these, it's only a personal instrument. I give all design credit to Jason Du Mont (the man behind Lap King), for coming up with (what I think) is a very cool lap steel.

Now that I've finished the disclaimer , here are a few pics:





The pickguard is 1mm swirl finished aluminum sheet (works well with a router, by the way!). The pickups are a Danelectro "Yesteryear" lipstick tube up front, and a Kent Armstrong vintage humbucker in the rear.

The finish is the finest Krylon spray paint in the most obnoxious color I could find .




Ebony fretboard, 23.24" scale, Rickenbacker bridge, MOP position markers and brushed silver Sperzel locking tuners (I really like these). All in all, a fun, fast and easy project.

Now let's hope I find some time to learn how to play the thing...

Thanks for looking!
Author:  Colin S [ Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:01 pm ]
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Russ, in my old Prog rock days at Uni, (used to see early Floyd at the UFO club), I always wanted a lap steel but, as a student, could never afford one. Now I want one again! That looks really cool. Fun to play?

Colin
Author:  Don Williams [ Sat Oct 07, 2006 11:03 pm ]
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That's wild!
Author:  JJ Donohue [ Sat Oct 07, 2006 11:38 pm ]
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Very cool, Russ! You pulled this off fantastically.

I can envision you in a matching floral print party shirt on a beach in Hawaii surrounded by beautiful hula dancers!

Keep us posted as to how this changes your life...and let us know at which beach you're performing.
Author:  Anthony Z [ Sat Oct 07, 2006 11:43 pm ]
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Russ - man I like how you can whip stuff up -- cool instrument! I really like to colour. Do you remember when they made Cadillacs that colour?

JJ -- you have a gift for conjuring up imagery -- and its all good
Author:  Brock Poling [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 12:01 am ]
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That is REALLY sweet. Very cool.

Author:  JBreault [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 12:20 am ]
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Next you'll have to do a ten string a la Robert Johnson.

Really cool Russ. It is neat to see al the different forms a guitar can take.
Author:  hogan [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 12:41 am ]
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Hey nice job. I built a couple of lap steels back in the 80's, but man your's looks a lot better than mine did.
Love it.
Author:  old man [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 2:14 am ]
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That is really nice!!   I plan to build one in my future. The only song I learned to play on one is "Steel Guitar Rag" using open "E" tuning. Can't wait to make my own.
Love the design and color. Great workmanship!!

Ron
Author:  Joe Beaver [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 2:31 am ]
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That is just to cool As a matter of fact you've got me thinking.... maybe I could build one myself.... maybe a candle apple red Krylon coated lapper!!!

About using a router for the swirl... you use a sanding disk in it?
Author:  russ [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 2:39 am ]
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Thanks guys!

This really is a pretty simple project, just a few slabs of african mahogany (cheapest wood in the lumber yard on the day i passed by), a second grade ebony fretboard, a little routing of course a cool design by Jason Du Mont.

I have it tuned to open E, and I'm trying to figure out "One of These Days". The playing is going to prove LOTS harder than the building! Maybe I need the giant flying pigs for inspiration...

Who knows, if this works out, maybe I can get a full-time gig in Don Ho's band!

That hula dancer thing sounds tempting....
Author:  Dave Anderson [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 2:52 am ]
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Russ, That is very cool and looks like a fun project.
You did a very good job! I'm adding this to my "To Build" list!
Author:  Serge Poirier [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 3:21 am ]
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Very cool instrument Russ, looks really nice, i'll bet you'll have many hours of fun learning how to pull something out of it, great deign and craftmanship!
Author:  Rod True [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 3:29 am ]
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Cool Cool Cool Cool.

Did I mention that is cool Russ. Very well done. I think it looks great.
Author:  CarltonM [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 4:12 am ]
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Excellent job, Russ! If you can make a copy with grade "B" materials look that good, you might find a market for an original design, if you can come up with something as cool and hip as that one.
Author:  russ [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 6:08 am ]
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Joe,

I just routed the perimeter for the pickguard shape. The aluminum is produced with the circular pattern already brushed into it.

I found the aluminum at a local sheet metal supplier here in Amsterdam, but I'm sure you could find something similar wherever you are. At first I was going to use diamond plate until I happened upon this material.

Author:  Brad Way [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 6:31 am ]
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Very cool.
Author:  phil c-e [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 12:12 pm ]
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russ,
i'm crazy about it!!! i'd love to hear more about where you sourced the electronics and hardware. and did you already know how to wire the electronics or did you start from square one on this instrument?
phil
Author:  SteveCourtright [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 12:41 pm ]
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Totally cool and '57 Chevy like!
Author:  jhowell [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 12:48 pm ]
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Nice build! I have an old 1957 Supro that I occationally take out to scare the cat.   

Lap steels are a lot of fun to mess around with.
Author:  Alain Desforges [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 3:29 pm ]
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That is mint! I love that color too... Very well done!
Author:  russ [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 4:41 pm ]
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Phil,

The hardware is available from Allparts. I ordered the pickups online as well, but I can't recall the supplier right now. I'll take a look through my invoices and try to let you know, but they are widely available in any case.

The fretboard came from LMI, I just chopped it off at the first fret to give the scale length I was looking for.

For an even cheaper lap steel, you could always go with a single pickup in the bridge position.

In keeping with the low cost nature of this project, the 'logo' is a water slide decal I made from some decal sheet I had laying around the house:

russ38999.0778819444
Author:  Billy T [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 4:50 pm ]
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Very Cool! Great work too!

What color is that? It's horrible!!
Author:  Todd Rose [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 5:42 pm ]
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That rocks, Russ. Have you seen/heard any of the great "sacred steel" bands? The Campbell Brothers, for example, and there's a group that came through Ithaca recently -- I think they're called the Lee Boys. If not, you GOTTA check them out, especially the Lee Boys. The lap steel player in that band is absolutely incredible and will show you what to do with that thing!
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