Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Thomas "Duck" Petry on August 14, 2012 at 7:17am

Build it!

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on August 14, 2012 at 7:22am

Pretty sure that will happen.  :)

I wanted to see a six string with a pre-fab strat neck on it, but the dimensions and overall weight might not be the best unless want to play it with a long strap and it hanging down at my knees.  My fingers don't seem to work as well on standard 6 string now that I'm used to playing 3.

This morning I thought maybe a lap steel would be the ticket.  I still may go that way, but was soliciting for other ideas.

One thing I know for sure. . .I want it electric and loud.  >:]

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Permalink Reply by Reeds Taylor on August 14, 2012 at 7:26am

build a thru the body upright bass

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Permalink Reply by Thomas "Duck" Petry on August 14, 2012 at 8:07am

Might make a nice lap steel.

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Permalink Reply by wormil on August 14, 2012 at 3:33pm

Dulcimer, lap steel or upright bass.

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Permalink Reply by Order99 on August 14, 2012 at 4:41pm

Assuming a pref-fab Strat neck as mentioned-try laminating multiple hardwoods into a center bar running top to bottom of the case. Assuming you might want to place the bridge lower down on the body(i'm assuming you already know the fret length of course) cutting into the front 'soundboard' like a classical guitar is always an option-you would then be able to screw the neck in to the center brace just like a standard solid-body electric. Depending on where you place the depth of the vertical brace, your action could be just above flush with the soundboard to nearly resting on top-and the bridge can be shimmed to match with small blocks/strips of hardwood or a manufactured adjustable bridge...

Asuming you wanted to try either Lapsteel or a unique Chromatic dulcimer with either six strings or three courses-do you have a truss bar to worry about if you decide to shave, square or thin out the neck?

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on August 14, 2012 at 5:07pm

Eric,

I think the lap steel idea has a lot of merit. Trying to accommodate a standard 6-banger would mean the bridge would indeed be in the upper 3rd of the box. Another option, as also discussed, might be a 34"- 41" bass. Or you could overlap the fretboard on top of the box, but to be honest, unless you made it a double neck (and even then), a single neck is gonna be hard to play unless you offset the neck to one side of the box in an overlapping fretboard config. You could try a bass neck top and standard string bottom neck double...

Or why not think out of the box a bit more, and make it a Lowebowe-style 3+1 hybrid? Why not take a leaf from John Maw's book, and do the metal tubes? Aluminum tubing should work...Then you can play some funky slide like pAt macdonald, plus the box gives you reso style plus electric. It'd be very kewl with a mini-bucker, in either red or white, in the neck position.

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Permalink Reply by Peter Greed on August 14, 2012 at 5:30pm

What about a double neck lap steel? Then you can play around with different tunings, pick ups etc.

 

Cheers

Pete

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on August 15, 2012 at 1:55am

Thanks for all the input.  I've started to sketch out the design criteria for a lap steel and the basics seem easy enough.  The box is big enough and heavy enough to support the idea of a Lowe Bow type or other double neck construction and I like the idea.

I'm going to have to research the electrics a bit more.  I want this to be loud, rough and offensive.  Just like the cuts from the saw.

I bet I could stuff the guts from a Line 6 or similar amp right inside the box with a down-firing speaker or separate speaker cabinet. . .Now we're getting somewhere.

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on November 24, 2014 at 3:17am

So nice, I built it twice.  Only took me a couple years to get started and actually do it though.

This one sold already.

This one is for sale!  Roadhouse Blues Guitar RBS002

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Permalink Reply by Scott aka Farmer Ted on November 24, 2014 at 4:33am

Looks cool with the neck all road worn like the steel box. Best thing it has its own carry handle. After seeing this, I had a thought of a variation on this design...a double neck, but with a left-hand neck configuration out of the other end...so it could be a "two-player" guitar. Hmmm...

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on November 24, 2014 at 6:15am

And of course, there's plenty of room inside for an inbuilt onboard tube amp with speaker....Muahahahaha!

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