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looking for advise about lap steel guitar

Hi all, I am planning a simple version of the guitar Shane Speal outlined in his online article. I am just wondering what is the ongoing opinion about hollow versus solid body? Do I make the body from a solid 2x4 or do I mount the fret board on a couple of cigar boxes dulcimer style? Would appreciate any thoughts you all might have

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Permalink Reply by Scott aka Farmer Ted on April 1, 2015 at 3:41am

Pretty much anything goes when it comes to lapsteels. From a simple plank of 2x4 with tuners, a bridge and nut, and a pickup...all the way to as far as the imagination can lead you.

Traditional lapsteels often have short scale lengths (22.5"), but longer scales like on a regular guitar give a nice deep sound, and it eliminates having to source a specialty set of strings for short scale.

This one is birdseye maple, 25.5" scale, and can be tuned DADF#AD, DGDGBD, DADGAD, etc.

This is the Thunderbox (not to be mistaken for the Australian term, meaning "outhouse"). It also is 25.5" scale. The body is from a 1901 Dominion Organ Co. pump organ. Resonator is a stainless steel steamer top, and the pickup a basic zebra humbucker. This one has nice deep growling dobro-like acoustics matched with the gritty goodness of the humbucker. Almost better than a bacon sandwich w/ garden tomatoes...hmmm, drooling.

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Permalink Reply by Matthew Borczon on April 2, 2015 at 12:59am

Thanks all, you have given me a lot to think about. I plan to try the solid body. Mostly for a change up in my usual process. I am pretty sure it will be done soon, but any additional ideas and comments would still be appreciated. Ted those builds you put up for me to look at are inspiring though over my head at this point. Still I deserve to dream just like any one else. Beautiful work and also good sound advise, thanks to you and all who have helped me here.....matt

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on April 2, 2015 at 2:48am

Matt,

Why not use a piece of actual square bar steel for the fretboard / neck / body? In yer lap.

The sustain would be awesome, and you could play heavy metal. >:-E

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Permalink Reply by Matthew Borczon on April 2, 2015 at 4:11am

ron you just brightened up my day!...matt

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Permalink Reply by turtlehead on April 2, 2015 at 9:40am

I'll be interested to see what you come up with Matt. I want to build one too, just haven't been able to get around to it. I'm looking for an old kid's ironing board or something similar, otherwise I'll probably make something solid from scratch. Usually I don't care to make a CBG sound exactly like a regular guitar, but for the lap I want it to have as close to the classic sound as possible. Good luck!