Build Your Own Lap Steel Guitar

Information

Build Your Own Lap Steel Guitar

Build Your Own Lap Steel Guitar!

Start by downloading these vintage plans for making your own lap steel:

Then join in the discussion on building techniques, improvements to the plans and more. 

Want even more lap steel goodness?  Check out Guitar World's columns on making a lap steel from a 2x4 plank:

How to Build a 2x4 Lap Steel Guitar pt. 1

How to Build a 2x4 Lap Steel Guitar pt. 2 - Cool Mods

Members: 153
Latest Activity: Jan 22, 2021

Discussion Forum

Gibson Scale Lap Steel Fret Template:Standard & Metric

Started by BrianQ.. Last reply by Southern Ray Jan 22, 2021. 1 Reply

Standard Metric …Continue

Eliminating hum

Started by Andy R. Last reply by Andy R Jul 7, 2017. 5 Replies

So I got my lap steel painted up, ready to go, install the humbucker and it doesn't buck.. it humsI had the issue in my CBG with a single coil and attaching foil to ground all internals solved it.How…Continue

Pickup for Lapsteel

Started by Lou "cubancigar2000". Last reply by Peter Hendley Jun 30, 2017. 4 Replies

I am building a simple lap steel. I would like to buy a pickup ( 6 string) that is already to go ( dont want to build it) Any suggestions on where to go to find one. My strings spacing on my bridge…Continue

String spacing on the 2 x 4 lap steel

Started by Andy R. Last reply by Andy R May 18, 2017. 3 Replies

Hey I got a lap steel kit from CB Gitty and am about to drill the holes below the bridge for the string feed.Has anyone here put them together using the plans that come with the kit?If so, should the…Continue

Comment Wall

Comment

You need to be a member of Build Your Own Lap Steel Guitar to add comments!

Comment by Leroy Beal on May 4, 2010 at 12:57pm
I've used the P-90s, P-bass, and Jazz pickups from this supplier many times. You can pay 10 times more, but they won't sound any better. They have great prices on tuners also.

http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/pickups_other.htm
Comment by Alan Roberts on May 4, 2010 at 12:27pm
Juju Soundsogood?
Comment by Alan Roberts on May 4, 2010 at 9:29am
I need to order a (cheap) pickup. Any suggestions that won't break the bank?
Comment by Alan Roberts on May 1, 2010 at 6:59am
Holy Cow! I've been looking for an easy project to learn how to build electric guitars, but this blows any ideas I had right to pieces. A lapsteel doesn't need any of the following: truss rod, shaped neck, radiused fretboard, fret leveling, setting of action/intonation, etc etc. In fact, it doesn't really need a fretboard or frets, from the look of it. I've never given it much thought, but it looks like it's a souped-up diddly bow. I've bookmarked that, and added it to my (alas, very long) list of things to build.
Comment by Leroy Beal on May 1, 2010 at 4:58am
Here is a recently completed CBG 6 string Lap Steel I made. It sounds great and is quickly becoming one of my favorites.


Here is a link to more pictures and short explanations.

http://www.leroybeal.net/guitars/lap/gurkalap/index.html

Leroy
Comment by Mr. Toad on April 30, 2010 at 6:20pm
I printed the plans out so I could study them. I think it will be fun and interesting. I've finished one cbg and have started a few more for others and don't know how to play yet but they are fun to build. I will enjoy this. Oh, also I'm not much of an electronics guy so I will probably be asking many questions.
Comment by bairfoot cajun on April 30, 2010 at 11:57am
no pics shane, that was before i started taking pics of stuff i built. sorry bout that. it was a cool looking build though and it still resides in texas with a friend. i might try to produce a close proximity of it from memory cause i know it would be great fun to build another one yep.
Comment by bairfoot cajun on April 30, 2010 at 11:13am
my first challenge to build a guitar in one day was a lap steel guitar and it happened bout 10 year ago. i did it on a sunday and it was a success. all i had was a set of tuners and a bridge and pickup from a late 60,s vintage electric 6 string guitar,the bridge had a built in whammy bar on it so it was a whammy lap steel. at the time i thought it was the greatest guitar acomplishment i ever had---- but last year i discovered cigar box guitars and the door to my vision of stringed instruments has been removed from the hinges and is now permanently open.thanks to great folks with similar vision. hope i can participate here and build a groovy lap steel again.thanks fer da invite.
Comment by Jess on April 30, 2010 at 6:55am
Shane, I checked out the plans for the lap steel and I think this will be a great project to build and a lot of fun to play around with, so as soon as I'm done with a couple guitars in the mix right now, I'll tackle it. I think I have G.A.S. (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome), which my friend Ty at Guitarfuel.com is passing around.
Comment by Barry Evan Russ on April 30, 2010 at 6:55am
I love lap steels, i have about a dozen vintage steels. I'm building a cigar box lap steel around an old supro/ national pickup unit. My favorite lap steel pickups! 6 sring, 2 octave. Can't wait to finish it even though that will be about 2 months. Anybody else out there building one?
 

Members (153)

 
 
 

The Essential Pages

New to Cigar Box Nation? How to Play Cigar Box GuitarsFree Plans & How to Build Cigar Box GuitarsCigar Box Guitar Building Basics

Site Sponsor

Recommended Links & Resources


Discussion Forum

Eliminating hum

Started by Andy R. Last reply by Andy R Jul 7, 2017. 5 Replies

Pickup for Lapsteel

Started by Lou "cubancigar2000". Last reply by Peter Hendley Jun 30, 2017. 4 Replies

String spacing on the 2 x 4 lap steel

Started by Andy R. Last reply by Andy R May 18, 2017. 3 Replies

Latest Activity

smilingdog1 commented on 3 String Blues's video
43 minutes ago
smilingdog1 liked 3 String Blues's video
44 minutes ago
smilingdog1 liked Glenn Kaiser's video
46 minutes ago
Doug Thorsvik posted a video

Hail the Resurrection Day: 2-String Violin Chugger Cigar Box Guitar

Cigar Box Guitar Slingers - Spokane, 195th Zoom Mtg 03/25/24. Only 1-finger chords, free songbooks here: https://www.cbgslinger.com/download CBG SOF Songbook...
2 hours ago
A.D.EKER commented on A.D.EKER's video
Thumbnail

Im Troubled (Tribute) Mc K Morganfield by BCB - A.D .Eker 2024.

"Thank you Poorness ! for loving it ! appreciated!"
18 hours ago
Southern Ray replied to Timothy Hunter's discussion just came accross this pickup idea on youtube.
" Very interesting. Thank you Timothy!"
18 hours ago
Kent Thurston updated their profile
19 hours ago
Southern Ray posted a photo

Punch Project!

She now sports gold metal CBGitty knobs, speaker and an Artec 2.5 watt speaker. Finished this in…
20 hours ago
Southern Ray posted a photo

Project Punch!

Gonna finally get back on this long-delayed project that is more than half complete. (The matching…
20 hours ago
Poorness Studios liked A.D.EKER's video
22 hours ago
BrianQ. left a comment for Rob (Uker) Porras
"Hope this helps?"
22 hours ago
Doug Thorsvik commented on Doug Thorsvik's photo
Thumbnail

Dueling Flatheads

"I appreciate the kind words Papa D! I have always loved the look of these cigar boxes. Glad to have…"
yesterday

Events

Music

© 2024   Created by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

\uastyle>\ud/** Scrollup **/\ud.scrollup {\ud background: url("https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/963882636?profile=original") no-repeat scroll 0 0 transparent;\ud bottom: 25px;\ud display: inline !important;\ud height: 40px;\ud opacity: 0.3 !important;\ud position: fixed;\ud right: 30px;\ud text-indent: -9999px;\ud width: 40px;\ud z-index: 999;\ud}\ud.scrollup:hover {\ud opacity:0.99!important;\ud}\ud \uascript type="text/javascript">\ud x$(document).ready(function(){\ud x$(window).scroll(function(){\ud if (x$(this).scrollTop() > 100) {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeIn();\ud } else {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeOut();\ud }\ud });\ud x$('.scrollup').click(function(){\ud x$("html, body").animate({ scrollTop: 0 }, 600);\ud return false;\ud });\ud });\ud \ua!-- End Scroll Up -->