All Things Lap Steel!

[Dandolin]

Anyone got experience of using benders on a lap steel. I can see from a while ago Zork had the Certano ones. Anyone else? Planning a project to make my own and use a Certano or Duesenberg (TBC). I really crave those classic pedal steel sounds that are pretty much my favourite sound ever, and what I try to learn to emulate. The worry is losing the ability to mute effectively since the bars are in the way. I know it's never going to be as fluid as a pedal steel because it's a compromise but living in the UK a pedal steel is a pipe dream!!! (one day though...)

I've used the Duesenberg on a lappy - it's fun, and way easier to grok than even a Carter Starter, but you're right, it totally f's up your ability to right-hand mute. Which still leaves room for mega joy joy timez if you love that ringing voice leading magic...you just need to hang onto another lappy for yer other lappistry...or find you a double neck

There's a dude from Philly somewhere on YouTube that did a pretty nice lesson/demo on bender lappin'

[Blackened Soul]

Those are cool, to bad it would be near impossible to use one with hipshot trilogy on the same instrument.. I’m planing on using one on my next project i build… long way off though

[coldbrightsunlight]

Have you seen the hipshot that's a combination bender and d-tuner? Crazy stuff. But not nearly as many tunings as the trilogy haha, that one is nuts.

Cheers dando, I think I'll definitely go for it but yeah on the basis that either it's not my only steel, or understanding that sometimes I'll just put the levers out of the way or even take them off for a while when I'm doing non bendy stuff. In my band I'm using it for more of the classic textural element with a volume pedal so I think the benders will be great. At home riffing solo I might just play my other one. Will probably go duesenberg just because it's only one THING I've got to buy and install as opposed to the certano and it's got saddle adjustements. So it's just a lump of wood, bridge, nut, tuners, pickup. Plus, while I suspect I'd leave it on the usual "G and B" strings 90% of the time it's neat that you can move the levers to try different tunings.

When I'm going to find the time to actually make this is anyone's guess.

[Dandolin]

Nice! I think the ability to tuck the arms away is a key feature. I do like exploring alt tunings that puts the bends in a different light harmonically, or trying to figure out ways to put the steel into a different basis modally - stuff like playing in a C6 tuning while the rest of the musicians carry on in A minor or D minor is just one entry to the warren

I'm curious about your project - it sounds right up my alley. What all else would be going on while you're raining/reigning/reining down the heavens?

Edit - to add, dag can't find my bender homey, but there is a tonne more on the choob than there was the last time I was paying attention - this is actually a thing now, I see!

[coldbrightsunlight]

Yeah seems like there are a tonne of videos, I have saved loads to watch later for when I get round to sketching and ordering parts haha. Step by step guide!

The band I'm in at the moment is actually "just" an indie pop band, but sometimes I play lap steel instead of guitar. As a different sounding layer, going with some combination of up to 2 other guitars, mandolin, viola, bass, drums, synth... It's a fun group, I like to bring a tiny touch of country to things but also learning to play steel outside that context (I am also still learning IN that context I'm very bad, I just mean that all my direct influences are country so doing stuff outside that is more just using the instrument and my ears/wider tastes as a guide).

[dubkitty]

regarding bending on lap steel, have you considered using lighter-gauge strings and bending by pushing the string in question horizontally with 1 or 2 fingers of the bar hand? that's a very popular technique among bluegrass/country dobro players. Jerry Douglas excels at this, as he does in most things dobro-related.

[coldbrightsunlight]

Interesting idea, I hadn't thought of or heard of this at all! I often bend behind the nut on electric so I should have thought of it. I'll definitely give it a go thanks for the suggestion

[coldbrightsunlight]

Update, this is pretty fun! Some difficulties achieving exactly what I want but it's fantastic to be able to add a little extra flavour and play some familiar geetar licks that I couldn't play on steel before (as well as some classic pedal stuff but a bit less so). I'll check out Jerry Douglas for inspiration/tips.

[Dandolin]

Noice! Behind the bar pulls are aws!

Also, I love that this is happening:

https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texa ... ar-covers/

[Dandolin]

Yeah seems like there are a tonne of videos, I have saved loads to watch later for when I get round to sketching and ordering parts haha. Step by step guide!

The band I'm in at the moment is actually "just" an indie pop band, but sometimes I play lap steel instead of guitar. As a different sounding layer, going with some combination of up to 2 other guitars, mandolin, viola, bass, drums, synth... It's a fun group, I like to bring a tiny touch of country to things but also learning to play steel outside that context (I am also still learning IN that context I'm very bad, I just mean that all my direct influences are country so doing stuff outside that is more just using the instrument and my ears/wider tastes as a guide).

Sounds awesome - a nice situation to contribute and grow, but I bet before you know it you crack the code and then skies the limit...

[coldbrightsunlight]

Noice! Behind the bar pulls are aws!

Also, I love that this is happening:

https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texa ... ar-covers/

Very cool!

[Chankgeez]

His mom's got pretty good taste in Eighties music.

[coldbrightsunlight]

Got the biggest game changers yet in this quest to git gud, finger & thumb picks! The tone I was dreaming of was in the picks all along not the fingers. Good fun, pretty intuitive as it's roughly how I played anyway though a bit of an adjustement. But the evenness of volume, attack, brightness... Guess this is why most people seem to use em

[dubkitty]

yeah, i quit using finger/thumbpicks on regular guitar decades ago, but always used them on pedal steel and would do the same if/when i get a lap steel.

[Zork]

Damn, I tried it numerous times but I just can't get along with these things. They feel just super weird and clumsy and I'm totally unable to control my fingers with them...