All Things Lap Steel!

[odontophobia]

You had to show me that Chank, didn't you?

As for ordering laps made to your specs check out Ryan Rukavina. He can just about make you anything for a great price.

Or Jimmie Hudson. He made my 10 string plank (with one pickup).

Ryan may be the cheapest and best option for a six or eight string.

Wow. Ryan Rukavina makes some beautiful equipment.

[Zork]

Necrobump! Being a huge fan of Neil Young's country records I always loved the eerie sounds of steel guitars. And after too much time in the internet while being quarantined I finally pulled the trigger on a lap steel and a pair of Certano palm levers.
No, I didn't really ecpect this, but on a whim I didn't buy a random entry level guitar from China, but got a vintage Silvertone 1316 in the classifieds. Now here's my issue: This thing is over 70 years old, apparently made somewhere in the 1940s and it looks pretty damn good for its age. So I'm a bit hesitant to drill the holes to install the palm levers right behind the bridge. To be honest, I damaged quite a few old instruments because I "needed" additional pickups or trems or whatever and I feel I need to be done with that kind of shit. So I'm planning to build sort of a Vibramate for the levers: A piece of aluminum that gets screwed on between the bridge and the body, with two holes to mount the Certano bender. Anyone attempted something like this before? Is it worth the hassle? Pics follow when the guitar arrived.

[Chankgeez]

It might be worth it to buy a cheap Chinese instrument to practice on until you think you know what you're doing.

Either that or take it to a luthier and have it professionally done.

Either that or find an already wrecked 1316 to put the levers on.

Good luck!

[Zork]

I think you misunderstood a bit. I think I already know what I do, been tinkering with guitars for almost 20 years and playing slide and open tunings for maybe even longer. So, no problems here. I just wouldn't do any permanent or irreversible alterations to old gear anymore. I used to be in the "as long as it works for me" camp but especially in this case it's not only reeeeally old but as well in reeeally good condition.

Still I want benders on my lap steel, so here comes the Vibramate principle into play. I don't know too much about aluminum, though, other than it's easy to work with. Could need some input on what strength would be appropriate and stuff but it became already clear to me there aren't many DIY vibramate attempts out there. I'll do my research, maybe a bit of prototyping and keep posting here if anyone's interested.

[Chankgeez]

Gotcha!

Regardless, good luck and if we bump this thread enough, someone'll come along with a better answer.

[Heraclitus Akimbo]

Watching, listening...

I tried to buy a super-cheap lap steel from Aliexpress, but as is sometimes the case, the seller didn't ship it. (Probably an older listing for a low-volume item and by the time I bought it, their price/shipping costs would have put them in the red so they simply didn't bother...)

Of course, still feeling the itch. I mostly want a sound source to twiddle with in my pedal chains, so I'm not super fussy on how good it is, and small/portable is a big bonus. Looks like the Chinese manufacturing end for these is at an ebb right now, as there aren't a lot of places listing them. Assuming at some point Harley Benton or someone like that will make a bulk order and the factory will squeeze out another surplus of unbranded ones, so I'm keeping an eye out.

In the meantime, keeping an eye out for used ones, but even cheaper used ones are a couple price tiers above what I was looking at before.

[Chankgeez]

I still recommend spending a little more than you planned to unless you don't really care if it stays in tune and stuff like that.

[Zork]

+1
From what I've read in the last couple of weeks, the Recording King lap steels are quite a good bang for the buck. They have two models, one with a humbucker (RG-35) and one with a P-90 (RG-31), both come around 180€ new (Thomann price). Maybe it's worth a look for you. Sure you'll have much more fun with one of those than with a noname ali express product. With a little patience you can maybe fetch on second hand.

[Heraclitus Akimbo]

Merci, Zork (and Chank for looking out for me!).

I do have the advantage of not being in all of the rush, though this thread did put the itch in me. The Recording King looks nice enough. Would be all in 500 Canadian (incl. taxes + shipping) to impulse buy one online, though I see a new one at a local shop for C$319 which isn't bad. Maybe once our stay-at-home order ends I'd even consider travelling to pick up something like that.

[Blackened Soul]

Keep in mind.. pickups are the thing here... a lap steel is a board with strings and a pickup... so either getting a old on with a cool pickup or a new cheap one that you can change pickups in and out of until you like the sound is kinda the deal.. I have a home made one and I've change pickups 3 times.. always liked the result.. [hot rails type thing, dynasonic and ow a firebird]

[Zork]

That's exactly why I decided for the Silvertone instead of others. Heard only glorious things about the P-13/speed bump pickup and I'm more than exited to try it out when it finally arrives.

[Zork]

The Silvertone arrived:



It sounds incredible and plays very good as far as I can tell. I'm a happy man. Also, the Certano Bender already arrived. Fantastic piece of craftmanship and David Certano is a super nice dude. Highly recommended.

Now, on to the project! I got a 4mm aluminum plate and went for it.

Sawing:


Filing:


All the pieces together after some drilling:


Test fit:


Now, all that's left is to drill two holes in the plate, cut threads in it and mount the Bender with two short bolts.

I debated to get a thread drill and all the tools and bits and pieces and do it myself, but it's expensive and not exactly easy to do and so I decided to go to a locksmith tomorrow and let a pro do the job.

So far, I'm very pleased. Looks like it's going to turn out just like I had planned.

[Chankgeez]

[dubkitty]

the metalworking skills shown on this site never fail to impress and amaze me. great concept-to-execution!

[qersty]

nice!