Well Im building a lap steel, and Im wondering what the best steel to use is? Anyone have any ideas for me?
Hows this one????
Paul B
which steel? for a moment there I thought you misunderstood the 'steel' in lap steel...er nevermind.
there are many types of bars to use. the bar pictured has a groove on either side which makes it easier to grasp. the flatish end helps in making pull offs.
I have a Stevens bar, which is similar. my main bar is a Dunlop bullet bar. it has a rounded end. the back end is flat with a slight indent. that indent helps when making slants, as my thumb fits in there.
there are glass bars, ceramic bars, lead filled crystal bars.
some players have huge collections. I use two. (I have a glass finger slide). pick a bar and try it out. all can be good, all can have uses.
OK, thanks.
All I have near me is a guitar center... I doupt they will have anything, but Ill check them out, and see what they have, and what feels best to me.
Paul B
GC has slides. they should have the rounded end bullet bar by Dunlop. it is a nice bar. they should also have a Shubb or Stevens bar; the ones with the side grooves.
GC has slides. they should have the rounded end bullet bar by Dunlop. it is a nice bar. they should also have a Shubb or Stevens bar; the ones with the side grooves.
Great thanks!!
I will get up there this week. Hoping to have her all ready to go this weekend!!
Paul B
FWIW, you can get a nice big heavy smooth piece of chromed steel at any Sears store. The Craftsman socket wrenches aren't contoured like a Stevens or a bullet bar, but they are cheap and effective. And should you decide to shift to bottleneck slide, with the slide worn on a digit, you can get a precise fit with a Craftsman.
I had a long affair with a nice Dobro squareneck, but I never got used to that big silver eye staring up at me. Traded it for... something worthless & forgettable. Now of course I wish I had it back.
"You can't write a chord ugly enough to say what you want to say sometimes, so you have to rely on a giraffe filled with whipped cream." - Frank Zappa
FWIW, you can get a nice big heavy smooth piece of chromed steel at any Sears store. The Craftsman socket wrenches aren't contoured like a Stevens or a bullet bar, but they are cheap and effective. And should you decide to shift to bottleneck slide, with the slide worn on a digit, you can get a precise fit with a Craftsman.
I had a long affair with a nice Dobro squareneck, but I never got used to that big silver eye staring up at me. Traded it for... something worthless & forgettable. Now of course I wish I had it back.
Ive been using a 22mm deepwell socket for the last week. :D
Paul B
Something that was very popular for steel guitars in the '30s and '40s and still works just fine is a piston wrist pin or gudgeon pin as our UK friends call it. They come in about any size you might want. You'll have to keep it clean and wipe it down with an oily cloth to keep it from rusting.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Something that was very popular for steel guitars in the '30s and '40s and still works just fine is a piston wrist pin or gudgeon pin as our UK friends call it. They come in about any size you might want. You'll have to keep it clean and wipe it down with an oily cloth to keep it from rusting.
Im a car guy... I may have a good 15-20 of those laying around. Ill give it a shot :D I havent messed with it latly, for now Im just using a socket.
Paul B
