pulled the trigger

WHOA!! Congrats!!! :D

So you bought a set of uke strings and got this one with the strings, uh? :lol:

Very clean model with all the position markers in place, that's pretty rare these days..

8)
Steinar

ya, Steinar. I am into ukes now. great little joy boxes they are. (I did buy strings).

this Rick freaks me out in a good way. the horseshoe is so powerful. I need to learn how to 'saddle up' and ride. :)

it needs some adjusting. the jack is loose and the strings are too close to the poles. the low string rattles against it when sliding. other than that it is in really good shape.
how do I get inside to make the adjustments?

later today I hope to record and post some sound clips.

ok. I recorded a short bit and posted it on my soundclick site. I have a bit to learn about this steel. the fret markers are different from my other steel; I have some visual orienting to do. this is an excuse for the clunker notes in the sample.haha.
this steel is so powerful it easily blows my usual settings away. I will have to harness this power for the greater good.
I have not learned yet how to post an MP3 click on thingey yet so just go to my site. look for Rickenbacher test.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemsic.cfm?bandID=644552

Oh, that's sweet, DB!

muchos gracias. :D

Man,
Dogbite, I knew I shouldn't have looked at this topic!
These things are SCAREY! You know, you might end up like Steinar

Now I am sitting here after hearing the clip, lost in dreams about getting one, then you know what that leads to.

Well yeah, I can see it already.
Well, you guys got me.

So, here's my story;

Before I saw ths topic I had been sitting here learning Eric Clapton's 'Mean Old Frisco Blues' bottleneck style on my favorite electric , key of G in a standard tuning through a 50 watt Vox (AD50VT) modelling amp for effects. I was having fun, thinking I was cool.

After reading this topic and hearing the audio clip I dropped it down to open G and tried the same song lapstyle. I am hooked after one go at it.

What I loved, of course, was the ease and accuracy of placing the slide. I had already known that but what really surprised me was the ease of DAMPING. Wow, that was the coolest part! I can hardly wait to get on with this. I'll probably get my tricone out since the action is a little bit higher and start playing around with lapstyle.

I've tried to avoid this moment because I whad anted to focus solely on bottleneck and try to master it. I was afraid I would get hooked on lapstyle and set that bottleneck goal aside- so then---

I went back to bottleneck style on the same song and my playing improved considerably, especially the right hand damping. Just going through that song in lapstyle did it for me. I'm thinking that damping is as important as the notes are (for blues), even moreso depending upon the style so that was a significant step ahead for me and now my blues is gonna really be kickin' (or so I hope). I actually have a better perspectinve on Bottleneck style too and I know I need to make some custom fitting slides. I have some very thick walled bronze bushings that I just have to drill out for a personal custom fit.

Anyhow the point is, I learned here that I can play both styles and progress in both, and probably accomplish more at bottleneck as a result.

Plus, there are many nights when I can't play at all due to a sore wrist (usually) or fingers, on the fretting hand but I could still play lapstyle. I just never got around to it I guess.

Incidently, I need ALOT of work on my playing skills which requires ALOT of practice. I have spent most of the last few years just getting equipment together and a home studio and I haven't worked much on my playing. I had to get alot of other stuff out of the way first so I can devote myself full-time to making music (songwriting). That's my goal. I'm almost there.

This lapstyle subject leads to some more questions that are better put in a separate topic. I'll look and see what's already posted first.

My sleep schedule has been completely reversed for the past week, so I need to get off of here, it's getting near the end of the day for me at 4:05 am

Hey Dogbite,

I didn't mean to lead your topic astray, I'm just tired. That is a very nice guitar you found and I liked the sound recording. I could only listen to two because I have a terribly slow dial-up connection and sometimes I can't even load the files.

When I mentioned 'Damping' I was really thinking more of 'Muting' to get those nice thumping bass notes for example, then of course, finger damping with the right hand- all stuff I want to learn.

I'll probably have to get a good book or DVD on techniques. I'll be checking other topics for that info or start one

Whenever I go by the local pawn shop I have to turn my head the other way so I don't see the place and also try to avoid online auctions because anything that meets my fancy means that I am completely broke for the month. However, next month is a new month, right?

It will probably be quite awhile before I run across a good deal on a lapsteel anyway. It seems to me that people tend to bid quite high on these at online auctions so I don't have much of a chance there. (low income medical disability, so I have to really search alot to find a deal I can afford)

I have LOTS of stuff to sell online locally so that will help financially.

I might decide to just build one. That would be a good project. I have lots of skills in that area.

for now I have to get off of here though

phangeaux, dude, you made my morning. I am thrilled that you discovered lap style.
it is true that it translates to other playing styles,ie: bottleneck. it is awesome that you have
found that out. isn't it cool!
those open chords are so choice for our sliding. the drone under the notes gets me all charged up.
damping and muting are integral to my playing. lap style really developed that further.
incredible sustain and that heavy steel slide have me hooked.
so now you.
things should really start expanding now. the juices will flow.

you haven't hijacked the thread.
it has been embellished by your joy.

another great thing I like about lap style playing, especially with my resonator, it points up at me and I can hear what I am playing really well.
standard acoustic, the darn sound hole points away.

Thanks, Dogbite,

I'm looking right now at converting an old BC Rich Warlock with Floyd Rose bridge and locking nut into a full lapslider, even reshaping the body and adding wood to the back of the neck for a square neck design.

This is a heck of a great playing and sounding guitar, pretty hot, well made, it is not one of those new cheapie Warlocks that were on sale at Guitar Center. I just don't play it very often, it had some deep cuts in the frets and needed a fret job but I dressed a few of those and got it playing fine.

The Floyd Rose bridge and locking nut is what intrigued me most about converting this guitar to a lapsteel. If you have a guitar with a Floyd Rose bridge and locking nut, take a look and tell me what you think about using a Floyd Rose for a lapsteel bridge and also the locking nut.

The big question I have is about string spacing for lapsteel and if a converted electric with it's string spacing can actually be considered a lapsteel. I was under the impression that lapsteel guitars have a wider string spacing.

I might have to start a new topic on this, after I take a photo or two

phangeaux
edited: spelling lapsteel not lapstyle

typical (vintage instruments) is 3/8". yes it is wider than standard guitar.

I have an early strat plus electric. it has a roller nut and floyd trem.
I don't slide on that because the action is so very close.
I do put just about any guitar on my lap and slide though.
some work better than others. string spacing does not enter into the equation for me.
I just accept what is there and play.
scale length can make a difference.
lap steels typically have a short string length. 22 1/2". it makes for easier slant .
the long scale on Fender, Gibson and your Warlock will make slants at the lower frets near impossible.
the radius of the fretboard may mean something too. but I think the player will simply compensate.
lap steels, as you know, have raisied strings and no radius.

I am of the camp of try anything.