Steel Guitar Builder

Plan C is to horribly abuse some router cutters to shape an aluminium tail piece. And just had a flash of inspiration regarding the nut and bridge. I'll use the Rosewood for both, but with a piece of fretwire let into the face. If it works as a zero fret on my dulcimer, then there's no reason it won't work on a lap steel!:-)

Been a bit busy with other stuff, but here's a couple of pics of the half finished combined tail piece and bridge.

It's been a while, but I eventually got it finished!

A few more.
Please excuse the single black tuner knob. Plastic ones don't react well to sliding over and hitting the window sill! I didn't have a full set, hence the mismatch. But at the end of the day the whole thing owes me less than £45 including the strings. I don't have anything to compare it too, but to my ear it sounds good, with an amazing sustain. I may have to play with the pot value for the 'spin a split' control, as the transition between a single coil and the mix into a humbucker seems very abrupt.

It's certainly looking the part, well done.


Ron Mc

Thank you.

looks fantastic. how did you make the tailpiece?