Specs For My Lap & Some Photos

[Eldon]

Overall Length: 40 in
Overall Width: 8 -¼ in
Overall Thickness: 1-11/16 in
Scale: 24 ½ in
Tuners: Grover, I forget which model number.
Headstock: Made from white birch, 9 5/8 in long, 5 in wide, 7/8 in thick with an aluminum reinforcing plate on top about 2 mm thick made from an old truck runningboard
Fretboard: 19 – ¾ in long , 4 in wide 3/16 in thick made from Black Ash for contrast with body. Frets are made from the narrowest guage model railroad track I could find cut to length and glued upside down into slots cut with a hacksaw. The extra yellow dots within the frets are note names (no excuses but they are training wheels, I playu both by notes and ear and they are really helpful)
Bridge and Nut: Aluminum angle ½ in by 1 in, I cut the slots with a welding tip cleaner
Strings are “through the body” I used portions of steel pop rivets to and bottom so the wire would not cut into body.
There are 2 pieces of round stock between where the strings come through the body and the bridge. The piece closest the bridge is a pressure bar because the other bar (a stainless cupboard door handle was too low. I wanted to have the strings to have less of a bent where they exited the body
Position Markers: ¼ in birch dowel

I considered the scale the most critical measurement and I basically just designed the guitar around this as I went.

Paul or anyone else if you have any comments or questions have at her I’ll do the best I can.

I’ve been gigging with it on a limited scale for about 6 months and I’m pleased with the sound and especially the sustain.

[Bent]

Eldon, that is stunning work! Especially when I am thinking to myself How much did he buy and how much did he find on the local dump? I am not saying this in jest. Your innovative mind never seems to rest.
- Those Grovers seem to be the full size . like the ones I used on my projects.
- Stainless door handle eh? Wow. Of course it works!
- Did you find it necessary to have 12 screws to hold the key head? Maybe it's because you wanted to use wood screws instead of the unsightly bolt head on the underside of the body.
Fine work my man.
By the way did you make that keyhead? Looks good!

[Eldon]

I paid only for the screws, tuners, and frets. The rest I either had on hand or scrounged form somewhere. Re the 12 screws, I didn't know how well the birch I used for the keyhead would hold up so I just rienforced it. Yes I made the keyhead. Just for the record the round stock used as a pressure bar came from a gynocologists table - too much information perhaps.

[Bent]

Tell us HOW you made the keyhead Eldon....

[Bent]

Eldon, I thought I noticed something: Are those tuning keys mounted the right way? I noticed on my steel where the ear for the tiny screw is pointing forward.
If they are on wrong, the string post pulls away from the gear on the tuning key and things will start loosening and slipping in between the gears. These things are designed so that the post gear is forced onto the tuner worm from the string pull.

[c. winn]

I considered the scale the most critical measurement and I basically just designed the guitar around this as I went.

I'd like to hear more about why you chose this scale length, and how that influenced the rest of your design.

Thanks -
C

[Eldon]

Bent,
It's totally possible that the tuners are mounted the wrong way, I'll have to check tomorrow. Not quite sure what I'd do about it though if I have to make a new keyhead it probably won't happen since I'm currently building my pedal steel. Also for next winter I'm considering turning one of my old accordions into a midi unit when I'm not practicing the PS. I designed the keyhead on paper after I got the pickup and tuners. I wanted a straight pull from the nut to the tuning post so the angle of the head became what it is. I glued the drawing onto my piece of wood and just sawed, filed and sanded until it took shape. Then I traced the new head onto my aluminum and repeated the process.

C. Winn, My 1st lap's scale was short 22 - 1/2 in if I remember right. My major consideration for 24 1/2 inches was the possibility of eventually getting/making a pedal steel and I didn't see the need to get used to another fret spacing. As far as the rest of the design I just made the pieces fit as I went along. I was looking for a functional steel without any extra eye candy and that's what I have.

[JW Adams]

My thinking on scale for lap steel, is 6 string, 22 1/2, 8 string on up , 24, i make the body on my steel so i can use different scales , then i can make the keyhead for
either 6 string or 8,10,12, i make the body a little longer than most and straight, this is so i can bolt two together for a double neck.

phpsIqZaLAM.jpg (38.21 KiB) Viewed 3108 times

[Paul Higgins]

Hey Eldon
What a fantistic piece of work !
and thank you ever so much for taking the time to do this for me..
I can now start looking for some wood/timber (not sure what you call it over there) this has now given me a new lease of life, as to be honest Although I am only learning the one i have here is not a good sound to me anyway. it is very cheaply made ( but was cheap to buy, so I supose you get what you pay for...the 3rd "A" string on it I carnt seem to get right it sound dull. Ive changed it and it is in tune but to me just dosent sound right...
Im now in the process of converting you measurements as over here we are in mtr's, although i am old enough to still work in ins "" and still do on work i do for myself, but to order wood/timber will have to be mtr's
The measurements and " how to " are realy helpful, and hopfully to others,..I have printed your post out together with the pic's
I had better start searching timber suppliers now on the web....
Thank you once again for taking the time it is really apprecaited
RdGs paul

[Paul Higgins]

Hi Eldon
First step's done I have ordered Maple for body and sapele for the fret board
and to be honest with you it it wasent as expencive as I thougt..But Ive got to go adout 50 mile to collect it..
now Ive got to look for all the other parts..
Regards Paul