Semi-hollow body for lap steel?
Semi-hollow body for lap steel?
I've noticed that some of the high end lap steel builders are producing models with areas of the body routed out and then using a bookend top to cover. What would the advantage be to having hollow chambers? Any of you guys built something along these lines? Size and shape of the chambers?
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Don McGregor
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2009 9:18 pm
Re: Semi-hollow body for lap steel?
I've never built any hollow, or chambered instruments, but I do believe in the concept of "tap tuning" a body. If you have some way of check what frequencies a block of wood makes when tapped, it only makes sense that it might be better for sustain, at least in certain keys, to shape it to be harmonic to certain notes in concert pitch when strings are applied and struck.
I've long thought, for instance, that an instrument whose body makes an Eb or F# , or even a slightly sharp or flat E note when tapped, would sound less than ideal when an E, A, or B is struck upon any of the strings. It's like it would be fighting itself.
I think this is could be one part of why some guitars just seem to sing better than others.
Still, that only totally makes sense to me if I were only going to play those notes harmonic to the body tones. So, if there were multiple chambers, would each chamber add its own note to the body? Is there a mathematical formula for shaping and sizing each hole or chamber to be harmonic to each other?
I've messed with this using the E.Q. applications in Sound Forge, but it's been a while.
On the other hand, if I spent too much time thinking about stuff like this, I would never get anything built. It's hard as it is.
I've long thought, for instance, that an instrument whose body makes an Eb or F# , or even a slightly sharp or flat E note when tapped, would sound less than ideal when an E, A, or B is struck upon any of the strings. It's like it would be fighting itself.
I think this is could be one part of why some guitars just seem to sing better than others.
Still, that only totally makes sense to me if I were only going to play those notes harmonic to the body tones. So, if there were multiple chambers, would each chamber add its own note to the body? Is there a mathematical formula for shaping and sizing each hole or chamber to be harmonic to each other?
I've messed with this using the E.Q. applications in Sound Forge, but it's been a while.
On the other hand, if I spent too much time thinking about stuff like this, I would never get anything built. It's hard as it is.