Steel Guitar Builder

What sources is everyone finding Aluminum angle at? Is this a HD or Lowes thing? Also is a reason everyone is using aluminum and not steel?

Hi Audiokat. Where are you at? It's best if you can shop for your aluminum - angle or otherwise- at a metal dealer ..online would be for example
http://www.speedymetals.com/ and http://www.onlinemetals.com/ or look for a local metals dealer. Last resort would be places like Metal Supermarket. They sell by the inch and cost an arm and a leg.

I would saw use aluminum, not steel. It is easier to work and does have a nice resonance. Opinions may be divided however.
Welcome to the forum by the way!

Bent wrote:Hi Audiokat. Where are you at? It's best if you can shop for your aluminum - angle or otherwise- at a metal dealer ..online would be for example
http://www.speedymetals.com/ and http://www.onlinemetals.com/ or look for a local metals dealer. Last resort would be places like Metal Supermarket. They sell by the inch and cost an arm and a leg.

I would saw use aluminum, not steel. It is easier to work and does have a nice resonance. Opinions may be divided however.
Welcome to the forum by the way!

Great stuff brent. The stuff on online metals seems super easy to order and lots of choices. Plus it's cool that you can order just a 1'. Thanks for the help.

A postscript to Bent's reply.

I, personally, would not buy Al angle from HD or Lowe's simply because it is usually type 1100. It is soft - really soft! My personal choice is type 6061. The temper usually doesn't matter for our applications.

Richard

richard37066 wrote:A postscript to Bent's reply.

I, personally, would not buy Al angle from HD or Lowe's simply because it is usually type 1100. It is soft - really soft! My personal choice is type 6061. The temper usually doesn't matter for our applications.

Richard

Yea that's the exact stuff I was looking at. What size are you using? I've searched string height on the forum but found not a ton of discussions that led me to a decision. That might be a Bent questions as well I'm sure.

audiokat -

Re: - String height

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=566

See if this helps.

Richard

I also like brass. Harder than aluminum, but still fairly easy to work.