Pedalap Steel Guitar, or 'Hybrid Pedal/Lap Guitar'
Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2013 11:00 pm
I've been thinking for a long time about making a guitar that is sort of a cross between a Pedal Steel Guitar and a Lap Steel Guitar. The idea is that the guitar is a full on Pedal Steel Guitar, with a bit more portability, and no set up time. To accomplish this I decided to connect the foot pedals to the guitar body using cables. I'm initially calling this a 'Pedalap' guitar, although I'm not sure I'll stick with that name. The body is maple wood. I'm using aluminum for the under frame and finger housing. I've gone though at least a dozen different ways until I came up with my present design. The strings can either be raise or lower, depending on how the connecting rods are attached underneath. I have my tuned to open E (E - G# - B - E - G# - E). I can raise/lower any of the 5 strings, I'm not bothering with bending the low E or 6th string. I set pedal 1 to raise the 5 and 2 stings (open G#, or III) 1/2 note. I raise both strings together, yet can tune them independently and stop independently so they stay in tune. Pedal 2 raise the 4th string (open B, or V), to C#. Hence, I can get the IV chord. By using pedal 2 I get a minor chord, which would be the VI of the base chord (example: bar 5 is C major, and with pedal 2 pressed it is Am). Pressing both pedals gives me the IV chord. I also set pedal 3 to lower sting 4, which is open E, one full step, so I have a 7th chord. On this guitar I'm also adding a 4th pedal to lower string 1 (open E, or VIII) 1/2 step to get a major 7 chord. So with my pedals setup I can play any major, minor, 7th, or M7 chord. Unlike my first pedal steel, I do not set this guitar to lower the III 1/2 step for a minor chord, as I acheive this by raising the 5th to 6th, and this works because I only have one string that is the V..
The guitar is kind of heavy to really be a lap steel, although it could be set on the lap, or played using a shoulder strap, or set on a table. I also plan to make a stand for it, and a case. This is my first one like this, my prototype. After this build, next year I'm going to build and sell some of these, once I work out the appearance a bit. The under carriage will at least have side covers of wood or aluminum, and I might completely enclose the underside, as there is no need for it to be open, unless there is need of mainenance.
Anyway, here are a few pictures of what I've got so far. I hope to finish this week, but not sure if I can do so. I'll be leaving on vacation around the Dec 22n, 'til end of year, so, if I do not finish it, it'll be next year 'til it's done.
When I finish this guitar I will do a few Youtube videos to show how it plays and sounds. I set the pickup to be as close as possible to the bridge for a brighter sound than my last guitar (had the pickup farther up the neck.) Actually, it's too close and I need to move it back away because it's too hard to change strings.
Hope all this does not sound scattered and hard to follow?
Comments or questions?
Wayne (Elektro)
The guitar is kind of heavy to really be a lap steel, although it could be set on the lap, or played using a shoulder strap, or set on a table. I also plan to make a stand for it, and a case. This is my first one like this, my prototype. After this build, next year I'm going to build and sell some of these, once I work out the appearance a bit. The under carriage will at least have side covers of wood or aluminum, and I might completely enclose the underside, as there is no need for it to be open, unless there is need of mainenance.
Anyway, here are a few pictures of what I've got so far. I hope to finish this week, but not sure if I can do so. I'll be leaving on vacation around the Dec 22n, 'til end of year, so, if I do not finish it, it'll be next year 'til it's done.
When I finish this guitar I will do a few Youtube videos to show how it plays and sounds. I set the pickup to be as close as possible to the bridge for a brighter sound than my last guitar (had the pickup farther up the neck.) Actually, it's too close and I need to move it back away because it's too hard to change strings.
Hope all this does not sound scattered and hard to follow?
Comments or questions?
Wayne (Elektro)