Pedal steel / lap steel

[2pods]

re Lap Steel.

I've always played a bit of slide. Mostly G tuning, but I also have a Roland Strat which when input into a VG99 (no longer have it) or Boss GP-10 can have any tuning you like through guitar modelling (there is a resonator, but would probably use a strat or Tele model) 6 string only though, but with two controller pedals can be assigned to any string to change notes momentarily.

Not quite "Authentic" as Gibson might say (that's another story ), but I wouldn't mind sticking the 13 pin guitar pickup on a lap steel and see where it would take me.

e.g. "normal" whatever tuning on the lap steel, switch Roland pickup on to select an entirely different tuning with the option to drop/raise two of the notes. Obviously only worth trying if you have any of this stuff which I do.

I'll be watching my local CC for a cheap lap steel, and if the results are good, I'll buy something better.

Totally off the subject, but could be of interest ?

[Carl2]

TPJ said he has a 6 string tuned to C6 with a duesenberg palm bender,Can anyone tell me what strings are being bent??I am interested in trying. a bender but only in C6.

Thanks Carl

[TPJ]

16 hours ago, Carl2 said:

TPJ said he has a 6 string tuned to C6 with a duesenberg palm bender,Can anyone tell me what strings are being bent??I am interested in trying. a bender but only in C6.

Thanks Carl

The benders can be installed on any string. I have two of them currently on string 2 and 3 (2nd and 3rd highest pitched). It's a pretty cool device

[Carl2]

Is that C to C# and A to A# OR  TO D AND A TO B. Please clarify for me.

Thanks Carl

[songofthewind]

I think I remember  BJ Cole experimenting with a MIDI output on his pedal steel.

[TPJ]

14 hours ago, Carl2 said:

Is that C to C# and A to A# OR  TO D AND A TO B. Please clarify for me.

Thanks Carl

Hi Carl, I'll dig it out at the weekend as it's in storage and let you know. I'll take pics too if you want to see it.

[TPJ]

Here is my lap steel with the bender. I have them installed on the A and C string on a C6 tuning (CEGACE). They move the A string up to A# and the C string up to C#. You can obviously set the pitch of each bender to whatever you want with in reason of the movement of the lever.

That bar at the rear is a pivot for the bending mechanism and the mechanism can be moved along the bar to any string position. Also, benders can be set to bend the pitch down as well as up depending on where you install the string on the mechanism.

Those four nuts you see on top  and by the bar are fine tuners for both the open string and the pitch when the palm lever is pressed.

Hope this helps.

[2pods]

Zombie thread alert !

 

After threatening to stick a GK3 on a cheap lap steel into a SY1000, I did some thinking, reading (internet), and watching (You Tube), and came to the conclusion that I wanted a good lap steel more than my Roland stuff.

 

After selling the Roland GK3 etc, I started saving, and now have this  incoming.

 

Still undecided on the bars, as we seem to be very limited compared to the US (Also, lots dearer if the price of recommended spare strings for the two benders, the custom gauge set he's put together here,

 

Troy Brenningmeyer's custom string set for Open D with Duesenberg and Certano Benders)

 

but have managed to get a Ernie Ball P04233 Heavy steel bar, and a Shubb SP2 so far.

Though I may have been better with a Shubb SP1, as it's a bit longer and lighter.

 

More later

 

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by 2pods

[2pods]

The other thing with the Duesey, is that it's strung for a 26" scale, open D.

 

Although I'm used to playing slide in open G, I can find my way around it and have even managed to get a couple of bar "slants" ( forward and back) sounding OK-ish, most of the books are for, or start with 22" C7 tuning.

That would mean restringing but I don't fancy it.

 

I may sell an unused bass to procure a cheaper lap slide.

Edited July 23, 2023 by 2pods

[2pods]

My new Duesenberg Fairytale Split/King

 

 

Please excuse our cats' "Rory G" cushion    

 

I'm getting on with it slowly, but surely.

As I'm well used to a "Low" G tuning on guitar, I'm  basically using the same shapes/scale positions, but as if I'm playing a string down. Meaning the bottom string in D or E is the root note, rather than the G tuning's bottom string being a 5th below.

I'm having more trouble with my right hand, as I'm not comfy with wearing fingerpicks. Though this could be be because they're not a great fit. 

I'm not touching the levers yet   

 

I've been having a look at these lessons for basic d tuning lap steel, in order to try and get the fingerpick thing down. I've bought the first five lessons.

 

The reason I jumped in the deep end was because I didn't want a cheapy to learn on (I know I'll stick it), and then had the hassle of selling that, then going for this. I'll be selling one of my Ibby's (probably the SR600E) as I fancy something in C6 to use with the many books for this tuning, and then apply that to the Fairytale.

Thinking along the lines of this  Epiphone Electar Centur or  this Gretsch G5700 (which could be retro fitted with levers), but I've got to crawl before I walk.

Edited July 23, 2023 by 2pods

[Passinwind]

Not strictly a lap steel, although I do plan to use it that way quite a bit:

 

 

There's a contact pickup on the resonator as well, with a stereo output jack to allow outboard blending or a two amp setup. It sounds closer to a dobro than a banjo, but definitely has its own thing going on.

[2pods]

That looks very nice

[Passinwind]

2 hours ago, 2pods said:

That looks very nice

It sounds great amped up with my DIY bass slide bars. I didn't know much about Gold Tone, but they turn out to have some pretty well known endorsers and to be a bit bigger company than I expected. They make lots of lap steels and resonator guitars as well: https://goldtonemusicgroup.com/goldtone/products/guitars?menu_category=round-neck-resonator-guitar,slide,square-neck-resonator&sort=az

[2pods]

Another NGD.

 

Just bought this 

 

 

 

Great little guitar destined for a C6 tuning.

It was in perfect nick when I bought it, and very well packed.

 

However, the seller had said it was tuned to D, as he'd put fairly hefty strings on.

He also said he was slackening the strings for postage and throwing in a steel.

Imagine my surprise when I unpacked it to find a piece out of the body ( had a look in the packaging, but couldn't find it), the steel sellotaped to the bottom of the guitar wrapping (which had obviously done the damage, as the sides are very sharp), and tuned to high G.........that's dobro tuning......a heavy E string tuned up to G even allowing for the 23" scale.

My seller said he'd definitely had it in D, and loosened the strings when he sent it, and I believe him.

 

So....do we have a lap steel player at Evri who opened the box because it was from a Gretsch Lap Steel guitar ?

 

I don't know, and the chip doesn't bother me, but I wonder about these carriers 

 

Edited July 27, 2023 by 2pods

[Andy_L]

At the risk of offending, does anyone know of a keyboard that does a decent enough pedal steel sound?

[2pods]

There was a Roland GR33 that did a good one, but that's really a guitar synth.

Though it might have been playable via midi in from a keyboard.

 

There are a couple of VST versions, also there are two collections of pedal steel loops from Big Fish Audio.

One VST is by Idiginus (sic) called "The Steel" which is a Kontakt instrument (full version only), and there is a really complicated one which I can't remember, but you can google it and Ueberschall.com's "Pedal Steel", and another one from ink-audio.com for Kontakt.

 

Sorry for messy post, as stuff happening

[Andy_L]

Thanks, I'll take a look

[Kirky]

I've just popped a cheap Recording King Lap Steel in the classifieds if anyone's interested in giving it a go.  

[2pods]

I have one.

They're great wee things.