(1) Buy a normal recent electric guitar. Raise the strings using a bridge (nut)
and play it as a steel guitar. (could convert it back to a normal guitar
later also).

(2) Buy a 1940's lap steel guitar. The total string length is quite a bit smaller than the one in option 1.

So what do the real masters of steel guitar play most often? Option (1) or (2)?

First Concern is the age of the guitars: What are the pros and cons of either of the approaches? With option (1), I get a more recent guitar and more choices. With option (2) the guitar is 50-60 years old. Is a 60 yr old guitar, and its electronics, OK? The sales people tell me that a older guitar is actually a good thing, the wood is better conditioned etc. I am more concerned about the electronics being obsolete, or easy to break down.

The second concern is String length: The string length of the lap steel is quite a bit smaller than the normal guitars. I am just concerned that I may not be able to play the higher notes well enough. (If my memory serves me right, the acoustic lap steel I played in India was in between the length of a lap steel and normal.) I haven't playes as small a string as the one in option (2). Is the smaller length going to be problem? I feel ackward with smaller string, although it may be just a matter of getting used to it. The string length of option (1) is longer, is that a poblem? More drooping, perhaps. The salesman I am talkig to insists that it is better to go with a option (2) and buy a real steel lap guitar and not convert the guitar.

Third concern is number of pickups: The normal guitars will 2 or 3 pickups. The laps I am looking at have only one pickup. I have to admit that when I tried the two guitars, the sound of the lap steel (option 2) is really nice as one imagines a canonical steel guitar should be. I cannot test the sound of steel on a normal guitar as the sales people would not let me use a nut to raise the strings to play the normal guitar as a steel. Although the comparison then is a little unfair, but nevertheless the normal guitar didn't sound as good.

Question to the group: Which one should I buy?

Thanks for any replies. I'd appreciate if you could also Email any replies to surinder@ieee.org

Thanks.

Surinder Singh

[This message was edited by Surinder Singh on 21 June 2000 at 04:28 PM.]