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Author
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Topic: Bang-for-the-buck lap steel
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Geoff Brown
Member From: Nashvegas
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posted 04 June 2003 11:31 PM
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A friend is looking for an inexpensive LS to get started with. Suggestions? Thanks, guys. |
HowardR
Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.
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posted 05 June 2003 04:41 AM
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Ebay always has a variety the lower end, older (1950s) "mother of toilet seat" lap steels that are inexpensive. Supros, Magnatone, Dickerson,...etc. The early Japanese Guyatone is also another one that shows up there. Aside from being inexpensive, they sound pretty darn good for lower end instruments. I have an old "Amerloha" cheapie, that just wails. You can buy a Morrell or Sonica, the modern lower end also. I would opt for the older ones. You may want to check out the GoldTone, a modern reasonably priced lap steel available at Elderly Instruments. I've heard good things about that one.[This message was edited by HowardR on 05 June 2003 at 06:33 PM.] |
Steinar Gregertsen
Member From: Arendal, Norway
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posted 05 June 2003 05:34 AM
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I'm very happy with my Chandler RH-2, I believe I paid $375 (incl. case) direct from the factory.
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Andy Volk
Member From: Boston, MA
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posted 05 June 2003 06:04 AM
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IMHO, the three best low budget new lap steels are (in order of preference) ...1. Chandler Royal Hawaiian (RH-2) available from Guitar Center or from their website 2. The GoldTone lap steel (dealer list from their Website). 3. Georgeboard's student model (available from www.Georgeboards.com) Personally, I wouldn't touch a Sonica or a Morrell.[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 05 June 2003 at 06:04 AM.] |
Rick Aiello
Member From: Berryville, VA USA
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posted 05 June 2003 08:35 AM
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I cast my vote for a student model Ricky such as a (an):Model 59 (prewar 1 1/2" horseshoe magnet pickup ... hollow steel body ... cool paint jobs) Model NS (postwar version of the 59) Academy (one piece bakelite) S100 (wood bodied from the '50/'60s)
These are obviously not in the same "league" as their "prized" relatives ... but in the $250 - $350 range ... tough to beat a steel guitar with a horseshoe magnet pickup 
Just my unbiased opinion 
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www.horseshoemagnets.com [This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 05 June 2003 at 10:52 AM.]
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Jesse Pearson
Member From: San Diego , CA
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posted 05 June 2003 09:33 AM
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I'm nuts over cheapo MOT Magnatones. Some, I was lucky enough to get for under a $100.00 on E-bay. I use heavy strings on their 22 1/2" necks, which beefs up the tone. The one I use for C6 is a little different from the others, in style and set up and it's my favorite. But what would they sound like with a Ricky Horse shoe pickup, incredible! The old Magnatone pickup is under the MOT. I have a stand I made just for the Magnatones and it helps them ring out a little better. The string spacing is 3/8" from nut to bridge, perfect! One day I would like to put a Ricky pickup in one of the Magnatones and see what happens.  [This message was edited by Jesse Pearson on 08 June 2003 at 07:48 PM.] |
Ron Whitfield
Member From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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posted 05 June 2003 02:07 PM
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Jesse, can you detail your stands construction and explain why you believe it improves the tone/sound? I've been thinking of building a stand to do just that, and I could use some EXTRA thinkin. Thanx!------------------
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Chuck Trombley
Member From: Broken Arrow, Ok. 74012
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posted 05 June 2003 02:37 PM
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Geoff: I'm 75 and slowing down a bit. Besides my Fender Custom T8 and my Sierra U12 I have an Diana Oahau. It's in real good condition considering it is 52 years old. Pickup is excellent, all parts excellent condition. Finish is cracked in one place. This lap sings. I got it from Tom Brumley when I traded another Fender T8 for it. Insterested? It's my first consideration about selling. Cost? $200.00 and that is about half what I could get on Ebay. Chuck |
Donald Ruetenik
Member From: Pleasant Hill, California, USA
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posted 05 June 2003 04:40 PM
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Musicians Friend has a good little starter 6 String Lap on sale now for $80. http://www.musiciansfriend.com #518800
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Russ Young
Member From: Seattle, Washington, USA
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posted 05 June 2003 04:48 PM
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I'd go for an MOTS Supro or Oahu with a string-through-pickup. For $200 or less you can get a guitar that sounds exponentially better than the cheap new starter guitars.But if you can find a metal Rickenbacher before Rick Aiello does, you may want to grab it! |
Donald Ruetenik
Member From: Pleasant Hill, California, USA
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posted 05 June 2003 06:13 PM
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I'm reading the original missive and would surmise that Geoff B. wouldn't want to saddle his friend with a 'pig-in-a-poke' off of EBAY or buy something that he'd have to refurbish before playing. To me (in this regard) 'inexpensive' and 'get started' ALSO means 'No Hassle'. |
Russ Young
Member From: Seattle, Washington, USA
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posted 05 June 2003 10:53 PM
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You're undoubtedly right, Donald. But haven't you ever noticed that (at least) half the fun of these forums is deciding how someone else should spend their money? |
Donald Ruetenik
Member From: Pleasant Hill, California, USA
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posted 06 June 2003 07:23 AM
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Well said, Russ. |
CrowBear Schmitt
Member From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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posted 06 June 2003 09:28 AM
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how 'bout a lil'Ol' Gibson BR6 ?------------------
Steel what?
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Geoff Brown
Member From: Nashvegas
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posted 06 June 2003 09:34 PM
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"Musicians Friend has a good little starter 6 String Lap on sale now for $80. http://www.musiciansfriend.com #518800"Actually, I think he was looking at this one originally. I thought maybe something better could be had for a little more. I don't know what exactly his budget is, but you guys have certainly come up with some great suggestions!
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Geoff Brown
Member From: Nashvegas
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posted 06 June 2003 11:06 PM
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Chuck, I tried emailing you about your lap steel, but it's being rejected. Please email me when you get a chance:bluzdelux@comcast.net Thanks. |
David L. Donald
Member From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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posted 07 June 2003 01:05 AM
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I love my MOTS Supro 6, but if I were to get a lapsteel and that was to be my only lapsteel, I would get an 8 string, in most any condition, as long as it worked. If he wants to see if he likes playing slide, most any old guitar re-stringed for the tuning will do.. if he likes that, then go get an 8 string. IMHO. |
Wayne Carver
Member From: Martinez, Georgia, USA
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posted 07 June 2003 07:15 AM
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I've had good luck buying stuff off Ebay.
He could make a lap steel using a tele style tailpiece & pickup or other guitar parts.
Lots of people prefer the six string and it might be better for learning but I wish I had an eight string. Not many of them on Ebay but if I was buying a new one I would get an eight string. |
Jon Light
Member From: Brooklyn, NY
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posted 07 June 2003 07:36 AM
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My observation: the compromise---and it can be considerable---in a cheap electric guitar, whether a lap steel or a Spanish guitar, will be in the tuners and the pickup. And then, if you are looking to play more 'toneful' style (Hawaiian, western) the wood becomes pretty signifaicant as well but if you are playing a driven amp style (blues, etc.) the electrical signal chain becomes a bigger part of the sound. For myself, driving tubes hard and trying to scream, I found that a cheap ebay Harmony lap steel with a wimpy sound became a screamer with a Tele pickup installed. This is a guitar made from what looks like a close cousin to balsa wood under the MOTS. It will never put out rich tone but it does a great job as a string vibrating tube exciter.
If the $80 new guitar can be easily refitted with a good pickup, it might be a good deal. If not, chances are it may never rise above 'student' status. |
Jon Light
Member From: Brooklyn, NY
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posted 07 June 2003 07:44 AM
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Y'know---i just looked at the $79.99 special and.....why not?! Hardwood body, Strat-type pickup, probably easily replaced, it probably is a better guitar than a 60 year old Harmony. |
Andy Volk
Member From: Boston, MA
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posted 07 June 2003 08:45 AM
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Like most things in life, you pay a premium for quality. This holds true for everything from vacation rentals to guitars. Spending a little more is usually worth it when all is said and done.Why buy a cheapo that you'll need to spend money on upgrading? There are still many good vintage guitars to be found and I stand by my recommendations listed above for moderately priced new instruments. It's hard to beat the Chandler RH IMHO for a new guitar with a great sounding, versatile pickup and design panache. |
Mark van Allen
Member From: loganville, Ga. USA
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posted 07 June 2003 08:53 AM
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I usually have a few good used laps on my website steel store, right now I have a couple of really nice melobars...------------------
C'mon by and visit!- www.markvanallen.com
My Bands: Sugarland Kate and the Retreads Kecia Garland Band Shane Bridges Band Dell Conner Blues Band
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Steinar Gregertsen
Member From: Arendal, Norway
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posted 07 June 2003 09:20 AM
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At the risk of repeating myself,- I've had a late '40s Supro, a '30s Oahu Tonemaster and a relative new Melobar Rattler, but I didn't know how a lapsteel could sing until I got the Chandler RH-2.
Even when I play it unplugged it's as if it has a buildt-in compressor working.Only complaint I've had with it was a bad tone control, only worked between 0-3 so it didn't roll off the tone like it should. Easily fixed.
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Jesse Pearson
Member From: San Diego , CA
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posted 07 June 2003 10:44 AM
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I played the Chandler at Guitar Center and one of my cheapo Magnatone's cut it easy. Heck, didn't Murph play em or something like em at times in L.A. on gigs? Certain model Magnatones sound great and are easy to play, that's the bottom line on em. Jerry Byrd said it himself, the body doesn't matter on a steel. There is something real dumb ass about just starting out and spending a lot of doe on something that costs more money than you would need in an instrument, just to learn and start gigging (I learned this the dumb ass way)  . One day when I tie all my approaches together on my Magnatone, I'm gonna show up at one of the steel conventions and rip it up. The older cheapo laps have one thing going for them that the newer steels don't, aged, dried out wood that rings out. My Magnatones are 50 to 60 years old and are just what the doctor ordered. You just have to own a good one to get it.P.S. If a Magnatone is easy to play and sounds good already, upgrading it with a Ricky pickup puts it in another ballpark all together. If you only payed $100.00 dollars for it in the first place, the upgrade would cause the resale value to skyrocket plus you'd have something close to that famous steel sound for peanuts. Just like theory, it's a math thing at first.[This message was edited by Jesse Pearson on 08 June 2003 at 07:44 PM.] |
Russ Young
Member From: Seattle, Washington, USA
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posted 07 June 2003 10:58 AM
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Steinar: The true test of your Chandler is this -- do the tone and volume controls go to 10 ... or 11? |
Geoff Brown
Member From: Nashvegas
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posted 07 June 2003 11:05 AM
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Mark Van Allen, you've got mail. |
Jesse Pearson
Member From: San Diego , CA
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posted 08 June 2003 05:43 PM
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Russ Young
Member From: Seattle, Washington, USA
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posted 08 June 2003 06:21 PM
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Okay, Howard ... is your camera handy? |
HowardR
Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.
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posted 08 June 2003 06:46 PM
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Jesse, along with the E13, F#9, E6, it looks like the chair is a Louis XIV....tuned in fourths, just count the legs....See, I know my modal theory [This message was edited by HowardR on 08 June 2003 at 06:48 PM.] |
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