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Author
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Topic: Ash as a lap steel wood
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Michael Aspinwall
Member From: Arizona, USA
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posted 25 October 2005 06:36 PM
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After trying padauk & maple with good results, I put one together out of ash (not "swamp ash", just plain old "ash.") Doesn't seem like I've seen too many ash laps; I'm real pleased with the tone & sustain of this one. Lessee if I can post a couple of pics: http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/archiemaxwell/Image110.jpg http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/archiemaxwell/Image113.jpg
Purists please note that the new lever design lets you swing 'em out of the way so you can play it "conventional:" http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/archiemaxwell/Image123.jpg |
Roy Thomson
Member From: Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada
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posted 25 October 2005 07:13 PM
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Michael,
Are you making the lever hardware and selling seperate?
More info please. |
HowardR
Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.
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posted 25 October 2005 07:30 PM
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Swing out levers! Great idea. That way, they're not a pain in the ash....  |
Roy Thomson
Member From: Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada
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posted 25 October 2005 08:01 PM
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George Rozak
Member From: Braidwood, Illinois USA
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posted 25 October 2005 08:05 PM
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I think Herb Remington uses ash in his line of non-pedals. ------------------
Sho-Bud: Professional & Fingertip |
George Keoki Lake
Member From: Edmonton, AB., Canada
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posted 25 October 2005 08:25 PM
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Elva West (Tradewind Guitars of Anaheim, CA) makes very nice guitars using ASH. Nice thing about ASH, it is a light weight wood. |
Michael Aspinwall
Member From: Arizona, USA
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posted 25 October 2005 08:48 PM
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Thanks all--Roy, I could fix you up with a mech if you want to--Would be well under $200USD, made to order. I'm not a guitar company, just a hobbyist; I'd email but you don't seem to have a listing. I have three other similar instruments I've made but thisn's by far the best;it's the first "pedalap" I've made with a "free-standing" mechanism (incorporates an "under-bridge" to increase the down tension on the bridge)--Just screws into the top of the guitar instead bolting through the body. No rollers, but stays in tune real good thanks to the un-notched stainless steel bridge. Sounds real purty too. You can email me direct for more info....and thanks for your interest! |
Dom Franco
Member From: Beaverton, OR, 97007
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posted 26 October 2005 01:28 AM
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I have made several Lap steels out of ASH. The grain is beautiful. It is a very "hard" wood. http://www.freewebs.com/steelman777/lapsteelguitars.htm Sincerely;
Dom Franco |
Mark Vinbury
Member From: N. Kingstown, Rhode Island, USA
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posted 26 October 2005 05:28 AM
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Mike- Nice looking steel. Very cool bender device. Any chance of some sound samples?. |
Michael Aspinwall
Member From: Arizona, USA
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posted 26 October 2005 08:14 AM
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Dom--Nice axe! I've gotten a couple of requests for sound samples; soon's I figure out how to do it I'll post. (That may take awhile............) |
Bill Hatcher
Member From: Atlanta Ga. USA
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posted 26 October 2005 10:06 AM
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Ash is a fine tone wood. Negatives are wide open grain that makes finishing tough. You have to use a pore filler or slop on a lot of lacquer and wet sand until pores are filled. Even then, the finish will sink into the pores and look uneven over time. The other is weight. Regular ash is much heavier than swamp ash which grows in wet areas and has more white growth wood between the rings. |
James Quackenbush
Member From: Pomona, New York, USA
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posted 26 October 2005 11:15 AM
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George,
Swamp Ash is the Ash that is light in weight ....There were a lot of early Fenders made out of Swamp Ash and Alder.....Your typical Ash is HEAVY !!!....This is the Ash that they use to make baseball bat's from !!..... There are some companies that use the heavy Ash for their guitars , but it's a very HEAVY wood, but has good tone qualities ......I'm pretty sure that Elva uses Swamp Ash which is also very resonant , but light in weight .. ....Jim |
Charlie McDonald
Member From: Lubbock, Texas, USA
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posted 26 October 2005 11:54 AM
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Man, do I like that. Great levers. |
Stephan Miller
Member From: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
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posted 26 October 2005 03:10 PM
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Michael-- I like it! What's the current tuning...also how much extra space is needed behind the bridge for installation? --Steve |
Michael Aspinwall
Member From: Arizona, USA
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posted 26 October 2005 03:22 PM
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Distance from the bridge to the axis of the changer mech is 4 1/4"---It's tuned open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E top to bottom) & the levers are set to raise the 2nd string a whole step and the 3rd string a half step to achieve that I-IV change when using both levers; the 2nd string changer alone gives you a minor. Simple and minimal--Just like my playing skills! |
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