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I've just had to stop taking anti-inflammatory tabs for the arthritis in my hands, so it's getting a bit awkward to play lately .

SOOOOO-----Thought I'd make myself a Lap steel!!!!! Anyone know where I can get plans for one? Preferably free??

Thought I might even have a go at a solid AND acoustic version.

Cheers.

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Aoibeann

Thanks Lillian, sorry a bit of time replying, been a bit hectic the last few days.
I'll check that out.
Cheers.

stew mac sells weissenborn plans
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Books,_plans/Plans/Weissenborn_Guitar_Plans.html

Stevie M wrote:

Thought I'd make myself a Lap steel!!!!!


Cheers.

Yo, Stevie,

So sorry to hear about the arthritis...me doctor looked me in the eye and said point blank.

"Stop eating bread, grains and all congesters, and you'll be fine"

Took about 6 months....that was a decade ago and yes me hands are A1.


Now regarding that lapsteel. Well me don't do plans, and your skill set is well enough advanced to build from a simple sketch so here...enjoy.

the following was originaly posted at
http://www.luthierforum.com/index.php?showtopic=4532%20%20on%20%20Feb%2014%202008,%2005:58%20PM the complete thread can be see there.


This here be "the Box"

A steel stinger for country and westerners.




The BOX is the sound chamber!

The soundboard is rectangular, floats on nodal points and the sound hole is the
airspace between the edge of the sound board and the box.

Then again .... the sound board may need to be fixed to the box all the way around the perimiter
and then the sound holes added here and there...ie top, or sides.

Gotta do some experimenting there.

Just a thought.


Since doing that post thread and drawing , research has shown that box type instruments such as this and say ducimers dont even really need a sound board

Yes is true...the back of the box acts as better sound board than the "Official" sound board on the top of them...Thats why currently, state of the art dulcimers are now being built with the spruce on the back and useing the more exotic woods on top...go figure...is gonna take a while to catch on but is gonna happen.



blessings
the
Padma

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Hey Padma, thanks for that. I checked out the full thread, is that site still up? I tried to go to the home page, it said it couldn't connect.

Interesting way you're doing that one. I've already got vague ideas which way to go on it now, but it's a couple of specifics I could do with, such as------Scale length, height of strings over fret board, width of nut/bridge ( I'm assuming it's wider than a normal acoustic?), and I'd like to put some sort of pickup on too, probably an active transducer with a gizmo box, like those on electrified acoustics?
Another idea was a sort of hybrid, with a resonator, what do you think?
Cheers.

Well Steve

Since you are basicaly considering designing a whole new instrument the first place to start in me mind would be exactly were you went to ....the Scale length.

From there every thing starts to fall in place....You gonna be a sliding around so check out measurments on things that use slides....Nationals Dobros, weissenborns and other lap steel guitars.
Play a few, take notes of size and feel and take measurments.

Assumptions on width height dept are really just unresolved decisions and as such are a bit premature on designing an instrumetn....but seems you already got something roling in the brain ...so keep that all in mind. Then after takeing in as much info as you can amass....all the while assembling the various systems ie, nut, type of bridge how the strings attach, were they attach
One, tow, three fretboards, how they be supported ect ect ect.

If you really want a "box" meaning an acoustic instrument. as you started talking electrics...well for electrics it becoms simple...use a 2 x 4 thats about were Les Paul started. Strings tuners bridge and picups on a 2 x4 .

If you gonna go accustic "box" then go study the appalachan dulcimer design system, and me don't mean the shapes they come in as much as how they are built and apply this into to a box...bear in mind that the top deck on them isnt realy the sound board...the bottom of their box is the sounding board.

Now if your gonna put n a reso cone...well then why not just build a sqaire neck dobro . national or a weissenborn?


Lots of what abouts and decisions to design and building from scratch....easier to just copy and build some one elses resolved nightmare...easier still to buy ready made nightmare esspecialy since they come with guarantee.

regarding that link....go directly to http://www.luthierforum.com register and then start poking around the Featured forms and Builders sub form for "the Padma Builds" sub forum.

Good luck.

the
Padma


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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Thanks Padma, I think there's probably a bit of research coming up on the acoustic version!!! So a solid '2x4' is first up