DIY Lapsteel thoughts...

[AdmiralQuality]

I'm just saying, the fact that you're talking about intonation at all implies that you're putting attention to detail and play-ability into it.

You can choose to not do this. Sure. Lots of guitars didn't but the technology has evolved over time. The solution is there, a stock bridge. They're very affordable, adjustable (great if you're experimenting with a new design) and make for an easier to maintain instrument.

S'all.

[Hink]

well keep in mind I'm not the OP and I do have more reasons than just intonation to go with just arugular bridge (mainly I have a few). However I pointed this out in another thread about intonation.

This is the duclimer I built, the bridges (especially the left ob or 'treble' bridge) must be positioned perfectly so the corresponding note on the other side of the bridge is also in tune (the right bridge os 'bass' bridge is typically only played on the left side of the bridge)





the bottom picture is recent and in tune, it was suppose to have hard plastic saddles but I used brass rods and I think that helped a lot keeping it straight because the bridges are not fixed at all. These type of instruments need some flaws to capture the essence of what they are about imo. (the flaw in my dulcimer was my braindead idea to use epoxy two seymour duncan woody pick-ups in it. They do nothing and are not coming out, those other ones are piezo pick-ups that work great)

[GaryG]

But the OP asked about intonation, and I'm just trying to point out that slides aren't an intonation cure-all.

I didn't say they were, I said they are not accurate enough to make a big difference when it comes fairly fine adjustments vs the less than accurate stlye of playing. Once againg that's one allure of the slide, it's palyed by ear and feel (we wont even get into pedal steel)

Thanks guys, appreciate what you're both saying.

I have to be honest about my abilities; I realise I don't have golden ears (have a hard time hearing just what a lot of these tape sat/warmer plugs do... ) so if we're talking minute differences in pitch then a) I probably won't hear them and b) I won't be playing nearly accurately enough anyway.

I like the sound of lapsteels and want some of that flavour, probably drowned in delay and reverb for my more ambient noodlings (think Enos Appolo stuff).

Thanks for the extra links Hink, the one with the compensated wraparound bridge is what I was thinking of earlier, I'll see what I can dig up bridge wise. Skateboard is appealing, may have an old deck somewhere....

How about my bolt idea for the nut though? Would have thought better for the strings than a piece of aluminium with notches in like a lot of DIY ones seem to have.

Cheers.

[bluelife]

Hi,

Garry asked in another post, I haven't read the whole thread.

One thing is, if you make one and finish it, you'll build another one too, it kind of gets to you.

You can use a bolt for the nut or bridge, in fact I would suggest building one as a kind of practice piece before building the real thing; you'll come up against all sorts of things you didn't think about.

Anything that has more than 4 strings needs a truss rod normally, BUT being a lapsteel you can use a thicker piece of wood (always hard wood, ash or oak etc.), so you should get away without using a truss rod.

Anyway, here are some resources that might help you:

Calculating frets (a typical scale length for an acoustic would be 635mm)
http://www.stewmac.com/fretcalc.html

Handmade Instrument Clubhouse
http://handmademusic.ning.com

Some Lapsteels from above site:
http://handmademusic.ning.com/photo/pho ... q=lapsteel


My Blog
http://www.richardjameswinter.com/blog/

A PDF regarding advanced Cigar Box Guitar Building:
http://joshuagayou.com/downloads/Advanc ... uction.zip

... and don't worry too much about the intonation on a lapsteel (You'll come across another other scratch heading stuff:). You can slightly turn the bolt bridge if you want - try a cheapo one first, later you can start buying quality parts,

cheers

Richard

[GaryG]

Thanks for the tips Richard,

I'm very much approaching this as a learning experience, if I get a usable instrument at the end of it then great but not the whole objective.