DIY Lap Steel Guitar

Have you ever wanted to build your own lap steel but were put off by the idea of machining custom hardware? Well, it turns out there are cheaper and easier option, and this video shows them. This guitar has a grand total of about $30 sunk into it.

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Thanks again to Kevin MacLeod for his amazing CC-licensed music. You can see and hear his stuff at http://incompetech.com.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• diy
• maker
• guitar
• lap
• steel
• electric
• pickup
• drawer
• pull
• hardware
• cheap
• music
• instrument
• audio

[12StringTim]

Love the use of drawer pulls.

[dmlandrum]

@12StringTim I'm afraid I can't claim credit for the drawer pull bridges, as I saw that in a Diego Stocco video. The cup-style drawer pull tailpiece, on the other hand... ;)

[baslisks]

nice use of a solder sucker.

[dmlandrum]

@baslisks It was an instant solution to a problem. :)

[mshuptar]

Cool video and I dig the repurposing of the drawer handles - especially the bridge piece! At the end of the video, you mentioned that you'd like to draw/stencil on the fret markers and I was wondering where you could find the scale information? As I understand it, the frets get smaller as you go toward the bridge, but what are the increments? I only ask because I'd like to build this project, too!

[hologram1954]

That's a great idea for the tailpiece...

[gavquinn]

This is fuckin brillaint man!

[SonofCastille]

nOT too shabby!

[v8media]

Sounds like a pretty great cheap musical instrument!

[DragonBomber]

Pretty good sound there, sir. I have been working on converting a $10 Goodwill-bought acoustic into a weird sounding resonator. I learned a good bit along the way and once I get a pickup and/or piezo put in I am sure it will sound better. Well, that and getting the threads prepared for adhering the back cover and front cover so everything sits properly without masking tape. ;)