The Player's Lounge / GUITAR TALK / Guitar Gear / Lap Steel / Latest Posts

RE: Lap Steel

Anton — Sat, 01 Jan 2005 12:41:14 GMT

Thanks guys, I may well do my best to get one of them, they sound so lovely!

RE: Lap Steel

poopypants — Fri, 31 Dec 2004 13:09:29 GMT

Steel guitar rocks. Lap is played in a way that would not work on your tele. Many of the bends are played by pulling strings behind the bar, something that requires a very high action. Some of the vintage laps have very hot pickups that give them a particular sound.
There are many tunings available for lap steel. Open E and G might be most common. On pedal steel, and even on lap, C6 is used for that Western Swing sound. E9 is the bittersweet sounding country tuning on pedal steel.

RE: Lap Steel

HarryM — Fri, 31 Dec 2004 10:45:10 GMT

Anton,

Lap Steel Guitars have a raised nut and bridge so the strings are high off the fret board. (see picture below) Players use a metal bar to play, and can get that Hawian tone by pressing down on the strings. I don't think using a Tele would get the same results unless you raise the action very high.

Lap Steels are tuned to an open E or G generaly. Pedal Steel Guitars are tuned to an E9th if I remember right.

Lap Steel

Anton — Fri, 31 Dec 2004 09:07:57 GMT

Does anyone own a lap steel or have much experience playing one? I was looking at a couple in our local music shop recently, and I thought "that looks like fun" but then wondered why it would be worth buying a specific lap steel (like this one) instead of just laying my tele flat on my knee?

Happy New Year,

Anton