Monkeyswithladders
Well-known member
For a while now I've been wanting to buy a lap steel to learn on. I mostly want to learn how to play melodies on it like in hawaiian music-- playing over previously recorded ukulele tracks and stuff.
Now I'm open, possibly even leaning, toward building my own. The only piece I'm unsure of what to buy for the construction is the pickup. Most of the old school pickups for lapsteels aren't made anymore or are impossible to find. Plus I don't know what kind of pickup the different lapsteels employed.
So my question is about the particular qualities of a lapsteel pickup so I know what to look for in the pickups that are available. Which regular guitar pickups would be comparable for dropping into a lap steel? I'm looking for a smooth and mellow tone. I'm also guessing I should be putting it closer to the neck position to help this goal?
Thanks in advance if you have any input for me at all!
Now I'm open, possibly even leaning, toward building my own. The only piece I'm unsure of what to buy for the construction is the pickup. Most of the old school pickups for lapsteels aren't made anymore or are impossible to find. Plus I don't know what kind of pickup the different lapsteels employed.
So my question is about the particular qualities of a lapsteel pickup so I know what to look for in the pickups that are available. Which regular guitar pickups would be comparable for dropping into a lap steel? I'm looking for a smooth and mellow tone. I'm also guessing I should be putting it closer to the neck position to help this goal?
Thanks in advance if you have any input for me at all!