software

I’m finalizing the plans for my lap steel project. It should be warming up soon, so working in the shop will be easier, plus my father who is a better woodworker is just about recovered from his knee surgery and Shingles.

I have all the parts I need and have been doing final measurements and adjusting the AutoCAD files.

Yes Lew, it would have been easier to just buy one, but why spend $300 on a vintage lap steel, when you can build your own for three times that price? That is my Uncle Sam’s attitude.

O.K., here are the facts:

The string spacing at the Hipshot Trilogy is 0.40.”
The roller bridge is adjustable to 0.40.”
The JB Trembucker is 0.414” between the poles. I could have used a standard JB, but I don’t think it’s going to matter.
The Hipshot roller Nut has a 0.35” spacing.

I was hoping to keep the string spacing equal the entire length of the guitar. I could use a second roller bridge as a roller nut. Being guitar players, you will probably realize that 0.050” is about the width of a low E string. In fact, the GHS Boomer 11s I’m working with have a .050 E string. This is not a hung change in spring spread. The bridge spread is 2.0” and the Nut spread is 1.75”

Questions:
Is this close enough, or should I pursue a different roller nut?
Should I keep the spread at the tuners 2.0” in case I change the nut later, or should I narrow it to 1.75”?

Distance from bridge to JB?
I have set the distance at 1.15” from the top of the saddle to the edge of the Humbucker. Should the JB be closer to the bridge or is this a good distance?

I wanted a flat radius, but the roller bridge is a 20” radius (almost flat). I used the archtop model and have discarded the lower half. I plan on bolting the bridge directly to the body. This will give me a string height of about 0.0625” (5/8”) at the bridge. The nut height is about 0.50” If I raise the “Fretboard” 1/8” the string height should be equal the entire length.

If I use a second roller bridge at the nut, the height and radius will be equal.
Should I use another roller bridge at the nut?

I am open to any and all suggestions, you masters of steel.
Humbly,
Steve

Lew, Pandemonium, anyone?

Hi Steve, Why do you want a roller nut? Unless you are using a vibrato mechanism you don't need a roller nut. IMO, roller nuts (and moving parts in general) just compromise the tone.

My lap steels (old Rickenbackers, Supros and Fenders) all have bone, bakelite or a steel nut and a simple non-adjustable bridge.

I'd keep it very simple and with no moving parts. You're not building a pedal steel...you're building a lap steel, right?

Lew

Hey Lew,

No it's not a Pedal Steel. But I am putting a Hipshot Trilogy on it. So, I want the strings to be able to move with as little resistance as possible when I activate the various, and numerous, levers for the different tunings. I think this will increase the accuracy of the tunings, or at least I hope it will.

Steve

I see. Well....to each his own I guess. I'd keep it simple: better tone.

Lew