Do you like the sound of a lap steel guitar?

[msc545]

This is Rebel Rouser on a 7-string Rickenbacher lap steel.

[Staximus]

My brother has bought, sold, and repaired\restored many lap steels in the last 20 years. He recently started messing with pedal steels. That's a 1940's bakelite Rickenbacher if I'm not mistaken. Very sought after for tone, but if you drop it you're 110% fucked. I rewired and installed new volume and tone pots and installed new tuners in this, a 1951 Supro. I still need to learn how to play it, though. If you like lap steel music or Hawaiian guitar as it was originally called, check out Jerry Byrd. He made a living playing country with stars like Hank Williams and Patsy Cline, then left Nashville, moved to Hawaii, joined a hotel band, and never came back. He was one of the main guys responsible for keeping Hawaiian lap steel music alive in Hawaii and bridged the gap between the old Hawaiians and the new generation of Hawaiians.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/jXEP5DFDMM4

He's playing a double neck Sho-Bud steel guitar here. There's no pedals except the volume pedal, so it's the same technique as a lap steel. I guess you could just call it a double neck console steel

[msc545]

That's very interesting and it sounds great. Thanks very much for posting this.

[Staximus]

Jerry Byrd also got famous playing a 30's or 40's Rickenbacher BD6, which looks just like that lap steel the dude in the video you posted is playing, but with 6 strings.

[msc545]

Interesting: which string is omitted on the 5-string, relative to the 6-string?

[Staximus]

The guy in your video is playing a 7 string, which is very rare. Most of those old lap steels were 6 or 8 string. Jerry Byrd played a 6 string which is the most common in Hawaiian music. I asked my brother about the extra string on the 7 string. He said there were many tunings used back in the 30's and it could have been an extra low, high, or middle string depending on the player and what tuning they used

[Staximus]

I meant to say Jerry started out on a 6 string like the 7 string Rickenbacher in your video, and moved on to a double neck 8&7 string Sho-Bud

[msc545]

Thank you for telling me. I didn't realize that was kind of an optional string, but that totally makes sense to me.

[NathanDavis]

yes, I do... but I prefer a "regular steel guitar'

https://www.youtube.com/embed/7o8CpcCz8ZE

[msc545]

That sounds terrific. Thanks for posting it.

[NathanDavis]

that, his name... he has a few gigs around

often with that one guitar... the National

[OneViewpoint]

Yup I've always like the unique sound of the steel guitar. But it needs to be used sparingly. It can get annoying if becomes too prominent. Especially the "whining" sound that can be created with the slide. Rebel Rouser is one of the very few (simple) songs where solo steel guitar works with a tenor sax to sound like nothing else could.

[RandomGirl42]

Oh yes! Being a country girl I love the sound of a lap steel. BUT it's not just for country, quite a few bands, including the Rolling Stones have used it as well! 😊

https://www.youtube.com/embed/mUCoQryE7-k

[Sevenpointfive]

I never knew about this instrument but I am familiar with the sound. It was interesting to finally put the two together. It sounds good.

[exitseven]

I never knew about this instrument but I am familiar with the sound. It was interesting to finally put the two together. It sounds good.

[MisterWack]

Lap steels are cool

[CuriousMufuxka]

Nah I'll stick with lead and bass.