Steel Guitar sound, Like Steve Howe.

[Guest Anonymous]

Hello. I would like to get a steel guitar sound like Steve Howe or David Gilmour without spending 2 or 3 thousand dollars. In the past I took my Strat and played it like a steel guitar. I do not have the Strat anymore. I do have other guitars but I do not want to use them for that application.

 

Is it possible to take a cheap guitar and set it up for "steel guitar" application only? Has anyone here ever heard of this being done? Is this a bad idea? Would going the lap steel guitar route be better?

 

I do not have much background knowledge with true steel guitars as far as tunings, pickups, pedal usage. I'm mainly looking for the best possible way to do this without spending a lot of money.

 

 

 

Any links or info would be nice. Thanks

[Wyatt]

Definitely go the lap steel route. You can get a good, usable, new lap steel for less than $100 these days and a great vintage Supro for around $300. The only vintage ones that are skyrocketing in price beyond being ideal for casual use are the Gibby's and Ric's.

 

Otherwise, you can buy something called a "Perfect Nut" and raise the nut action on a regular guitar, but it is a uncomfortable compromise.

[Kingsnake]

Either an inexpensive lap steel like this:

 

 

$79 at MF - even comes with legs!

 

Or you could purchase an extension nut - here's a link for one at Stewart-Macdonald:

 

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Nuts,_saddles/Resonator_nuts,_saddles/Slide_Guitar_Extension_Nut.html

[Norcal_GIT_r]

I use this on a strat.

Works great.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140049927734

[Quarter]

Those conversion nuts look to be a good route if you have a guitar to use with it already.

 

The $79 Artisan would be a good cheap way to go too, simple and functional.

 

If your handy with the tools, building your own is not too hard.

http://www.buildyourguitar.com/resources/lapsteel/

Basically a hardwood 2x4 with strings and a pickup.

 

I was in the same boat as you a few months back and ended up building my own with some fancier wood.

 

[Guest Anonymous]

Originally posted by Quarter Those conversion nuts look to be a good route if you have a guitar to use with it already. The $79 Artisan would be a good cheap way to go too, simple and functional. If your handy with the tools, building your own is not too hard. http://www.buildyourguitar.com/resources/lapsteel/ Basically a hardwood 2x4 with strings and a pickup. I was in the same boat as you a few months back and ended up building my own with some fancier wood.

 

Thanks Quarter and everyone for the info and links.

 

Quarter, do you have any recordings of your steel guitar?

 

Thanks.

[Quarter]

I'm still in the process of learning to play it, but I did record a little bit of me messing around with it for ya.

The clip is through a Toneport with crap load of effects, was going for a real trippy, dark, and raspy tone.

http://media.putfile.com/Audio-28-37