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NGD!!! MOTS Lap Steel...


NinjaModder

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Well... I was looking for something different. So I posted a CL ad about anything old and then another for a resonator or lap steel. Well... I got the best of both!!!! An old lap steel. Guy emailed me and showed me pictures and I fell in love, mother of toilet seat and all. I was still a bit on the edge of whether or not I wanted one but I went and played it and fell in love. So much fun to play. Better than I imagined. Don't know how I will be able to fit it into my band but now I'm thinking of covering When the Levee Breaks using this. Sounds wonderful!!! The case is also beautiful! I don't think it is original but it is from the era. The guitar moves around a bit in the case but it has kept it well protected. This thing is still like new.

 

But for the important part! PICS!

 

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Now for that cowbell....

 

VIDEO

[video=youtube;TzLTDuRVMP4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzLTDuRVMP4

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Very cool! Saw an 8 string pedal steel at a pawnshop and was kinda tempted to put it on layaway, but I don't have room for it. Still kinda want it just for fun...

Happy NLS Day!!


Now run it through that SD-1 ya got in the background and a wah pedal and get all Robert Randolph on that bitch!

 

 

Way ahead of ya! Pretty nice tone. Takes distortion very well. Still have yet to run it through my fuzz.... Now that will be fun. I'll post a video soon!

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Cool!

Can't wait to hear what it sounds like!

Have you tried any other effects with it yet?

 

 

Sadly I have not... Hopefully I get around to it tomorrow.

 

You should get that pedal steel! Though I have no idea how to work one, it must be fun though. Have you played it at the shop?

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Cool! :thu: Lap steels can really scream when you crank things up. If you're looking for song ideas, don't forget "Lunatic Fringe", by Red Rider.

 

[video=youtube;sTFVMMCwsss]

 

Also, many people don't know this, but the revving motorcycle/guitar stuff on Montrose's "Bad Motor Scooter" was done live on a lap steel, by Sammy Hagar. Here's Sammy doing the lap steel intro to the song with Chickenfoot:

 

[video=youtube;9BxZ3Ud4o_E]

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That one looks to be in great shape, nice score ... You will have some fun for sure.

 

Dickerson steels came first and were later bought out and became the Magnatone line. The pickup in those is a cool sounding kind of oddball. It has no traditional bobbin and is basically an "air" coil set into the body around a old school horseshoe magnet. They used some kind of goop / tar type substance to set / pot the assembly then covered the top with MOTS. Over time, some have had problems with moisture getting into the goop and swelling causing the pickup to start to bulge up out of the cavity and make a bump in the MOTS. Below is a diagram from DennysGuitars.com that shows how its all put together.

 

One other thing to be aware of is its very common on old steels to have the tuner buttons eventually crumble. If it happens, its an easy fix to put new buttons on, StewMac sells replacements for a couple bucks each.

 

Anyways, have some fun and let her rip, steel is a blast and is more versitile than you may think.

 

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MAGPUP3.jpg

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That one looks to be in great shape, nice score ... You will have some fun for sure.


Dickerson steels came first and were later bought out and became the Magnatone line. The pickup in those is a cool sounding kind of oddball. It has no traditional bobbin and is basically an "air" coil set into the body around a old school horseshoe magnet. They used some kind of goop / tar type substance to set / pot the assembly then covered the top with MOTS. Over time, some have had problems with moisture getting into the goop and swelling causing the pickup to start to bulge up out of the cavity and make a bump in the MOTS. Below is a diagram from DennysGuitars.com that shows how its all put together.


One other thing to be aware of is its very common on old steels to have the tuner buttons eventually crumble. If it happens, its an easy fix to put new buttons on, StewMac sells replacements for a couple bucks each.


Anyways, have some fun and let her rip, steel is a blast and is more versitile than you may think.


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MAGPUP3.jpg

 

Thanks for the advice!!! This thing is in perfect condition though. There is not one ding or anything wrong with it. The only thing that I guess is wrong is that when the guy who had it before me restrung it, one of the bushing thingies (metal rings) fell out on the bottom where the strings come through and it kind of dug into it a bit. But he saved it and I think it has done all the damage it could do. And most of it will be covered up when I restring it and put it back.

 

Thanks for describing the pickup. I was confused. I looked under the pickup cover arch thing and there was nothing there. It sounds so nice and clear though. That just blows me away how that works.

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Sadly I have not... Hopefully I get around to it tomorrow.


You should get that pedal steel! Though I have no idea how to work one, it must be fun though. Have you played it at the shop?

 

 

Probably won't get a pedal steel, but a lap steel is definitely in my future!

 

I think a little phaser or maybe a little flanger would sound cool!

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... Thanks for describing the pickup. I was confused. I looked under the pickup cover arch thing and there was nothing there. It sounds so nice and clear though. That just blows me away how that works.

Yea, I remember the first time I saw one and I was like WTF?? :)

 

A couple handy links for you

John Ely has a great page that covers strings and has a nice gauge chart http://www.hawaiiansteel.com/learning/gauges.php

The Steel Guitar Forum's Steel Without Pedals section is a good read and well worth the $5 to join if you want

And Brads Page Of Steel has a lot of good info including lots of good tunings.

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Like the vid!

I'd go with a little more subtle setting on the flanger, but I do like the way it sounds with one.

Nice work!

 

 

Haha... Yeah I know...

 

I had my flanger setup on too heavy of a setting. I didn't realize it until I recorded it. Was too lazy to go back!

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