Building a LAP STEEL guitar out of a 2x4

[@billffitch1787]

Tenacious, persistent, patient, industrious are a few adjectives that come to mind while watching you wield that chisel. And you’ve completely kicked the legs out from under anyone who says they’d make one of these if they only had a ….(name a tool)!! I’m expecting to see a deluge of lap steels flooding YT, from all the armchair luthiers and woodworkers that are taking time to critique your creation. You definitely showed that it can be done on a budget, without a shop full of tools. Congrats!!

[@platinum5168]

love that fret design. also you play some really good music, i wanna sleep under the trees facing the ocean on an island listening to that.

[@brunosampaio2399]

Apart from tuning machines, pickup, wires, female plug, etc, all the rest you can find on any construction store. I liked it!

[@JohannesLabusch]

I appreciate the whole "no budget" thing, but I must admit, I watched the whole thing with a voice in my head screaming "Saw! How much is a SAW?!"

[@joyzeeque]

Hahaha. Thanks for the comment, made me laugh :) I did spend around 80 or so euro/dollars overall - wood, tuning pegs, tools, varnish... I did get the cheap pickup (guessing around 30 euro?) as a gift and the drill is borrowed. :) Definitely not free, but extremely cheap. Have a good day.

[@kiprandom7208]

Chisels aren't exactly cheap

[@boundarywaterz]

I do admire the whole build and I too almost went nuts while watching.

[@theadministers3533]

Drills can cut just too, saws are more efficient. Saw the hole thing with side eye!

[@alexcorona]

@@kiprandom7208 if you buy them second hand you can get them for a few bucks and quality ones as well. Better idea than hardware store chisels.

[@jamiehobbs3750]

Fantastic! I wanna make one of these soon! Awesome music as well!!

[@BushidoPhoto]

I just bought a 1960's Guyatone double neck lap steep console guitar and the pickups were toast. I wired in a set of Seymour Duncan Antiquity Stringmaster pickups and it sounds and plays amazing. I also built a George Boards 8 string lap steel, which is the best easiest method of making a lap steel since the body is already premade. Your creation looks and sounds great by the way, kudos!

[@larzonya]

Brilliant. Well done. I've built a CBG and have moved on to playing lap steel. I'm working toward building my own instrument and you've inspired me. Great job and great video! Thanks for sharing!

[@berniesutterfield5778]

Loved it. Made me want to build one.

[@mutangpadan5311]

Great! And the background music is just as captivating. Kept me watching intensely. Thanks.

[@TrailBlazer5280]

Really cool project man, nicely done. makes me want to try this out.

[@faustobrusamolino6345]

Great work! The only it's that it seems you were rushing a bit 😊

[@jiribenedikt7889]

Skvělá práce! A super video!

[@harpintn]

It is impressive that you managed to build that with a very limited set of woodworking tools. I suggest that you buy a saw or two it would have saved you a lot of time.

[@joyzeeque]

Yep, moving to a different flat with a larger balcony. Might get myself a toy or two. Woodworking calms me :)

[@joyzeeque]

Thanks for your comment, have a good one.

[@jimp5713]

Just wondering if any chance you might want to make another one for a new prospective customer? And how much time it would take to build? I would like to do it myself too, but am not sure how the tuning pegs get connected or how the bolts on both ends are connected. Seems like many hours work on this, but end result is very cool!!

[@cliffb2454]

So good to see wood work being done without power tools 👍

[@oddshot60]

Just goes to show what you can do when you got a room full of all them fancy precision tools! I know that all the internet "experts" just LOVE your choice of tone woods. They all say it makes a BIG difference. I'd like to build a copy of this instrument. Do you happen to remember the name of the tune that was on that highly accurate 45 rpm record you used as a curve template? Seriously ...SCREW THE "EXPERTS"! What an AWESOME BUILD!!!!!!!😍🥰😍🤩😍

[@robertopreatoni]

the woods in an electric instruments with magnetic pickups actually does not any difference in the tones.

[@oddshot60]

@@robertopreatoni That was my point.

[@robertopreatoni]

@@oddshot60 yeah I got it, I was just supportive :) However, things changes when you use a piezo mic instead of pickups.

[@davidhawkins416]

So cool. I love folk instruments

[@kilogram064]

Now you've done it. I feel inspired to construct one myself. Thanks. 😊😊😊

[@grateful4068]

That's hardcore.

[@randellsmith7651]

So Budget he couldn't afford a hammer for that chisel. Still an awesome project. It looks like fun to make.

[@larrydering1598]

Good job for a 1st build. With a decent piece of hardwood you should be able build a lifetime sweet steel. Enjoy it.

[@markm1615]

Thank you for this inspiring video. I’m going to create my own)

[@thomaskotch4770]

Nice job.

[@robertonannucci]

Great Job!!! Can you write a detailed design schema (dimensions etc.) and part list used in the comment?

[@David-en1sy]

I’d like to know the measurements and schematics myself…👍🏻🇺🇸👍🏻

[@droodle]

so cool! nice work dude

[@WardWickford]

Great video! Thanks for sharing. How much time overall did it take to make this sweet lap steel guitar?

[@pirateshack9315]

Freakin' Awesome !!!

[@mickmel1000]

Sweet. Scale length? Tuning?

[@user-vd3nc8ui4f]

Vojto, jsi borec!

[@kiprandom7208]

And now i will have 1 woodworking project

[@CohenKutz08]

I am trying to build one my self do you have guy any advice for me?

[@jauziontripoux2456]

beautiful

[@xras66]

tree - pine?

[@jeffxanders3990]

Can you build me a 10-string, 22 1/2" scale length with BR6 P90s?

[@ThisMichaelBrown]

How cool, congrats

[@highpitwilma]

...AND ..a final note..[!]..it sounds luvly Mate!..no apologies for my strong comments..only concerned that others might use this video as a tutorial..and somebody...somewhere...is going to hospital...sooner or later!! Cheers Marra!

[@matthewstollar2678]

could i ask where you got tuners + bridge

[@maksland8099]

what are the sizes ?

[@cowtownfiesta]

Top Job!👍

[@ՊետրոսԲադալյան326]

Powerful cool!

[@LaurentLaborde]

it's good to know it's possible even when sucking at woodworking with inappropriate tools. (no it's not sarscam, I'm in the same situation)

[@LaurentLaborde]

I love the bolt nut :D

[@BigDogDaddyD]

What tuning was used at the end? Thanks for the great video.

[@c.nelson3747]

Open D

[@blaisemacpherson7637]

Add benders.

[@joyzeeque]

I wish! I looked into installing a single string bender, that would be sweet - perhaps next lockdown project :) Thanks for the commnet

[@blaisemacpherson7637]

@@joyzeeque seen a guy make one out of a spoon and an allan bolt. Its surprising how many more chord shapes you can get with just two benders

[@ericreinert5494]

Very cool. you need some more power tools bro.

[@iuliofiame8973]

How much a steel guitar?

[@clemmcguinness1087]

$150

[@jimihendrix4376]

What size is the bolts and length of your 2x4? thanks

[@joyzeeque]

Hey, the bolts are A2-70 (17mm diameter head) but basically any will do. I just picked the largest one they had in my local store. The wood is 80cm long, i picked a scale length of 23 inches, but you can pick any length since iťs fretless. You thinking of building one? It´s fun :)

[@yuraponomarenko6822]

@@joyzeeque great job indeed! did you fix the bolts to the wood? or are they held by string tension only? thanks

[@joyzeeque]

@@yuraponomarenko6822 Hi! I intended to only hold them down using string tension, but it was not holding tune well (it moved slightly). So I installed a small screw into the wood as a stopping position for the bolt (it wants to move inwards). I improvised with what I found around the house :)) Sure there must be a better solution.

[@geoffsides408]

nice !

[@krisyoungsteadt9139]

Sweet!

[@loverforever4473]

Good job and nice Lapsteel guitar but you must learn how you can paly on it 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🌹

[@joyzeeque]

Never played one, before I built this one. Lot to learn ☺️ thanks

[@joephillips8817]

Awesome

[@clemmcguinness1087]

Bravo

[@iuliofiame8973]

I’m here in Auckland New Zealand, I want to buy a steel guitar how much

[@clemmcguinness1087]

$150 us

[@cowboycarl6829]

coool😮

[@seanvandermerwe3409]

The stupid thing about this video is the guy is building it Soo fast you cant see what he is doing

[@pb.manoelvicentesilva996]

Parabéns pelo pau elétrico.

[@highpitwilma]

...and MY head was screaming...anchor the thing doon man!!..and stop cutting towards yasell,ya living on luck and borrowed time..as an old...old..cabinetmaker..and guitarist...it makes me cringe to see someone cutting towards themselves!..in the 1970's,I had to treat a young Apprentice Electrician in a Coalmine deep under the North Sea..he had been stripping cable insulation back on a 6000 volt 3" thick armoured cable..with a sharp Stanley knife..cutting towards himself..the knife slipped and went straight up his thigh and down to the hilt. I am not a nitpicker or a Mr Knowall..I am just an old experienced in life guy,with a passion for guitars..but being a first-aider instills a strong passion for saving human and animal life where possible. I slowed this down to o.25..and cringed when I saw how this guy uses a chisel..no skill whatsoever and just hacking it and hoping for the best..good luck Mate,you DID do a good job ....at a great risk!!..I would hate to be working alongside you..the stress wud kill me!!!!!!...SO!..WHY didn't you anchor the thing down?..you dont need expensive cramps or owt..ye just need ti mek ya timber a couple of inches langer and screw the bugga doon ti the bench..then saw the end off ti finish the job!!..Whey ,that's my Thruppence worth enywheh!..[and for the record..I was a Deep Mine Coalminer from aged 15 yrs..straight from my school desk..and down a deep shaft on a rope in a cage!!.in 1959.Then retrained as an expert Cabinetmaker..trained by an old old experienced Guy..just like I am now..too old for my liking!!]

[@joyzeeque]

Thanks for the comment! Appreciate it must hurt to watch - i had no idea what I was doing, however at no point was I in danger of chopping my fingers of or whatver. The wood was so soft, not much force was needed. I did get a couple of plastic anchors a few days in, helped a ton :) Will definitely think things trhough before I start next time around :) Cheers

[@highpitwilma]

@@joyzeeque Hey Man,after what I commented on,you show great diplomacy there Mate,many thanks for a great reply.Stay Safe,and keep picking,I am learning Lapsteel now...after 62 yrs of playing guitar..something I have loved since hearing Slim Whitman and his Singing Guitar in the 1950's on Rose Marie..and Indian Love Call..etc,and the Waikiki's "Hawiian Tattoo" in the early 1960's...but for starters I am learning a wee bit of Blues riffs..it's great! Cheers Bill.

[@TheTimothyGSundell]

Chissle me this..

[@highpitwilma]

So a jumped the gun a bit,and commented before watching the rest..he has got cheapo cramps so why use only one and let the timber flap aboot like crazy?..beats me..and a stand by what a said aboot cutting towards hesel!!

[@sparks2749]

Doing it the hard way,... not sure I admire this method like the people below,... power tools and buying parts from guitar sites isn't cheating,... it's just good ole common sense and the quality is usually better... anyway,... I will scrub through this to see how it all came out and if it ends up a pile of sawdust and a chopped up piece of 2x4 in the trash,... then I'll be even more impressed that this person went the long haul to entertain and make us all laugh...

[@gotherecom]

It never gets old