Building a Lap Steel Guitar Start To Finish

[@TimothyCargle]

I can't believe I know you. So talented. Not just the making of the guitar which is impressive enough, but teaching yourself to play it, creating a step by step instructional video and oh ya shooting and editing the video. You are such a multi talented human being. Great job Sean!!!

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks Tim, I am humbled by your kind words. I have much determination for sure :)

[@jeandagiste9965]

Bonjour je souhaite une réponse en français s'il vous plaît. Amitiés

[@arupratan1978]

Please check how to use Jawari Guitar Tone bar to produce Jawari sound similar to Sitar in ordinary Hawaiian lapstyle guitar kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6ndiaBjqMeehdksi=_UGbLs3uf7fWaT0S

[@arupratan1978]

Great performance!!! Please check below link to know how to generate 3 D Guitar Tone using Jawari Guitar Tone Bar from acoustic Hawaiian Lapsteel Slide Guitar kzbin.info/www/bejne/lV7Zg6qFoquYb6Msi=TCu1wIIYarMLrvkR

[@JohnSmith-nw2ls]

Very beautiful craftmanship and it sounds awesome! Thanks for putting this video together, and thanks for inspiring me to build one myself

[@EdwardAmarante]

Fantastic job, and great video. You've inspired me to build one. I'm not a musician, I'll be making it for my son-in-law. I wish I knew what pickup you used, but I'll figure it out. Thanks for sharing your talent and knowledge. Ed

[@fnersch3367]

Incredible shop & skills. I've been making instruments for 60 years and love to see this tradition still surviving. Thanks for sharing.

[@hughbarton5743]

What a lovely thing you made! Very impressive... Thanks!

[@a.n.7863]

I like your narration technique as much as your skills.

[@jerryderr8043]

I have no ambition to ever build my own lap steel guitar, but your video is so entertaining to watch - start to finish! I'm also a big fan of the lap steel guitar AND woodworking videos! You do great work. A real craftsman! That's a beautiful guitar. The woodburned design under the clear fretboard is the nicest touch. It's what caught my eye to select this video in the first place.

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks so much.

[@NajRellim]

Both the lap steel and the video are excellent. It's obvious that you put a lot of time and consideration into both. We really appreciate it.

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thank you very much!

[@ProfessorHumblesDelusions]

I like how you test your steps prior to attempting the work on the actual piece. Slow and steady. 👍

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@WardWickford]

Absolutely beautiful guitar

[@Hawthorneeffect1]

Amazing job. I just received a lap steel for Christmas and now after watching this video I want to build one

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Good luck if you do. Lap steels are easier than fretted instruments because the action doesn't matter. I haven't worked up the courage to build a regular guitar yet :)

[@JohnHernandez-mc8kk]

Beautiful diy build.

[@sunnyray7819]

Nice job! Sounds good too, nice playing!

[@SteveReaves]

Your woodworking skills are second to none! Nice guitar!

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks so much.

[@soilairwater]

Wow!! Superb! Thank you !! Many blessings!

[@portsideguitar1981]

Beautiful!

[@RandNMusic]

This is so great. Thank you for sharing your talents so humbly. I like to build one since this is not available in our country.

[@chriskelly197]

WOW! Excellent!

[@Cota4R]

Good job, my friend! 👏👏👏

[@megaloogy]

I've toyed with the idea of building a lap steel. Now I'm inspired. Great job and great video!

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

I hope you do. This was my first one. I had some discouraging set backs but I persisted. Please let me know how yours is shaping up and feel free to ask any questions. I'll do my best to help.

[@jackgerrard5722]

Don Guptill guitarslidingstee

[@TheLovingBand]

AMAZING craftsmanship!! This is one of the coolest videos I’ve ever seen! Thank you for sharing your incredible project with us!

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Awww shucks. Thanks so much.

[@nodrogawson963]

Lovely instrument you made there. Outstanding craftsmanship, a credit to you. Thank you for sharing your great idea and skills. Much appreciated and will be very useful to me.

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks. Are you planning on building one?

[@nodrogawson963]

@@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic Yes , it will be my next project I am hoping but will be a couple of months yet before I will be able to start it. Your video inspired me and I also wanted to do something a little different to what I have been doing over the last 15 years. My hobby is model engineering and mainly like making stationary steam engines of which I have completed over 30 different Elmer's engines plus a few of my own ideas. I play a Tyros keyboard but haven't a clue about playing a lap steel guitar but like the idea of learning it. Thanks again for the inspiration. Nodrog, actually Gordon spelt backwards.

[@Greebstreebling]

Just about to make one of these, great to see some lovely ideas and techniques, thanks for sharing.

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Wonderful news. KZbin is what got me starting making stuff. I always watch many videos and try and take what I like most from them and use it to my advantage. So glad when I hear others get some inspiration from one of my videos. Makes the effort worth while. Please do share with me when you build it. You can message me at sean hale woodcrafts on facebook.

[@kenbryant2570]

Thank you so much. I really enjoyed watching your video. I really like the steel guitar and watching you make one from scratch just added to it. It sounds great. Awesome job.

[@themongoloid8944]

Your shop looks so comfy, I would constantly be in trouble for not coming in the house. Lol - Great job buddy, on all aspects of this project from the video skills to the task at hand and making it easy to learn from. You rock Sean!!!

[@seanhale4577]

Thanks so much. I appreciate the kind words.

[@springcreekfarmer]

Nice work. I have some black cherry I want to use to make one soon. I appreciate you sharing and giving ideas.

[@therightsound7547]

Sean , thats the best build of a lap steel ive seen on youtube , very nice indeed .

[@seanhale4577]

Thanks so much. I really enjoyed the project, although I have some rough times that I didn't show in the final video:)

[@simonbouchard6729]

This looks amazing and it sounds great too! Very good craftmanship, congrats!

[@dawndare3949]

Fascinating to watch you build this creation.

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks so much Dawn. I have to admit that trying to film while you work, adds another level of complexity, but it makes me feel good that some people enjoy watching.

[@georgebobbitt7391]

I now have a new project for when we are in our new house. I might have to borrow back some of the tools I gave my son.

[@MarkMiller-zm2th]

That’s a thing of beauty. Great job mate, great job.

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks So Much

[@mrcairo4]

Great job Dude!

[@Northeastken]

Amazing! Just happened upon this build of yours. Looks great. Excellent job! Great presentation.

[@eolden7749]

Really nice.

[@chrishershey5033]

Refreshing that you took the time to build an instrument you could be proud of.I’ve been toying with the same idea and I love the Art Deco shape you used. I hope you’re flattered and you don’t mind if I use the same body design.

[@scramblesthedeathdealer]

Imitation is the biggest form of flattery, or something, hope you went for it! I wanna build one soon!

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

@@scramblesthedeathdealer Hey good luck with your project man. You know lap steel guitars can be as simple as a board and some hand tools. There are no frets to worry about, making it an excellent build to get started.

[@bmask4731]

Beautiful ♥

[@robertnewell5057]

Great guitar. great tone

[@74dartman13]

I was right! You caught "the bug"! I built a lap steel after building my first cigar box guitar too! I've built a license plate guitar, done 2 kit guitars...a Strat and a Tele, found a new ukulele kit at a yard sale and assembled and stained that. I'm now gathering and ordering materials for a semi hollow Strat/ Tele hybrid that I'm building the body from scratch. Kind of inspired by Eric Johnson's signature Strat. I bought a Tele neck...I love the Tele necks the most! Eventually, I hope to get enough courage to build my own regular guitar neck with a truss rod. I've done 2 fretted cigar box necks so far. I knew being a musician and a woodworker, that once you built one, you couldn't stop! That's great! Looks like you did a great job on this one too! 👍😎🎸🎶

[@themongoloid8944]

Hey dart-man, Dont know if you have built your own neck yet, but I got me some purple heart boards and a few maple boards and I am going to make my neck from them. The Purple Heart is as strong as steel and the maple is quite strong as well. , I believe that you don’t even need a truss rod with it. I have them glued together, but still oversized- I’ll let you know when I get it more to instrument size.

[@74dartman13]

@@themongoloid8944 cool. Ya, the purple heart is some tough wood. I actually did build my first neck with maple. It turned out pretty good. I just set up an Instagram account at 74dartman, that has some pictures of my builds. I'm new at the social media stuff, so it's not that great yet. I want to put better pics up eventually. Good luck with your build!👍😎🎸🎶

[@scramblesthedeathdealer]

That guitar is gorgeous man! I wanna try my hand at building one soon, but it won't be nearly as fancy as yours.

[@wildesage4172]

Damn, you're incredibly talented, man! Let's see: the woodworking, the teaching of the entire woodworking process, the music for the video, the playing of the lap for the finale of the video, the filming and editing of the video itself! Super cool, and very inspiring. Well done. EDIT: forgot the Adobe illustrator design, too.

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks so much man. A lot of that stuff such as building the lap steel and playing the lap steel and even editing video were firsts for me. There was lots of trial and error... and still I would do it differently if I do it again. I guess when I did this, I was very inspired by watching others peoples videos and decided to dive head first into my own project.

[@picker63028]

Nice build. My only problem is the fretboard color. As a long time player of lap and pedal steel guitar the fretboard has to be very visible. My concern is the light color under the fret position markers. Normally the board is dark with lighter colored markers or vice versa. Otherwise it's a beautiful build.

[@EstudiosAQB]

hola! muy buen video... la escala es de 23" , cierto? qué afinación usas? y qué altura tienen las cuerdas? gracias! saludos!

[@funnyfarm5555]

I am impressed with your guitar and router work; especially since you do not have a micro adjusting router.

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Just winging it Funny Farm. I had no experience or practice with this kind of router work prior to this project. I just routed in scrap wood till I liked my template and then did it on the real piece.

[@pneumaticdetach]

Really Nice Job Man!

[@MrMarkRoads]

All my single coil builds I copper line around the pickups and control cavity. Great build. I put the body in my router jig to cut the head stock down. The lap steel I'm building now I'm using an old Fender tray routed in the top. I like how calm you are. It's a bit more crazy in my shop. I enjoyed the video.

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks so much for your input. Clearly you have taken things to the next level. This is still my first and only Lap Steel build. My workshop is also my garage, laundry room and storage room. So I am limited a bit. Next place I live, I want to be sure and have a dedicated workshop to give me more options in ways to approach a project.

[@johnmitchelljr]

Inspiring yes. Great instruction. Thanks for sharing.

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Your Welcome.

[@rickdeans2382]

Great work! Excellent, and THANK YOU for sharing this!

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Your quite welcome rick!

[@dascoentertainment]

wow!!! that is beautiful!!!

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks Dean. It was really fun to plan it out and build it the way I had invisioned it.

[@jerrymorganjr]

Nice job

[@thetreblerebel]

Inspiring video. Very intuitive and helpful. Definitely will be using these tips into my own lap steel venture

[@fullmoonfool]

Just a gorgeous looking instrument and sounds beautiful I wish I had your patience not only wood working but learning to play that beauty. My guess is you already play guitar . Hey do you think you could build us a grand piano next and maybe learn Beethoven's 5th next to show how it plays. You could do that quicker than I could build the lapsteel. aaaaaahhhh great video and thanks for sharing

[@seanhalemusic9479]

Thanks so much... and yes I am a long time guitar player, but I must say the lap steel was a real challenge with the different tuning and the slide. I had been watching lap steel instructional videos in the months prior to building this so at least I had an idea in my head of what was involved. Oh yes and Beethoven! Coming right up :)

[@fullmoonfool]

@@seanhalemusic9479 lol ok I'll be watching !!!!!

[@AertPietersz]

Great video. Really liked the narration.

[@AbrahamRomney]

Beautiful

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks so much.

Uohhhhhh very good wood job man, It was very good to see that

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks so much!!

[@mrkkitson]

I really love this lap steel. You do marvelous work. I don't do Facebook, but I'd love to get a copy of your template..... 😊

[@hhjj6752]

Looks Great!....Sounds Great!

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks!

[@kristopherdetar4346]

Beautiful unique design fine build. How anyone could give a thumbs down never built anything in their stupid life. Great video !!

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks so much. Thumbs down don't really bother me. I know the effort I put into making this musical instrument for the first time in my life and making like my second KZbin video ever. I believe in constructive criticism genuinely aimed toward helping people. All the rest are just haters:)

[@dual1brain]

Amazing!

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks so much for the kind words. Nice people always welcome :)

[@MrUltracoin]

Very nice build. You are a great presenter. I would get a router bit with the ball bearing on the other side so you don`t have to route from the template on the 2nd side but just roll on the 1st routed surface and clean it up.

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Actually that's a great idea. I had a lot of trouble with the routing part and actually ruined a previous workpiece by trying to get away with using a cheap bit that was long enough to do the whole piece at once. I was trying do to this on a budget, but I actually would have saved time and money had I just bought a quality bit in the first place. Or in this case two router bits.

[@gpwx]

Well done !!! Now time for a real guitar … more woodworking FUN !!!

[@seanhale4577]

I'd love to try my hand at that one of these days.

[@ingom6397]

Thank you for this, great info 👍

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Glad it was helpful!

[@j.lietka9406]

Could a bass guitar be built like that? Thank you 🤓 good idea, using a piece of scrap wood to test the mounting of the keys / machine!

[@pastuhovtv7282]

incradible! soon I will put a viseo with my lap steel too)

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Looking forward to it!

[@philmonk4159]

Nice work, thank you for sharing.

[@marciaoffhaus8310]

This is a beautiful instrument, very nice job.

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks. It took some trial and error and some wasted lumber to get it right, but I am happy with it. Now if I could just take the time to learn it better.

[@girouxlp]

Wow! Great job!

[@jeandagiste9965]

Bonjour à tous, je suis fier de vous, oui c'est très fort ce que vous faites, très minutieux avec beaucoup d' attention cela a l'air facile, mais....j'aimerais vous contractez. Je ne parle pas l' anglais. Amitiés

[@SmokeFlame1]

Lovely guitar with a nice tone. Well done.

[@porthosthemighty4610]

Your voice is so soothing...like Burt Reynolds mixed with Bob Ross

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Ha ha you do just dated yourself 😀

[@billycockrell2470]

Nice Job!

[@74dartman13]

It's beautiful! And sounds great too! I'll have to get a pack of those strings next time I make an order and try the C6 tuning. I built mine and never played it much. Been so busy building other stuff!👍😎🎸🎶

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Yea the C6 tuning is great and new to me. I also need to play my lap steel more. There are some great KZbin videos that teach C6 tuning on the lap steel

[@74dartman13]

@@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic ya...there's videos on that great old song "Sleep Waking"...it's beautiful for slide playing!👍😎

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Love that one. Brian Setzer does an awesome version of Sleepwalk too!!!

[@74dartman13]

@@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic wow! I didn't know that! I'll have to check it out. Thanks!☺

[@sonicpickups]

Great work!

[@mraybeck]

Beautiful! Sounds great too.

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks so much. I always appreciate when someone has something nice to say.

[@bjornekbjornek]

Thank you for this inspiring video. Loved every minute of it!

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Your quite welcome. I also have a video for a cigarbox guitar and for a cigarbox blutooth speaker. Have a wonderful day!

[@andr3sestrada]

Que inspirador.. que Bello trabajo ... Felicidades... Y gracias por compartir..

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Te Nada.

[@tejespradeep5190]

fantastic job. thanks!!!

[@manusharte1160]

Looks really cool!

[@kattiedaniel2800]

It is fantastic and amazing !!!😍

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks Kattie. It was a really fun project and I have a beautiful instrument to keep forever.

[@f.e.1952]

Nice work my friend, love it. 👍

[@DarrellSMoore]

Fantastic work, Sean. Thanks for sharing... very inspiring!

[@martyjohnstone9362]

Really nice build Sean! Any chance of posting your template please? I'd really like to build this gorgeous instrument! Thanks and best regards from Marty (UK).

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Sorry for the late reply. If you haven't already, message me on my facebook page in the links below and I can sent you a PDF you can use for the body shape.

[@Gerry-cg6kr]

Some use the string ends. Run a wire through it for the nut. So strings move freely.

[@mcsrinivas9634]

Amazing amazing amazing

[@josecuervo4749]

Hi Sean, I really like everything about your style of building and presenting this project. I am about to embark on my first lap steel guitar build with a friend who is actually a musician (I'm the woodworker in the mix). Is there any way you can give me a rough dimension on your lap steel project...it looks great.

[@peterblues6402]

Good Job...

[@icantintyou]

really nice job on this one

[@bobbarraza6316]

Let me add my congratulations to a fine instructional. Ive been building my own guitars as well but I got inspired by your methods. Well done.

[@dangipson4066]

I have a slab of locust tree which includes the heartwood, that I’ve been dreaming/scheming on using to build a lap steel guitar with. (And another chunk for a Tele style body..) great video, beautiful handwork and craftsmanship. Was your pickup a standard width? I have an EMG 81 left over from modding yet another guitar, that I would love to make use of. My style and tone genre would be best expressed by David Gilmour on High Hopes. Thanks for doing such a great job on this.

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Wow this sounds like it will be awesome! Your pickup will probably be hotter than mine and you will be using a different tuning I imagine, but I would say do it. I found that by purchasing the pre-made fret board, it made the project that much easier. I just had to measure from the nut to the saddle 23 inches which was the scale length of the fretboard I purchased. www.cbgitty.com/made-in-the-usa/clear-acrylic-fretboard-for-2x4-lap-steels/

[@dangipson4066]

@@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic I like the premade fretboard idea, nice to take advantage of what’s available. I know the emg is supposed to be hotter, but I didn’t find that that was it’s main characteristic. I’m thinking placing it closer to the fretboard, sorta like a neck pickup on an electric guitar, will mellow what I didn’t like about it, and emphasize its precision and clarity. I looked at Dusenberg Lap steels, and thought, “hmm, maybe a bridge and neck pickup, pickup selector, and separate volume controls, and I can blend tones to get whatever sounds best for whatever song I’m working on..” See what you’ve created with your video? I’m due to “retire” in the coming year, and projects like this will be among my “Happy Places”. Tunings: Open G, and G6. Whole new world for me.

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

@@dangipson4066 I'd love to see it when your done you can always message me and send pics though my Woodcrafts page on Facebook. 2020 has been a bad year for projects for me. I am wrapping up a video about wood burning onto an acoustic guitar. But I can't wait till I can find more free time for bigger projects like this. Here is the Facebook page: facebook.com/SeanHaleWoodcrafts

[@dangipson4066]

@@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic I’d be happy to send you a photo when I’m done. Likely can’t even start until next winter. I hope you find a little time for a project that feeds your soul. You do an excellent job with your videos, I will do a little browsing when I’m on my breaks at work. Still working full time driving a bus/coach from Portsmouth NH to Boston. Videos like yours keep me alive and dreaming.

[@MultitrackCassetteFans]

beautiful

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks so much!!

[@jeandagiste9965]

Bravo cher ami si je peux me permettre, je vous ai suivi jusqu'au bout de votre œuvre,c'est formidable, une question combien coûte la même, s'il vous plaît. Amitiés

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Je vous remercie. J'ai utilisé Google Translate pour comprendre votre commentaire. Je ne les vends pas si telle est votre question. Je ne l'ai fait que pour un projet de maison amusant.

[@fishwhisperer101]

Thanks Sean

[@unclejack123]

Nice build ........ looks like it's time to pull out my half done project from, 10 years ago, and finish it ........ ;-p .............. JRW

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Yea it's just a matter of setting aside some time and having some patience.

[@gerrypope1195]

Want one

[@ChiTownJerry]

Freakin' beautiful!

[@chrisblyth7640]

Great Job Sean, I about to embark on a similar journey. I love the shape, details and finish you achieved. Are you still providing copies of the temperate through Facebook?

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Sure. I have a pdf you can use for the shape. Pm me on my Facebook page Sean Hale woodcrafts and music. I'll get it to you

[@wrsdes]

dear sir could you please be kind enough to share the construction details for us to build one too. Thanks.

[@RandNMusic]

please send the diagrams

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Message me here: facebook.com/SeanHaleWoodcrafts

[@leewimbs1773]

Excellent job. Exactly what I am looking for as my next project. Where can I get a copy of your template?

[@SeanHaleWoodcraftsandMusic]

Thanks Lee. As for the template, I don't see why not. I have it as an adobe adobe illustrator eps. Go here on facebook and message me your email address and remind me about the template. facebook.com/SeanHaleWoodcrafts/

[@cacaloca5434]

So interesting. My gretsch steel scale length is 22.5. For some reason c6 strings are not working for me on the low end. Is it the scale length being the issue?

[@Dj112x]

Hi, first of all great video, and the tunes? Wow! Great too, I have a question or better said a request, would you facilitate us the blueprint you use to make your guitar? That'd be awesome! Greetings from Colombia! 🇨🇴

[@seanhalemusic9479]

Thanks Jorge, Go ahead and send me a private message on my Facebook page and I will send you a full size PDF of the shape. You may have to place your bridge and pickups differently than my file, but at least you can get the shape from it. Here is my facebook page: facebook.com/SeanHaleWoodcrafts

[@sumantaghosh2452]

Sir good afternoon. I really impressed by the lap steel guitar . One request is it possible to make accurate the same type of guitar with double coil humbeker pickups with the tone e a e a c#e . In india our standard voltaze is ac 230. And please tell how much is cost. Thank you ,