Hi,
Any information on this instrument ? I wonder if it is Fender or Gibson.
Thanxx.

No Fender or Gibson. I wonder too...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-11-13 16:19 by Reptile.

Shobud would be another considerable company - but I haven't seen a pic of Ronnie with that lapsteel, showing the instrument, to identify
[www.steelguitar.net]

edit - is that smaller picture, actually the instument Ronnie plays?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-11-14 19:52 by open-g.

I think Rickenbacker used to make little pups like the one pictured. The diamond-shaped fret markers remind me of Zumsteel, a top flight pedal steel brand made by Bruce Zumsteg.

great pic Reptile!

Reptile, the small pic you gave us, indeed is a Fender Champion Lap Steel.
But is that the instrument Ronnie plays?



this is the text to the pic:
early 1950s, VG, body covered in yellow pearloid, replacement tuners, formerly owned and used by Mark O'Connor, "as is" with setup and strings as when last played by O'Connor, HC......$1000

Yes, that's Ronnie's. Another mistery solved!

For those that are interessted... this is my 1940's handmade lapsteel:

Yeah, I'm interested.

1. now you didn't make it in 1940, did ya?
2. or is it 40's style and you did make it?
3. does it have a pickup?
4. what gauge strings do you use?
5. is it tuned to open-g?
6. do you use it?

here's my lap steel (sorry for the bad pics)

Yes, it is actually made in the 1940's. My grandmother played it for years in a hawaian band(well, hawaian... not actually in hawai, hehe).

Yes, it does have a pickup, but again, a pickup from the 1940's. To play with it you have to plug one of these in the back:


The output cables just go into your stereo. They don't fit on my regular amp...

Gauge strings? I'm pretty sure it's this: 0.14 0.14 0.18 0.28w 0.38w 0.50w. Not completely sure though.

It's tuned to open E. I prefer that to open G because I think open G has a happier(that's a funny choice of words) sound than open E. Open E seems more bluesy.
Do I use it? Rarely. I play regular guitar normally, sometimes with slide, especially because it's pretty hard to hook this thing up. But the tone is really cool.
I've also got an instruction manual from that time. It's really cool. It's in dutch, but not regular dutch. Old dutch. Dutch people will understand... it says:

DE HAWAIIAN GUITAAR
en beschrijving der onderdelen

Thats way cool Reptile,
your grandma used to play in a hawaian band
So it must be in the genes.
That plug looks dangerous - someone could plug it into the household current by mistake oO
I agree at open E, sounding more bluesy.
Its a shame I can't read old dutch, I would have been real interested in a scan of that instruction manual from the 40's.

thanx alot for posting