acoustic lap steel

[henry]

Anyone got any recommendations on a Weissenborn style or acoustic lap steel.

Not sure what I'd be up for spending but def below £500.

Would I be better off getting an acoustic guitar raising the nut?

cheers,

Henry

[john roche]

Henry there are loads of Weissenborn style lap steel on ebay uk at very good prices, just search Weissenborn..

[henry]

yeah. i've seen a few different sorts. seems like the Anderwood ones are the ones that cost a couple of hundred quid, then there are some unbranded Chinese ones that are a bit cheaper, and another company called Bediaz seem similar to Anderwood..

it's all so difficult. so much to buy and so little time/money. money mainly!

[Tony Russell Davis]

I think you will need to pay more money for a decent sounding wooden guitar than you will for a resonator. The quality of the wood and more demanding construction (for tone and volume) means the cheap far eastern ones usually sound quiet and lack sparkle. Which is why I tend to dislike them. Of resonators - dobro copies (spider bridge) tend to have more problems than the national (biscuit) type, but a decent replacement cone works wonders. I have a cheap far eastern Regal (look at the avatar) and did some work similar to Peter's on it. Bone raised nut (an old one robbed off a dog; really, they get seasoned that way), quarterman cone and ebony bridge saddles (from a wrecked violin fingerboard). The big secret is setting up the spider assembly (seating the cone, NO GLUE, and getting the tension just right can be tricky), which is why the biscuit type are easier, simply bang in a better cone with those and you're generally fine.
Tony.
As an afterthought in line with your last idea: a couple of years ago found a cheap roundhole/flat-top with tailpiece, there were loads of them sold in the 50/60's. It was slightly better than most and £5 with case! Just had to raise the nut and it works well enough. It'll be better shortly when I stick an old Hofner p/up on it - a proper Bob Dunn jobby!

[Tony Russell Davis]

Here's a pic of the converted £5 flat-top. It came from an "Age UK" shop.

[henry]

yeah i'm beginning to think that a look round a charity shop would be a good idea.
am i better off getting one with a tailpiece than a glued bridge? ( i know nothing about acoustic guitars..)

thanks everyone