Lack of tools and materials.

[nevada150]

As some of my friends are aware, I'm visiting family in New Zealand for a few months. I toyed with the idea of carrying a home-build 6 string out there just to keep my hand in, but decided against it in the end. Instead I went onto the Trademe site (Their version of eBay) and bought the cheapest Lap Steel on offer. A big mistake.
The head was the worst piece of guitar design I've EVER see. The fretboard didn't have position markers and the bridge was a rip-off angled Tune-O-Matic, complete with compensated saddles. Back to the head end. The nut was about 1" above the fretboard, then the strings went through ferrules to the tuner spindles below. The ferrules didn't even line up with the spindles. Friction, multiple angles and more friction, hence the regular string breakage when I tuned or changed tunings.
I didn't have any usable tools on hand so bought a fretsaw. After removing the tuners and ferrules I cut out most of the centre of the head, not too neatly I may add. Not having a file at hand I left it as a unique aesthetic piece of design! Chopped down the ridiculous nut and refitted the tuners. The bridge end was also problematic and there are no off the shelf parts available here. I went to the largest supplier like B&Q to get some angle or round bar, that was a laugh too. Eventually after a bit of head scratching I purchased a 10mm galvanised nut and bolt! After removing the Gibson style bridge I fitted the nut and bolt adjacent to the pickup and that gave the correct position (fret 12 X 2). The bolt head and nut gave a playable string height luckily. I couldn't shorten the bolt, but what the hell, the extra length will probably add an inch extra sustain! "Bolt-on Bridge"???
Soooo I can now begin to play again without having to continually correct the tone bar position and never actually achieving chords in tune. Oh yes, I added the fret position markers using correction fluid, again not pretty, but functional.
Where there's a will, there's a way.
When I come home, I'll donate the guitar to my grandsons, they'll probably convert it into a cricket bat!!!
I tried to attach some pics, but the files are too big, just use your imagination. This is a tongue in cheek description but all so very true.
Regards to all.
Keith.

[Uncle Roy]

Great story Keith, I will use that in the newsletter for steel players who are not on the web.
Enjoy your holiday.

[Danny Mitchell]

Where there's a will, there's a way. I doff my cap to your ingenuity.

[nevada150]

I forgot to say that the manufacturer of the guitar is a company called MANNIX (Manics?) and in my opinion the only adult involved in it's production was the designer of the electrics, which aren't too bad. A humbucking pickup, switchable between series, parallel and both North and South single coils on one three-way switch. Although I guess a far Eastern child could manage that too?
Keith.

[Tony Russell Davis]

Most of you will not know Keith, but let me say that, with the minimum of tools, he has turned out some brilliant lap steel guitars out of reclaimed timber, skip finds and determiperspiration! If anyone an make a silk purse out of ..(etc). . . . . . he's your man. Cheers buddy.

[Tony Russell Davis]

Here are the pictures that Keith couldn't upload. The improvements are practical rather than aesthetic, but the explanation is in the text. The priority was to get the thing playable. If Keith had access to the tools in his workshop the result would be precise and neat but can be tidied up later anyway.
He says that "the guy who designed the electrics was the only adult involved in making this guitar!"

Attachments

Bolt Bridge

Fretsawed head

Original bridge

Original head

[nevada150]

I've resurrected this post because I noticed these lap Steels are now being sold on eBay UK under the trade name Br*ce at £185.
I can only say "buyer beware".
Keith.