Lap steel guitars recommendation

[Telliot]

There’s no better pickup than the one you’ve got on that Silvertone

Facts.

[Jaguar018]

I find that it's a bit finicky. One string can be way louder than another, so you really have to dial it in.

[John Cassady]

Thanks for all the replies. That's very useful.
However, now I hesitate between buying a cheap new one and installing benders on it and buying a vintage one (I'd feel bad installing benders on a vintage instrument, don't know why)!

[øøøøøøø]

Well shit, if you want benders already, before even buying a steel, maybe it’s worth considering an inexpensive pedal steel instead?

There are a lot of pedal steel guitars that are cheap because they sort of fall in the cracks… old Fender 8 strings, even up to maybe a Sho-Bud Maverick (which has 10 strings and three pedals but only one knee lever), etc

Steel players don’t want those because they’re not fully-featured enough for mature pedal steel language, but they’re a little less portable than a national lap steel

Just a thought anyway

I can confirm that pedal steel is incredibly fun and addictive, and if you’re already wanting additional changes before buying your first instrument, your mind may already be heading that way…

[John Cassady]

Well shit, if you want benders already, before even buying a steel, maybe it’s worth considering an inexpensive pedal steel instead?

There are a lot of pedal steel guitars that are cheap because they sort of fall in the cracks… old Fender 8 strings, even up to maybe a Sho-Bud Maverick (which has 10 strings and three pedals but only one knee lever), etc

Steel players don’t want those because they’re not fully-featured enough for mature pedal steel language, but they’re a little less portable than a national lap steel

Just a thought anyway

I can confirm that pedal steel is incredibly fun and addictive, and if you’re already wanting additional changes before buying your first instrument, your mind may already be heading that way…

It's not so much that I "want" benders as it is that I want to have as many options as possible on what would be a "side isntrument". I am based in France and finding a cheap pedal steel is nearly impossible :/
But, although I love the sounds of pedal steel, my initial plan was to learn how to play old school Hawaiian music, and a vintage lapsteel would be more than enough to do that!

[øøøøøøø]

Understood!

It's not surprising that pedal steel guitars would be hard to find in France.

In the UK there is a surprisng little niche scene for them, it seems.

[thegreatbigsby]

Hey, seeing you're in France, you might have more luck with european made lap steels - I have a Framus Wiakiki 6-string that sounds really nice! Can be had for a couple hundred bucks.

[Larry Mal]

I have what I think is a 1938 Gibson EH-125:



I should probably sell it.

[Elvis63]

That thing looks totally mint.

[John Cassady]

I have what I think is a 1938 Gibson EH-125:



I should probably sell it.

It looks amazing!

[John Cassady]

Hey, seeing you're in France, you might have more luck with european made lap steels - I have a Framus Wiakiki 6-string that sounds really nice! Can be had for a couple hundred bucks.

Thanks! I have my eyes on a Framus for sale close to where I live.