Anyone building a lap steel with 3 single coil pickups (like a Stratocaster)?

[David DeLoach]

Curious is anyone is building lap steels with 3 single coil pickups.

Seems like bridge + middle pickup would make a great tone. Also, the neck pickup on its own, could create some great tones.

Just wondering if this has been done.

[Jack Hanson]

Most likely.

Somebody definitely has rebuilt a lap steel with 2 single coil pickups (like a Stringmaster), however:

[D Schubert]

If you can find one of Loni Specter's "Redneck" conversion square necks, that will bolt directly onto a Stratocaster body....

[Fred]

I’ve never seen one. One issue is that most lap steel fret boards go well beyond where the neck pickup would be. Melobar used to make a lap steel with telecaster dimensions and pickups and I’ve seen square bolt on replacement necks. You could put one of those on a strat body or even just use a nut riser on a strat.

[Jeff Highland]

Kinda
viewtopic.php?t=411987

But I don't actually use the magnetic pickups. They have to stay there because the electronics expect them but I have them covered and lowered out of the way.
I just use the modeling from the piezos in the bridge saddles.
It gives a pretty realistic strat sound without any of the hum (as well as a multitude of other options)

[David DeLoach]

Kinda
viewtopic.php?t=411987

But I don't actually use the magnetic pickups. They have to stay there because the electronics expect them but I have them covered and lowered out of the way.
I just use the modeling from the piezos in the bridge saddles.
It gives a pretty realistic strat sound without any of the hum (as well as a multitude of other options)

Wow! Would be interested to hear that. Hope you can post some samples.

[Glenn Wilde]

There's a billion used Strats out there, be easy enough to get one and give it a try, shoot, I have two or three around here, I might do it!
Some of the cheapo Squiers are real nice too, I've got them for as low as 50 buk, they are called SE models from China.

[D Schubert]

viewtopic.php?t=332088

[Ted Smith]

There's a trade off adding pickups, you have more tone options but you also have to drop them lower than standard guitars normally do because try as you will...you'll find yourself hitting the string on the Rhythm pickup from time to time. Really depends on what you are looking for in sound...my final solution has been a early 80's L500 Lawrence on the Rhythm because it can be dropped down without losing volume, a ProBucker in the middle and a Duncan Hotrails in a brass saddled Tele-bridge with no switch, just VT VT VT with Orange Caps at .022; you can't zero any of the Volumes or you kill the circut so there is some bleed from all of them which really is resistance. That's a Blues tone that has bite when you dig in and yet warm when you want it.