Practical entry level 7-string lap

[Mark Evans]

After years of joy with 6 string lap steels, I’m hesitantly considering acquiring a 7 stringer. Had an 8 string briefly, but found my rather rustic technical knowledge to be subsumed by too many strings (I know I know)… but maybe one more might be manageable.

I’ve seen a seven string Bluestem lap (first I ever heard of them) for sale for manageable money. I figure a newish option would better than vintage (prefer vintage… pre Supro Oahu is my thang). I’m looking to keep costs lower.

Suggestions?

[Bill Groner]

I Googled Bluestem lapsteel guitars and my computer was hacked!

[Mark Evans]

GAH!

Yeah, there does not appear to be a web presence.
I did see a few posts from 10-20 years back on them.
looking for first person player responses, folks who may have played ‘em… or other recs

[Michael Kiese]

Aloha Mark,

The most practical thing you can do is just take any 8 string lap steel, and just don't use the 8th string.

In other words, string it up like a 7 string from strings 1 through 7, and just leave the 8th string empty. Not a thing wrong with that.

Very pragmatic. 7 strings are the least common of lap steels.

You can hit the ground running and start playing right away. Then when a good 7 string comes your way, scoop it up. You'll already be practiced up.

Just my 2¢.

[Greg Forsyth]

Hey Mark,
Bluestem Strings is the work of a man named Randy Cordle. He built lap steels and had a wonderful website that included tons of a variety of material about lapsteels. Unfortnately his website was hacked repeatedly and he shut it down about a decade ago.

Hi Bill,
Hopefully you caught the hackers before they got into your system. Strange they would be haunting his website after all these years.

[Jack Hanson]

You could find an inexpensive vintage 6-string husk and convert it to a 7-stringer like I did with this basketcase Ultratone. A fun, relatively simple, and relatively inexpensive project that was well worth the time, effort, and $$$:

[BJ Burbach]

I agree with Mike. It's easy to pull a string off an 8 and think about it next year.
That said, HowardR had a New Yorker7 for sale that looked great. More pricey, but always worth more than what you paid for it, unlike a cheaper guitar.
While I am here,
I am mostly acoustic and Robert Murphy mentioned that he uses GBDEGB on 6 stringers, which I think Jack said he uses, too.
Somehow, I never thought to do that, but having a 6 stringer like that for practice broke through something for me. I never clicked with GBEGBD so much.
I am stronger on my 8 stringer now, which is EGBDEGBD. I think that muscle memory from the 6 makes skipping top and bottom much easier on the 8.
Bonus is that it's C6 intervals, which I also use, so it's almost like one big tuning on everything. (sort of) Does that make sense?
I know that 8 stringer dobros turn over a lot (and well priced) because it's a bit overwhelming, but so far, I think that this is a way to break through.
I do it on lap steel too. Unfortunately, I play it kind of like a dobro.
BJ

[Mark Evans]

Lots of great replies. Thanx!

I think the hankering for a seven comes off a recent current thread about 7 stringers and tunings. Adding a root on either end? An additional note to round out the tuning?

I played a Caladesi 8 for awhile. I was In way over my head. Oriented to 6. I needed more study. It had a Very dreamy, wide, pedal steel tone. And heavier weight. Reminded me of the Asher Hawaiian jrs… amazing tone… substantial (weight) axe. I’ve been used to these Oahus and the knotty pine Chatsworth.

The seven I’m spying is a Bluestem - which looks not like a heavy beast. Would love to find a converted o red factory 7 from Oahu…

The Bluestem has only a vol knob with treble bleed. This is foreign to me

And so I ponder…

[Allan Revich]

Lots of great replies. Thanx!

I think the hankering for a seven comes off a recent current thread about 7 stringers and tunings. Adding a root on either end? An additional note to round out the tuning?

[…]

The seven I’m spying is a Bluestem - which looks not like a heavy beast. Would love to find a converted o red factory 7 from Oahu…

The Bluestem has only a vol knob with treble bleed. This is foreign to me

And so I ponder…

My Clinesmith has that knob configuration. Reducing the volume knob also rolls off some treble. The volume doesn’t drop off much at first.

IMG_0341.jpeg

[Glenn Wilde]

I have a one knob Bakelite and don't really miss the tone knob, the treble bleeds off nice if you just turn down the volume a little bit.