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2x4

By Paisleyfrog on June 14, 2026 11:45 pm

Let's make something with a new instrument.

Picture is from Arizona. Music sounded southwest, so I went with it.

This weekend was the annual Woodworking Weekend - my friends and I have been getting together for 20+ years to build weird stuff, eat good food, and have a good time. The weekend has changed over the years, but it's always been one of my favorite gatherings of the year.

I've built an assortment of things over the years, frequently musical instruments. I was casting about for what to make this year, and then remembered...I've been wanting to make a lap steel for the longest time! Had all the parts in various project boxes, so I gathered stuff up and cobbled one together, Jack White style a la It Might Get Loud. Mine's actually a bit fancier in that it has three strings and actual tuners...but it's still just a slab of wood (which is where the title came from). All guitar sounds are the lap steel. Beginning is recorded acoustically (it's pretty loud for having no resonating chamber!), and the rest is plugged in.

Ran way late for time this week (life stays busy), so just cobbled this riff together on Sunday afternoon - whole thing came together in a couple hours. Bassline isn't quite right in spots, mix is maybe a little rough, and the whole thing is pretty trashy...but I had fun smile

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wow. this is cool and definitely sound like a cardinals loving, truck owning Arizonan would be rocking out to. its not my normal jam but its so well made I found myself jamming along. not only is the music great, im in awe of you building your own instrument. the string glide at the end really was the cherry on the top to finish the track and put an exclamation point on your instrument building story!

This has some serious attitude. Love the story! for a couple of hours work, its really awesome!

oooh! DIY lapsteel! Sweet! I am mostly familiar and in love with the lapsteel sound that Daniel Lanois makes with his. Which are the more sustained, glassy pad-like sounds. Anyway, about this tune. It definitely has that Americana feel to it. Like trucks driving fast on long stretches of roads in the burning sun.

I feel the mix is mostly good, though I do think it's a bit heavy in the upper mids. Maybe try lowering around ~2KHz with broad band. Don't be subtle about, drag it down maybe 6 or 9dB. Hear how that will bring out the bass. Then bring it back up slowly until you hit the sweet spot. Where the lower mids and the bass get a bit more room to groove. Because as it stands the mix feels a bit more flat than I think it should be. While your low end has a good push.

Overall I think you could play with the various instrument levels a bit more. So they can come front center in one section. And give the limelight to another instrument in the next section. You have some of that going on, but you can go bigger with that.

Oops, hit submit too soon. I wanted to add this that it's a catchy tune overall. Well done there PF!

Awesome!

That drive and reverb sounds so good on those cool "slides". And yay for the harmonica that is the star of the show.

Lapsteel with loads of reverb SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY

This is ace, also superb harmonica playing.

Kind of reminds me of something Robert Plant might do post zep.

that sounds awesome, wouldn't call it speedtrash

it sound like "dirty blues", all seems really intended
bit of a DIY, rebellious blues, "Do it anyway" vibe, super cool heart

also - selfmade lapsteel?! oh wow that's amazing

This is fantastic. Like the sound is so perfectly gritty and sounds "diy" I love it. Can we get photos of the lapsteel? Notes on the process? Tips and tricks? Please?! heart

Love that dirty blues lapsteel sound on every bend! \m/ so awesome that you made it yourself yikes

The intro was so cool and then when it kicked in I was like yoooooo, this slaps dude!

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