monradon - Posted - 08/22/2008:  18:38:17

My son the player says Jerry Douglas has a telecaster he plays like a dobro ??? Anyone know where I can get some info on this , I would like to build one for him ?? Does he raise up the strings to give him height like a dobro or is it played like a round neck resonater with something like a bottle neck ?? Anything would help me

Hobbit

MichaelM - Posted - 08/22/2008:  20:52:50

Jerry's telecaster is a custom made by Fender, it has a square neck. I don't think you can just purchase one but you can get a Fender Telecaster or Stratocaster and order a bolt on neck that's thicker that replaces the stock round neck making it into a lap steel.

Here's the link to the necks that you bolt on.
lapdancerguitars.com/news.html

monradon - Posted - 08/23/2008:  09:43:05

Thanks would it be on the fender web site I wonder ??

Hobbit

Brad Bechtel - Posted - 08/25/2008:  11:11:07

No, it is not on Fender's web site. It was made by Fred Stuart when he worked for the Fender Custom Shop. I saw pictures of it many years ago, but I don't think Jerry Douglas has played it regularly for some time now.

=================
Brad''s Page of Steel:
well.com/user/wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to electric and acoustic lap steel guitars

SGB - Posted - 08/27/2008:  11:30:07

Steve

9 out of the 10 voices inside my head are telling me to go home and clean my guns.

Edited by - SGB on 08/27/2008 11:30:51

axeslingincowboy - Posted - 02/11/2009:  09:40:36

There's is an AKUS video on demand if you have comcast cable with Jerry playing his tele lap steel. I personally got a look at ben harpers asher and was inspired to turn a les paul copy I had into an incredible sounding lap steel, a tele would be a hard convert because the saddles cant be raised very high as opposed to a tuneomatic on a les paul style guitar which can be raised considerably.

Dobro playin'' mofo.

bbjork - Posted - 02/12/2009:  08:04:26

Jerry's been playing a Lap King Bel Aire for a couple of years, custom built by Jason Dumont lapking.com/builder.htm. Check out my photo album, I've got a shot of him with one taken a few years ago.

bbjork
"Use the talents you possess; the woods would be very silent indeed if no birds sang but the best"

SGB - Posted - 02/12/2009:  11:34:51

There is a product called a "Redneck" produced by Lap Dancer guitars lapdancerguitars.com It is a square neck that bolts directly to a Telecaster or Stratocaster. They're $200 or thereabouts. Lonnie at Lap Dancer is easy to do business with.

Steve

9 out of the 10 voices inside my head are telling me to go home and clean my guns.

axeslingincowboy - Posted - 02/12/2009:  16:00:59

wow, that redneck is a good idea! How do you make the tremolo end work? It should need much higher eaction right?

Dobro playin'' mofo.

SGB - Posted - 02/12/2009:  17:48:33

You have to block the tremolo.

Steve

9 out of the 10 voices inside my head are telling me to go home and clean my guns.

kimmattis123 - Posted - 03/05/2009:  09:46:30

I've seen pix and they look great. BUT I've had good luck with finding old flea-market electrics rasing the nut and bridges and playing them as laps. Cheap, fun and if they dont work you have very little invested. With a good amp and effects they sound pretty good.

KSM

dobrocop1 - Posted - 01/30/2010:  08:55:32

im not sure that this lap" king belair" is what ive seen Jerry playing! but there is a blue special electric slide he uses and it sounds amazing [just like his playing] and mainly played standing up,.does anybody know what it is?????.

Edited by - dobrocop1 on 02/06/2010 06:44:01

jimmyt - Posted - 02/03/2010:  07:19:22

Try to find a cheapo Squier type with a single bridge pu or strad or tele.or what ever raise the bridge screws up as far as they will go,be sure the strings are as flat across as possible add a metal nut extension .Tune to an open chord G,A.E.etc. This way you can experiment with out being out a lot of money.
If you choose a guitar with a tremolo bridge you will need to pull the back cover and block between tremolo and body with a small wooden block to prevent the bridge from pulling up.

davidmaulik - Posted - 02/03/2010:  08:50:05

I saw Jerry playing one of his teles at Banaroo a couple of years ago and the tele had a square neck and had Fender on the side (as well as the headstock). I am pretty sure that the guitar was a Fender Custom shop creation.

The squire route is definitely a good option. The biggest problem with using a round neck and a raised nut is the open tunings most people use to play Dobro create a higher tension on the strings than the neck was designed for, but if t adjust the truss rod you should be okay with this.