I just recently picked up 3/5ths (one neck and the center section) of a made-in-San-Antonio mid-50's Alamo Futuramic lap steel...it used to be a twin-neck, but the second neck was removed right at the join/seam by a previous owner, and the bare ash wood left as is on the side closest to the camera. The three-way neck/pickup selector switch still works, though of course it only currently works in two positions, and only on the one neck (duh). The steel sounds pretty good as is, the pickup is a single coil and looks a lot like a P-13 (P-90 ancestor), though I've never seen a P-13 specifically made for eight strings. Two questions:
1. What would be a good wiring alternative for this steel, since it already has the three-way switch, to get the maximum potential? I'm thinking something along the lines of a single-pickup Fender Esquire, though the wiring doesn't have to be strictly for an Esquire. Perhaps switching between a selection or combination of capacitors for different tone tastes? Any thoughts or experience with doing something like this with a single coil single-pickup guitar?
2. What would be a good nitrocelluose finish to match the ambered clearcoat already on this steel guitar, to put on the raw edge of this lap steel? I'd prefer something that's ready-made and doesn't take a lot of prep and finishing work, plus I'm limited to doing this in my apartment or on my patio. Also, tips on sanding a even, lightly rounded edge on that area, to match the other edges of this lap steel, would be appreciated; as well as a way/method to soften and scrape off that blob of teal-colored paint on the opposite side, without causing too much damage to the original finish.
Here's some photos; and as always, TIA!
P.S. If you want to see what a full twin-neck Alamo Futuramic lap steel looks like, there's two like it on Reverb plus a later Futuramic model double-neck steel.
Question
crunchee
I just recently picked up 3/5ths (one neck and the center section) of a made-in-San-Antonio mid-50's Alamo Futuramic lap steel...it used to be a twin-neck, but the second neck was removed right at the join/seam by a previous owner, and the bare ash wood left as is on the side closest to the camera. The three-way neck/pickup selector switch still works, though of course it only currently works in two positions, and only on the one neck (duh). The steel sounds pretty good as is, the pickup is a single coil and looks a lot like a P-13 (P-90 ancestor), though I've never seen a P-13 specifically made for eight strings. Two questions:
1. What would be a good wiring alternative for this steel, since it already has the three-way switch, to get the maximum potential? I'm thinking something along the lines of a single-pickup Fender Esquire, though the wiring doesn't have to be strictly for an Esquire. Perhaps switching between a selection or combination of capacitors for different tone tastes? Any thoughts or experience with doing something like this with a single coil single-pickup guitar?
2. What would be a good nitrocelluose finish to match the ambered clearcoat already on this steel guitar, to put on the raw edge of this lap steel? I'd prefer something that's ready-made and doesn't take a lot of prep and finishing work, plus I'm limited to doing this in my apartment or on my patio. Also, tips on sanding a even, lightly rounded edge on that area, to match the other edges of this lap steel, would be appreciated; as well as a way/method to soften and scrape off that blob of teal-colored paint on the opposite side, without causing too much damage to the original finish.
Here's some photos; and as always, TIA!
P.S. If you want to see what a full twin-neck Alamo Futuramic lap steel looks like, there's two like it on Reverb plus a later Futuramic model double-neck steel.
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