Guitar Gallery

Company: Sparks Lap Steel
Model#: LS-1: "Cat & Mouse" Model
Year: 2007
Description: Yet another instrument of my own design, though admittedly modeled after my favorite Gibson lap steel of the '30's.  The building of this one is obviously still in progress but is coming along, the picture to the right is as of July 3, 2009. 
I am excited about including an inlay of my cat, Gibson, on the head stock with his tail hanging into the first fret and a mouse on twelfth fret with his tail hanging into the next fret. The body and neck are solid mahogany, the body binding is real curly maple.  The fingerboard is bound first in a fancy wooden marquetry from Gibson banjo resonators of the 20's, with curly maple outer edge. I am using a single coil pickup nested in a chrome pickup ring, an ebony fingerboard that will be fitted with real frets, even though I know you don't need them.  I have  located my signature inlay, a pearl star, at the end of the fingerboard, but may put one on the headstock under my name, which still has to be added. The volume and tone knobs are "amber" vintage Gibson Hatbox style knobs and I have positioned the volume knob near the right hand playing position to do manual volume swells and fades.  Check back to see progress and eventually the finished product!  These instruments are fairly easy to build, I believe that the real challenge will be to learn to play it! 

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