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- So I'm spraying my first acoustic lap slide, and being mostly a dobro player these days, I suddenly realize the manufactured Stew-Mac bridge I have pre-domed to fit the top, and already taped off the top for has a compensated (angled) slot routed in it. Since the strings won't be pressed onto frets. now I am wondering if I am going to have bad intonation problems when playing this guitar with a steel. I could order a blank, and make a new bridge and try to fit it to my taped off spot, or I could fill the slot in the current bridge with black epoxy (it's an ebony bridge) and rout a new straight slot, but that would be fairly noticeable, I guess.

I know many people, when first trying dobro-style playing, often get a nut extender to raise the strings on a cheap guitar, and I assume these guitars have compensated slots, so perhaps the intonation problem is not too awfully bad?? I've never played one like this, so I do not know from experience.

I know frets are just suggestions on slide guitars anyway, but I'd be interested in any feedback from other builders who have experience here!

thanks,
Damon

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Damon Wack
https://www.facebook.com/LindamonGuitars

Yay!
Somebody other than me is building a lap steel!!
That's all I build and play now.
Well, the saddle should not be compensated.
It should be exactly the string length.
If it is for you to play, and you have a good ear,
it will probably be okay. Since it's done, try it and see.
If it doesn't work out you could change the bridge,
or fill and re-slot. Some players use modified guitars for lap steel,
I don't think they modify the bridge.
If you are new to lap steel playing, give the guitar a chance the way it is,
you will adjust where the bar is over the fretmarker by ear.

I think you'll be fine intonation-wise....and if not, that's what vibrato's for!

Thanks Alan and Mike! I think I will leave it for now, but future ones I will build the bridge uncompensated. I play mostly bluegrass dobro, but have wanted a lap slide and Weissenborn for a while, and built the slide first. If it turns out well, I may build more for my dobro playing friends, I seem to know quite a few these days!

I've learned pretty well how to compensate for the B string tuned slightly flat in the standard bluegrass "G" tuning, so I guess it will be interesting, and like you say, if I don't like it, I'll fill the slot and re-rout it.

thanks!

Damon

_________________
Damon Wack
https://www.facebook.com/LindamonGuitars