Future of Lap Steel

 50+ years Steel/Slide, Melobar has seen a lot of change in the music world. When I started in the end of the 70's early 80's I sat in the office with Irby Mandrell (Barbaras Father and Manager) and listened to him lecture me for an hour that Steel guitar was dead and gone. I chuckle that Steel was the only thing that survived in Country Music. 
David Lindley's epic Running on Empty slide work woke up a few players in the 80s but Melobar was one of the few companies making lap steels as the 90's started. Nashville NAMM in that day there were only two booths offering Lap Steels. The internet Steel Guitar Forum brought out some great innovative players for a few years but then like all forums, a group that wanted only Hawaiian Lap Steel in the world ran off anyone trying to talk about taking Lap Steel into Rock or Blues. We had a lot of hope in a dozen great players; but now I see it starting to fizzle out like the 80's again.
Music is expression, and bending a note IS how we feel the music inside twisting us and resolving. I've heard great players make that comment that Steel/Slide is the ultimate for that expression, far greater than a whammy bar or the limit on a 12" radius fretboard. 
I think better instruction on Lap Steel would have helped and encouragement from other players to experiment...I've been looking for the Jimmi Hendrix of Steel for decades and have offered dozens of guitars to hopefulls. If there is to be a future for Lap Steel, the Rock/Blues world needs to open it's eyes to the amazing depth of feeling that instrument can produce to the point every studio has one waiting to make that special differance only that gutiar can make.

2024 Melobar Prototypes finally done

 Some of you have been following these prototype instruments over the last couple years...here they are, finally done. Be sure and hit the full screen so you can actually see the wood, fun stuff 😉

Lindley's Genious video mentioned for the Gold with Rosewood Cap

BTW the necks used on the prototypes were oddballs and rejects that couldn't be used on stock Melobars - I'm still saving the last good necks for players.

3/2024 Update on Melobar Availability

Video explains what is happening on the last Melobars

David Lindley -Very Sad...we lost a wonderful person!

 

So sad we lost David, this is the day the Smith family met him and he was always gracious and wonderful. Only person Dad would build whatever he wanted :)

Every time I met him he always went out of his way to talk to me even clear back at age 16, let me into his home, took time to talk guitar builds, so many great memories, going to miss you David!   

Fun Melobar Article in Vintage Guitar Magazine

 

Great article on the Mosrite Melobar model in the February issue of Vintage Guitar.
Click Here https://www.vintageguitar.com/40225/the-story-of-melobar/

Always wanting to make sure the history is correct I do want to point out that Jimmy Page had not called us back in the 80's for "playing tips" but because he wanted an effects box that Brian Jones had used with his Mosrite Melobar on a movie track for a unique sound; we talk about it in Fun Melobar Facts. 

The caption between the Mosrite and Rosac are backwards, the Rosac model is on the right. What is pictured here is a Mosrite Melobar.

The little town we built them in during the 80's was Weiser...not Weister, and Melobar moved to the Sweet Idaho Shop in 1991 after Dad had died. Otherwise it was a very good recount of Melobar's Roots.

the Author Willie Moseley emailed me that; When I interviewed Jorma Kaukonen, he was appreciative of the opportunity to discuss his experience with Melobar, telling me "Thanks for the trip down memory lane."

We all thank you for that trip down memory lane Willie!!

Rusty Young the first Melobar man

 

Special tribute to Rusty Young, the first Steel'er to put Melobar on stage and break the Rock barrier with it in his great book. 

He nick named his Melobar the Bear and really did some wild stage moves with it, I think he still is miles ahead of what the world doesn't realize Steel can do in cross over country rock.

Thank you Rusty, RIP

Rolling Stones Melobar

The Rolling Stones got 2 of the new Professional Melobar models in 1981, this is a CD of recordings in that time period, check out track 6