Wokka's baritone scale lap steel build

[wokkaboy]

I got inspired from Bruce (ALM63) art deco lap steel build so wanted to experiment with a longer scale lap steel in the baritone range, so went to the green shed Friday (refer to selfy thread haha) to pick up the timber, jarrah and mercanti laminate.
First step was to glue the neck through part and started to drill out the opening for the tuners.
Then glued the wings on and cut the rough shape in the bandsaw.
Then pulled out the tele routing templates that Jarrod cut for me on his CNC. Routed the tele bridge, neck pup and control cavity

[wokkaboy]

here's how it looks with the hardware and I got a black walnut fingerboard for the fret markers and dots

[wokkaboy]

got the tuner slots cleaned up, bit more to go then today working on the fret markers and dots on the fingerboard. As its a lap steel it's all slide so will probably use black cable ties for fret slots and might use some of the 11-12mm pau shell and gold MOP for the dot markers I got some spares for the telemonster project.
The scale length should be about 27.5 inches. I have no idea how it's going to sound but have a spare set of bartone strings (0.014 - 0.068") so it will be a lower tune, so hoping the low notes are super dirty haha

[corsair]

Ooooh; liking this one! What tuning are you planning on? Baritones are normally a perfect fourth, yes? You know... I don't think it needs a fingerboard; that laminate is mighty tasty!

[Fretworn]

Cool Wokka. And for some musical inspiration....

[wokkaboy]

Cheers Corsair and Fretty. It needs a fingerboard to put fret markers on. Otherwise I'd leave the laminate neck top. Not sure on the tuning but Will be a lower open tuning

[Dedman]

Jeez Wokka, when you decide to do something you don't muck around. Lookin good!

[Simon Barden]

Looking great. If there's ever a 'next time', would it be easier to cut out the majority of the tuner slots before you glued the pieces of wood together?

[wazkelly]

Cheers Corsair and Fretty. It needs a fingerboard to put fret markers on. Otherwise I'd leave the laminate neck top.

Hey Woks, have you thought about just putting the fret dots on the laminate and treat it like a fretless? Another thought would be to either draw or score fret lines on the laminate? It looks too pretty to be hidden under a traditional fret board.

[keloooe]

Nah Woks, gotta find a way around that laminate, you cannot cover that beauty up!