| Build Quality: |  |
| Hardware: |  |
| Electronics: |  |
| Sound: | |
| Value: | |
| Average: | |
Pros:
- Comfortable
- Solid top helps produce good volume and resonance
- Good price
Cons:
- Tuners
- Consistency in quality check
What is there that Luna cannot or does not do? Starting from some of the best ukuleles and moving to a Weissenborn style lap steel guitars, the company has strengthened their reputation for producing quality, budget-friendly instruments for anyone’s enjoyment. One of those instruments is Luna LS WEI SELECT Lap Steel Guitar. This is a beginner lap steel that offers comfort without taking away the distinct sound of Weissenborn. Apart from that, it is probably the most affordable lap steel guitar that does not sound or feels cheap. Without further ado, let’s talk about whether it’s worth for you to buy it.
Build
While this is a budget-friendly, beginner lap steel guitar Luna managed to offer some high-quality features. First of all, you will notice that the top is solid. Thankfully, they did not economize on the top and that pays off. The back and side are laminated mahogany. The hollow Weissenborn neck features standard Indian rosewood fingerboard with a moon marker on the first fret and gorgeous waves (‘rising tide’ ) abalone. Overall the fingerboard is pretty smooth and well polished. This well-crafted instrument is aesthetically pleasing but does not stop at that. With quality tonewood that fits together perfectly and smooth fingerboard, you get an instrument that will fit you perfectly and give as much comfort as possible.
Hardware
Now that we have talked a bit about construction and tonewood of this model, let’s discuss the hardware. Luna did not go crazy when it comes to that, but they definitely put a lot of thought into it. Chrome hardware is pretty durable and fits the tonewood design perfectly. The chrome-plated tuners are okay. They do the job but I cannot really say they are amazing. I have seen some people complain about the consistency. It seems like there are issues with the tuners not fitting too well and sometimes even falling off. This is not a general issue with this model but it’s still good to know that there is some issue with it.
Luna Lap Steel Sound
It is always hard to judge beginner instruments when it comes to the sound. Yes, most of them do not have the same nuances tonality and range as pro-level instruments, but they have a lot of other things to offer. In the case of this instrument, I think, Luna did the best it could. This model offers mellow tone, resonant and overall playability. And, surely, the Weissenborn sound (that you are probably buying this instrument for) is very distinctly present. I won’t lie, if you have been playing for a while you will notice that this is an affordable copy of Weissenborn but it still works well and sounds damn good.
Conclusion
Since its creating at the end of the 19th century, lap steels have gone through a few changes. There have been a lot of models that deserve a notice but none as interesting and admired as Weissenborn. Weissenborns were created by Hermann Weissenborn in 20s and nowadays a lot of brands try to manufacture models that best recreate that model. Luna LS WEI SELECT Lap Steel Guitar might not be the best “interpretation” of the model, it might not be a pro level choice, but it definitely brings a lot to the table. Considering the price range, Luna did a pretty good job with tonewood and hardware. The most important issue with beginner instruments is comfort and playability and that’s where this model shines. In comparison to other Weissenborn lap steel guitars, this model offers a lot for such a small price.
Click here to find out more about Luna LS WEI SELECT Lap Steel Guitar, Weissenborn Style.
Click here to view more from Best Lap Steel Guitar.
