C Fouke IR222AL Indy Rail

Well, how do you rate a number for this category? It's all aluminum and beautiful. A very unique instrument. It has removable back plates for easy access to the innards. It has a hole in the headstock for wall hanging and rubber feet for gripping a surface. It also has a coil tap on the Kent Armstrong humbucker. The tone pot is of very high quality. Every part of the rotation effects the tone. I don't know why more manufacturers can't get this right. Oh, the tuners are quality as well.

I've owned this instrument for 2 years now and have waited to write a review until now.

I play experimental rock in the fashion of The Friends of Dean Martinez. I have a two amp setup with a couple of mfx processors (Pod XT Live and Zoom G9.2tt). The amps: Crate Palomino V8 and Ultrasound AG50DS2.

It's not noisy at all. Even with the coil tap switch set to single coil, it's quiet as can be.

The tone of this instrument is significantly different from other steels that I have owned and/or played.
Comparing it to my Guyatone Fender Stringmaster Deluxe-6 knockoff:
The guyatone has more of the "classic" Sleepwalk type tone. The Indy is a different animal. It's aggressive and cuts through. It can have a resonator-ish tone, depending on how you have the tone knob adjusted. I roll the tone knob down just a bit to smooth it out and get more of the "normal" lap steel tone. It does the "classic" sound just doesn't specialize in it. The humbucker should tip anyone off to this fact.

I don't play blues but this instrument would be perfect for that tone. Again, it's capable of sounding mean.

It's not muddy at all. Just the opposite, in fact. It's my favorite steel for live use because it's bright sound cuts through the mix so well.

I usually have the coil tap set to "single coil" but sometimes switch it to humbucker to beef up a distortion lick.

The harmonics are a strong point. If pinched harmonics are important to you, then an all-aluminum steel makes a lot of sense. Much better than my other steels.

Sustain is very very good.

I don't have any dislikes to mention. I do like having multiple instruments as there is no lap steel out there that covers every sound.

As others have mentioned, it arrived in tune. This is an amazingly well made instrument. There is absolutely nothing to complain about. I can't even begin to nitpick. Really, I'm a picky bastard and this thing is simply put together with attention to detail.

Ok, I have to say that there is no instrument on earth that is more reliable than a hunk of metal with no moving parts. Ok, tuners and pots are moving parts but they are replaceable and cheap. We are talking about the body of the instrument and nothing is going to be more reliable than this. You would really have to work to even put a ding in it.

Mr. Fouke answers all emails. I got all nitpicky with my order and he showed tremendous patience in explaining my options.

After I had owned the Indy for some time, I wrote him about having another pickup installed next to the present pickup. He answered about 10 emails and was again very patient and helpful.

Recently, I wrote him about the dimensions of the gig bag that he now sells on his site. He wrote back within the day and answered my question fully.

I've been playing various instruments for about 8 years. I'm actually a flamenco guitarist that wanted to have a "singing" instrument in my repertoire.

I know I've given all 10's in this review and I feel guilty about it. But I really believe in this instrument and I can't bear to lower any ratings associated with it. Mr. Fouke deserves the ratings after making such a quality instrument this affordable. I can't complain about a single thing so where would I drop the ratings.

Let me be clear, this is a great instrument at any price. The fact that I bought it, customized to my liking, for $375 is unbelievable.

If it were stolen, I would get another one, but I might choose different options. I would probably get the 8-string and have Lollar Stringmaster pickups installed.

I'm considering getting another anyway. Maybe the 8 string or the baritone.

I can't imagine a better deal on an instrument than this one.

The standard Indy Rail six-string with the Dan Armstrong coil-tap option, strung in E. Made in 2005.

If you want other stuff, you buy another instrument.

Stinging to mellow, it does everything I need. I use it in the studio with an Ernie Ball Volume Pedal through a Vox Tonelab or a Pignose mic'd with an SM-7B or a Studio Projects C-1. I've also close mic'd it with the C-1 for acoustic use, and it did what I needed. Wasn't expecting it to sound like a resonator.

I do powerpop that touches on country-rock and alt-country, and occasionally touches other genres. I'm a bottle-neck player and I've flirted with learning pedal-steel, but never get around to it. I want a swell here and there and a lead here and there. And sometimes I want to get all Sneaky Pete or Lowell George on your ass. This was a dirt cheap way to get all those sounds and a lot more.

Perfect. Simple construction and no frills means nothing goes wrong.

It fell over during an earthquake. I picked it up a few hours later and it was still in tune.

This guy cares about his reputation. He emailed me before I got it to say that if I had any problems, I should let him know immediately and he would personally take care of it. All I asked him was when it would ship.

My straight tube Indie Rail was made by Chris in November 2005. I bought it through Ebay, where Chris offers these and similar 'budget'lap steels from time to time. Despite being the least expensive of his offerings, this is one fine instrument!
It has his standard 22.22" scale length, which is so close to the more common 22.5" length of other makers that there would be no problem for any player accustomed to one to play the other. It has his standard brushed aluminum finish, and despite not being annodized,is not dirty to handle and no problem to keep looking good. A single import humbucker, full size Grover Rotomatic tuning machines, four rubber feet and a removable hand rest for Dobro style playing complete the instrument.
I love the appearance of this guitar; I don't see how you could make a steel guitar more simply or directly. It is an elegant, spare design: a modern classic,tastefully executed. I rated it a 9 because 10 is supposed to mean "tons of features", which the indy rail doesn't have, but it has everything you want.

The idea of an all aluminum instrument suits a lap steel, where sustain is so important. Of course, the highly regarded early Rickenbachers were cast alumininum, so this is not without precedent. Chris's guitar certainly has a long & lively resonance, which yet is easily damped by the player as required. About the only down side to an aluminum instrument, is that tuning is affected by temperature, which is a minor problem if transporting the guitar in the winter. It needs to warm up before tuning will be stable.
String spacing on this 6 string model is 3/8", which I find comfortable as a novice player. The strings don't converge towards the nut, so bar slants and picking further from the bridge to get a more 'Hawaiian' sound require no mental adjustments.
The import humbucker sounds pretty good, and Chris will substitute another if you have a preference. At the time I bought it, I did not have any opinions, but I have since replaced the generic pickup with a Lindey Fralin Unbucker, which I much prefer. The Fralin has a greater depth of tone, making the quality tone pot truly useful. To squeeze as much tonal variation as possible from one pickup, I have also installed an on-on-on switch to give single coil (olde time)/ series (twangy)/ parallel (full) humbucker options. Well worth it.

Chris builds a quality instrument, even at this price point. Fit and finish are very good, and the money saved is in the simple design, not the execution.
The distinct appearance of the Indy Rail always gets favourable comments from other musicians.
The aluminum fretboard with its black cap screw 'dots' is highly visible without looking like a game board, as some vintage instruments do.
I found that the stock 5/8" string height over the fretboard gave me parallax problems, so I reduced it to 3/8" with a piece of ebonized maple under the bolt-on fretboard. Couldn't be easier to do.
Chris will install whatever tuners you want. If I had it to do over again, I'd go with something having a higher gear ratio and less slop than the Grover Rotomatics, but this is a niggling point. Many musicians a lot better than me have found them fine.
Volume and Tone controls, and output jack are well placed, provided your cable has a right angle plug.
The polished brass hand rest over the bridge will be a plus to Dobro players, who mute with the left hand, but for lap steel style players, who mute mainly with the pick hand, it will be in the way. Chris attaches it with 2 machines screws so that you can take it off, if that is your preference.

Durable & solid. You'd really have to work at it to make the instrument unplayable. I think the guy who says he could drive his car over it is overstating things, though. He'd be welcome to try it with his, but not mine!
Easily modified if you feel the urge. Everything is accessible.
Finish wipes clean with Windex.
Put some Locktite on the screw-in feet to prevent them unscrewing.

The BEST. Chris kept me informed as the instrument was being built, let me know when & how he sent it, and shipped it by a trackable mail service. Better than average, for sure, but better still ...
I bought this guitar from Chris over Ebay, for around $75 less than his stock price. Not knowing his practice,I asked him to keep the 3 humbucker wires accessible so that I could put in a coil tap switch myself. (I didn't have the extra $25 at the time to have Chris put it in.) Chris put in the switch at no charge, even though I was already getting a bargain! That's damned unusual! I've since made more changes, including replacing that switch (see above), but I felt so good about his gesture that I sent Chris the extra $25 later. There's a guy with good karma!

I've 'played' steel for 8 months at the time of this writing, so I still suck. My teacher is one of the best however, and you should hear him play this instrument; amazing! There's hope for me, yet.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another instrument from Chris, if this one were to go missing. Spending more on another modern lap steel would not get me more, although I do admire the MSA Superslide. An early horseshoe magnet Rickenbacher would also be nice for its unique sound. Chris makes an interesting electric resonator lap steel,too ... maybe one day.

This is a Lap Steel (Hawaiian Style) guitar. This thing is Industrial, with all aluminum constructions. Although it might not be obvious at first glance, it is wonderfully musical, with its own unique and pleasing character. Chris builds these by hand, one at a time, and customization is always an option. He uses high-end sealed tuners, and a choice of pick-ups. I opted for a Kent Armstrong humbucker with a coil-tap switch. It has tone and volume controls, but I hardly ever use them. If I?d had the foresight to think of it, I?d have told him to leave them off. The bridge and nut are both fixed, and the ?fingerboard? has deep-cut black lines, and hex bolts for ?dots.? The instrument is amazingly light, which makes it a pleasure to bring to gigs. Although Chris says that this is meant for amplified play, I?ve mic?ed mine up, and often practice unplugged. It has a very sweet acoustic tone and I can?t help but imagine how nice his larger instruments sound. This instrument doesn't have a "ton of features," but those that it has are all top-notch.

When played clean, it has a sweet, bright, articulate sound. The Kent Armstrong humbucker doesn't sound as heavy as some that I've played, and the output is moderate. I often wonder what other p/u's would sound like, but I've not yet bothered to experiment. Chris does offer a number of p/u options. I opted for the Kent Armstrong because of the coil-tap option. This feature is good for playing more quietly, or chords, then kicking in the higher-output humbucker for leads.

Because the bridge isn't adjustable, minor variations in intonation can be expected. That being said, they're very minor. The height of the strings is very even, with the lowest pitch being just a smidge higher than the other strings. The construction is perfect. Every component fits together with precision, and the aluminum has a soft, muted finish. The only problem I?ve encountered with the instrument is that one of the rubber feet unscrewed and got lost. Chris was happy to send me another.

Overall, this is a wonderful, unique instrument. Whenever I play live, people always come up and ask me about it.

I suppose that, if I used it as a baseball bad, it might become damaged but, otherwise, the thing is rock solid. Also, the strings stay in tune amazingly well. The pots, tuners, and jack are all high quality components.

Chris has always been willing to correspond, and has fielded some rather silly questions from me. He was very quick to send me replacement feet when I asked. I can't think of anything he could do any better. When I placed my order, he gave me an accurate time-frame, and stuck to it.

I'm not a traditional Lap Steel player. I use lots of effects, and do looping improv a la Robert Fripp. (See 'Let The Power Fall' & 'No Pussyfooting') The Indy Rail is a wonderful instrument for this. I've been thinking of ordering a longer scaled version...(32") He's said he could do it, but I've just not convinced myself of the necessity yet. I've played lots of 'vintage' lap steel guitars (a friend has quite a collection) but I wouldn't trade this one for any of his. The only thing I'd like, and this is very minor, is an integrated option for telescoping legs. Chris and I discussed this, but he didn't feel that he could produce something that would both work AND be affordable.

Standard Industrial Rail. 6 String through body, Grover's, Kent Armstrong with coil tap switch. Supplied with open E strings but re-strung for C6.
Massive strength of construction and neatly assembled and finished. I was particularly impressed with the hex-head bolts as fret position markers. This Rail was purchased for me by my children as a gift on reaching retirement. Having plucked a Telecaster for some years, and suffering from arthritis, I found that I was playing less so the Rail seemed like a good idea. Much less strenuous I must say! I have always been smitten with Santo and Johnny's 'Sleepwalk' and with the help of a George Boards backing track (please excuse me mentioning the opposition) I have finally mastered it (well it sounds great to me). The steel is set up at home and just walking past and strumming an open C6 just makes me feel good.

I use the Rail through a little Fender Frontman 15w and a Zoom 707 on Echo and obtain a very pleasing sound. Using the Rail clean or dirty produces a range from 'mellow enough to raise the hairs on your neck' to 'turn that ******* thing down!!!' A very versatile instrument-just love it .

The Rail arrived strung for open E and was re-strung for C6 and some slight adjustment was needed at the bridge. Maybe a choice of tuning could have been offered. Nevertheless the quality of construction and playability remains undiminished.

What a silly question! This thing is 'Industrial' by name and nature.

I doubt whether I will ever need 'Customer Support', but questions to Chris Fouke prior to purchase were answered quickly and informatively and I have no doubts about service in the future if needed.

As a complete Lap Steel novice I can only say that it does everything I expect from a lap steel and probably a lot more, yet to be discovered.

2004 Fouke Industrial 6 string lap steel hand made in the USA. It has 24 frets and is made entirely of aluminum. It has volume and tone controls with a Kent Armstrong humbucker with tap switch. Mine has the "3D" finish. Spun circles in the aluminum. (think Spirit of St. Louis) The strings are through the body with non adjustable bridge. Good quality Grover tuners. No case.

I'm running it through a Rocktron Chameleon and Voodoo. (both of which I like MUCH better than the POD I had) I've never played a lap steel before, but with this set up I can get traditional and unconventional sounds with ease! Mine has the Kent Armstrong humbucker with tap switch. I planned on upgrading the pickup, but it's quiet and gets a nice range of tones, so I'm keepin' it.

The construction quality is great! UPS delivered a MANGLED box and I expected the worst, but upon opening the box I found the lap steel intact and still in tune! I used to make the same swirl finish on aluminum skate boards, so I know it's hard to get it perfect, but it still looks pretty good. Also, the nut could be tapered a little bit. It spans the body at full hight (lap steels have a high action) about 1" on either side of the fret board, and sometimes I hit it with the slide. Maybe due to my (lack of) slide technique.

I'm strictly using this in the studio, but I couldn't imagine a more durable stringed instrument. I really like the look of the 3D finish and I think it will easily hold up as well as any wood/paint finish.

Chris has been great to deal with. There is no written warranty, but I get the impression Fouke Industrial would take care of any problems I might have with this lap steel. Email the guy! He answered the questions I had promptly!

I've been playing since I was five... so, about forty years. I own a 24 track digital studio D8B/HDR. I produce ALL styles of music and wanted to have a lap steel on hand. I considered vintage and newer "budget" steels. I'm glad I got the Industrial piece! I read reviews here first and thought maybe one person wrote them all...maybe even Chris! But they're for real. Add my name to the fan club.