Slide guitar tunings on lap steel - Gauges needed

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I have a Supro D-6 that I am making into a slide guitar (ala Duane Allman, etc..). I am interested in using the open E and open G (listed below) that I got off of a slide guitar website. I looked up the string guages and when I tried them, they didn't work. On the open E, the top 2 strings were OK but when I put the recommended guage (using Bob's string guage chart) on the 3rd string, it was real loose when brought up to pitch (.024 w). I changed to a .022 plain and was able to cure that problem. Then the 4th string E, same problem. I can lift the string up at least 1 to 1-1/2" without even trying. Of course, it sounds like crap. At that point I gave up and decided to ask for help.

The tunings and the guages recommended from Bob's string chart.

Open E

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

I use Thomastik Infeld Jazz Bebop strings for both tunings with no problems. Although I do sub a 16 or 17 for the first string. Great strings. Last a long time.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Where can I get them?

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

Richard, these strings are made in Austria, and they're crazy expensive. You can find them online, but I always get them from my luthier. Still, they're about $16 a set. I would suggest you just try the gauges, and see if they work for you before dropin' the moolah for a set. The gauges are .014, .018, .022, .032, .o40, .055. Remember that I sub out the 1st string to a 16 or 17. I have used these on my Airline Rocket, and they worked very well. But, YMMV. I also use them on my bottleneck guitars. 2 '50's National archtops, and my favorite, an early '60s Kay Pro.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Would the fact that the scale of the Supro guitar is 23" affect the gauges needed?

Charley Wilder · From: Dover, New Hampshire, USA

I tune in G almost exclusively and use regular sets of SIT .013's (or is it .012's??). Also I use them for E or D when I use that tuning. I like them okay. They sound fine on my Supro and my D8.

Gary Stevenson · From: Northern New York,USA

One thing I thought of is that after you install the strings and are bringing them up to 440 pitch, the first time you get the g# lets, say it would be very loose. You may have to bring the string tension up till it gives you the G# again.I use openE on most of my lap steel and sort of remember having this happen also.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Gary,

The problem is that the G# string (.024w) never would get tight even when I tuned it up to match the B string above it. It was like the string should be raised another octave, but that would put the G# almost an octave higher than the B string on string 2. After I put the .022 plain on the G# string, I played the first 3 strings agianst the same strings on my steel and they are tuned to the correct octave and notes. Now the same situation exists on string 4. I guess I just need to buy a bunch of strings that are thinner than what is recommended in the charts and see what works.

Ben Sims · From: New Mexico

It seems odd to me that your strings would be quite that loose with the gauges you are using. I have an old Magnatone with a 22.5 inch scale that I tune in open E, and I do use slightly heavier strings, similar to what you list for G tuning. That seems to give better sound, but even with lighter gauge strings they were never actually loose on the instrument. I don't understand the reasoning behind your idea of using *thinner* strings to make them tighter - thinner strings should have less tension and be looser at a given pitch. That's why lower tuned strings are thicker than higher pitched strings. Am I misunderstanding your situation?

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Ben, you're right. I meant to say thicker strings. I played around with it again last night. The 4th string E using a .030 will come up to pitch but is very loose. I can take ahold of the string and move it side to side on the bridge about 1/4" with no resistance. You pick the string and can actually hear the pitch vary from high to low and back and has no tone and very little tension, and buzzes. I don't understand the difficulty either. This week I will try bigger strings increasing by .002 to .004. That should increase the tension enough.

Ben Sims · From: New Mexico

Richard,

I've specifically had good luck with the Asher lap steel sets, which run 15-18-28w-38w-48w-58w. That is actually quite a lot thicker in the middle strings than the gauges you have listed, and is probably more appropriate to a short-scale instrument.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Thanks Ben. I'll give those a try.

Phill Martin · From: Whitewater Kansas, USA

I went to juststrings site and bought several ten packs plain wire stings. I got them from around 15 to the thickest I could get. I like using plain wire on my first four stings. Then I got a bunch of single wounds, so now I can make up any tuning I like.
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