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Topic: Strings and tunings |
John Axcelson
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 8 Dec 2019 11:02 am |
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I’m a long-time guitar playing now exploring lap steel, and I have a few questions about strings for specific tunings. Simply put, I want to play both classic country and blues, using a C6 tuning for the former and either open D or open G for the latter. I have a Gretsch electromatic lap steel with the original factory installed strings still on it and it’s currently tuned to C6.
I suppose this should have occurred to me earlier, but I now see that lap steel strings are marked for specific tunings. I take this to mean that I cannot do both country and blues on the same guitar—without changing all of the strings at least. So my first question: Is there a way to play both country and blues without buying a second guitar?
My other question concerns the factory installed strings. I just checked a few music store websites, and none of them say whether the strings are designed for C6 or for the open blues tunings—for all I know I tuned blues strings to C6! How would I know? Would strings break? Would the sounds be noticeably off?
Any guidance you can give would be much appreciated. I’d prefer not to have to purchase a second guitar at this point, but I’m uncertain about how to play both styles on my current guitar. Thanks! |
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Jeff Highland
From:
New South Wales, Australia
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Posted 8 Dec 2019 11:49 am
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Without getting into whether you can play blues in C6
Look at this site's shop
https://www.steelguitarshopper.com/c6th-lap-steel-strings-by-ghs/
As you can see the lower strings on the C6 sets are quite small in guage.
Trying to tune down to an open D tuning with these strings will give you a very floppy low end.
Open G Dobro gbdgbd will be a little better but perhaps going to A would be better (up 2 semitones) |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 8 Dec 2019 2:29 pm
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If you don’t mind using a less common tuning, you could use heavier strings and use Open D for blues, and tune to D6 for country
So DADF#AD for D
and DADF#BD for D6
If you are already getting comfortable with C6 you might consider sticking with it for blues too, let a band mate take care of the bottom notes.
And of course the best solution is to use this as an excuse to buy a second lap steel 
_________________
Current Tunings:
6 String | G – G B D G B D
7 String | G6 – e G B D G B D (re-entrant)
https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 8 Dec 2019 2:34 pm
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| Allan Revich wrote: |
| And of course the best solution is to use this as an excuse to buy a second lap steel |
And a third... and a fourth...
Lap steels are like Lays potato chips. |
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John Mulligan
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 8 Dec 2019 5:13 pm
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| You can do what Cindy Cashdollar does; she brings a console steel (no pedals, but with legs) for the swing and country, and brings a a lap steel for the blues and folkier songs. I've seen others do the same. |
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Jim Graham
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 9 Dec 2019 4:01 am
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| I've got the same Gretsch, got it a few months ago new. I tuned it to C6 right out of the box without thinking about the strings and found the strings it shipped with sounded great. Turns out they're Fender nickel plated 12 to 52. I have since tuned them to dobro open G (GBDGBD) with great results as well. I'm not an active performing player but would probably pay more attention to such things if I was. |
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Bruce Bouton
From:
Nash. Tn USA
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Posted 12 Dec 2019 11:02 am
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I play lap steel ,mostly tuned to open G. gbdgbd. I used this tuning after having played dobro for a number of years. I've been happy with D'dario NYXL's . I use gauges 58,46,36, 30 and a plain 19 and 17 . I but them as singles but they last a long time and sound great. I use a capo alot , depending on the song. I can also tune down to open D without too much problem.
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www.brucebouton.com |
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