Asher tuning

John Harmon · From: Virginia, USA

Hope my questions don't bother you folks too much, but I am looking at an Asher 6 string. Hawaiian JR. Does the longer scale on these change any thing about the tuning. I would like to go with Don Helms E13/E6 or whatever it is. Can I just buy a set of E13 strings? Thanks, John

Joe A. Roberts · From: Seoul, South Korea

Only thing I can think of the Don Helms tuning has a high G#, which may be very thin or bright sounding on a long scale. Those high Hank Williams licks will be very strident! I know on long scale Fender pedal steels, the G# often breaks when trying to raise to A, so people tune down if trying to use them for E9th. I personally don’t like high G# strings even on short scale steels so I don’t have much experience with them, I’m sure others can “chime” in.

You could also try tuning down to a lower pitch with the same intervals, perhaps a D13.

John Harmon · From: Virginia, USA

Joe, thanks for the heads up. John

Tony Oresteen · From: Georgia, USA

The 25" scale is not a problem for those tunings. You just need to use the proper gauge strings.

Lap steel guitars are tuned to a pull of 25 to 30 pounds of pull. To find the correct string gauge you need the pitch of the note AND the octave it is in along with the scale length . There are many on-line string tension calculators. The one I have been using is this =one:

https://stringtensioncalculator.com/

Don Helms E13/E6 tunings are for an 8 String steel guitar and yours is a 6 string lap steel. You will have to eliminate 2 strings from Don's tunings.

To get Don's tunings in full you should get an 8 string lap steel. Asher makes 8 string versions but they are more expensive.

SX makes an inexpensive 8 string lap steel:

https://www.rondomusic.com/lap8na.html

Figure out exactly how you want to tune a 6 string lap steel and the scale length and then the proper string gauges can be computed.

Good luck!
_________________
Tony
Newnan, GA

Too many guitars, not enough time to play
'72 Sho-Bud 6139, '71 Marlen 210
'78 Fender Stringmaster Quad black
PedalMaster D8

Jeff Highland · From: New South Wales, Australia

In general I would agree with Tony, but a 25" scale is a bit problematic for a High G# in terms of breakage.
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1949 Supro Supreme
1950 National New Yorker
2008 Highland Baritone Weissenborn
2020 Highland New Yorker.
2020 Highland Mohan Veena
2021 Highland Weissencone

John Harmon · From: Virginia, USA

Thanks folks, maybe I'll just go with C6. BTW just got it today $400 and like new. Sure is heavy on the bass, will have to tinker with my amp settings.

Tony Oresteen · From: Georgia, USA

Congrats John on your new lap steel!

C6 is a good place to start. Lots of instruction availble.

I am not familiar with how Asher mounts their pickups but check to see if it is possible to lower the bass side of the pickup. This should help reduce the bass response.
_________________
Tony
Newnan, GA

Too many guitars, not enough time to play
'72 Sho-Bud 6139, '71 Marlen 210
'78 Fender Stringmaster Quad black
PedalMaster D8

John Harmon · From: Virginia, USA

Thank you Tony. Just thought this AM it's tuned to open G with heavy strings. When I go with lighter C6 strings it will probably be better. If not I'll check the pick ups

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

Merely use the appropriately gauged string for the pitch to which you're tuning, as explained above. All of my lap steels are 22.5" scale. With the exception of a couple of 7-strings tuned to A6 with an E on top, they are all 6-strings. I favor the 1-3-5-6-1-3 6th tuning (low to high). I currently have instruments set up in G6, A6, Bb6, C6, and D6. I had one set up in E6 (ala Helms), but found the skinny strings to be too whiny-sounding for my taste.

Christopher Blood · From: Missouri, USA

Congrats on that $400 Asher.
I paid over $800 for mine new so that's a steal of a steel

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