scale lenths

Scott Appleton · From: Ashland, Oregon

What do you all think of a lap steel with a
26" scale .. I have been playing ones with
22.5 or 24 .. What would be the best use of a
26" scale .. Which tuning would be best if any
at all.

David Doggett · Posted 19 Nov 2006 7:07 pm

Any tuning will work, but you might have to use thinner gauge strings to keep the tension from being too much. But I would go for a lower pitched tuning rather than a higher pitched one. The thing to take advantage of is the fact that for a given pitch, a longer thinner string will have richer harmonics and more sustain than a shorter thicker string. On short scales, the low strings are compromised by being so thick. They tend to be a bit clunky. On a long scale with smaller gauges, those low strings should really come alive. Assuming it is an 8-string, I would think a low C6 tuning with an E on top and low C on the bottom would sound fantastic.

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

My D8 has a 25” tuning and at times I tune both to C6 but use different gauges on each neck.

If I know that I will be playing a gig that will have a little Hawaiian flavour to it, I will put the thinner gauges on the second neck to give the guitar that Hawaiian, lap steel effect.

The lower neck however will still have the heavier gauge strings so the guitar produces a much more mellow tone that is part of the country tone. (Our ex band leader also wanted the deeper and more mellow tone in my steel because of its blending in better with the horns)

I also like to play many of my solos on the lower neck because of the mellow and deeper tone I get with the heavier gauge.

I also might add that the lighter gauge strings will give you a better sustain if that’s important to you.

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(I am not right all of the time but I sure like to think I am!)

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