How to determine string specs?

Bob Simons · From: Kansas City, Mo, USA

I have a friend who is a new lap steel player. She has a 6 string, 21" scale instrument. She would like to tune it (low to high) 1-3-5-6-1-3.

How do we determine the best key for that scale length AND the appropriate string specs.

The instrument sounds comfortable tuned to G6 but it came with a very light set of guitar strings that won't hold tune or sound beefy, and I have no idea what string specs to replace with to give her a stable instrument.

Any help will be appreciated!
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Zumsteel U12 8-5, MSA M3 U12 9-7, MSA SS 10-string, 1930 National Resonophonic, Telonics Combo, Webb 614e, Fender Steel King, Mesa Boogie T-Verb.

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Without knowing anything about the strings already on the guitar, it sounds like it was set up to play C6th tuning:

1. E
2. C
3. A
4. G
5. E
6. C

See the Strings link at the top of this page for examples of the string gauges used for this tuning.
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Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

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