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Topic: Help in selecting string gauges for Open D Lap Steel |
Irene Kaiser
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 3 Dec 2019 11:19 am |
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Hello - I am relatively new to steel guitar forum and lap steel in general. In October, 2019 I purchased an SX Lap 2 Ash NA 3TS Electric Lap steel guitar. It came in Open G Tuning.
I would like to learn Open D on my lap steel, however, I am not familiar with string gauges and do not understand many of the charts online. There are strings available for Open E, G, and C6 and more. I cannot locate strings for Open D, only for Dobro and Weissenborn Guitars.
I also noticed on the specifications for my 6 string lap steel that the bridge is adjustable to accommodate different tunings.
Can someone please help or guide me to understand how to adjust the bridge and what brand of strings and gauges I can purchase for my lap steel in Open D tuning.
Thank you very much.
Irene |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 3 Dec 2019 12:50 pm
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I looked up the SX Lap 2 Ash 3TS and the specs say they have a 22-3/4" scale. These gauges, from from the John Ely string gauge chart, should be in the ballpark:
D .016
A .021p
F# .026w
D .034
A .042
D .060
https://www.hawaiiansteel.com/graphics/pdf/string_gauge_chart.pdf
Set your bridge saddles in a straight line, as close to 22-3/4" from the back edge of the nut to the top of each saddle as you can get them.
To verify the scale length, measure from the back edge of the nut to the center of the twelfth fret. The guitar's scale would be double this measurement. |
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Glenn Wilde
From:
California, USA
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Posted 3 Dec 2019 4:48 pm
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| You may prefer flat wound strings, less noise, smoother feel. If so then a heavy gauge set of Dadarrio chromes should do |
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Alex Shi
From:
Taiwan
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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