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Author Topic:  Help Witth String Gauges
Rocky Hill


From:
Prairie Village,Kansas, USA
Post  Posted 4 Nov 2007 9:23 am    
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I try to tune my 6 string from open E-EBEG#BE to a C6th/am7 tuning CEGACE from Brads page of steel and I keep breaking my A string,.046 going to E. Do I need a different set of strings? I am using a standard set of guitar strings from high to low .013 .017 .026 .036 .046 .056 am I trying to tune to high or will a different gauge of strings help or what am I doing wrong.


Rocky Hill
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Ron Victoria

 

From:
New Jersey, USA
Post  Posted 4 Nov 2007 9:35 am    
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I always match the note to the gauge. Here's a great chart. You can tune up or down a note w/o breakage.
http://www.hawaiiansteel.com/learning/gauges.html

ron
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Rick Alexander


From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
Post  Posted 4 Nov 2007 10:09 am    
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Rocky, I wouldn't recommend raising or lowering a string much more than a whole step (2 frets).
For the E tuning you should have:
E - .015
B - .020
G# - .022
E - .030
B - .038
E - .056

and for the C6 tuning you should have:
E - .015
C - .018
A - .022
G - .024
E - .030
C - .036


You need a second guitar if you want to use both of those tunings.
Look here to see charts of gauges and tunings that easily retune to other useful tunings.
_________________

BIG STEEL
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Rick Collins

 

From:
Claremont , CA USA
Post  Posted 4 Nov 2007 10:17 am    
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Ron and Rick are correct, Rocky.

I have never, in my life, broken a string on a non-pedal steel guitar.
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Rocky Hill


From:
Prairie Village,Kansas, USA
Post  Posted 4 Nov 2007 11:16 am    
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Thanks for the suggestions, I figured I was crossing the line when trying to use one set of strings on two different tunings.

I started playing lap when I got a Epiphone Les Paul and set the action up to play slide. I found some lap steel tunings and started experimenting.

I laid the guitar down, started finger picking and using a Dobro steel, I was having such a good time I bought a new GFI pedal steel. That thing frustrates me where I end up picking up the the 6 string and playing it. I'm not really sure I did the right thing for me by getting the pedal in E9th. I really like the sound of a C6th.

Again thanks for the suggestions, keep them coming because I need all the help I can get


Rocky
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Rick Alexander


From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
Post  Posted 4 Nov 2007 12:45 pm    
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Rocky, check out this topic about getting A6 tuning with E9th Pedal Steel.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=1041934#1041934
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Rick Abbott

 

From:
Indiana, USA
Post  Posted 4 Nov 2007 6:58 pm    
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Try the Carter Steel website, they have an E9 tutorial that makes sense to a 6-stringer.
_________________
RICK ABBOTT
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional #7962
Remington T-8, Sehy #112
1975 Peavey Pacer 1963 Gibson Falcon
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John Bechtel


From:
Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.
Post  Posted 5 Nov 2007 7:36 pm    
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On a 22½” scale, I'd use these gauges for these tunings:
Tab:

C6 _ _ _ _ _ E _ _ _ _ _ A6
E .016p _ _ E .016p _ _ E .016p
C .020p _ _ B .022p _ _ C# .020p
A .024p _ _ G# .024p _ _ A .024p
G .026w _ _ E .032w _ _ F# .028w
E .032w _ _ B .042w _ _ E .032w
C .040w _ _ E .057w _ _ C# .038w

_________________
<marquee> Go~Daddy~Go, (No), Go, It's your Break Time</marquee> L8R, jb
My T-10 Remington Steelmaster
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Don Kona Woods


From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
Post  Posted 6 Nov 2007 12:51 am    
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I am with John on this.

The thicker guages give a better fuller tone.

The thinner guages tend to give more tinnyness to the sound.

My .01 cent worth.

Aloha, Smile
Don
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Rocky Hill


From:
Prairie Village,Kansas, USA
Post  Posted 6 Nov 2007 7:26 pm    
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John Bechtel wrote:
On a 22½” scale, I'd use these gauges for these tunings:
Tab:

C6 _ _ _ _ _ E _ _ _ _ _ A6
E .016p _ _ E .016p _ _ E .016p
C .020p _ _ B .022p _ _ C# .020p
A .024p _ _ G# .024p _ _ A .024p
G .026w _ _ E .032w _ _ F# .028w
E .032w _ _ B .042w _ _ E .032w
C .040w _ _ E .057w _ _ C# .038w


I'm using a converted Les Paul to play lap with, the scale is 24 3/4 do these gauges still apply to the longer scale length?



Rocky
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John Bechtel


From:
Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.
Post  Posted 6 Nov 2007 8:50 pm    
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Rocky; _ _ _ No, I would sooner recommend that you follow Rick Alexander's suggestions, or even one size smaller!
_________________
<marquee> Go~Daddy~Go, (No), Go, It's your Break Time</marquee> L8R, jb
My T-10 Remington Steelmaster
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