string gauge A C# E A C# E

[John Burton]

Been wanting to try low to hi A C# E A C# E tuning (high bass A) on a 22.5" scale instrument.

Having a hard time figuring out what string gauges I need for the lowest three.

For the high A C# E, I'm thinking .022 .018 .016.

any suggestions appreciated for the other gauges I need.

Anyone else here use that tuning on a lap steel?

[Erv Niehaus]

John,
That is my tuning for non-pedal.
You can get the string gauges from John Ely at www.hawaiiansteel.com
Erv

[Stephen Cowell]

You could just use a dobro set, since they're cut for 24" guitars... but you want nickel, not bronze, for a lap steel, right? So get a nickel Dobro GBDGBD set.

[John Burton]

Thanks for the replies!
I ended up cobbling together a set from a bunch of strings I already had.
ended up:
low to high
.046 .036 .030 .022 .018 .014

I think next time I may try a 42 for the low A and maybe a 32 for the low E.
But it works well enough.

Coming from almost exclusively playing C6 and C13; the bottom three strings seem a little "dark".

I've been listening and reading about some early Hawaiian stuff and keep seeing this tuning turn up more and more, figured I give it a try for awhile.

[G Strout]

John Ely has the string gauge info on his website. Cindy Cashdollar has her tunings and gauges listed on her website.
Eddie Rivers has some excellent tutorials on you tube. Do a search for Western Swing Rules. Herb Remington has some good A6 stuff too.
Once you get familiar with A6 you will love the depth of tone that you get compared to C6. Great for western swing and old time Honky Tonk stuff.