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Topic: Heavier string gauge for electric lap steel |
Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 7 Jun 2007 2:28 am |
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Hi folks,
I currently have my National New Yorker tuned to G minor (DGDGBbD, low to high). For an upcoming live performance, I need to play in the key of F# minor, and I would feel very much more comfortable tuning down to match this key (C#F#C#F#AC#). I use Asher Electro-Hawaiian strings - .015 .018 .028w .038w .048w .058w - and when I tune down half a step from G minor to F# minor I really miss the loss in string tension.
Could anyone recommend string gauges and/or a string brand that would be suitable to obtain the same or more string tension in F# minor as the Asher strings provide in G minor? I think (please correct me if I'm wrong) that the New Yorker has a 23" scale.
Any advice would be much appreciated!
Thanks!
Fred
_________________
www.fredrikkinbom.com - New lap steel album out now - listen here: fredrikkinbom.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-lap-steel-and-harmonium |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 7 Jun 2007 4:07 am
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I looked around in the Jagwire single strings section here at the SGF - what do you think of this combo?
.018p - C#
.022p - A
.028w - F#
.038w - C#
.050w - F#
.060w - C#
The plain strings are the ones suffering most in feel under less tension, so I think this is not too fat, or?
Of course this load of singles would cost $9.25, which is not cheap (but still less than what standard electric guitar string sets cost over here).
Any thoughts/suggestions?
Cheers,
Fred
_________________
www.fredrikkinbom.com - New lap steel album out now - listen here: fredrikkinbom.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-lap-steel-and-harmonium |
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Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
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Posted 7 Jun 2007 4:35 am
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Looks fine to me, and is pretty consistent with John Ely's string gauge chart.
Steinar
_________________
"Play to express, not to impress"
Website - YouTube |
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Peter Jacobs
From:
Northern Virginia
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Posted 7 Jun 2007 6:31 am
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Fred - I use similar gauges for my modified-G tuning -- the .018s work fine for C and D -- enough tension so you get tone, but not so much that it feels like a steel rod:
.018p - C
.018p - D
.022p - B
.026w - G
.036w - D
.048w - G
Sometimes, I feel like I should go to a .050 for the low G, but the others feel good on a 22.5" scale Melobar lap. I used John Ely's chart to get in the ball park. |
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Gary Lynch
From:
Creston, California, USA
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Posted 7 Jun 2007 6:39 am
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Fred, I play my laps in open D a lot. I am using .016 - .060 gauge. I too find I need that .060 for the low D or it's too slack when you bite into a strong bass note.
I buy my strings right here from Bob. I make up my own sets. It's easy and it helps support the SGF. |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Rockne Riddlebarger
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Posted 7 Jun 2007 2:38 pm
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Hey Fred! I've had great success using .060 strings on acoustic steel guitars. I use them for the low C in the C tuning (low to high C G C G C E). I have two guitars currently with that setup, a single cone resonator and an 18" archtop. I do a lot of bass guitar setups for a friend and keep all of his old strings, the G strings from bass sets work fine for me. (And they are free!),,,Rockne
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Gary C. Dygert
From:
Frankfort, NY, USA
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Posted 14 Jun 2007 12:00 pm
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| Peter, with the C in a G tuning, isn't that a G11 tuning? I can name it, but I can't make sense out of it to play it. |
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Rockne Riddlebarger
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Posted 14 Jun 2007 4:17 pm
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| The C in a G scale is either the 4th or 11th tone. The 4 would make it a suspended chord but not when there is still a 3 (B) involved, it would be Gadd4. It also isn't really a G11 without a b7 and a 9 so it would still be Gadd4...Rockne |
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Gary C. Dygert
From:
Frankfort, NY, USA
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Posted 15 Jun 2007 7:22 am
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| Right you are, Rockne. But I still can't play the dad-burn tuning! |
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Rockne Riddlebarger
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Posted 16 Jun 2007 10:46 am
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| It's both the 3 and the 4 existing in the same chord that complicates that tuning, definately not one you can strum on. Actually it is not a tuning I ever heard of before, Peter what do you play in this tuning and how do you do it? It could be morphed into a G6 by changing that C into an E or a G7 by making the C and F. It is the D and E major tunings ( low to high 1-5-1-3-5-1) cranked up and with the top note altered....Rockne |
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Peter Jacobs
From:
Northern Virginia
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Posted 18 Jun 2007 8:45 am
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I just replied to Gary offline before I saw your note, Rockne. Gary, please ignore what I've already responded to.
Basically, I treat it as a Gadd4, a way to get suspended chords easily.
The C on top lets me suspend barre chords (a la "Brown Sugar" - I got the 5-string G tuning idea from Keith Richards). It sounds great for rolls as well as 3 or 4 string chords. I started using it to try and cop some of Sonny Landreth's licks in "Bayou Teche". I also use it to get some imitation PSG sounds.
You're right, I can't strum all 6 strings, but I never do. In our group, the steel is also the rhythm guitar when I'm not playing leads, so most of the time I hang out on the bottom 5, and I wasn't using the low B at all.
BTW, thanks for the theory info on this tuning -- it makes sense when you explain it that way.
It may not be the most versatile tuning, but it works for me.  |
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Rockne Riddlebarger
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Posted 18 Jun 2007 2:21 pm
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| Thanks for the reply Peter, I figured that's how that tuning would work, I think it's cool when people adapt and adopt things to make them work for them. I've long held the idea that any chord can be a tuning if you can figure out a place for to be effective. Breaking "rules" in music equals your own personal style. Keep it up!...Rockne |
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Peter Jacobs
From:
Northern Virginia
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Posted 18 Jun 2007 6:01 pm
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Thanks, Rockne -- I kind of fell into lap steel a few years ago (I've been playing banjo for 30+ years), and my goal is to find a sound that works for our band. I like how you put it -- any chord can be a tuning. Finding what works for any given situation is what makes it fun.
Peter |
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