The Steel Guitar Forum

Hey all,

Getting ready to change strings and realized that I may need new string gauges, given a new tuning. I've got a shortscale Fender 400, planning on tuning it low to high, E-B-E-F#-G#-B-E-G#.

Suggestions for best possible gauges I should use?

Thanks in advance, you guys are the best.

Aaron

Hi Aaron, the gauges would be determined NOT by the open tuning but by the highest note required on each individual string. Without knowing what your intended copedent is, it would be only guesswork to suggest gauges..

Ah, sorry Basil.

I don't have a handy copedent to post here at work, but the highest notes for each string would be, low to high:

E-C#-F-F#-A-C#-F-A

Aaron, if you go to Fender's site you can download an original pedal steel manual that has a string gage chart. It shows recommended gages for each note independent of tuning. The chart is, as I recall, for the long-scale version; what I have always done on my short-scale 400 is go two-thousandths higher on each string than the recommended gage for long-scale, and it works out fine.

Your tuning is allmost E9th without the 2 chromatic strings...strings 1 and 2...
I have a short scale Fender 400..I just use a standard set for E9th, and don't use the 1st and 2nd..
Good luck !!!
Moon

Thanks for the words, guys. I'm currently straining my eyes to read the chart, and it seems like my high G# would be an 011, which, Jim, you'd say an 013?

That seems mighty thick, so I'm double checking before I screw this up.

Moon: I ditched the D in the middle in favor of keeping the low E and the high G#, but you're of course correct--I started with the fairly standard E9 for 8 string and eventually morphed to this..which is why I'm having to change gauges;)

Thanks again:)

A

I have use a 11....11.5.....and a 12 on mine for the high G#...They all work, but I favor the 12 because it seems to be a little louder...
Moon

No, they changed the manuals around and now have a short-scale 400 manual up - so an .011 would be correct for the G#. I was talking about the chart that came with the long-scale instruments, which had been the one most commonly found; but Fender has switched them around a bit. That guide would be th ecorrect one for your guitar.

Thanks Jim!

011 sounds about right, and I can work my way back from there:)

A