The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi, I recently purchased a 1930s Dobro electric lap steel and it has been converted from a 6 string to a seven string by adding a tuner and modifying the nut and bridge saddle. I was wondering if someone could explain a few things about 7 string steels.
1. What strings would you use?
2. What tunings would you use?
3. Would the extra string be mainly used for chords?
I am learning 6 string lap steel (slowly) basically staying in GBDGBD open D and delving into C6.
The Dobro came with a picture of the original owner playing in a band called "Walt Butler and his Texans" Someone might know the player or the young boy in the band?

If you're already used to open G tuning, I'd suggest making the extra string an E:

1. D
2. B
3. G
4. E
5. D
6. B
7. G

If you're used to C6th tuning, I'd make the extra string a low A:

1. E
2. C
3. A
4. G
5. E
6. C
7. A

I don't know of anyone who sells seven string sets specifically for steel guitar. You could either use your regular set of strings and buy one extra string, or buy an eight string set and not use one of those strings.

I have no idea who Walt Butler and His Texans are or were, sorry.

Thanks as well for those Brad. I have a 7 string Clinesmith thats unreal sounding.
I have it in open E with a g# on top. I will use that C6 when I go to the Aloha Music camp in Feb.

Thanks as well for those Brad. I have a 7 string Clinesmith thats unreal sounding.
I have it in open E with a g# on top. I will use that C6 when I go to the Aloha Music camp in Feb.

Thanks Brad, I will try both. I have a copy of Andy Volk's Slide Rules and was planning to try some of the tunings on 6 and 8 strings but the book had no mention of 7 strings. I will give your suggestions a try.

If you like Western swing music, I would suggest a 7 string A6 tuning ( E C# A F# E C# A) hi to low.I play an 8 string instrument tuned to A6 , but the 8th string ( low F#) is just sort of hanging there all by it's lonesome. I almost never use it, except when I tune it down to a low E to kick off "Boot Heel Drag".

C6 as Brad described is a very versatile tuning. People often misconceive it as a strum tuning, but if dig deeply into it, there is a ton of music in there, all styles.

I also like E9 tuning as my second tuning. However, another good tuning to consider is E13, tuned like this from high to low:
E
C#
B
G#
F#
D
B

A world of music in there, particularly for single note improvisation.

Another option I have considered for Dobro tuning is to add a low E: DBGDBGE high to low. It would give me a root for minor chords, as well as for rocking out in the key of E.

I have been using (and loving) open D with an added 6th on my acoustic steel:

1. D
2. B
3. A
4. F#
5. D
6. A
7. D

I spent a lot of time in open D before I got a 7 string. This tuning offered up some of the beauty of a C6, while still staying close to familiar territory for me.

Wouldn't a Bb string work good with C6 to give an easy 7th?

Yes, adding a Bb to C6th would work good. Thanks to Mike Neer's E13th suggestion, I am trying this with the open D6th tuning I mentioned above. I headed towards the 13th tuning that Mike suggested last week, but didn't add the 9th (f#). In D it looks like this:

1. D
2. B
3. A
4. F#
5. D
6. C
7. A

It is mighty cool to have that 7th built in. It is one more step away from the familiar land of open D, but so worth it. Also, It is the same relative tuning (minus the 6th) as the E7th Filberto book, so there was a little familiarity there.

Another possibility for the seventh string on a C6 lap steel is one of the tunings that Jerry Byrd used, with a C# added between the low C and the E. (For a 6 stringer you would raise the low C to C#- I believe that Mike Neer calls that the C6/A7 tuning.)

For a twist on an 8 stringer with C6/A7 tuning I was thinking of adding the C# as the bottom string (to keep it out of harms way ) and adding a D on the top, as George Piburn recommends:

C# C E G A C E D

For a 7 string version of the D on the top, just skip the C# on the bottom. The D on the top is a bit like the chromatic strings on an E9 pedal steel, particularly good for single note riffs while adding the C# in the bass greatly expands the harmonic possibilities. I just learned that it was Buddy Emmons who came up with the "D on the top" tuning.

Just my thoughts worth at least a penny or two- maybe even a nickel!

Steve Ahola

P.S. It is very clever how the 7th string was added. I didn't realize that you could have the 2nd string wrapped around the tuning key for the 1st fret.

I use what Shot Jackson used on his 7-string. Also here are the sting gauges that he recommended and what I used for many years:

1 E .014
2 B .018
3 G# .024
4 E .026
5 B .038
6 G# .044
7 E .050

He tuned both his 7-string dobro and his lap steel this way.

A few years ago, I changed the string gauge on some strings, at suggestion of another musician, to:

1 E .015
2 B .018
3 G# .024
4 E .032
5 B .038
6 G# .044
7 E .050

Ric

I know this this thread hasn't been active for a while, but I wanted to chime in with some information, limited as it is. I have the exact same picture of Walt Butler and his Texans in my family photo collection. My grandfather, Mitchell Mallette Crook is the first guy in the left with the big grin on his face. And that is about all I really know about the band itself. I've put some feelers out to some family members to learn more. Unfortunately, my mom passed away a few years ago, and she would have been my best source. He was born in Missouri and moved to California in the 40's and lived in the Compton/Downey areas.

I did know my grandfather, but not a whole lot about this part of his past. He played guitar just about any chance he could find though, and I think my mom's love of music came from him.

In going through some of my mom's old stuff, I came across an old 10" lacquer/acetate record with a handwritten label for Walt Butler and his Texans, "Trying to forget you". It is a little worn, and has a powdery dust from old handling, but I am hoping to get it professionally cleaned up and playable. Who knows, I might have one of the only remaining recordings from them. But it was just awesome when searching for them on the internet and this posting popped up with picture and all.

Will post if I learn more,
-Mark

I have a 7-string. I tune it G B D F# A B D (D6th/G), which is a subset of my pedal steel tuning. It keeps me from getting confused.

Another good one, very authentic for the era, is A6th: A C# E F# A C# E.

(low to high)

If someone gave me 7 strings and held a gun to my head, it'd be C13...regular C6 with a low string I could alternate between A (sixth) and Bb (flatted 7th). If you don't like having to police yourself to avoid the 7th in a strum, though, either A6 (which would go root to 5th) or C6 but with high G (same) would be a good use in a sixth tuning.

b0b wrote:I have a 7-string. I tune it G B D F# A B D (D6th/G), which is a subset of my pedal steel tuning. It keeps me from getting confused.

Another good one, very authentic for the era, is A6th: A C# E F# A C# E.

(low to high)

I agree with b0b regarding the A6th tuning. I most often play 7 string steels, and A6 is my favorite tuning. I can easily play songs
in A Major (Octave, High Bass, or Orchestra - old names) tuning, A6 tuning, or C6 tuning. I can also chord along with 3 string
straight bar chords when others are playing the melody. I find A6 to be a versatile tuning.

C. E. Jackson

Not sure if Jerry Byrd's 7 string diatonic tuning has been mentioned low to high E F G A B C E. Diatonic tunings can definitely be fun.

I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Jackson. On my only 7-string lap steel, I tune to A6 with an E on top and an A on the bottom.

One beautiful thing about A6th is the full minor chord (F#m on the open strings, Am at the 3rd fret).

E
C#
A
F#
E
C#
A

Mine are all 7-string Ricks. I had the C13th tuning for a few years, but went to the C on the bottom. Rarely used the B-flat on the bottom...

I’m still fairly new to lap steel, and started in open D. I just acquired a lovely old National New Yorker 7 string. I thought I’d try tuning it as recommended by a few more experienced lap steel players GBDEGBD (open G with a 6th on the middle string) but found it hard to adjust to not having the root on top.

I’ve retuned it GBEGBDG and that seems to be a lot easier for me. Still a G6. Still have an Eminor and Eminor7 as well.

I’ve now also retuned one of my 6 strings in a matching open G. GDGBDG
Like open D or E, 151351 except an open G now.

Anybody else her tune open G like this? As a newbie trying to make things easier for myself, am I actually making them harder?

BTW All above tunings are low to high

Allan,
I love open tunings on a six string but it seems like a waste of the extra string on a seven stringer. My seven string is strung with the A6 tuning b0b spells out above. Your G6 tuning looks interesting with the first four strings like an open tuning though.

b0b wrote: Another good one, very authentic for the era, is A6th: A C# E F# A C# E.

(low to high)

b0b wrote:One beautiful thing about A6th is the full minor chord (F#m on the open strings, Am at the 3rd fret).

Thanks b0b - that's one I would suggest, as you have A high bass AND A6 in one instrument.

I’m getting used to (and liking) the G6 tuning variation I came up with for my 7 string.

(Low to high) GBEGBDG

So today I’m going to set up my 6 string Ricky to match it

(Low to high) BEGBDG.

Basically a standard G6, except I’m moving the G from the low string to the high string.

Both of these tunings seem to be logical and intuitive to me, but I haven’t been able to find even a single reference to them being used by anyone else. Is there a reason for that, that I should be aware of? I’m still pretty new to this.