The Steel Guitar Forum

If you're going to try the lap steel how do you decide whether to go with the 6 or 8 string?

My Ric B8 allows me to play everything that you can on a 6 string. It also provides two additional bass strings that gives you another octave of range. I think more is better in that case.

The first 6 strings are your money strings and you can make a lot of music with just 6; but 8 strings gives you an opportunity to play in a lower octave and I really like it down there.

what Mike and Paul Said.

Wayne

Melbert 8 counsol

I think it all depends on the tuning you decide on.
You can get by with 6 strings if you stick with a simple tuning but if you choose a 6th or a 7th tuning or something even more complicated, it's nice to have a couple of extra strings.

Clark Doughty wrote:If you're going to try the lap steel how do you decide whether to go with the 6 or 8 string?

I can see by your sig that you're a pedal player, so 8 is definitely where you want to be.

OTOH, if you're asking for someone who is new to steel then there are significantly more and cheaper options with 6 and 6 is a better initial learning platform.

PS
Last time I was in Lone Jack MO I got pulled over for speeding and spent the night in jail for an expired parking ticket. 20 years ago!