The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi,
I have a 22 1/2" scale lap steel and I want to know what the right gauges are for the tuning I use. I use a 10 string B6th tuning and the notes are (High to low), C#,Bb, Eb, B, G#, F#, Eb, C, A, F.
Thank you, Don

Thanks Andy. This is very helpful.
Now I need to know who sells a wide range of strings because I want some that my local stores don't carry.
More importantly, I know of one source for gauged roller nuts but I am curious to know if there are other makers of gauged roller nuts that you might know of? Thanks, Don

Don, B0b sells individual strings in the forum store. Just click "Strings" at the top of any forum page, then "single strings".

I just ordered a set for E7 lap steel from him. VERY reasonably priced, as well as the shipping.

Don McClellan wrote:Thanks Andy. This is very helpful.
Now I need to know who sells a wide range of strings because I want some that my local stores don't carry.

I've had good results from stringjoy.com. I have two 8-string steel guitars, one in high-G C6 and one in McAuliffe E13. I use the Ernie Ball string gauge chart

http://b0b.com/include/StringGauge.pdf

to translate from pitch to gauge and then order them as custom 8-string sets from stringjoy. Works great, no complaints at all.

The non-PDF version is here:

http://www.b0b.com/infoedu/gauges.htm

This is amazingly useful, especially if you fidget with a lot of tunings, six-string slide etc. I believe this is for the 22.5-ish scales, it runs REALLY heavy for a six-string, but the gauges are still correct in a relative way. Choose a starting point at a gauge you know, then work out the rest. Cuts down a bit on the thrill-seeking aspect.

David Mason wrote:The non-PDF version is here:

http://www.b0b.com/infoedu/gauges.htm

I believe this is for the 22.5-ish scales

The one I linked to has columns for 22.5, 24, and 25.5 inch scales. I like 22.5 inch scales, and I tend to like the strings fairly stout, sort of like what medium gauge flattop strings feel like, so the 22.5 inch scale column works great for me.

There's also a .jpg version of that chart somewhere.

Cheers

I have tuned my six shooter down to D .
what gauges strings do I need to make it
sound best

Rick Wheeler wrote:I have tuned my six shooter down to D .
what gauges strings do I need to make it
sound best

Everything you need is either here http://www.hawaiiansteel.com/learning/gauges.php

Or here https://b0b.com/include/StringGauge.pdf

I’ve found that there is a lot of wiggle room on the middle 4 strings, but on a 22.5” scale a 62 is perfect, a 60 will do, and anything smaller is not so good on the low D.

A 15, or 16 seems best on the high D.

All of my guits are 22.5, so can’t speak to the longer scale lengths.

Thanks to all, willtry to figure it out
Tuned A D. F# A D. F#

I know this sounds silly, but what does the W by the
string sizes. mean

Whatever
ALOHA
Wound
Plain

Thanks Tom