I just bought my first lap steel, an SX Lap 8. It came with string gauges .010 to .052 intended for an E9 tuning. But I want to use a 6th tuning of some type (B6, A6, C6, or other) that will allow me to learn licks that I can also play on the C6 neck of my Williams D10 pedal steel. It doesn't have to be C6, just any 6th tuning where the intervals from string to string are similar to the D10 back neck strings one through eight. String one being the exception since my Williams is tuned to a D on top.
That said, can anyone suggest a tuning for me to start with? And recommend string gauges for that tuning?
The scale length on the SX is 24 3/4 inches.
Beginner question about string gauges
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Re: Beginner question about string gauges
C6 (13) …
Gauges for 8 stringers :
E. 0.014
C. 0.017
A 0.020 plain
G. 0.026 wound
E. 0.030
C. 0.036
A (Bb) 0.042
C. 0.068.
To match up with your PSG … use a hi G (.012) or … most have a D (.016) now … for the first string and eliminate that lo C … but I personally prefer an E on top
Gauges for 8 stringers :
E. 0.014
C. 0.017
A 0.020 plain
G. 0.026 wound
E. 0.030
C. 0.036
A (Bb) 0.042
C. 0.068.
To match up with your PSG … use a hi G (.012) or … most have a D (.016) now … for the first string and eliminate that lo C … but I personally prefer an E on top