Confused about string guage

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Confused about string guage

Postby Pajamas55 » Tue Jun 29, 2021 7:04 pm

I'm totally new to the lap steel. I just acquired a Richenbacker NS Late 30's early 40's. The strings it came with are poor quality and the 6th string is lighter than the 5th. I saw this YT video

which has a great tone and sound, I got in touch with the store and they told me it was strung with ghs-1600-pure-nickel-dobro-g-tuning-set (16-56) which I've bought but haven't put them on yet.
They are obviously way heavier than what's on, the scale length seems to be 22.5 inches. So how does this sound to you guys?
Thanks
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Re: Confused about string guage

Postby Pajamas55 » Tue Jun 29, 2021 7:52 pm

Forgot to say tuning to Open G a la Megan Lovell.
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Re: Confused about string guage

Postby Tony Russell Davis » Wed Jun 30, 2021 8:02 am

Those string should be OK. I watched the video: the technique is - err, different! Maybe not recommended to a beginner :?
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Re: Confused about string guage

Postby Pop123 » Sun Jul 04, 2021 3:33 pm

Pajamas55 wrote:I'm totally new to the lap steel. I just acquired a Richenbacker NS Late 30's early 40's. The strings it came with are poor quality and the 6th string is lighter than the 5th. I saw this YT video

which has a great tone and sound, I got in touch with the store and they told me it was strung with ghs-1600-pure-nickel-dobro-g-tuning-set (16-56) which I've bought but haven't put them on yet.
They are obviously way heavier than what's on, the scale length seems to be 22.5 inches. So how does this sound to you guys?
Thanks

Hi
I don't know what strings were originally on your guitar, but no set that I know about would have a lighter D than the G . Also the pure nickel dobro set is recommended and sold as for Acoustic resonator guitars. It is true that pure nickel is older than the modern nickel-plated strings, the differences are small and there is a personal choice in all things. However the most popular gauges for lap steel G tuning are .016 .018 .026 plain steel, .040 .050 .058 wound . This set will be brighter and louder than your Dobro set
You can buy them here
www.alchemystrings.co.uk
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