The British Steelies Society

I've only ever used C6 CEGACE...for me the notes are easier to find, and if all else fails, strings 6-2, are the basic boogie setup...terry

I worked as a guitar tech to Ry Cooder for a while and i made off with a bunch of tunings , and then just made some myslef,
i think you just have to expereiment to get what you need
steve

My favourite 6-string lap tuning is A6, but I often raise the bottom string a semitone, making it D E F# A C# E, low to high.

I think Chuck Lettes does the same thing, but in C.

i like this one :
High :
1 : E
2 : B / option C# ( 6th & minor)
3 : G# / option G ( 6 & minor)
4 : E : option D ( 7th)
5 : B
6 : E
Low

string gauges and tunings on 10 lap steel guitars

Well mostly 8 string but here goes:-

Fender Stringmaster 26" Scale
E13th neck (NEAREST TO PLAYER)
1= E .013
2= C#.015
3= B .017
4= G#.022 PLAIN
5= E .032 WOUND
6= D .040
7= B .046
8= E .054

B11th neck
1= E .013
2= C#.015
3= A .019
4= F#.022 PLAIN OR 24 WOUND
5= D#.032 WOUND
6= B .038
7= A .048
8= B .068


BASIL 23" Fender 1000...... For the Fender PS-210 (or any Keyless) add .002" to all gauges
A7th neck
1= .015
2= .017
3= .018
4= .022 PLAIN
5= .036 WOUND
6= .042
7= .048
8= .054

B11th neck
1= .015
2= .017
3= .019
4= .022
5= .032
6= .038
7= .048
8= .068

These are other gauges I use for 22.5" Scale
C6 Hawaiian Style as in THIS video.
1= E.017 OR .018
2= C.018 0R .020
3= A.022 OR .024
4= G.026 PLAIN OR .028 WOUND
5= E.032 WOUND
6= C.038 WOUND
7= Bb.040 WOUND
8= C.070 WOUND OR .072 WOUND

D13th
1= D.016 OR .017
2= B.018 0R .020
3= A.020 OR .022
4= F#.024 PLAIN OR .026 WOUND
5= D.034 WOUND
6= C.038 WOUND
7= A.042 WOUND
8= D.068 WOUND OR .070 WOUND



A6th neck
1= E.014 OR .015
2= C#.017
3= A.018 OR .020
4= F#.022 PLAIN OR .024 WOUND
5= E.030
6= C#.036
7= A.042
8= G.048

E6/9 (23" Scale)
1= F#.015
2= D#.014
3= G#.010
4= E.013
5= C#.015
6= B.017
7= G#.22
8= E.030 WOUND
9= B.036 WOUND
10= G#.048 WOUND

APPROX... YMMV

-------------------------------------------
This is the Hawaiian C6th in action and analysis..

An analysis of the technique and positions used by Barney Isaacs Jr on a version of Blue Hawaii,
an audio version of the Barney Isaacs version can be found at:-
http://www.waikiki-islanders.com/assets ... Hawaii.mp3



for Part 1.


for Part 2.


for Part 3.

ClicK Here for the backing track..

And HERE is the tab.. a fantastic job of transcription of my playing by Guy Cundell (From Down Under)





One further point to note is the occurrence of the words 'and Blue Hawaii' and 'IN Blue Hawaii'..
It seems that a lot of vocalists don't analyse the lyrics and confuse the two lines..The ONLY time "IN Blue Hawaii" occurs is in the line "Dreams come true, in Blue Hawaii.."

Night and you and blue Hawaii
The night is heavenly and you are heaven to me.
Lovely you and blue Hawaii,
With all this loveliness there should be love.

Come with me while the moon is on the sea.
The night is young and so are we.

Dreams come true in blue Hawaii
And mine could all come true
This magic night of nights with you.

Did you know that there are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on planet Earth, well I know for a fact that there are more lap steel tunings than stars in the universe

There are but I don't think there needs to be anymore.