Lap steel tuning

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

Asking for a friend.
What is the best(most common) tuning for a beginner on a six string lap steel.

[Uncle Roy]

Billy, most of the modern lap players I have known play C6, and E7 of course there are the Hawaiian style players who use countless tunings including tunings as A6th but a lap player could tell you more.

[Mcneilwaeasteel]

Billy, I asked my friend Googly and he gave me the advice below but personaly I would recommend C6th as a lot of learning tablature is available and most experienced players eventually turn to this tuning, open E tuning is easier for a guitar player to understand as the fretboard positions are the same as a normal guitar.
These five tunings for 6 string lap steel guitar are great starting points for anyone just beginning the lap steel adventure:
C6 – C E G A C E – The C6 tuning is by far the most common modern tuning for solid body lap steel guitars. It is very versatile and there is a lot of learning material available online.
Open G – G B D G B D – This “high bass” version of Open G is the most common tuning for Dobro style resonator guitars. If you plan on playing acoustic bluegrass, or you’re a fan of Larkin Poe and blues musician Megan Lovell, this is your tuning.
Open G – D G D G B D (low bass) – This version of Open G is popular with musicians who play standard guitar as well as lap steel guitar. It is also popular for Weissenborn style guitars as there is less string tension than the Dobro tuning when using standard guitar string sets.
Open D – D A D F♯ A D – Open D is a popular blues tuning, and one of my personal favourites. It is another tuning that works equally well on lap steel, standard guitars, and Weissenborn guitars.
Open E – E B E G♯ B E – Almost the same as Open D, but tuned a whole tone higher. This tuning is popular with guitar players.
Hopefully this information will help you to retain your friendship and help a future steelie !
Cheers Robert

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

Thanks Robert ,That was great info.

[Donny Johnston]

Hi Billy, I started on lap steel a long time ago, my teacher was a Hawaiian player and started me off with an A hi bass tuning E C# A E C# A. He also taught an E7 tuning. Donny.

[Ken Byng]

Dear Billy
I started on 6 string lap steel 60 years ago, and my mentor at that time, Kealoha Life, got me on E7 tuning. B D E G# B E (low to high). I took it up, and adopted his practise of tuning the second string B to C# for certain numbers. This changed the tuning from E7 to E13. Having started out as a 6 string guitarist, the e7 tuning made sense to me, especially when improvising.