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What are E9 and C6 pedal steel tunings used for?
E9 is the most common pedal steel tuning, especially for country and modern session playing. C6 is used for western swing, jazz and more complex chord-based playing.
Do I need different strings for E9 and C6 pedal steel?
Yes. E9 and C6 use different gauge balances to keep the right feel, so use a set designed for your tuning.
What gauges are used for E9 pedal steel?
Most E9 setups range from about .011 or .012 on the highest strings up to around .038 on the lowest string. Exact gauges vary slightly with player preference and pedal feel.
What strings should I use for pedal steel guitar?
Use strings designed specifically for pedal steel tunings. They're built to keep a consistent feel, return to pitch accurately and hold up under repeated pedal movement.
Why won't my pedal steel strings return to pitch?
This is usually caused by worn strings, incorrect gauges, friction points or improper installation. In many cases, a fresh set fixes the problem.
Do pedal steel and lap steel use the same strings?
Not usually. Pedal steel strings are designed to handle pitch changes, while lap steel strings are built for fixed tunings and a balanced feel.
What is the most common lap steel tuning?
C6 is one of the most widely used lap steel tunings and a common starting point for beginners, because it balances chord playing and melody.
Are lap steel strings different from regular guitar strings?
Yes and no. The strings themselves can be similar, but lap steel sets are gauged differently to keep the feel balanced in lap steel tunings, and some are built differently for playing with a bar.
Do I need different strings for 6-string and 8-string lap steel?
Yes, mainly because of the number of strings. There's overlap, though: the first six strings in our 8-string sets are often very similar to, or the same gauges as, our 6-string sets.
What gauge banjo strings should I use?
There's no single right gauge. Lighter gauges generally take less force to fret and feel more flexible, while heavier gauges feel firmer. Our 5-string banjo sets come in Light and Medium.
Are banjo strings loop end or ball end?
Many banjo tailpieces use loop-end strings, and all S.I.T. banjo sets use loop ends. Confirm your tailpiece before ordering.
What strings does a 5-string, plectrum or tenor banjo use?
Each type needs its own set. A 5-string banjo is commonly tuned to open G (G D G B D). Plectrum and tenor banjos are both 4-string, but they differ in scale length, tuning and gauges, so we make separate Plectrum and Tenor Banjo sets.
What strings should I use on a soprano or concert ukulele?
Our Soprano/Concert sets are designed for both soprano and concert ukuleles, tuned g C E A with a re-entrant high G. They come in clear nylon, black nylon and titanium.
What is the difference between nylon and titanium ukulele strings?
Our clear and black nylon sets are designed around warmer nylon tone, while our titanium strings give a brighter, clearer response.
Should I use high G or low G on a tenor ukulele?
Both are valid. High G uses re-entrant g C E A tuning. Low G tunes that string an octave lower for a linear G C E A and extends the range downward. Our Tenor Low G set includes a wound low G.
How do I know what size ukulele I have?
Scale length is the most useful measurement. Soprano is the shortest, followed by concert, tenor and baritone. If you're unsure, measure the scale length or identify the instrument before ordering, rather than going by body size.
How is a mandolin strung and tuned?
A standard mandolin has 8 strings in 4 courses of 2, tuned G D A E low to high, in fifths like a violin. The two strings in each course are normally the same gauge and pitch.
What gauge mandolin strings should I use?
Our Light set is .010, .015, .024w and .036w, and our Medium set is .011, .015, .026w and .040w. Start with Light for a lighter feel, or Medium for a firmer feel and heavier lower courses.
Are mandolin strings loop end or ball end?
Our mandolin sets use loop ends. Many traditional mandolin tailpieces are designed for loop-end strings, but check your tailpiece if you're buying for an unfamiliar mandolin.
Which S.I.T. strings do I need for a bajo sexto or bajo quinto?
A bajo sexto needs a 12-string set (BX-12N nickel-plated steel or BX-12B phosphor bronze). A bajo quinto needs a 10-string set (BX-10N or BX-10B).
Can I replace one course on a bajo sexto, and are bajo strings loop end?
Yes. Our Bajo Sexto Singles come by pair, first through sixth, in nickel-plated steel and phosphor bronze. All of our bajo strings are loop end.
What strings does a vihuela use? Can I use classical guitar strings on one?
A Mexican vihuela uses a five-string nylon set tuned A D G B E, with the A, D and G strings tuned re-entrant. It isn't a guitar, so a classical guitar set doesn't give you the right gauges or feel. Use a vihuela set.
What strings does a resonator guitar use?
Resonators use a heavier set than a flat-top acoustic, usually starting with two plain strings, to drive the metal cone. All three of our resonator sets are medium .017–.056, available with nickel, stainless or Silencer 80/20 wound strings.
What's the difference between square neck and round neck resonator strings?
The main differences are in how the instruments are played and set up, not the strings themselves. Square necks are played lap-style with a bar, usually in an open tuning. Round necks can be fretted like a guitar. Our .017–.056 resonator sets work on both.
What strings does a mountain dulcimer use?
Mountain (Appalachian) dulcimers use light steel strings, traditionally loop end. Our DUL1220 set is a four-string set with three .012s and one .020, and it also fits three-string dulcimers.
What strings does a bouzouki use?
Most bouzoukis use light steel strings in paired courses, usually loop end. The exact gauges depend on the type: an Irish bouzouki is commonly tuned G D A D, while a four-course Greek bouzouki is commonly tuned C F A D.
What is a non-pedal steel tuning?
A non-pedal steel tuning is an open tuning for a lap or console steel that has no pedals or knee levers. The open strings form a chord, so a bar laid straight across them gives you a full harmony. Common tunings include C6, E13, A6, E7, open G and open D.
How do I restring a banjo?
Change one string at a time so the floating bridge stays in place. Hook the loop end over the tailpiece, run the string over the bridge and nut, and wind it at the tuner. Then tune up and check that the bridge hasn't moved.
How do I restring a mandolin?
Change one string or one course at a time so the floating bridge stays in place. Hook each loop end over the tailpiece, run the string over the bridge and through the nut, and wind it at the tuner. Then tune to G D A E and check the bridge position.
How do I restring a ukulele?
Tie or anchor each new string at the bridge, thread it through the tuner and wind it, then tune to G C E A (high or low G on soprano, concert and tenor). New nylon strings stretch a lot, so expect to retune often for the first few days.
Can I use guitar strings on a mandolin or banjo?
It's not recommended. Most mandolins and banjos use loop end strings that hook onto a tailpiece, while guitar strings are ball end. The gauges, tunings and scale lengths are also different, so guitar strings won't give you the right feel.
What's the difference between loop end and ball end strings?
A ball end string has a small brass ring crimped onto the end and is what standard guitars and basses use. A loop end string has an open loop instead and is used on banjos, mandolins, most lap steels and many resonators. The two aren't interchangeable.
How do I restring a pedal steel guitar?
Change one string at a time so you don't lose track of the string order. Anchor each new string at the changer end, run it over the rollers or nut to its tuner, and tune it. Then check that every pedal and lever still returns cleanly to pitch.
How do I tune a 5-string banjo to Open G?
Standard 5-string banjo tuning is Open G: g D G B D, from the 5th string to the 1st. The short 5th string is tuned to a high G, an octave above the 3rd string. The 4th string is a low D, the 3rd G, the 2nd B and the 1st a high D. Strummed open, the strings form a G major chord.
How do I tune a tenor banjo?
Standard tenor banjo tuning is C G D A, low to high, in fifths like a viola. The 4th string is the low C and the 1st string is the high A. Tune the 3rd string to G first, then work out from there. Irish players often use a lower G D A E tuning, an octave below the fiddle, which is a different setup.
How do I tune a plectrum banjo?
Standard plectrum banjo tuning is C G B D, low to high. It's the same as a 5-string banjo's tuning without the short 5th string, with the 4th string dropped from D to C. The 3rd string is G, the 2nd B and the 1st a high D, which suits chord-melody and traditional jazz playing with a flatpick.
How do I tune a ukulele?
Standard ukulele tuning is G C E A, from the string nearest your chin to the one nearest the floor. It's a re-entrant tuning: the G string is tuned higher than the C next to it, which gives the ukulele its bright, chiming sound. Tenor players sometimes use a low G, tuned an octave lower, for a deeper range.
How do I tune a baritone ukulele?
A baritone ukulele is tuned D G B E, low to high. Those are the same notes as the top four strings of a guitar, so guitar chord shapes work on it. Unlike smaller ukuleles, the baritone is usually tuned linearly, with the 4th string as the lowest note, giving it a deeper, fuller sound.
How do I tune a mountain dulcimer?
The most common mountain dulcimer tuning is D A D, from the bass string to the melody strings. The bass string is tuned to D, the middle string to the A above it, and the melody string or doubled melody pair to the D an octave above the bass. D A A, often called Ionian tuning, is another traditional option for playing melodies in D.
How do I restring a mountain dulcimer?
Hook each string's loop end over its pin at the tail end, run the string over the bridge and nut, then thread it through its tuning peg and wind it neatly. Change one string at a time so the bridge, which is often held only by string pressure, stays in place. Tune up slowly, since dulcimers are lightly built.
How do I tune a resonator guitar?
Squareneck resonators, the lap-style instruments often called Dobros, are usually tuned to high-bass Open G: G B D G B D, low to high. Roundneck resonators are played like a guitar and use standard tuning or open tunings such as Open G (D G D G B D) or Open D (D A D F# A D), especially for slide.
How do I restring a resonator guitar?
Restring a resonator one string at a time, so the strings keep holding the bridge and cone assembly in place. Hook each ball end into the tailpiece, run the string over the bridge saddle and nut, then wind it on the tuner and tune close to pitch before moving on. Removing all strings lets the bridge shift and the cone move.
How do I tune a bajo sexto or bajo quinto?
A bajo sexto is tuned E A D G C F, low to high, entirely in fourths across six courses of two strings. A bajo quinto drops the low E course and is tuned A D G C F. Tune both strings in each course to the same note. With S.I.T. sets, each course has two strings of the same gauge.
How do I restring a bajo sexto?
Restring a bajo sexto one string at a time. Hook each loop end onto its spot on the tailpiece, run the string over the bridge and nut beside its partner, then wind it on the tuner and tune close to pitch. Working one string at a time keeps the bridge and neck settled and makes it easy to keep each course in order.
How do I tune a vihuela?
A vihuela is tuned A D G B E from the 5th string to the 1st, the same note names as the top five strings of a guitar. The difference is that the A, D and G are tuned an octave higher than on a guitar, so the 3rd string, G, is the highest note. This re-entrant tuning gives the vihuela its bright, percussive mariachi rhythm sound.
How do I restring a vihuela?
Restring a vihuela one string at a time. Tie each nylon string at the bridge with a loop-and-tuck knot, as on a classical guitar, then take it to the tuner, wrap it over itself to lock it and wind neatly. Install the strings in the correct order: vihuela gauges aren't in ascending order, because the instrument uses re-entrant tuning.
How do I change one string on a pedal steel without retuning everything?
Replace the string, tune it to pitch, stretch it and retune, then check its pedal and lever changes. Expect the strings next to it to shift slightly as the guitar settles, so recheck the open strings and touch up any that moved. You only need to retune the changes on the new string unless the others are now off.
Why does my pedal steel go out of tune when I use the pedals or knee levers?
Usually because the changes were tuned before the open strings were settled, or the strings are worn. Tune all open strings first, then tune each pedal and lever change at its tuning nut or screw. If pressing a pedal pulls other strings slightly flat, that's cabinet drop, which is normal to a degree. Worn or mismatched strings make every change less reliable.
How often should I change pedal steel strings?
Change pedal steel strings when they stop sounding clear or stop returning cleanly to pitch, rather than on a fixed calendar. Players who gig or practice daily usually change much more often than occasional players. Plain strings under constant pedal work wear fastest, so replacing a single string between full changes is normal, especially the E9 3rd string.
How do I restring a lap steel guitar?
Change one string at a time: remove it, anchor the new string at the tailpiece or through the body, run it over the bridge and nut to its tuner, and tune it to the note your tuning calls for. Lap steels have no standard tuning, so write down your string order and notes before you start, and check that each new string's end type fits your tailpiece.