A lap steel restrings much like a hardtail electric guitar, but two things are different. The tuning is open and varies from player to player, so each string goes to a specific note rather than standard pitch. And the gauge order follows that tuning, so it's easy to put a string in the wrong spot.
Steps:
- Write down your tuning, string by string, and the gauge in each position.
- Detune and remove one string.
- Anchor the new string at the tailpiece or through the body. Check whether your guitar takes ball end or loop end strings. Our Scotty's lap steel sets are ball end.
- Run it over the bridge and nut, and wind neat wraps down the tuner post.
- Tune it to its note, stretch it gently, and retune.
- Repeat for each string, then fine-tune the whole set.
Since you'll be playing with a bar, check the string height at the nut once you're done. Lap steels are set up high, and the strings should sit evenly so the bar lies flat across them.
Our Scotty's Non-Pedal / Lap Steel sets come in C6 (SC6C6TH, SC8C6TH), A6 (SC6A6TH, SC8A6TH), E13 (SC6E13TH, SC8E13TH) and E7 (SC6E7TH, SC8E7TH), in 6-string and 8-string. Every wound string is a Silencer semi-flat for quiet bar work. They're in Non-Pedal / Lap Steel Guitar Strings, and plain singles in ball end (P series) and loop end (LP series) are in Specialty Singles.