Strings for MM Lightning - lap style

[Deleted]

Hi folks

Have had my Lightning for a few months now, and loving it.

Mainly due to my complete lack of youthfulness, and finger joints getting progressively stiffer as time goes by, I often end up playing my Lightning lap style. Rather than change the string height and overall set-up, as I'd like to keep it at least slightly frettable, I'm hoping that using heavier top E and bottom E strings would probably be sufficient adjustment, as obviously they tend to be the strings I'm most likely to bottom-out on the fretboard if I'm a bit careless!

As I understand it, changing the top E for a 16 would be seem to be ok, but is it ok to up the bottom E for a 59 without causing undue stress on the neck? I normally play in open D or open G, and don't mind having to tweak the truss rod a smidge, if that becomes necessary.

Any advice much appreciated!

All the best, and a happy New Year all round.
Chinapig

[Michael Messer]

Hi Chinapig,

It is absolutely fine to put a set of 16/59 strings on your MM Lightning. The Newtone MM National heavy gauge are designed for open D and open G tunings.

In those tunings, a set of Newtone MM National heavy gauge strings are fine on any type of resonator guitar. I used to use them on all my guitars, vintage and new ones.

I don't know how experienced you are at playing lap steel, not trying to overkill being a salesman, but this may be of interest ...

michaelmesser.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=advertizing&action=display&thread=3445



If you have any questions about playing lap steel, please don't hesitate to drop me a line.

Let me know how you get on.

Shine On
Michael

[Deleted]

Hey Michael

Many thanks for your rapid reply - appreciate the advice. I'll give the 16/59s a try.

My experience with slide of any type is pretty recent (and therefore limited), so grateful for any tips on technique etc - your DVD is certainly of interest!

Thanks again, and I'll let you know how I get on.

Cheers
S

[slide496]

Hi Michael,
Just a note to say how much I enjoyed watching the sample you posted. I feel an approaching attack of M.A.S. (to go along with my G.A.S.) I found there's stuff to be learned from the sample even if though I play regular slide and the way you play peaked my interest in playing lap style - like a "my gosh, that sounds great, I have to learn more about that" moment.

Peace,
Harriet

[Michael Messer]

Hi Harriet,

I am pleased to have given you a "my gosh, that sounds great, I have to learn more about that" moment!

I have played lap steel for as long as I have played regular bottleneck slide. For me the two styles go hand in hand and when I started out I didn't really differentiate between the styles, it was all part of the same thing that I wanted to learn.

I started out just playing lap steel on my regular round neck Dobro 33H. I was quite proficient and doing gigs playing lap steel, but it wasn't until I went to Nashville in the late 70s that I got into square-neck raised-action guitars. I have always believed that learning on low action round neck guitars helped me to get the light touch that I have.

Shine On
Michael