Lap steel guitars were invented in Hawaii.
The lap steel guitar was invented in Hawaii, and is an iconic part of the sound of the islands. Electromuse electric lap steel guitars were made in the 1940s and '50s, and are classic examples of Hawaiian lap steel guitars. Unlike a normal guitar, you tune a lap steel guitar to an "open" tuning, meaning that strumming the strings without fretting them plays a chord. In E7 tuning, the strings play an E7 chord when open.
Instructions
1. Get a set of strings meant for a lap steel guitar tuned to E7. Different tunings require different sets of strings. A set of normal electric guitar strings is meant to be tuned E-A-D-G-B-E. At different tunings the strings will either be too loose or too tight, depending on whether you tune the string up or down. A set of strings made for E7 tuning has string gauges that will have the correct tension when tuned to E7.
2. String the guitar, if necessary. When you're stringing the guitar, tighten each string just enough so that it sounds a note when plucked. Don't try to tune the guitar while you string it, because adding strings will change the tension and detune the strings you've already put on.
3. Turn on your guitar tuner. The Electromuse is an electric lap steel, so if you have a tuner with a guitar jack, you can plug it in. If you're using a tuner with a microphone, plug your guitar into an amp and make sure there's no other noise or music in the room.
4. Starting from the bass string, tune the guitar to E - D - E - G# - B - E. While turning the pegs, pluck the string you're tuning to monitor the tone and make sure you're tuning it in the right direction. If you've strung the guitar properly, turning the pegs toward the body of the guitar will lower the pitch and turning the pegs away will raise it.
5. Tune every string again. Tuning the strings changes the tension at the bridge, so some strings may detune as you tune others. Keep checking the tuning and making adjustments until the guitar is fully tuned.
Tags: steel guitar, steel guitars, turning pegs, electric steel, Electromuse electric