Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Richard: I am wondering what type of strings you would recommend for Rickenbacker Lap Steels. I am reminded of the intonation problems with some strings and the short scale Rickenbacker guitars and suspect that the Lap Steel may have similar problems unless a specific string type is used.

Peter.
I use D'Addario Half Round Series II Jazz Medium Gauge. 0.013 1st thru 0.056 6th. They have a deep, fat sound,(no analogy to cholesterol intended), and are less noisy than round wound strings. I started using these when shortly after I began playing lap steel. At that time I used a flat steel tone bar (beginner style). Those things are noisy as they move along the strings. I found the half round strings far less noisy and they produced the sound that I liked. I now use a standard tone bar, which is very quiet, and continue to use the same strings.
Intonation problems on lap steel guitars are practically non-existent, as the tone bar is constantly moving to produce a tremolo. Of course that's just my opinion. Maybe I'm tone deaf.