SX Lap 8 Ash NA 8 String Lap Steel Guitar w/Stand and Bag

SX Lap 8 Ash NA Natural 8-String Electric Lap Steel Guitar – P90 Pickup, Stand & Bag

Explore the Musical Possibilities of Eight-String Lap Steel! The SX Lap 8 Ash NA is a full-size 8-string electric lap steel guitar combining traditional steel guitar tone, expanded tuning possibilities, and attractive natural wood styling at an affordable price.

Featuring an American swamp ash body, maple fretboard with 36 marked playing positions, 24 3/4" scale, and P90-style single-coil pickup, the SX Lap 8 delivers expressive tones for country, Hawaiian music, Western swing, blues, rock, and other styles.

The additional two strings provide greater flexibility for extended chords, richer harmonies, and sophisticated tuning arrangements. A removable lap steel stand and padded carrying bag are included.

Why Choose an 8-String Lap Steel?

The SX Lap 8 offers two additional strings compared with traditional six-string lap steel guitars, creating expanded possibilities for chord voicings, melodic arrangements, and alternate tunings.

The additional strings can place more chord tones within reach of the steel bar, reducing the need for certain complex bar slants and allowing players to explore richer harmonies.

Eight-string configurations are particularly popular for traditional Western swing, country, and Hawaiian music, where tunings such as C6, A6, and E9 provide versatile harmonic possibilities.

Traditional Electric Lap Steel Sound

Unlike conventional guitars, a lap steel is played by moving a metal tone bar or slide along the strings rather than pressing the strings against raised frets.

This technique produces smooth pitch transitions, expressive vibrato, and the distinctive sustained tones associated with lap steel guitar.

The SX Lap 8's 36 marked playing positions provide visual references for accurate tone bar placement and pitch control.

P90-Style Single-Coil Pickup

The SX Lap 8 is equipped with a P90-style single-coil pickup with approximately 8K ohms of resistance.

The pickup delivers clear, bright, expressive electric lap steel tones suited to clean country melodies, Hawaiian-style passages, Western swing chords, and blues or rock when paired with amplifier overdrive.

Separate volume and tone controls allow players to shape their sound to suit different musical styles and amplifiers.

American Swamp Ash Body and Maple Fretboard

The SX Lap 8 features a solid American swamp ash body with a beautiful Natural finish that highlights the character of the wood.

The maple fretboard provides a traditional appearance and includes 36 marked playing positions along the 24 3/4" scale.

These positions are visual guides for the steel bar rather than conventional raised frets. They help players develop accurate pitch placement, smooth slides, vibrato, and other essential lap steel techniques.

24 3/4" Scale for Eight-String Playing

The 24 3/4" scale is longer than the 22 3/4" scale used on the SX Lap 2 six-string model.

This provides an extended playing length for the eight-string configuration, making it a practical choice for players exploring a variety of lap steel tunings and string arrangements.

Combined with the generous string spacing, the design supports comfortable fingerpicking and controlled tone bar playing.

Comfortable String Spacing

The SX Lap 8 features 1/4" spacing between strings at the nut and 3/8" spacing at the bridge.

This arrangement provides room for picking individual strings and executing chord techniques across all eight strings.

Natural Ash Finish

The Natural finish showcases the attractive character of the American swamp ash body, giving the SX Lap 8 a traditional appearance that complements its maple fretboard.

For musicians who prefer natural wood styling over painted finishes, the SX Lap 8 Ash NA offers a distinctive look while retaining the same essential features as the Sunburst version.

Removable Lap Steel Stand Included

The SX Lap 8 includes a removable lap steel stand, allowing the instrument to be supported independently rather than resting exclusively across the player's lap.

This provides additional flexibility for practice and performance, whether playing seated or standing.

Padded Carry Bag Included

A padded carrying bag is included for convenient storage and transportation.

The combination of eight-string construction, removable stand, and padded carry bag makes the SX Lap 8 a practical package for beginning and experienced steel guitar players alike.

Features and Specifications

• Brand: SX
• Model: Lap 8 Ash NA
• Instrument Type: Electric Lap Steel Guitar
• Orientation: Right-Handed
• Number of Strings: 8
• Body: American Swamp Ash
• Fretboard: Maple
• Playing Positions: 36 marked positions (fretless lap steel)
• Scale Length: 24 3/4"
• Pickup: P90-Style Single-Coil
• Pickup Resistance: Approximately 8K Ohms
• String Spacing at Nut: 1/4"
• String Spacing at Bridge: 3/8"
• Tuners: Chrome Die-Cast
• Controls: Master Volume and Tone
• Finish: Natural
• Factory Tuning: E9 (G#2-B2-D3-E3-F#3-G#3-B3-E4)
• Factory String Gauges: .010, .015, .017, .022w, .028, .032, .038, .052
• Included Accessories: Removable Lap Steel Stand and Padded Carry Bag

Measurements

• Overall Length: 36 1/2"
• Scale Length: 24 3/4"
• Lower Bout Width: 8 3/4"
• Upper Bout Width: 6 9/16"
• Width at Nut: 2 5/16"
• Width at 12th Position: 2 5/8"
• Width at 20th Position: 2 7/8"
• Body Thickness: 1 5/16"
• String Spacing at Nut: 1/4" (2 1/16" overall)
• String Spacing at Bridge: 3/8" (2 3/4" overall)

Factory E9 Tuning and Alternative Tunings

The SX Lap 8 comes factory set up in E9 tuning, from low to high:

G#2 – B2 – D3 – E3 – F#3 – G#3 – B3 – E4

Eight-string lap steels offer many alternative tuning possibilities. The following examples are listed from highest to lowest, following common steel guitar tuning charts:

• A6: E – C# – A – F# – E – C# – A – F#
• C6 / Am7: G – E – C – A – G – E – C – A
• E13: E – C# – B – G# – F# – D – G# – E
• C6 / FMaj9: E – C – A – F – E – C – A – F
• C13: G – E – C – A – G – E – C – Bb

Alternative tunings may require different string gauges to maintain appropriate string tension. Always select strings suitable for the desired tuning and scale length.

FAQ:

Q: What tuning does this lap steel use?

A: The Lap 8 Steel is shipped with E9 Tuning (G#2, B2, D3, E3, F#3, G#3, B3, E4)

Additional strings on your guitar means even greater tuning potential. With the additional strings, you can minimize the number of slants you have to play to get your guitar to match the song's harmonies. Here are some suggested tunings for eight-string steel guitars. A6 Tuning: 1. E 2. C# 3. A 4.F# 5.E 6. C# 7.A 8.F#

This is a very popular tuning, used by Herb Remington among others.

C6/Am7 Tuning: 1.G 2.E 3.C 4.A 5.G 6.E 7.C 8.A E13 Tuning: (as used by Leon McAuliffe) 1.E 2.C# 3.B 4.G# 5.F# 6.D 7.G# 8.E C6/FMaj9 Tuning: 1. E 2. C 3. A 4.F 5.E 6. C 7.A 8.F C13 Tuning: (as used by Junior Brown) 1.G 2.E 3.C 4.A 5.G 6.E 7.C 8.Bb Seven String C Diatonic Tuning (as used by Jerry Byrd): 1.E 2.C 3.B 4.A 5.G 6.F 7.E Expanded E7 Tuning: 1.E 2.B 3.G# 4.E 5.D 6.B 7. G# 8.E Bob Lee's New Hawaiian Tuning: 1.E 2.D 3.C# 4.A 5.F# 6.D 7.B 8.A MDFried's E6 tuning: 1.E 2.C# 3.B 4.G# 5.E 6.C# 7.B 8.E Bob Lee's E6 tuning: 1.G# 2.E 3.C# 4.B 5.G# 6.E 7.D 8.B Andrew Waegel's