Left-Handed Lap Steel Open G Fretboard & Picking Rolls Poster – 11x17

Left-Handed Open G Lap Steel Reference Designed for the Way You Play

Learn the Open G lap steel fretboard, find notes and chord positions, and practice useful right-hand picking rolls with an 11x17 reference chart designed specifically for left-handed players.

This left-handed lap steel fretboard chart is designed for 6-string Open G High Bass tuning: G–B–D–G–B–D (low to high). This tuning is also commonly known as High Bass G, Dobro G or GBDGBD tuning and is widely used for Dobro/resonator guitar as well as lap steel.

Instead of asking a left-handed player to mentally reverse a conventional diagram, the fretboard is reversed for a left-handed playing orientation. That makes it easier to connect the notes shown on the poster with the positions you see on your own instrument.

Learn the GBDGBD Fretboard at a Glance

The large fretboard diagram provides an easy visual reference for finding notes and positions across the neck.

Rather than continually counting frets or mentally reversing a right-handed diagram, a left-handed player can use the poster to develop a better understanding of where notes occur in GBDGBD Open G tuning.

Keep it nearby while practicing to help connect three important things: the note you're looking for, its location on the fretboard and the sound you hear when you play it.

Understand Open G High Bass Tuning

With the strings tuned G–B–D–G–B–D from low to high, the open strings contain G, B and D—the root, major third and perfect fifth of a G major chord. Those three notes are repeated across the six strings.

One of the useful characteristics of this tuning is its straightforward major-chord layout. With the bar straight across the strings, moving to different fret positions produces other major chords. For example, the 5th fret gives you C major, while the 7th fret gives you D major.

This makes a fretboard reference particularly useful for learning chord locations, note positions and how musical relationships move up and down the neck.

Open G, High Bass G, Dobro G or GBDGBD?

You'll see several names used for this tuning.

GBDGBD is commonly described as Open G or High Bass G and is the standard tuning associated with many Dobro-style resonator guitars. It is also used by lap steel players.

Don't confuse it with the lower-bass D–G–D–G–B–D version of Open G. Both produce G-major relationships, but the string arrangement is different.

This chart is specifically designed for G–B–D–G–B–D tuning, low to high.

Practice Right-Hand Picking Rolls

The chart also provides visual picking-roll patterns for practicing the picking hand.

Color-coded Thumb (T), Index (I) and Middle (M) indicators show the picking sequence across the strings, giving you an easy reference while developing coordination and working on repeating picking patterns.

This makes the chart useful for practicing two skills together: learning where notes and chord positions are located with the bar hand while developing picking patterns with the other hand.

For a left-handed lap steel player, the fretboard portion is reversed to correspond with the left-handed instrument while the picking diagrams provide a convenient visual reference for practicing the picking hand.

Made Specifically for Left-Handed Lap Steel Players

This isn't simply a standard lap steel poster with “Left-Handed” added to the title.

The fretboard itself is reversed for a left-handed player's perspective, so the visual arrangement corresponds more naturally with the way a left-handed player sees the instrument.

That can be especially helpful for beginners who are learning the fretboard and don't want the additional step of mentally reversing a conventional right-handed diagram.

Whether you're searching for a left-handed lap steel chart, left-handed Open G fretboard diagram, GBDGBD lap steel chart, High Bass G tuning chart or Dobro G fretboard reference, this poster is designed specifically for that purpose.

Choose Standard or Laminated

Both versions come in a large 11x17 inch format, providing plenty of room to see fretboard notes and picking diagrams while practicing.

Standard Poster: Printed on sturdy 80 lb gloss cover paper for a crisp, easy-to-read reference. Hang it near your instrument or keep it in your music room, studio or teaching area.

Laminated Poster: The laminated version adds a durable high-gloss surface designed for repeated use with dry erase markers. Highlight notes, fret positions, chord locations or areas you're currently studying, then wipe the markings away when you're ready to work on something new.

For example, highlight the G, C and D chord positions while practicing a progression, mark specific notes you're learning, or identify the fret positions used in a song.

That makes the laminated version more than a wall poster—it becomes an interactive Open G lap steel practice tool.

Useful for Lap Steel Players Coming From Dobro

Because GBDGBD is widely used as a standard Dobro/resonator tuning, this chart can also be particularly useful for players moving between Dobro and lap steel who want to retain a familiar tuning and fretboard relationship.

The same GBDGBD note relationships provide a familiar starting point while you develop lap-steel-specific bar control, intonation, vibrato and picking technique.

Keep It Where You Practice

At 11x17 inches, the poster is large enough to serve as an easy visual reference without taking over your practice area. Hang it near your lap steel, place it in your teaching space, or keep it where you can see it while practicing.

It's designed to help beginning and developing left-handed players spend less time searching for fretboard positions and more time playing, listening and building familiarity with Open G tuning.

Product Details: 11x17 inches • Left-handed/reversed fretboard orientation • 6-string lap steel • Open G High Bass tuning • GBDGBD, low to high • Fretboard note reference • Chord locations • Picking-roll patterns • Thumb, Index and Middle picking notation • Choice of 80 lb gloss cover paper or laminated finish • Laminated version is dry erase marker compatible • Made in the USA