Guitar fingering and string numbers

[Martin Nopola]

\version "2.8.8"   on Suse Linux 10

I have been making beautiful copies of classical guitar music for 
my 8 string guitar. Everything works fine as long as I can copy 
a template such as
        \set Score.skipTypesetting = ##t
          s4*8

And this works for string number spacing if I enter them as text
        \once \override TextScript #'staff-padding = #3.0
        b4^"2" e a2-3     
But the numbers are twice as large as default string numbers.

However, when I try changing variables on my own nothing works.
This is one of my numerous failures
\once \override StringNumberOrientations #' Stringnumber = down
        <g\6>4-1 fis  e <d\7>   

How do I set    
        fingeringOrientation (up,down,left.right)
        StringNumberOrientations (up, down)     
        StringNumber #'staff-padding = #2.0
        fingerNumber  #'staff-padding

Someday this will all make sense.

Marty