Tuning down a halfstep

Joerg Schubert · From: Hagen, Germany

Hi,
I´ll soon start playing for a band that tunes down a halftone.
So I prepared one D10 steel and tuned down both necks because I probably need to watch the guitar player's neck once a while and don't what to do the additional transpose in mind Winking

Ok, after retuning the strings (stainless) they feel a little too slack.

Who has done such a retuning before and are there any recommendations for string gauges Eb9 and B6 for a D10?

Thanks
Joerg
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Larry Lorows · From: Zephyrhills,Florida, USA

I play a U12, but for the B6, I just use Jagwire Tommy White C6, that I get from Bob here on the forum. They sure seem to work great for me. Larry
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Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

I've heard that Rusty Young and Poco a long time ago tuned all of their guitars to Eb?don't know if it's true. Winking

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Michael Haselman · From: St. Paul

Our band just opened for a new country act called Halfway to Hazzard (I think) last Friday and Smith Curry was playing Steel/dobro/guitar with them. We talked for awhile and this band tunes down a half-step. He left his steel tuning alone and lowered the dobro and 6-string. I didn't stick around to hear them, but Smith sounded like a very good player during sound check.
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b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

That band wouldn't happen to include Billy Goodman, would it? I know that he likes to tune down a half-step, and he lives in Germany. Just a hunch.

The Jagwire E9/B6 gauges are same as C6th on the low end. I think that if you went with the fairly heavy Jagwire sets like Paul Franklin or Ricky Davis, the lower tuning should still have a good amount of tension.

E9th:
Paul Franklin E9, nickel wound
.013 .015 .012 .015 .018 .020 .026 .030 .034 .038

Ricky Davis E9, nickel wound (wound 6th)
.013 .015 .012 .014 .018 .022w .026 .030 .034 .038

C6th:
Paul Franklin C6, nickel wound
.018 .014 .018 .020 .024w .030 .036 .042 .054 .070

Ricky Davis C6, nickel wound, high G
.012 .014 .017 .020 .024w .030 .036 .042 .056 .070

Randy Beavers C6th, heavy stainless wound
.016 .015 .017 .020 .026 .030 .036 .042 .058 .079
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James McPhail · From: Oxford, MS, USA

I play U12 and tune open to D9. Generally speaking, my strings need to be 0.002" heavier for a comparable tension. The "standard" seems to be around 30# tension. I went so far as to use the D’Addario charts to calculate a 30# tension set (at tightest) for myself. With a 12 string tuned down, the big strings in a standard set really sag.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

They'll seem loose, but it's all in what you get used to. If you find you're having tuning problems (the one problem you can't get used to), simply increase the guage of the strings by buying singles and making up your own sets. (I did this all the time when I played D9th.)

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

i'd just find another band!

Joerg Schubert · From: Hagen, Germany

Hi,
thanks to everybody for their replies!
The forum is such a wonderful information base.

I will follow James and calculate a string set with tension goal 30# and 29# and lets see what comes out. Here is another question: the formula contains the frequency for the to be calculated string. Here if have the take the highest possible freq. for the string while engaging levers or pedals, right?

Thanks
Joerg
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Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Here's what I use when tuned down a half step(which I actually like playing the inbetween keys> but I did tune down once when I played with the Derailers for a bit(tuned back normal after a few shows).
.014p
.016p
.012p
.015p
.020p
.024w(or if you use plain> do .022p)
.030w
.034w
.036w
.040w
For C6; I didn't change; but you get the idea.
Ricky
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