Joaquin Murphey's other tunings?

Jon Nygren · From: Wisconsin, USA

So I think most of us have heard about the c6 he used...Does anyone know anything else about the other tunings he used on his bigsby's (the lap and console). I have heard about him using McAuliffe's e13 some, but thats about it. Anyone?

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

I subbed in Spades bands over two yrs. Contrary to believes of some people Joaquin did not use C6. His primary tuning was A7. He did change to A6 later and always had one neck in C#m9th. If I remember correctly he called it something else. A6 was the dominent tuning for all west coast steelers at that time and everyone had a neck or a separate guitar with a different tuning for certain songs. Before we heard Jerry in the late 40s we heard Bernie Kaai using a tuning he called Am7 (C6)? on some songs. The way Bernie played this tuning sounded entirely different from Jerrys style. Joaquin got his 6th sound on A7 by flatting the G one fret with is bar and going anywhere he needed to using that split strg slant. He tried to teach me but I was a complete failure at more than two split strg slants in a row. cc

Jussi Huhtakangas · From: Helsinki, Finland

Well, in a picture of him in the Bigsby book, on pg 27 every other string on his inside neck is a wound bass string!! Whoa!

Figure that out!!!

chas smith R.I.P. · From: Encino, CA, USA

One time when I asked him about what tuning did he use, he said he had a lot of tunings. Apparently, there was a period where he would be experimenting with different tunings and whatever was on the guitar, that week, was what he took to the gig. Keep in mind that he could strum the guitar, a couple times, and regardless of how it was tuned, know where every note, on every fret, was, up and down the neck.

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

to clarify a point. I am refering to 1942,43, and part of 44. Perhaps joaquin used C6 in later yrs. Further more I believe Jerry discovered C 6 as we know it all these yrs. As I said Bernies Am7th sounded so much different that Jerrys C6. cc

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

Joaquin was very protective about his tunings. After Joaquin saved me after a beating on skid row, or either his aunt did, he would tell me things that he would not tell the other subs. Joaquin was about two yrs older than me so I guess that he thought I was a little brother. He would loan me a few bucks at times but he made it clear it was a loan and needed to be paid back. I did. cc

Jon Nygren · From: Wisconsin, USA

Thanks for the stories everyone, pretty facinating.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

You all most likely have this info'.........but since I went half way round the world to acquire this morning, I tho't I'd contribute it anyway:

In 1999, the year of his passing.......he was using a NINE string tuning with SIX pedals.
Pedals 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 G (.013)
2 E (.016) E flat
3 C (.020) C#
4 A (.024) B flat
5 G (.028) F#
6 E (.032) E flat
7 C# (.038) C
8 C# (.068) C
9 B (.020)

This dispatch was provided by my great friend in the UK Moe Kabir. He's the proud owner of a BIGSBY retro?..........and a wonderful resource for steel guitar history.

Hope this might be something new for you.

It's understood from someone that managed to get inside the loop with Murph, that he routinely experimented with tunings, finding one and using it until finding another.

One tuning he used with some consistancy was:

(From the TOP, DOWN>>>>>>>>>)
E C A G E C A F#

Another was:

E C A G E C# A B

Like Speedy West, he used two small, unwound strings on the bottom of his C#m11 th........tuning.

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