8-string electric lap tuning: C6, A6--why not G6?

Mike Harris · From: Texas, USA

I'm still rather new to all this--after a year and half on dobro I'm finally getting back to the Dynalap steel I finished over a year ago, and I'm considering different tunings. I've been messing with the ACEGACEG (C6) tuning and I see that the A6 is the same tuning, 1 1/2 steps lower. Switching (or adding on) from dobro, I'm wondering why no one seems to use a G6/Em7 EGBDEGBD tuning? Maybe someone does, but I didn't see one on the pages I checked out online. It seems only logical. Am I missing something here?

thanks,

Mike

Fred · From: Amesbury, MA

I've used the top 6 strings on Dobro and the top 7 on electric. At various times I've had a low E or F or a high G for an eighth string. I've used it to play rock, blues, folk and reggae.

A few other guys around here have mentioned using some variation of G6.

Fred

Josh Cho · From: New York, NY (orig. Honolulu, HI)

Mike,

You're not missing anything, it all comes down to personal preference and what you know and what makes you sound the best.

If you know Dobro Open G, then G6 will be that much more familiar than going right to C6.

The best thing is that you're actually playing your Dynalap again.

After getting to know G6, you'll be able to switch to both A6 and C6 even easier.

I say go for it!

Josh
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Bill McCloskey · Posted 24 May 2010 8:56 am

Mike Auldridge plays G6th and you can get a whole CD full of tunes on his 8 string swing CD.

Twayn Williams · From: Portland, OR

I know a guy (Doc) who uses GBDEGBD on his 7-string dobro. It works really really well for him.
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D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

For my first 8-string tunings, I tried A6 and E13th -- because they seem to go together as a pair -- but soon changed from A6 to G6 because it was less foreign to my "Dobro" mindset.

Mike Harris · From: Texas, USA

Thanks to everyone for all the good info.

D Schubert, do (or did) you use a custom gauge string set or have you found something available that works for the G6 tuning?

Stephen Abruzzo · From: Philly, PA

Hmmm....how about, lo-to-hi...E-G-B-D-F-G-B-D???
Or flip-flop the E and F? Either way you have a full G6th chord (E-G-B-D) and a full Dom G7th chord (F-G-B-D).

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

Custom gage for G6 based on advice from Scotty's, just a little fatter than A6

17-20-24-30-34-38-46-56

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

Steve, I have tried tuning the low E up to F to make a G13, but did not stick with it and went back to G6. Probably because I have a 13th tuning on the other neck.

That uses a high G# and b0b's new string set. On a whim, I've tuned the low B clear down to E this week -- after watching Kayton Roberts on Youtube -- and I kinda like it.

Earl Grubbs · From: Murfreesboro, TN, USA

I've played Dobro for 30+ years and on my Stringmaster D8 I have the near neck tuned to C6 and the far neck tuned to G6. I've been getting a lot of the Hawaiian tabs from John (thanks a bunch John) at juststeelguitar.com. They are all tabbed in A maj and I just transpose them over to G. Works for me!

Rick Abbott · From: Indiana, USA

Call me odd...I'd use B D E G B D E G, low to high. I'm a hack player, but, this works for the swing, blues and other styles I end up playing on my back neck. I actually have it on a 10 string neck, so I have a G and an E in 9 and 10.
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RICK ABBOTT
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional #7962
Remington T-8, Sehy #112
1975 Peavey Pacer

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