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Topic: How do you tune your tri-cone? |
Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 18 Oct 2013 11:05 am |
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I know there are at least a few guys here who own and regularly play their original square-neck National tri-cones. It would be interesting to know your favored tunings, and the gauges of strings you use for them.
I’ve used high-bass A since I got my ’28 Style-1 in the ‘80s. Went to a Brozman seminar once and he told me low-bass G was better, but I didn’t change. Now, I’m ready to experiment.
It would be helpful to know the plusses and minuses of various 6-string tunings as they apply to old tri-cones. |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 18 Oct 2013 11:42 am
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I have a 2002 National Style 1.5 tricone. I use standard open G tuning (bass to treble G B D G B D) without any problems.
I have been experimenting with low bass G on a Anderwood weissenborn guitar. It's a nice tuning, but I like having the same three notes in different octaves.
One of the nice things about low bass G is that you can easily switch to open D tuning:
D D
B A
G F#
D D
G A
D D
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 18 Oct 2013 1:10 pm
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I started with open G - 2 triads, when using Stacey Phillips Hawaiian guitar books. Then I went to low bass G when I got BBs DVD.
Those tunings are really just "kinder" A tunings. If I were to try something else, I think it would be C#m7 as I think it was the next development in Hawaiian guitar tuning.
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Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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David Knutson
From:
Cowichan Valley, Canada
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Posted 18 Oct 2013 5:34 pm
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I also have a '28 Style 1, and these days it is usually in low bass A tuning (EAEAC#E-low to high). I'm using it mostly for blues type tunes in my current trio, so that tuning suits well. It's strung up with D'Addario medium phosphor bronze (13-56). It handles those strings well and sounds great.
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David K |
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Jouni Karvonen
From:
Helsinki, Finland
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Jean-Sebastien Gauthier
From:
Quebec, Canada
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Posted 19 Oct 2013 7:14 am
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| I want to tune mine to C#m, anyone can suggest strings? I would like to learn Sol Hoopii songs. |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 19 Oct 2013 8:38 am
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A standard set of resonator guitar strings would work, or you could use a set of regular gauge acoustic guitar strings.
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Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Edward Meisse
From:
Santa Rosa, California, USA
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Posted 31 Oct 2013 12:14 pm
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I tuned mine to E-C-A-G-E-C from top to bottom before I went to 8 strings (Greg McKenna). I found it very versatile. Unless you want to sound like Hooppii, you don't need to play in C#m7 just to play his songs. I always recommend that players use the tunings that were developed later. They were developed for a good reason......unless you prefer the older sound.
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Amor vincit omnia |
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Michael Maddex
From:
Northern New Mexico, USA
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Posted 31 Oct 2013 2:51 pm
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Jack, I have a Republic square neck tricone copy. The last time it made a public appearance, it was tuned to minor Spanish: D G D G Bb D and it was a surprise big hit. Strings are John Pearse bronze 3100: .016" - .059". HTH.
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"For every expert, there is an equal and opposite expert." -- Arthur C. Clarke |
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