C6 on Dobro

Paul McEvoy · From: Baltimore, USA

I'm really enjoying working on C6 on lap steel on an 8 string (low A high G).

My main outlet for playing these days is gypsy jazz/django kind of stuff. I play a selmer style guitar for that.

I was wondering how an 8 string dobro might work for that. I guess I don't hear a lot of people playing C6 on dobro but not sure if there is a reason for it or just stylistically it wouldn't work. The sessions are usually acoustic and regardless the lap steel would sort of be an instruction, but if the dobro worked and could be loud enough to cut through it would be cool and give me more opportunities to work on my playing.

Good idea or waste of time and money?

Brad Davis · From: Texas, USA

There doesn't seem to be a standard, but a lot of people do G6 on 8-string dobro. C6 might sound a bit thin, so a good compromise may actually be A6. In any event your knowledge of C6 should transfer pretty easily.

Due to string gauges, cone load and whatever tuning you choose 8 string dobro may not always sound quite like an ordinary dobro (whatever that means). Not saying good or bad, and depends on what you want.

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

Definitely a 6th tuning -- not sure which one. Someone here will know.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnXRahPmhlA

Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

I tuned mine to G13 which is just raising the 6th note on the bottom of the G6 tuning from an E to an F.

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/8%20String%20Dobro/8%20String%20Dobro.html

Scott Thomas · Posted 14 Apr 2019 12:47 pm

On the album Hawaiian Touch, Barney Isaacs plays C6 on Dobro (E on top).

Lei Momi & 'Ili Puakea Â· Barney Isaacs Â· George Kuo

Nic Neufeld · From: Kansas City, Missouri

I strung up my Republic tricone with C6 (E on top). It makes more sense for me and as long as you get your string gauges right, works just fine.
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Paul McEvoy · From: Baltimore, USA

Is there some structural reason the dobro is usually tuned in G?

Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

I've never played an 8-string dobro, but I recently tuned my 6-string dobro to C6 and had some fun with it. I made this short practice video ---> https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs7J0FBhJGB/

I just went back to G tuning though because I have a couple of bluegrass-y gigs this month. Over half of the songs are in the key of G and the band expects to hear the signature bluegrass dobro sounds of G tuning... hammer-ons, pull-offs, unison notes in the key of G. The G tuning also has the low rumble of the wound strings. C6 is missing that. But it does offer more interesting chord sounds and more convenient scale patterns IMO.
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Gene Tani · From: Pac NW

Structural reason: that's an interesting question.

I can tell you in the bluegrass banjo world, people rarely stray from standard GDGBD except for minor variations(drop 4th string or use Keith detuners on 2nd and 3rd to drop half and whole step)

Whereas in the clawhammer/old time/associated genres of banjo world, there's many, many tunings used, this Art Rosenbaum book has "dozens" http://www.guitarvideos.com/Products/Books/art-rosenbaums-old-time-banjo-book#.XLSU0uipFhE

Howard Parker · From: Maryland

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

I have my Gold Tone Beard tuned to E13... ir rocks at acoustic jams. DMinor Bennet plays a Benoit 10-string in C6 and kills it, search my YT channel for their videos. Donâ€™t just re-tune, you need different gauges for a six tuning. My Beard came with G6, btw.
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Bill McCloskey · Posted 15 Apr 2019 4:39 pm

Mikeâ€™s instructional video has some lessons on 8 string C6 dobro tuning. I put C6 on my Adams 8 string and it worked fine.

Paul McEvoy · From: Baltimore, USA

As far as string gauges, would a set of normal c6 10 string pedal steel strings work?

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

K Maul · From: Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL

John Pearse/ Breezy Ridge has quite a variety of sets for electric and acoustic steel taylored to lots of different tunings.
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Nic Neufeld · From: Kansas City, Missouri

A fairly easy option...pick up one of these string sets:
https://www.juststrings.com/lab-rpg6-1034.html

...but ditch the top .010, and add a single .036 or .038 for the low C? Or keep it as high C6 (top 5th) if you prefer.
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Joe Kaufman · From: Lewiston, Idaho

I have a Flinthill reso that was converted to 7-string by Beards at one time. I tune it A6 and it works great for me. My style is certainly more acoustic lap steel than typical dobro though. It seems to work well for me.
AC#EF#AC#E and easily retunes to C6/A7 with two strings: AC#EGACE. It seems to just stay A6 though.

I had experimented with E6 EBEG#BC#E which worked OK and was better for solo/rhythm work but not my favorite.

Mark Addeo · From: New Jersey, USA

Iâ€™ve been playing a lot of C6 steel (ACEGACEG) and for fun bought a lefty 8 string gold tone dobro which came tuned to G6. Finding my way around was easy but playing Western swing didnâ€™t quite fit. Changing my approach on the dobro yielded much better results. 8 strings 6th tuning is useful for scales, and skipping the â€œ6thâ€ tone for chords sounds more like a dobro. Really, itâ€™s the best of both worlds.

Then I found a Goodrich dobro pedal for steel and Lo and behold, all the same rules apply. Play steel like a dobro and the pedal helps it sound like a dobro! But scales are easy with 8 string! Best of both worlds!

Dan Yeago · From: Virginia, USA

What string gauges are working for your Dobro in C6 tuning? i'm deciding on a string order and would like to tune (low to high) CEGACE. Thanks very much....dan

Mark Addeo · From: New Jersey, USA

Hey Dan, my steel is tuned to C6 but the dobro is tuned a 4th below to G6. I donâ€™t think the dobro could handle the tension of C6. Still, it is easy to find your way around since all the relationships are same.

Dan Yeago · From: Virginia, USA

Hi Mark. Thanks for writing.

There are string sets for non-pedal steels in C6, but the low end may be a somewhat light. For example, the Pearce lap steel set #7380, low to high is C 36, E 30, G 24(w), A 22(p), C 17, E 15. i've been hoping someone who uses this tuning of Dobro could describe the set, but it looks like i'm going to do a little guessing to get a string order i soon.

dan

Nic Neufeld · From: Kansas City, Missouri

Well, I've got a Republic tricone strung up as described above (19 Apr 2019 post). Worked pretty well. The C6 Labella set are acoustic strings, but the set is intended for "High G" C6 which isn't my preference so I just added a low C phosphor bronze string a la carte.
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Dan Yeago · From: Virginia, USA

Hey Nick, what gauge is the low C you're using, and does the tension seem right on all the other strings? Thanks in advance...dan

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