Changing extended E9th to something new...

Duane Reese · Posted 13 Jun 2006 9:15 pm

So here's the deal: I have a D-12 p/p that I love, except that the two extended strings on 11 and 12 (which are G# and E) are just not really needed and increase bar noise...

I'm thinking of moving each string over a position (so I'd move the 1st string and it's gauged roller over to the 2nd string's place, the 2nd to the 3rd and so on), keep the G# down there and saying to heck with the low E, and putting an A string on the 1st that would raise up to B with the B pedal. This would require a new roller, whole new setup underneath and probably a .010 or .009 for that string, but might be really interesting.

What do you all think? It'd be the same note that the 3rd string goes to with the B pedal but would move up to a B when that pedal goes down, creating much chromatic possibility (pretty thin and high though). Has anyone done this?

[This message was edited by Duane Reese on 13 June 2006 at 10:17 PM.]

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

I don't think there's a string made that can hold a high B note.

Sounds like a lot of work to change the whole neck around. Why not try it on the 11th string just to make sure that you can make it work without breaking.

Julian Tharpe played an F9th with a high A that pedaled up to Bb. That's the highest open note I've ever heard of on a pedal steel.

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Bobby Lee (a.k.a. b0b) - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
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Duane Reese · Posted 13 Jun 2006 9:58 pm

That is a pretty high note alright. I think that's a good idea to try it out before making the change. I figure that if a .012 works as well as it does for G#, then a .011 or .010 should hold the open A fine, but another fullstep up... I'm optimistic, but it'll be interesting to find out.

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

Julian Tharpe went back to E6/9 for exactly that reason too.

Sounds like an accident waiting to happen. The throw from A to B on a 009 or 010 will be REALLY LONG. Remember: the smaller the string diameter the longer the throw.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

My own freshman experiments led me to believe nothing smaller than .011 will survive the pull, as Larry said.
My experiments are now more sophomoric.

Michael Barone · From: Downingtown, Pennsylvania

If I had an experimental 12 string neck I might try this, tuned to D9:

A
E
C#
F#
D
A
F#
E
D
C
A
F#

I would tune the first string to "A" using a .012 string and just leave it there with no pulls. Then you just increase the gauge of the remaining strings.

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Mike Barone
2006 Carter S10 5&5, Sho-Bud Pro-1 5&5, BJS 15/16" Bar, Nashville 112
Assorted Guitars & Keyboards

Duane Reese · Posted 14 Jun 2006 8:07 am

Thanks for the input guys. For the E9th tuning I'll probably start with a .011 (if it survives) or .010 (if it will throw that far) just to try it out. Actually, even if .011 doesn't break it still may be stiffer than I like and might get scrapped just on that.

The D9th idea is interesting... I'd probably try make that high one a G and have it pedal to A if I was going to try to go for that, but just and A with no pulls isn't a bad idea either. Course, if my whole tuning went down a fullstep, that may change the tonal voice of the guitar quite a bit - not necessarily in a bad way either, except that my main area of concern would be John Hughey Land. Quite an idea...

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