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Topic: 8 string pedal steel E9 tuning |
John Watson
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 7 Dec 2020 5:20 pm |
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| Just wondering if anyone plays 8 string pedal steel with simply the high 8 strings - so that would be low to high E F# G# B E G# D# F#. I tune my lap steel that way and get alot of country licks by incorporating behind the bar bends and slants. If you had just 8 strings to choose from would you think top 8 or bottom 8? This would be for country music such as Budy Cage, Sneaky Pete. Not sure if I could cope with all 10 strings? |
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Doug Taylor
From:
Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA
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Posted 7 Dec 2020 5:37 pm
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Deleted
Last edited by Doug Taylor on 8 Dec 2020 12:44 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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D Schubert
From:
Columbia, MO, USA
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Posted 7 Dec 2020 6:15 pm
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I bought my first pedal steel from a friend, many years ago. It was an 8-string Fender that was already set up as you describe. The highest eight strings of E9 tuning, four pedals and no knee levers. With regular Emmons A-B-C pedals and another pedal that lowered the E's to Eb. It was a good place to start, and all the standard country licks were right there.
Don Warden (with Porter Wagoner) got a ton of good steel sounds with his 8-string Sho-Bud, stand-up with two pedals. I'm not sure of his setup, but I'd love to know.... |
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Dave Zirbel
From:
Sebastopol, CA USA
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Posted 7 Dec 2020 9:07 pm
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Gary Brandin uses the top 8 of E9 on his Fender 400.
He sounds great! I use the bottom 8 on mine. Ralph Mooney never had the top two chromatic strings even when he switched from 8 to 10....
_________________
Dave Zirbel-
Sierra S-10 (Built by Ross Shafer),ZB, Fender 400 guitars, various tube and SS amps |
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Per Berner
From:
Skovde, Sweden
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Posted 8 Dec 2020 4:25 am
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| I've been thinking about building a 2+4 8-string pedal steel (bottom 8 E9th strings) with two pedals (A and B), three horizontal levers and the E->F# raise on a vertical lever. Perhaps a keyless body to make it extra light and compact. Maybe someday... I'm sure it would cover 98% of my needs. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 8 Dec 2020 5:05 am
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My first steel guitar was a National triple 8 string console. I tuned 1 neck with the top 8 strings of the E9 tuning.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 55 years and still counting. |
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David Ball
From:
North Carolina High Country
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Posted 8 Dec 2020 7:35 am
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I set one neck of my Fender 1000 up with E9 tuning, and tried both the bottom 8 and the top 8 at different times. I stuck with the top 8--it was almost impossible for me to get the "E9 Sound" without the top two strings.
Dave |
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Rick McNamara
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 8 Dec 2020 12:37 pm 8 string E9 tuning
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Howdy,
I have a Long Scale Fender 400 that I modified with a Short Scale changer, roller nut and Jaguar pickup. I have it tuned it to the bottom eight of E9. Currently using three pedals(Emmons setup) and two knees-LKL E to F and LKR E to Eb. I also added a Don Blood armrest for the support and a little more leg room. I like the string spacing, sound of the Jag pickup and smoothness of the cable pulls. It stays in tune and doesn’t break strings. |
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Andrew Goulet
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Posted 8 Dec 2020 4:41 pm
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I think the top 8 would be more useful for a standard E9 country approach. I used to play an 8 string D6/9 with the standard A B C pedals and two added knee levers, and I liked that. I could play it non-pedal style for classic swing/early country but still had most of the most important moves from E9. I left off the top two re-entrant strings from that tuning.
My sense is that the top 8 strings will get the most work, since they're set up perfectly for melodies and those frequencies will belong to you in a band setting. If you're going to do more rhythm work, maybe go with the bottom 8.
_________________
Marlen S12 pedal steel
12 string Bill Hatcher lap steel
ZT Club and Lunchbox |
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Abe Levy
From:
California, USA
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Posted 8 Dec 2020 5:33 pm
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I use the top 8 and like it a lot. I use the chromatics a lot more than the bottom two on a ten string tuning. I also raise my seventh string a half with the A pedal.
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Mostly Pre-1970 guitars. |
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Dean Parks
From:
Sherman Oaks, California, USA
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Posted 8 Dec 2020 5:41 pm
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Bobby Black was telling me about his days listening to Vance Terry, and said that Vance (and Bobby) were both playing Bigsbys, and the tuning was, low-to-high:
E G# B D F# G# B E
The two pedals raised 3 G#-to-A, and 2 B-C# |
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John Watson
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 8 Dec 2020 6:59 pm 8 string pedal steel E9 tuning
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| Thanks everyone for the replies. I really appreciate it. Sounds like the top 8 will work just fine once I get some pedals and levers going. I believe Jimmy Hudson can do 8 string pedal steels. Going to look into that. Thanks again. |
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 9 Dec 2020 6:03 am
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I have an 8 string Pedal Steel and tune it in two stacks of four notes.
1 G#
2 F#
3 E
4 B
5 G#
6 F#
7 E
8 B
This is the same string order I use on strings 2-9 on my S12U. Makes more sense to my way of thinking. |
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