6 String or 8??

Jimmie Misenheimer · From: Bloomington, Indiana - U. S. A.

After posting a reply to the afore mentioned post in another section, there's something I've wondered about for sometime now.I still actively play both pedal, and non-pedal steel in our outfit here in Bloomington. We have a big band - for a club band, twin fiddles along with the usual other instruments.
I started on a lap steel 39 years ago, and I own 6 of them now. Only one of them is an 8 string though. I know it's all in what you get used to, but I've never been able to warm up to an 8 string. I did own a Fender double 8 pedal when I was still a kid, but shortly after Viet Nam that gave way to my first 10 string.
I never quit playing non-pedal though. My question is this, is there anyone in the world that prefers to use a 6 string over an 8? I was still trying as late as last week to "adjust" to it, but it wasn't happening.
Out of the 18 pedal rigs I've owned down through the years, on one of them was a double 12. Same differance, that didn't work either. Anyone else RATHER have a 6?

Jimmie

Ryan Giese · From: Spokane, Washington, USA

I have a 6 string Supro. I like it a lot.

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

I play both 6 and 8 strings, and I wouldn't be without either of them. They both have their place for me,- after playing my 8's for a while it's good to get back to the challenging 'simplicity' of the 6's, and then it's good to get back to the rich harmonic possibilities and easy melody access of the 8's.............

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

Jeff Strouse · From: Jacksonville, Florida, USA

How about a 7 stringer?

Gerald Ross · From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

I only own six stringers (although I'm probably getting a 7 this summer).

I used to own a double 8 Stringmaster and a single 8 Melobar. I have since sold both. They didn't feel as cozy as a six.

Coming from a standard guitar background, six strings felt more "natural".

Today 8 strings feel like a 100 to me.

Although I did get an email today promising to increase my string size by 3 inches

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website

[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 20 March 2004 at 07:29 PM.]

Rick Collins · From: Claremont , CA USA

When playing the melody, most is played on the first five strings; but sometimes you need some bottom strings for the fullest effect of the bottom chords. This is the reason I like an eight string.

Rick

Jimmie Misenheimer · From: Bloomington, Indiana - U. S. A.

I guess I should have mentioned that I use a double - 6 that I built. It allows for more chord combonations, although certainly not as many as a twin 8. I leave both necks open, and unless we're doing something "rapid-fire" I can change necks to pick up a chord with SOME degree of ease. By the way, nobody has ever mistaken me for Herb Remington or Noel Boggs... Jimmie

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Altho' I play 10, 8, 7 & 6 string guitars, I truly enjoy the ease at playing "melody" songs with my six stringers. I do encounter some awkwardness when I revert back to the greater number of strings due to the difference/closer string spacing but alas, the six string, for me, is so much easier to slant and move about.

Those bottom strings seem always to make more bar noise that I feel it's worth for what I play. Just my opinion.

Harry Dietrich · From: Robesonia, Pennsylvania, USA, R.I.P.

I only ever used 6 stringers in my 55 years of playing......never tried any 7's or 8's. Never saw the need to. With my tuning....(BEG#BEG# low to high), I can get everything I need with behind the bar string pulls, and occasional slants. With this tuning you can play ANY kind of music very easily, from bluegrass, tradional country, rock, country rock, swing, classical, and big band "stuff."
Oh, and I almost forgot...Hawaiian too. LOL!

Works for me.

Happy picking.......

Harry

[This message was edited by Harry Dietrich on 21 March 2004 at 02:13 AM.]

Denny Turner · From: Oahu, Hawaii USA

Using a 6th tuning as an example here; If an 8 or 10 string Steel has a scale length and string spacing close to that of a 6 string a person is used to, then the first 6 strings can be tuned and played in the same manners as a 6 stringer, ...with the remaining low strings voiced b7, 6, 5, 3, 1 or any combo thereof (although b7, 5, and 1 seem to offer the most utility as a priority). Similarly, if a person uses a 9 note on the first string of a 7 or 8 string Steel, then the same principle can be applied to Steels with more than 7 or 8 strings. And although later adding a higher voicing on the 1st string can add a bit to technique and available voicings straight-bar, I find that making higher voicings and harmonies with slant bar up a fret or two seems to be quite satisfactory to me.

When transitioning from a 6 string Steel to one with more strings, most of the time the transition will be to an entirely different Steel with a different feel and string / fret sight picture (paralax etc), which compounds the minimal challenge of transistion. In those cases a person might string the new Steel with only 6 strings until the hands / eyes / brain thang gets a bit accustomed to the new feel and picture with 6 strings, ....and then the remaining strings added for the tuning voicing desired, all at one time or one at a time for a bit of woodshedding for the eye / hand / brain thang with more strings. For instance, ...even if a person knows they're going to want, say, a 5 note on top, they can leave that string off until they get used to the new Steel's feel with the lower string(s) added.

Personally I think that woodsheding in a transition should include ALLOT of work on fret-box scales with harmonies, and with bar slants moving between fret-box scales, ...which trains the brain for the math scheme / layout, ...rather than trying to make the transition using more of a "licks" approach.

I might add my opinion that string spacing similar to a 6 string is very important to feel a similar comfort with more strings.

My Rick Console 500 10-8-8 has a short scale and wider string spacing like a 6 string, and I don't notice any difference in feel when playing that Steel although almost all my playing is done on 6 string Steels. Also important is that if a Steel with more than 6 strings has a longer scale than a person is used to, the bar slant angles ARE going to be quite a difference and challenge in making a transition, if not even after the transition is made. An 8, 9 or 10 string Steel with a scale length and spacing similar to what a person is used to on a 6 string, ....will go a long way in minimizing a transition from 6 to more strings ....IMHO.

Aloha,
DT~

[This message was edited by Denny Turner on 21 March 2004 at 06:06 AM.]

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I think 6 strings is enough when you have your guitar tuned to a straight major tuning, however, when you go to a tuning with 6ths, it is nice to have a couple of extra strings. For example in a C6th tuning, it is nice to have: E C A G E C A G.
Erv

Tony Harris · From: England

I started on 6-string C6th tuning. Most people told me I'd sooner or later 'move up' to 8-string. I bought one. I could see that adding an A underneath would give me a root for big seventh chords and minors, and adding a D above would put the melody note that always seems missing right there under the bar. It also would give the 'C and D note ringing together' sound that I like from C6th pedal steel. But being a guitar-player meant that 6 strings felt more natural to my right hand than 8. Of course, I could have stuck with it, but so much can be done with 6 strings - especially with slants and maybe the C6/A7 tuning - big seventh chords, and diminished chords on the bottom 3 strings. For many players 6 is enough.

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

I agree with Erv on this.
The main reason I keep my 6-strings is to use them for straight major chord stuff, and that way they also serve as a 'link' between my electric steels and acoustic Weissenborn style guitars.
I started experimenting with various '6th' tunings on my 6-strings, but the lack of bass notes made me decide to get an 8-string.
This all depends on your playing style of course, but 30+ years of regular guitar playing has made it hard for me to not have that full bass register available.

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

Steve Kimock told me once that he prefers 6 string over 8. His favorite steel guitar is a D-6. I think it's because he's played bottleneck slide for many years. He's most comfortable in the open major tunings.

Lately I'm thinking that I'd like to play a 7 string tuned (low to high) B E F# G# B C# E. I have that tuning with a high G# on an 8 string, but I don't use the G# very often. The tuning is designed for rock, and having an E as the highest string seems appropriate for that.

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Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

Bob Stone · From: Gainesville, FL, USA

I own both 6 and 8-string steels and often find myself gravitating to the 6. More is not necessarily better. Heck, the violin only has 4 strings.

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

I've owned both types of instruments and overall, I'm partial to 6 strings. There are certain things however, that only an 8-string instrument can deliver such as a full, rich B11th or E13 chord and some extra harmonic firepower. There's a simplicity to the 6-string that's elegant and timeless and it weighs less.

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

Both 6 and 8 strings appeal to me. The 8 string guitar cannot compete with 6 string when using the good old F#9th, C#m, and traditional E7th tunings. Then again, the 6 string cannot get the great sounds of E13th or the extended B11th, or the C6/A7 format.

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