OAHU TUNING

William Fraser · From: New York, USA

Can any one tell me what A tuning should be ? I have a 22" scale sq. neck acoustic. The song books have tab for A tuning I thought I'd give them a try. The books are dated 1930. Thanks Billy Lee Laughing

_________________
Billy Lee ,Pro-II,, Session 400,Session 500 , Supro , National, SpeedDemons,& too many Archtops & Stratotones.Lots of vintage parts for Kay ! etc.

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

There were two A Major tunings in that era:

Low bass: E A E A C# E

High bass: A C# E A C# E

I think that the earliest courses were more likely to use the low bass tuning.
_________________
-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video

William Fraser · From: New York, USA

Thanks Bob, I knew some one would come through,I was up till 3 AM putting the little Ouahu in shape & am anxious to hear it, I'll try the low bass tuning first, since the strings look like the lowest is an E Billy Lee Fraser Rolling Eyes

_________________
Billy Lee ,Pro-II,, Session 400,Session 500 , Supro , National, SpeedDemons,& too many Archtops & Stratotones.Lots of vintage parts for Kay ! etc.

George Rout · From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

Hello Billy Lee. I'm an old geizer who still uses the A Major tuning (high bass though). All us old guys learned on the A Major tunings and then E Major/E7th Major.

You will find the A Major low bass was good for accompanying yourself. For example if you tilt the bar and play the 2nd string on the first fret and hit the open 4th and open 6 independently, it's like playing E7th when you need it after strumming open in the Key of A.

Geo

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I learned Hawaiian guitar in the A, high bass tuning. I still play it. However, when I ran across a Jerry Byrd instruction book and progressed through all the other tunings he had in there, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. The last couple of lessons were on the C6th tuning and I thought: It can't get any better than this!

George Rout · From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

For playing professionally, certainly there are many tunings for one's personal choice, C6th being but one. I was simply stating that if you wish to play Hawaiian guitar and accompany yourself, as corney as it is, you can do that in A Major.

I'd like to hear anybody sit by themselves and play Blue Hawaii in C6th without somebody accompanying them on a rhythm guitar. To me, it's like listening to someone playing one finger on a piano, without the whole left hand chording!!!! Whereas, in A Major, you can play Blue Hawaii, and strum with your playing. That's all I'm saying.

The other huge advantage of the A Major tuning is that folks, who wish to learn some tunes on the Hawaiian/steel guiar, can learn them much more quickly in A Major, and to be able to strum along is an added asset in learning timing. You don't have all these voids of silence in the timing. I've taught lots of folks. To learn a tune quickly means a lot, like you've accomplished something, rather than struggling.

And finally, what's the difference between G Major on the Dobro and A Major on the Hawaiian/steel guitar??????? Absolutely nothing except two notes lower for the G tuning. I don't know why everybody is so critical of A Major for simple everyday learning to play, nobody criticizes Dobro players playing in G tuning. So, I've always assumed is pure ignorance!!!!

Geo

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

Another old geezer (read: olde phart), loggging in....Yes, George Rout is correct. Many of us "youngsters" were weaned on the A Major and it certainly did us no harm. Personally, while I like C6th, I seldom if ever use it as one develops the tendency to sound similar to others. Even Billy Hew Len preferred the A Major tuning which gave him his unique sound notwithstanding the lack of his left hand. As with George (above), I also enjoy E Major (6th and 7th,) F#9th, B11th and the C6th which when I use it, I prefer 1/2 tone lower...B6th. Places C on the first fret which corresponds with F on the first fret in the E6th tuning. But then, George and I are just a couple of old geezers...what the h*** do we know about the steel guitar ? NOTHING! Sad

John Ficken · From: Sunny Southern California, USA

The old school players knew their stuff, that's for sure.

My Dad ran an old 3-pedal (well, it would be old now--it was $600 new then!) Gibson table for a while in his garage band back in the 50's. He played only in E7th (B-D-E-G#-B-e), and he recently told me that he played every thing from Sleepwalk, to Walk, Don't Run, and Patsy Cline with that tuning.

Sadly, he never recorded the fellas, even though he had also purchased one of those new-fangled reel-to-reel tape machines.

As I am learning, I keep gravitating toward Bdim (Leavitt-style), Dad's E7th, and Santo's C#minor tunings. They just sound good to me, and certainly E7th and C#minor are old school, while the Bdim provides thick chording possibilities for jazz and standards.

I know exactly what George is saying re: comping one's self, i.e., playing alone, because that is a focus of my learning. I think we all go our different ways based upon our personal needs. Are the tunings I play in better than the other tunings out there? Nawww. Just different, and cut out for me to do my thing. Other tunings are set to help other players do their own thing--and that's what it's all about! Very Happy

_________________
OK...I'm gonna try and tune this thing...again!

Eddie Cunningham · From: Massachusetts, USA

I think dobro players tune and play in G because 5- string banjos are tuned to G and it's easier to go up to A with a capo or bar under the strings than go down. Most bluegrass is in G or A ??? as I understand !! My first Hawaiian tuning was lo bass A from the "Nick Manolof" book back in 1945. Eddie "C" ( the old geezer )

George Rout · From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

Thanks guys for the comments. I guess what I meant by comparing the G Major tuning to the A Major tuning, is that BOTH are strummable tunings, not that bluegrass Dobro players (and I am one of thos too!!!)do much strumming. About the closest is a rough "brush" (I belive they call it) across the strings as an effect.

The Nick Manaloff, Oahu, Mastertone tab all written in A Major back when Pontious Was A Pilot (in fact, he was just an air cadet then), can ALL be played on a Dobro in the G tuning. The only difference, is the G tuning is "high bass" exactly like A Major "high bass". Or conversely, if you take "I'll Be All Smiles Tonight" tab in G Tuning for the Dobro, you can play that same tab in A Major high bass, it's identical picking, not one speck of difference, only the song will be in the Key of A not G!!!

Four of the five tunes I have on the HSGA Online Audio are in A Major tuning, only Blue Hawaii is in C6th.

Thanks to all for the discussion. George

William Fraser · From: New York, USA

What a response! I got it strung, & got the nick manolof bar out any reccomended guages. ? The low E is a little floppy with a .052 i'm gonna try the A MAJ RITE now BILLY lEE fRASER Confused

_________________
Billy Lee ,Pro-II,, Session 400,Session 500 , Supro , National, SpeedDemons,& too many Archtops & Stratotones.Lots of vintage parts for Kay ! etc.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

In John Ely's gauge chart, he recommends a .056 gauge for a low E.

George Rout · From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

Yup Erv, you're right. Back in those days, you bought a set of Black Diamond Hawaiian guitar strings, and they were like wire rope for the 5th and 6th strings. They were just marked 1st String etc, not any particular gauge.
George

William Fraser · From: New York, USA

Hey guys,gals, & geezers, I found the A maj tuning to be a handy & easy to play tuning. I found playing in C & G to be more practical than open G with this setup. the nut is wooden & low enough to finger chords in the lower frets is this correct ? it seems that it should be raised to keep the bar from hitting the frets. Where were you guys 30 yrs ago when I gave up lap & waited until I got pedals. Thanks Idea

_________________
Billy Lee ,Pro-II,, Session 400,Session 500 , Supro , National, SpeedDemons,& too many Archtops & Stratotones.Lots of vintage parts for Kay ! etc.

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

I went back and forth with mine -- liked the sound of the ebony(?) nut, but the string height was much better with an extender -- and I stayed with the extender. I am using standard 0.013-0.056" medium gage guitar strings, and tune in lo-bass G or D or D6 as the occasion demands. If your little Oahu is like mine, it is very quiet but has a very pleasing & sustaining tone -- because of the metal bridge, I think. I have added a Fishman Rare Earth Humbucking pickup, which is small enough to fit in the soundhole and a 1/4" endpin jack. Played it as a 2nd axe at a gig a few Saturday nights ago, using a Pod 2.0 that I borrowed from my son, run thru the non-reverb channel of my Deluxe Reverb. Sounded very big and full. I also added a 40's style glamour-girl decal to the top, which got a lot of attention from the guys.

George Rout · From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

Yes Billy Lee, you need some sort of a riser nut as they call them these days, or as we used to call them, "extension nuts". I bought 20 off and eBay site that had a picture of a large carton full of them, they bought all the stock from National I think it was. Anyway, they were $1 apiece, whereas stores here sell them for $5 to $7 and some are crappy thin.

Like D. Schubert says, people have preferences witth replacing the small nut with a large ebony (in his case), bone nut, or just putting a metal extension nut on is required to raise the strings to stop hitting the frets. The material has an impact on the sound and is a personal preference.

Geo

William Fraser · From: New York, USA

Again thanks for the replies, I have plenty of bone to work with, just wanted to avoid re inventing the wheel,again. I also do not like to harm an original period piece. I steamed a crack back together & glued it from the underside, other than 2 50 yr old cigarette burns it is cute & like most small bodied instruments the tone is pleasing.Now for the next bone of contention, what is the bar of choice? Billy Lee Shocked

_________________
Billy Lee ,Pro-II,, Session 400,Session 500 , Supro , National, SpeedDemons,& too many Archtops & Stratotones.Lots of vintage parts for Kay ! etc.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

When I started out on a lap guitar like you have, I used a plastic bar. This is the traditional bar that was used to play Hawaiian music. When I got into country music, I went to a metal bar.

If you think you could use it, I have available for sale a 5/8" X 2 1/2" Oahu metal bar. It is stamped "Oahu" on the concave end and is in perfect condition. Very Happy

George Rout · From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

Erv, I believe metal bars were always the traditional bars, flat bars, some with little bumps (I forget what you call that) on the sides, the cheapie ones just plain stamped steel. The plastic bars which came out in the mid 40's, I believe were just a merchandising gimmick effort on Oahu's (and other suppliers') part. If they thought there was a market for something, they'd make it (or have it made). The plastic bars didn't stay in vogue long because they cracked or chipped if you dropped them on a hard surface. On top of that, their tonal quality was "plasticy sounding". Geo

Forum Index > Steel Without Pedals		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic