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Post new topic 6 string 8 string
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Author Topic:  6 string 8 string
Fred Bova

 

From:
Connecticut, USA
Post  Posted 22 Oct 2006 8:21 pm    
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Hi, do you need to use different tunings for 6 string and 8 string steels ? Why are the 8 string steels so much more desirable ? How often do you use the 7th and 8th strings ? I know that on 10 string E9th pedal steel very often only the middle 6 strings are used in a lot of songs.
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Dom Franco


From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
Post  Posted 22 Oct 2006 8:57 pm    
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For the most part you can play any song on 6 strings that you could play on 8. There are just a few times that having tha extra low note gives you a needed harmony or a fuller chord.
Having a higher upper string does the same in the other direction, and of course you can experiment with some extended chords like 9ths 11ths & 13ths. Some players even use a chromatic pair 1st & 2nd like on an E9 pedal steel.

If you are just starting out, six strings is plenty.

Dom
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George Keoki Lake


From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
Post  Posted 22 Oct 2006 9:22 pm    
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Some of the GREATEST steel players played 6 string...ie: Sol Ho'opi'i, Dick McIntire, Eddie Bush, et al. If you are just starting out, I would highly recommend 6 string. JMHO.
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Fred Bova

 

From:
Connecticut, USA
Post  Posted 25 Oct 2006 9:40 pm    
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I was wondering because I noticed a huge jump in price between the 6 strings and the 8 string steels. Not a lot of difference between the two to cost that much more for an 8 string.
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John D. Carter

 

From:
Canton, Ohio, USA
Post  Posted 26 Oct 2006 6:19 pm    
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Don't forget that it costs quite a bit more to produce a quality 8 string. The pickups are for 8 strings are unique while 6 string pickups are a dime a dozen.
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Chris Walke

 

From:
St Charles, IL
Post  Posted 28 Oct 2006 7:00 am    
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A dime a dozen?? Where do you find these bulk-priced 6-string pickups? Those would fit into my budget, no problemo!


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Roman Sonnleitner


From:
Vienna, Austria
Post  Posted 28 Oct 2006 1:10 pm    
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Well, not exactly 'a dime a dozen' - but www.guitarfetish.com has really good pickups for relatively low prices: Sure, they are for 'regular' (non-lap-steel) guitars - but Telecaster- and P90-pickups also make great steel pickups!
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Richard Sevigny


From:
Salmon Arm, BC, Canada
Post  Posted 28 Oct 2006 8:23 pm    
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I think the big difference is that six string laps can be manufactured with "off the shelf" regular six string parts... tuners, pickups, even tele style bridges.

An eight string requires parts that are specifically made for that application.
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