How important is the 2nd, and 9th string lowers to you?

Larry Strawn · From: Golden Valley, Arizona, R.I.P.

And have you ever lost it due to an equipment failure during a gig? Shocked

I had failed to realize how much I use this change, and how much I had come to rely on it until last night.
2nd song into the 2nd set on the intro went to lower my D# and no knee lever! Yikes, there it was laying on the floor next to my volume pedal! Since we just came off break I didn't want to say anything, besides it's just the lower for my 2nd, and 9th strings I can play around those, always did before I had that change! Rolling Eyes

I made it through the set and the only person who noticed was Ginger, she's been playing bass behind me for a lot of years, she made the comment,"somethings missing with your steel" leave it to your wife to add insult to injurey! Oh Well

Now you can bet I had my steel upside down on a table during the next break making a repair! Very Happy

Something like this will bring your mind out of auto pilot and shift it into overdrive real quick, or it did me anyway, made me actually think on the fly!

Lesson learned,, you can bet I'll check my equipment closer from now on! Very Happy

Larry
_________________
Carter SD/10, 4&5 Hilton Pedal, Peavey Sessions 400, Peavey Renown 400, Home Grown Eff/Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

Billy Carr · From: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

Yep! That's why I constantly check under the hood.

Wayne Baker · From: Altus Oklahoma

Larry, do a search for "that dang nineth string"

Wayne Baker

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

As posted some tme back i reverse my 9th and 10 sting on the 9th tuning.I have done this for many years.That puts the 7th.D string(9th) string over on the 10th
That way you can play big raking chords with out having to skip the 9th string.
You can then play night life,swing chords with out having the 9 th string in the way.When i lower my 2nd string i raise the 9th also which gives a big 6th chord.
The bands i worked with coulden't tell if i was playing the 9th or C6th and i didn't even have the E (9th tuning until later.A great non pedal steel player named Chuck Caldwell gave me the idea.Also another great country steel player
Sonny De Jersey used the same tuning.Takes maybe a week or less to get used to it but it is almost a universal tuning on a 10 string steel.Started using it back when we played 8 string fenders.
Sonny and i used to play those 6 hour gigs at the Golden Nugget in Vegasw.This was back in the 60s and the Nugget had bands 21 hours a day.Boy,talk about lick trading.We were always showing each other licks and chords we had learned Those were the days my friend.Tracy

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Interesting idea, Tracy, to reverse your 9th and 10th strings. Have you found any downsides to doing so? I sure see the advantages you cite.

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Little story...

I once asked a visiting player if he like to try my axe, and he asked me about my setup. He asked if I lowered the 6th a whole tone, I said "no". Then he asked if I raised the 1st a whole tone, again I said "no". Then he kinda shook his head and said, "I'd rather not try playing it, then...I can't do much without those two changes." Whoa!

Anyway, to get back to the topic, I played for far too many years without the 2nd and 9th string changes to call either one an "essential". 3+2 isn't all I have, but it's all I really need for most of the stuff I play. Cool

Larry Strawn · From: Golden Valley, Arizona, R.I.P.

Donny,

I've passed on setting in on some one elses steel before, one time trying to play a Day set up was enough! Laughing

The 2nd, and 9th lowers even though not essential, when you're used to having them will make you re-think your playing as you go. Does me anyway.
Very Happy

Larry
_________________
Carter SD/10, 4&5 Hilton Pedal, Peavey Sessions 400, Peavey Renown 400, Home Grown Eff/Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

Ernest Cawby · From: Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.

I use the v9th more than the 2nd, you need it for no name shuffel.I also use it on endings, when in a pedal down ending like D on fret 5, hit 6 8 10 while holding hit the 9TH string and lower it to match the 10th string, I like this sound.

ernie

Jay Jessup · From: Charlottesville, VA, USA

Well FWIW I just had an old 66 S-10 Emmons rebuilt, it only had two knee levers and I chose the 2'nd and 9'th 1/2 tone lower over raising the E's to F for my second lever, I miss not having the E to F and it will be the first thing I put on if I can find some original Emmons knee levers, but for my style of playing the 2 and 9 string changes are very important.

Larry Strawn · From: Golden Valley, Arizona, R.I.P.

Jay,

for me, I think I prefer the E-F raises over the 2nd, and 9th lowers. But after having to play without them for a while the other night I realize that I'm using those lowers much more than I thought, or even realized! So I quess they are becoming pretty important to me also. Very Happy

Larry
_________________
Carter SD/10, 4&5 Hilton Pedal, Peavey Sessions 400, Peavey Renown 400, Home Grown Eff/Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

Jay Jessup · From: Charlottesville, VA, USA

Larry,
For most style's of playing I would agree with you 100% but I had a gig I knew I wanted to try to use this guitar on that's about half C6 style stuff which made the choice a no brainer for me. I can simulate about 75% of what I use the F lever on with bar slants on the low E and pedal 2&3 for the high E and having the low D going to C# was essential for some of that C6 stuff along with my other secret which is lowering the low B to A with pedal 1 instead of raising it to C#.

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