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Topic: New to steel, need a little help |
Ken McChord
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2006 11:21 am |
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Hi Everyone,
I have just got my first steel guitar, it's a 54 fender 8 string, I believe a Pro double but I could be wrong. No pedels.
I have played guitar for years, some slide, and I thought I would delve into something a little new. Of course I'm screwing this up already, and I seem to be breaking the strings as I try to tune it. Can someone tell me a beginners guide to tuning? I've been trying to tune it like a guitar (not necessarily the same tuning, but low to high octave type tuning) seems I am putting too much tension, are some of the higher strings supposed to be a lower octave than the lowers?
Please help. Thanks! |
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Papa Joe Pollick
From:
Swanton, Ohio
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Posted 25 Feb 2006 11:32 am
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| Hi Ken,welcome to this very fine forum..I'm not qualified to give you an answer,but there are plenty of people here who are,and I'm sure they will.Some place there's a chart that tells you what guage strings to use for the note you need.Maybe a search for string guages will give you what you seek.Good luck,my friend..PJ |
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 25 Feb 2006 11:54 am
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Hi Ken,
Do you have an idea of the kind of music you'd like to play on the steel? This can help narrow down the tuning choices. |
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Ron Victoria
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2006 12:20 pm
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Ken, first of all, welcome, especially to a fellow Jersey guy. I probably will be hosting another jamfest in March or April, nothing big, just a few guys. This would be a great opportunity for you to pick up a few tips. I play lap but the players will be both lap and pedal. If you aren't too far away, maybe we can get together soon. Email me.
Here's a handy site I always use for proper gauge to use. http://www.hawaiiansteel.com/learning/gauges.html
Ron[This message was edited by Ron Victoria on 25 February 2006 at 12:21 PM.] |
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Ken McChord
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2006 12:30 pm
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I know that it's mostly county and Hawaiian players in the forum, but I'm pretty much into rock & blues. I'm sure I can adapt whatever I learn to my situation, so I am anxious to get started.
Since I posted the first question I've been able to tune to C6th tuning. Seems it's all about the gauge of the string that determines what note you can tune it to. Is that pretty much a correct assumption? I have ordered a few sets from bOb, but I picked up a set of D'Addarios from Guitar Center last night while I wait for the strings. The gauges are...
.011
.014
.017
.020
.026w
.030w
.034w
.038w
I tried to tune this to a standard tuning, but I broke the low .011 string. Since replacing it with another 11 I had lying around and I've successfully tuned it to the C6th tuning. I would like to tune this to an 8 string standard tuning, or perhaps an 8 string Hunter tuning I've read about. I figure a standard tuning would allow me to get going just a little quicker, and I can set the second neck up to another tuning that I can learn on.
Thanks again to anyone who helps, I really appreciate these kinds of communities..
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Ken McChord
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2006 12:34 pm
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Ron,
Thanks for the link, that's just what I was looking for. I would love to make it to the jamfest, email me and we can discuss it.
kenmcchord@comcast.net
Thanks again everyone! |
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Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 25 Feb 2006 2:44 pm
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Hi Ken, welcome to the forum. There are many different tunings. I think it's good to become familiar with as many of them as possible.
Here are the tunings and gauges I use.
RA |
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Michael Devito
From:
Montclair, NJ, USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2006 10:09 am
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Ken: Welcome. I'm a newbie myself. There is so much to learn here, and I've barely started.
To that end, I'd be real interested in picking up some tips from NJ steelers. Ron: Please let me know where and when. I'm in Montclair (mdevito493@aol.com). |
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Keith Cordell
From:
San Diego
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Posted 27 Feb 2006 2:41 am
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| When you break the string, where does it break? If it breaks at the same spot each time, there may be an issue that needs to be looked at. any place where the string makes contact can be a possible culprit, especially on early guitars. Gauges can be a part of it too. |
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Ken McChord
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2006 6:52 am
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It was the gauge issue. I have the one neck strung and tuned to E7 and it sounds great. The other neck has the bad tuner so I am unable to tune that until I get that fixed.
thanks! |
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