John Bushouse
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Posted 8 May 2008 4:49 pm |
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I'm a big fan of low-bass tunings (open D, open G, etc.). But I'm also a fan of high-bass tunings - GBDGBD, GDEGBD, etc. Some things don't sound right in high tunings, some things don't sound right in low tunings.
So, I'm thinking my solutions are (1) get another guitar, and (b), some compromise - i.e., get a 6th string that can go to from D to A, (iii) make due with one or the other, or (four) some other solution.
Any thoughts? I know Oahu taught both low-bass A and high-bass A - did they just have floppy strings for the low-bass songs? I can't imagine folks would restring for one or the other. |
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Todd Weger
From:
Safety Harbor, FLAUSA
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Posted 9 May 2008 3:57 am Re: URB?
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| John Bushouse wrote: |
I'm a big fan of low-bass tunings (open D, open G, etc.). But I'm also a fan of high-bass tunings - GBDGBD, GDEGBD, etc. Some things don't sound right in high tunings, some things don't sound right in low tunings.
So, I'm thinking my solutions are (1) get another guitar, and (b), some compromise - i.e., get a 6th string that can go to from D to A, (iii) make due with one or the other, or (four) some other solution.
Any thoughts? I know Oahu taught both low-bass A and high-bass A - did they just have floppy strings for the low-bass songs? I can't imagine folks would restring for one or the other. |
How about upright bass? 
Sorry...
Seriously though, I understand the dilemma. I have the same issue. Unaccompanied playing in open G or D seems to favor low-bass tunings, and Hawaiian and bluegrass styles favor the high-bass tunings (well, in my limited experience, anyway). As you, I like both for different reasons.
Unfortunately, the only way I could make it work was to have two instruments, each tuned with the correct gauge strings for their respective tunings. Kind of a pain (more $ and carrying two guitars), but it solves the issue for me.
For electric though, the seven or eight string idea seems like a good work-around.
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Todd James Weger --
1956 Fender Stringmaster T-8 (C6, E13, A6); 1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (C6, B11/A6); Custom-made 25" aluminum cast "fry pan" with vintage Ricky p'up (C6); 1938 Epiphone Electar (A6); 1953 Oahu Tonemaster; assorted ukuleles; upright bass |
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