Second-neck tuning advice sought

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

I will shortly have a D8 beaming my way (till I get it, no names) and I want to try to get some specific results out of it. I'm very happy with C6 for the close neck -

G
E
C
A
G
E
C
A

However, one thing I want is four stings with the specific arrangement of the top four strings of a slide guitar - 1-3-5-8 low to high numerically.

And the other thing I want is a logical set of strings to use to loop bass lines, using a pitch shifter. The easy comfortable one would obviously be E-A-D-G. But just slamming those together on one neck gives you -

E
B
G#
E
G
D
A
E

Which is pretty weird. Now since the regular C6th contains the 1-3-5 relationship at the top, I could just dump off the lowest string, switch it to G and end up with something like -

G
D
B
G
E (F?)
D
B
G
or switch it to E -
E
B
G#
E
C# (D?)
B
G#
E

and then have the whole other neck to fuss with bass lines. I'm just wondering if anyone has approached the subject of pitch-shifted bass lines and what they came up with. I know there are playing solutions - "learn to play bass in C6th" or arrange a tuning with the top five strings being 1-2-3-6-8, then work around that 6th in the middle - but listening to great guitarists play rock on a 6th tuning, that note seems relentless in making it's presence known.

Mike Neer · From: NJ

E
B
G#
E
D
B
G#
E

If you tune the bass strings like the bottom of a guitar, it's more difficult to connect chord tones like you would while playing bass.
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Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

The 6 tuning is actually really great for bass lines... so you could put lo-hi 1 3 5 6 1 3 5 8, with the added advantage of a minor (or min7) chord when you root the 6.

Once you try bass in the 6th tuning you'll see how easy it is... your EADG idea just doesn't work for steel, but if you play some boogie in 6th, like

1 5
1 6
1 5
1 6
1 b7
1 6
1 5
1 6

or even

1 3 5 6 b7 6 5 3

then you can see how the 6th tuning falls right in with the bass line.
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Too much junk to list... always getting more.

Jack Aldrich · From: Washington, USA

I have Jules Ah See's B11 on my stringmaster outer neck:
E
C#
A
F#
D#
B
F#
B

I love it for "Sand", "Mapuana", "Paradise Found (Hana), "Lady Be Good" and doing "fat" fills behind another instrument or a singer. It has an A6 on the top, and a B7 on the bottom. So the I7 chord is 2 frets down on the bottom, and the IV7 chord is 3 frets up on the bottom from the I chord on the top. It really works for me. - Jack
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Jack Aldrich
Carter & ShoBud D10's
D8 & T8 Stringmaster
Rickenbacher B6
3 Resonator guitars
Asher Alan Akaka Special SN 6
Canopus D8

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