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Post new topic Don Helms Setup For Hank Sr
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Author Topic:  Don Helms Setup For Hank Sr
Mike Moffitt

 

From:
South Carolina
Post  Posted 5 Sep 2013 9:42 am    
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I am making my Carter F rter into a non pedal,Would like to know what tuning Don Helms used for the Hank Sr stuff.
Thanks for any and all replies.
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Willie DeFord

 

From:
Colorado, USA
Post  Posted 5 Sep 2013 10:20 am    
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According to this old post (http://www.steelguitarforum.com/Forum2/HTML/000868.html):

"Don Helms' E6 tuning is (L-H) B C# E G# B C# E G#. He learned this tuning from Boots Harris, another steel guitarist from southern Alabama who played with Curly Williams. Don played on all Hank William's recordings from 1950 on - that includes " Hey, Good Lookin'". Don's other tuning was and is a B13th. Don has recently switched back to his Gibson Console and put up the pedal guitar. This info is from Don himself and I hope it helps." (Steve Larios)
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Morgan Scoggins

 

From:
Georgia, USA
Post  Posted 5 Sep 2013 4:35 pm    
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You can play most any of Hank's songs with six strings. The tuning is Hi to low G# E C# B G# E.
The grips used almost always are strings 1 and 4, strings 2 and 5, and strings 2 and 3.Another important move is the 1 and 3 string that gives you a root/fifth harmony which is three frets above the root fret, For instance; play a G chord on fret 3 and to get the high D note , slide the bar up to the sixth fret and play strings 1 and 3. This move is something Don Helms used quite a bit playing for Hank.
Strings 2 and 3 are a very important scale and give you a four chord without a root, i.e. on the third fret you have a G chord and a E minor chord, but you also have two notes of a C chord( E and G) on strings 2 and 3. A lot of Don's playing used these two strings. Just listen to the opening lick on "Mansion On The Hill" .
The best part about playing like Don Helms is that you can play all those songs of Hanks with no bar slants!!
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Nate Hofer


From:
Overland Park, Kansas
Post  Posted 7 Sep 2013 5:15 am    
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Hey guys, don't forget Jerry Byrd recorded with Hanky too. And Mansion is one where JB demonstrates his famous bar slants (probably C6 too):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woCz4P1ta1E

Here's a previous discussion of which songs he played on:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=7106&sid=d073291877620a0c1001dc1511803b88


Last edited by Nate Hofer on 7 Sep 2013 9:05 am; edited 1 time in total
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Joseph Barcus

 

From:
Volga West Virginia
Post  Posted 7 Sep 2013 5:49 am    
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Mike I have been playing Don Helms tuning for about three years being you have a 10 string changer put you an F# on top then from the second string down use G# E C# B G# E, C#, A, E other wise called E6/9 your c# is your 6th and the F# is the 9. I play with David Church and he is the best Hank Williams tribute artist that I know of we play it like the record.
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