From lap steel to tricone...tuning recommendations?

Nic Neufeld · From: Kansas City, Missouri

Hi all,
In the next few months I'm thinking of picking up a tricone. My experience has been predominantly in Hawaiian lap steel and while I dabble with B11/A6 and others, C6/C13 is what I'm most comfortable with. But everything I've heard is that C6 usually just doesn't "sound right" on a resophonic guitar...perhaps with the higher tunings, just not enough string tension?

I'd love to have the sixth and minor 7th options you get from a sixth type tuning. So I'm wondering what kind of tuning I should pursue, that would likely sound good on a middle of the road new tricone (Republic)? I suppose plain old triad tunings are an option I should consider too...

One option is the string sets that are (1-5-3-1-5-1) Open E, apparently...E-B-C#-E-B-E. The string gauges in the SIT set are such that there should be no problem sharping the high 5th to C#, giving an "E6" type tuning that I gather is more commonly known as C#m7. Did Sol Ho'opi'i use that on his acoustic guitars, or was that more from his electric phase? Anyway, the string layout is still a bit foreign to me (I have an E13 neck on my Stringmaster that I am not comfortable with yet), but that's one option.

The other one I thought about...lots of open G string sets around. If I took a regular open G set (D-B-G-D-B-G), lost the high D string, and then inserted an appropriately gauged extra string in between the remaining D and higher G to tune to E, I'd have a G6 tuning that matches the layout of the C6 tuning (albeit transposed) that I'm so comfortable with...(B-G-E-D-B-G, 3-1-6-5-3-1). That seems an appealing option but do you think it would sound off, or be problematic due to tension issues?

Thanks for any advice folks!
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me

Noah Miller · From: Rocky Hill, CT

I use the same A6 tuning on my electric lap steels, tricone and spider-bridge resonators. It sounds perfectly fine to me.

Mike Neer · From: NJ

E
C#
G#
E
B
E

C#min7
Sol Hoopii, Dick McIntire, Bob Nichols circa 1930s.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links

Nic Neufeld · From: Kansas City, Missouri

OK, maybe I'm starting from a faulty premise then! Do you mind sharing what strings you use or gauges? A6 is an easy retune (maybe with slight gauge adjustmemt) to high E C6...
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me

Nic Neufeld · From: Kansas City, Missouri

Thanks Mike, that one is probably a good option particularly since I love Sol's playing so much.
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

Mike Neer has done some top notch recordings with tricone. I think that if you give some of them a listen, you will be totally sold on his suggestion.
_________________
Amor vincit omnia

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

Mike Neer has done some top notch recordings with tricone. I think that if you give some of them a listen, you will be totally sold on his suggestion.
_________________
Amor vincit omnia

Adam Tracksler · From: Maine, USA

G6 is my love language..

John Morton · From: Washington, USA

Thanks for Sol's tuning, Mike. Strumming that combination tells the whole story, musically, with that 6th added in to the triad sound. Except you call it a C#min7, not an E6. Why is that?

The sense of an E key center in that tuning is strong, but none of Sol's great jazzy pieces are in that key. In fact he seems not at all tied to any one key.

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

C#m7 is the traditional name for the tuning. I don't know where it came from. Probably from Sol.
_________________
Amor vincit omnia

Nic Neufeld · From: Kansas City, Missouri

In the same way C6 could be Am7 tuning, or any sixth tuning has an equivalent minor7. Maybe this one just sounds a little closer to the min7 because of the top notes...5-1-b3, instead of the less defined 3-6-1...the fifth to the E6 being important, yet stuck down on that fifth string. Strumming just the upper strings would sound more naturally minor to me but everyone's ears are different...
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me

Nic Neufeld · From: Kansas City, Missouri

Thanks all for the input. I think I might try C6 as training wheels and then consider transitioning over to the wider range and more historically appropriate C#m7 or the deeper pitched G6 if I feel it needs a deeper tone...quite excited, now must be patient and continue lap steel studies...
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me

Josei Alfonsi · From: Hawaii, USA

I just recently strung up a tricone I bought to Jules ah see C6 tuning minus the low C. I used the same string gauges of my stringmaster and it came out great. I talked to Bobby Ingano and Jeff Au Hoy about their gauges and they go 1-2 gauges thicker. I went with a lighter gauge because of some damage to mine just to test the waters. I may go heavier in the future but I kind of like where its at right now. I used the following gauges
14
17
21
24W
32W
36W
42W - little to big for the low Bb but works for low C

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

I had very good luck with C6. I started out with it because I was moving over from electric lap steel. But it worked out so well, I never changed. It is a very versatile and facile tuning. And I was already familiar with it. There's nothing wrong with experimenting with various tunings. There's also nothing wrong with staying with what works. Wink

_________________
Amor vincit omnia

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