String Gauge - Weisenborn open G

Cliff Scholle · From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA

I want to tune my Weisenborn-copy to open G (GBDGBD), and I'm nervous about putting too much tension on the neck and/or pulling up the bridge. This guitar is a nice one, beautifully made by Iseman in Honolulu. But, like any hollow-neck acoustic, it gives you the sense of being light and fragile. I generally keep it in open C, so you get the idea I'm conservative about stressing the guitar.

Anyway, I've been looking around the web for information, and I haven't seen anything definitive yet. I've learned about the Aloha strings, which purport to have lower string tension. I am looking for string gauge advice from the forum gurus, who've have more knowledge and experience than me. I'm open to any advice, including "why the heck do you want to tune a Weisenborn like a dobro...don't do it." Cheers, and thanks much.

David Venzke · From: SE Michigan, USA

#1. Ask the builder what he recommends.

#2. Try a low-bass G tuning (DGDGBD), and use a standard set of strings that are intended for a regular acoustic.

#3. Buy a standard set of strings, drop the sixth string and insert a suitably sized fifth for the B (GBDGBD).

Larry Carlson · From: My Computer

I play a lot of open G tunes on my Weiss copies
but when I do I tune them to FACFAC.
I use D'addario mediums 12-53 if I remember correctly.
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Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

The John Pearse #3130HB set is designed for high-bass G. String gauges are .015-.052.

I concur with the notion of beginning in high-bass F tuning, and proceeding higher with extreme caution. I also concur with contacting the Iseman people, namely Matthew, who sometimes posts here on the Forum.

Steve Lipsey · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

I also use a standard reso set for GBDGBD, and start by ditching the 6th string, put the 5 in 6th string position, and insert an in-between size as the new 5th, exact size depending on what the manufacturer offers as single gauges for that set....

I do string swapping instead of buying a custom set because I buy sets in quantity for use on dobro and Weissenborn, so ordering a couple of single strings for the Weissenborn makes the sets good for both, and makes keeping an inventory easier.

I also use 16 and 17 or 18 as the first two strings - which to replace, if any depends on the gauges in the set you buy (which are probably 16-18 or 17-19).
Those give a pretty good feel to the tensions.

I found that, at least on my Bonham Design Weissie, the 16 sings a lot sweeter as a first string, the 17 tends to "thud" a bit, thus the 16 for the first.

And dropping the third to 26 removes a LOT of tension from the total, and sounds fine on a Weissie. I really prefer the 28 on a dobro, which gets played a lot harder, and I can use the cast-off 28s from the Weissie as replacements for the dobro, which (very typically of all dobros) wears out the 28 more quickly than the other strings.

e.g. with substitutions, for D'Addario EXP42, 16-18-26-35-39-45,
or GHS 16-17-26-35-38-45

The standard tension calculators put those well within a good range for anything but perhaps a real early style 1920s original Weissenborn...

I tried the more common DGDGBD; for a while, and I think it probably is better for solo playing, with that nice alternating thumb bass line, but in my jazz band, GBDGBD gives me many more options for forward and reverse slants to get more interesting chord forms. I kind of miss having that really low D on the 6th, but the tradeoff for chords (and easier chromatic/scalar runs) is worth it to me.
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Cliff Scholle · From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA

Thanks everyone for your input. Exactly what I was looking for. Cheers.

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