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Post new topic Tuning Suggestion?
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Author Topic:  Tuning Suggestion?
Kenneth Mennen


From:
Wisconsin, USA
Post  Posted 6 Jul 2021 9:25 am    
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Hello all,

I recently bought this no-pedals guitar off of the forum, and after fixing a few things I'm ready to install some strings. On the rear neck, which has 8 strings, I'm using E13 as prescribed by a book I have about Don Helms and Hank Williams. However, on the other neck, which is ten strings, I'm thinking of using C6. Are there any opinions about this? If I use C6, can I use a set of E9 strings or is there a suggestion? Up until now, my only steel has been a Williams E9, so I know next to nothing about C6.

Thanks in advance for any replies!



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Williams SD10, Milkman Half and Half, Peavey NV112, Divided by 13 CJ11, Fender Pro Reverb, Strymon Iridium, Sarno Black Box, Goodrich Volume Pedal, Umpteen Guitars and Effects, Eastman Mandolin
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Jim Sliff


From:
Lawndale California, USA
Post  Posted 6 Jul 2021 12:36 pm    
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You can look up notes and recommended string gage (based on scale length) on most guitar string websites - Ernie Ball, GHS, D'Addario etc.

An E9 set will NOT work for C6, which uses much larger string gages and is tuned lower.

But if you're going to play with NO pedals I recommend an Open-E "sacred steel" tuning for a 10 string neck. You don't need any changes...and if you set it up in C6 you'll have to work around the missing changes.

And I would hav used a C6, C13 or A6 lap steel tuning on the 8 string neck myself. I use A6 and C13 on my dual-8 Rickenbacker steel. IMO A6 is MUCH easier to work around than E13.

See this site:

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/C6A6%20Lap%20Steel/C6A6%20Lap%20Steel.html

But again, for 10 string open-E (there are several versions) tnings are easy to learn and very versatile.
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No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional
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Fred


From:
Amesbury, MA
Post  Posted 6 Jul 2021 1:21 pm    
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I would probably use a ten string E13 and an extended Leavitt tuning on the 8 string neck.

You might want to ask the question on the Steel Without Pedals section. Non pedal players often have a very different perspective than pedal players.

Fred
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Kenneth Mennen


From:
Wisconsin, USA
Post  Posted 6 Jul 2021 2:41 pm    
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Thanks for the responses - I'm so used to checking pedal steel category that I posted this in the wrong spot - I'll see how I can get it moved...
_________________
Williams SD10, Milkman Half and Half, Peavey NV112, Divided by 13 CJ11, Fender Pro Reverb, Strymon Iridium, Sarno Black Box, Goodrich Volume Pedal, Umpteen Guitars and Effects, Eastman Mandolin
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Paul Strojan

 

From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 6 Jul 2021 8:38 pm    
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On my ten string, I have it tuned to F#, G#, E, C#, B, G#, F#, E, D, B. That gives you the Don Helms E6 as well as the E9 and E7 tunings.
For the 8 string, I would lean towards a C6 or A6 with a low string E C#, A, F#, E, C#, A, Low A.
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Allan Revich


From:
Victoria, BC
Post  Posted 6 Jul 2021 9:54 pm    
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I have a few 10 string tunings on my lap steel tuning database,
https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database
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Current Tunings:
6 String | G6 – e G D G B D
7 String | G6 – e G B D G B D

https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database
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