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Topic: 8 string guages&tunings |
Eric Gearhart
From:
Bellingham, Massachusetts, USA
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Posted 3 Jun 2004 6:05 pm |
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I'm about to purchase my first 8 string:A late fifties National Grand Console Dual 8. Any and all thoughts on tunings and string guages would be helpful! Thanks fellas.
Eric Gearhart
'32 Dobro model 56,'28 National Tricone,'35 model B bakelite,'52 National New Yorker,'61 Gretsch Jet Twin console(6)'74 ShoBud LDG.
All tuned to open G, except for LDG(E9)and rear neck of Gretsch(open A). |
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nick allen
From:
France
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Posted 3 Jun 2004 10:37 pm
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Well on the assumption your open G is the standard "dobro" tuning, GBDGBD low to high, I guess with the 8-string you'll want to expand on that... My two suggestions would be the "Junior Brown" tuning, but maybe in A rather than C, which would make it low to high G A C# E F# A C# E (i.e., putting a 6th in the middle of your "dobro" tuning, and a flat 7th on the bottom) and then a straight G6, adding a tonic note on top, which gives you low to high G B D E G B D G.
You can also use the Forum's "search" function within No Peddlers, and find a whole bunch more discussions and suggestions on the subject.
Nick |
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Chris Scruggs
From:
Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 3 Jun 2004 11:56 pm
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I would recommend you find a 6th tuning you like, and use that on one neck, with something pretty different on the other neck. This way you maximize the usefullness of you double neck guitar.
For your main tuning, I would recommend A6 like this:E,C#,A,F#,E,C#,A,F#. Since it is similar in shape to open G, and similar to pedals A and B pushed down on your pedal steel, you will find it very familiar. The string gauges are also the same as C6 with a high 3rd. Just drop your C# strings to C, and raise your F#'s to G.
You can also get B11 by just dropping your 5th string from E to Ed. If the concept of B11 confuses you(as it does many), think of the high four strings as A6, and the low seven strings as B9, which is also F#minor6.
For your other neck, I would recommend an E13 tuning like this:E,C#,B,G#,F#,D,G#,E. Having an E13 tuning like this one makes you sound like an expert the first time you strum it. It is easy to get along with, and makes your western swing solo's REALLY stand out.
I'ts pretty easy to understand, too, but it is not what I would play as my first tuning, since it lacks alot of the pentatonic structure a straight 6th tuning gives you. It does, however, give you alot of great stuff you can't get on your 6th tuning.
But don't get overwhelmed, pick two tunings you like, and just stay there for a while until you understand them and feel good on them. Then go to messing around with all the other stuff.
One more time, here are my recommendations:
A6:
E
C#
A
F#
E
C#
A
F#
E13:
E
C#
B
G#
F#
D
G#
E
These were also Leon McAulliffe's double eight tunings, and because of his influence, most Texas/Southwest steel players of the 40's and 50's.
National Grand Console's are a 24.5" I believe, so your string gauges for both these necks would be .014 through .054w of a standard pedal steel set.
My two cents worth, CS
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Tim Whitlock
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 4 Jun 2004 4:33 am
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| Chris's tunings are great for for western swing, honkytonk and rockabilly. I second his suggestion. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 4 Jun 2004 6:18 am
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I think you are selling yourself short if you don't give C6th a try. It can't be beat for some of the swing tunes.
As for string gauges, If you click on the links button above, pull up John Ely's site. He has a real good listing for the different strings and corresponding string gauges for the different tunings.
Erv [This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 04 June 2004 at 07:20 AM.] |
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