E9th tuning with Duesenberg bender

[Mark Butcher]

I have been using a six string lap steel E∆ 9 tuning for a while and have just ordered a Duesenberg bender bridge which I plan to use in a new lap steel. I have made up a chord chart and wonder if I have got it right and if I have missed anything obvious! The tuning is like a pedal steel with 6543 being the same as 8765 and 2 & 1 the same as 2&1. The AB pedal raises are there too and I intend a semitone lower for the D# This tuning works for me for melody play and I’m hoping the levers work well enough to get some pedal steel sounds. All comments appreciated!

[Mark Butcher]

Not sure what happen to the title there it should read E∆ 9 tuning with Duesenberg!

Mark

[Brad Bechtel]

Mark, the BBCode software doesn't recognize the ∆ character and transforms it into its HTML equivalent, which is why you're seeing the & and #8790; as part of the title. I've changed the title to just say E9th tuning, although we'll know what you mean.

As for the tuning and changers, it looks like an interesting idea. I wish you luck with it.

[Fontaine Burnett]

Hi Mark!

Looks like a great setup to me! I'm planning to do the same with my preferred tuning which is a D6 tuning with the multibender set up like this:

1 D <C> A#
3 F# > F
4 D
5 B
6 D


When I get my new lap steel and the multibender at the end of next month I'll definitely have a shot at your setup as well. I'm not at all familiar with the Emaj7/9 tuning but I can see a lot of potential there for me to explore. I'll be really curious to know how it works out for you.

FB

[Johnne Lee Ables]

Hey Guys,

Were did you obtain the Doozy B-B?

I looked at the Dooz website and I couldn't find it listed separately. I did a Net "search" and could not locate a retailer, either.

This thing looks cool.

Thanks,

Johnne Lee

[Craig Prior]

Why is Hipshot not on top of this? I'd much prefer to order from Nashville.

[Stephan Miller]

Craig, Hipshot is in Interlaken, N.Y., down the road from Ithaca where I grew up. Dave Borisoff gave my brother, my son and me "the tour" around the place. He's a great guy and accessible by phone.

--Steve

[Fontaine Burnett]

Just realized that there was a string missing on my post (thanks Mr. Miller! )
The tuning with the multibender changes should actually look like this:

1 D to C#
2 A to A#
3 F# to G
4 D
5 B
6 D

FB

[Steve Atwood]

I bought mine from Rockinger guitars. Here's a clip:

http://www.mediafire.com/?2dyezywommm

(A real musician could make it sound a lot better than that, but I have a lot of fun with it.)

If you do a search here for "Multibender" you'll find a lot of information, including videos.

[Craig Prior]

Craig, Hipshot is in Interlaken, N.Y., down the road from Ithaca where I grew up. Dave Borisoff gave my brother, my son and me "the tour" around the place. He's a great guy and accessible by phone.

--Steve

Errr... sorry about that. I should have known that because I once ordered a Trilogy directly from Dave and you are quite right: he's a wonderful person.

Anyway, you guys know what I mean. Hipshot should be all over this. Personally, I think this multibender thing is damn cool and I'd love to see Hipshot get some of the action!!

On a Harmony-Central forum a gentleman was kind enough to reference all the Rockinger clips :

"Steel Guitar Clips

The instrument is tuned to open E (E B E G# B E) and the levers are working as follows:
1. string: from E to F (extralever)
2. string: from B to C# (standardversion)
3. string: from G# to A (standardversion)

Clip 1 (close-up) wmv 8.5MB
Clip 2 (close-up) wmv 3.3MB Clip 2 (long shot) wmv 2.8MB
Clip 3 (close-up) wmv 3.9MB Clip 3 (long shot) wmv 4.1MB
Clip 4 (close-up)4.5MB Clip 4 (long shot) 4.5MB

Clip 5 wmv 2.2MB
Clip 6 wmv 1.6MB
Multibender Basics wmv 4.1MB"

<i>Edit: that last link is incorrect. Here's the correct video.</i>

[Iain]

I have a lap steel tuned to E7th (e b g# E D B, high to low) with 3 Duesenberg levers, taking the high e to f, the b to c# and the g# to a.

Works well and is so much easier than carrying a pedal steel(!)

See pictures.

Mark: let me know if you're ever gigging in this direction and I'll try to come along (and bring my steel, if you're interested); equally, I'll let you know if I'm gig

ging up your way. good luck with your steeel as and when, anyway.