Tuning for a 6 string double neck guitar.

Rick Hanzlik · From: Utah, USA

Many years ago, I played a double neck 8 string Fender. Thinking I would relive my youth, I just purchased a cheap double neck six string from eBay. Now I am faced with the dilemma of what tuning to use. Back in my 8 string days, I used C6 and E13. It looks like C6 is a good choice for one of the necks, any suggestions as to what to use for the other?

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

You can use a 'stripped down' version of E13 since you're already familiar with the 8-string version:

E
C#
B
G#
E
D

Personally I would have had one neck in a 'plain' major tuning, like E or G, and the other in one of the "6th" tunings (probably E6).
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HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

I saw two wonderful, creative, and very technically proficient 6 string players (Mike Brenner & Raphael McGregor) this past weekend at The Lap Steel Festival in NY.....

The music of both players ranged from rock, reggae, country,folk rock, jazz, Brazilian, and world music.....I was very impressed at what and HOW the music was being played on the standard dobro G tuning and the standard C6 tuning......IMO, there was nothing that these two players couldn't get out of these two tunings.......

John Burton · From: Manassas, Va

I bought a very similar one a long time ago from ebay.
I ended up redoing all the electronics and made new nuts and bridges from aluminum angle.

before:

after:

I keep it tuned C6 on the near neck, and on the far neck e6 or e13 (E G# B C# E G# low to hi). This is of course just C6 tuned up four frets, but it comes in handy for playing those hi lonesome old time country stuff (and I use thinner gauge strings for that neck to).

Rick Hanzlik · From: Utah, USA

John;

I saw this guitar on another listing and was very interested in it. I thought I might end up doing something like this with mine. I need to first relearn how to play it. And I may be over thinking the whole process. I also saw a listing on the forum here where the guy reworked his el cheapo and made it an 8 string. That may be what I might try further done the road. First things first though.

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=140057&highlight=conversion

Check out the above posting. When that D6 first came out I modified it to a D8. I think this is what Rick is referring to. It now sounds a lot better. Very Happy

DeWitt Scott · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA * R.I.P.

Rick, I think that the tunings you may want to use would be determined by what style of music you wish to play. The most common tuning is the C6th. Also can be referred to as the Aminor 7th tuning.

1 - E
2 - C
3 - A
4 - G
5 - E
6 - C

I most always tune the 6th string up a half tone to C#. This gives me the C6th with an added A7th tuing. It opened up a whole world for me. You can retune it from C to C# and back to C again with ease.

If you like a higher pitched tuning used by many pro players then the E6th would be a good tuning. The most recogonizable sound we heard on record was by Don Helms on the later Hank Williams recordingss. E6th or can be called C#minor 7th. You can also raise the low E to F (or to be correct E#).

1 - G#
2 - E
3 - C#
4 - B
5 - G#
6 - E

These tuning are exactly alike - the only difference between the C6 and the E6th would be from a sweet mellow tone (C6th) and the higher pitched (E6th.)

for further proof put your bar at the 4th fret of the C6th tuning and the note become G#-E-C#-B-G#-E.

Another tuning that is popular for the Hawaiian style music is the B11th.

1 - E
2 - C#
3 - A
4 - F#
5 - D#
6 - C#

Good luck! Scotty

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

I have done very little experimenting with B11 myself. But word on the various fora is that it is an excellent chordal tuning for any kind of music. Don Helms, for instance used it on his second neck. He employed it for alot of his background work. His E6 was his solo neck.
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Rick Hanzlik · From: Utah, USA

So both of these steels I have are basically cheap models. I figured they would be good enough to get me started again. The problem I'm having now is that once I get the saddles set, and try to tune the guitar up I have the strangest thing going on.

I have an electronic tuner. I am trying to set up the guitar for C6 tuning CEGACE, So I'm starting out on the lower C string (6th string). I get it tuned so that my meter is showing a really high B# but the next smallest movement of the tuner sends me into a very low Db. I can never get the C out of it.

Am I doing something wrong? The same thing happens on both guitars. The tuner has new batteries in it so that shouldn't be the issue. Wrong strings perhaps?

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

I doubt, even with the poor machine tuners on the instrument, that it would suddenly jump two semitones. If it did you would hear it as you tuned. It must be your meter at fault. Just tune by ear. You don't need one of those electronic gadgets. Besides, the electronic gadget will want you to tune to equal temperament, and on an open-chorded instrument without frets it sounds better in natural temperament.

Rick Hanzlik · From: Utah, USA

I figured out why I could get me tuner to show the correct note. When I took the tuner back to where I git it from and told the older salesman what my problems was he looked at the tuner and said, " No wonder this is Guitar Tuner. You need a chromatic tuner." He was kind enough to give me a credit for the wrong tuner so the new chromatic only cost an additional $10.

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