What string gauges for C6 on a dobro-style resophonic?

Matthew Dawson · Post by **Matthew Dawson** » 6 May 2010 7:22 am

What string gauges should I use for C6 on my dobro? Also, would you recommend nickel or bronze if I'm looking for a very sweet Hawaiian sound? Barney Isaacs' tone on "Hawaiian Touch" is the ideal sound to me.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 6 May 2010 7:35 am

Did it arrive?

Not sure I would put c6 on that national. Maybe G6. c6 sounds to light for a dobro.

Matthew Dawson · Post by **Matthew Dawson** » 6 May 2010 8:12 am

Its out for delivery! I've got another one of those Goldtones and that is probably the one that will end up in C6: E-C-A-G-E-C (high to low).

Twayn Williams · Post by **Twayn Williams** » 6 May 2010 8:26 am

I use B6 on my Goldtone (like C6 1/2 step down) and I use a fairly light gauge, only a smidge heavier than on my lap steel. I use it at Gypsy jazz jams and it easily holds it's own against a phalanx of heavy hitting gypsy guitars. I use bronze strings because nickel strings on an acoustic instrument makes me feel weird.

+1 on the Barney Isaacs tone!

.015, .017, .020, .024w, .030, .036

Strings

Matthew Dawson · Post by **Matthew Dawson** » 7 May 2010 9:31 pm

Thanks Twayn,
Do you still play the jam at the Moon and Sixpence? If so I'll stop by and check it out.

Former Member · Post by **Former Member** » 7 May 2010 10:59 pm

From 'Hawaiian Touch'-----
In the liner notes at the description of "Maui Medley", it states "Barney plays in A minor 7th tuning, (C-E-G-A-C-E) from low to high", on all the songs on the album, no matter what the key.
Which is the same notes as C6th, using a different string config.----interesting...

Ray Shakeshaft · Post by **Ray Shakeshaft** » 8 May 2010 3:07 am

On my Goldtone PBS model I use the recommended normal gauges for C6/A7 tunings (see John Ely's website). No problems, in fact musician friends tell me how good it sounds.....now I have just got to learn how to play it decently.

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 10 May 2010 7:32 am

Hey Twayne,,just curious,,,,do you play bluegrass style reso?,,,many hammer-ons,,,pull-offs? Why B6 rather than the bluegrass G?

The reason I ask,,,,I play uni pedal (E9/B6) and I tune my reso to B6 so as to minimize confusing my simple brain. I love to do reso to traditional country songs,,,not much on bluegrass,,,a little goes a long ways.

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 14 May 2010 9:15 am

Twayn Williams · Post by **Twayn Williams** » 14 May 2010 10:56 am

Matthew Dawson wrote:Thanks Twayn,
Do you still play the jam at the Moon and Sixpence? If so I'll stop by and check it out.

Yup, every Saturday from 4-6.

Twayn Williams · Post by **Twayn Williams** » 14 May 2010 11:01 am

Sonny Jenkins wrote:Hey Twayne,,just curious,,,,do you play bluegrass style reso?,,,many hammer-ons,,,pull-offs? Why B6 rather than the bluegrass G?

The reason I ask,,,,I play uni pedal (E9/B6) and I tune my reso to B6 so as to minimize confusing my simple brain. I love to do reso to traditional country songs,,,not much on bluegrass,,,a little goes a long ways.

I don't play bluegrass, only swing, so a 6th tuning makes more sense for me. I use B6 instead of C6 because I've played standard 6-string guitar for 30 years now and that tuning is quite ingrained in my mind. With B6 the root of the straight bar major chord is on the second string B which is the same as on standard guitar, therefore I can find the major chord with no thinking required. It's like moving around a D chord. An added bonus is that in standard PSG E9 you get a B6 tuning by hitting the E-Eb lever.